Teaching Science Through Cooking


Cooking is an art as well as a necessity of our lives. It can bring great joy to both the cook, as well as those who partake of the well-prepared meal and it can also be a valuable and nutritious addition to our overall Health and well being. One might think that cooking and science have little in common, yet that is simply not true, as cooking offers a wide variety of opportunities to teach science to our young. By sharing quality time cooking with our children, they can learn valuable lessons not only in the ethic of work and responsibility but also in the area of science.

Experimenting In The Kitchen

Simple scientific experiments can be conducted within the comfortable confines of ones own kitchen and the end results can be edible! What an approach to science! Yet because the students are learning in a comforting and enjoyable atmosphere, it is not like the stifled book-learning approach to science. Cooking offers the child a hands on and tangible experience, while at the same time teaching them a life skill they can use daily. Children from kindergarten to college can gain practical applications and life-long knowledge by using this approach. Some example of fun experiments parents can incorporate include making candyfloss and ice cream. Making ice cream, for example, allows the exploration of the freezing point of matter. One can also talk about the role of temperature, whipping and foaming during the process. Children can learn a wide range of science concepts while they enjoy the learning process. What is more is that they get to enjoy a tasty treat at the end of the process.

Difficult chemistry concepts such as radiation, convection, conduction, energy and carbohydrate chemistry may seem overwhelming to many students, yet exploring and appreciating these science concepts during our food preparation can makes it a fun and exciting adventure. For a start, one can study the various forms of heat transfer and their different roles it play in the cooking process. With regard to specific foods, milk and dairy products can be discussed as you use them in your cooking, such as how the cows produce milk, what milk is made of, the nutrients within the milk and the difference between fermented and non-fermented products.

Plants can also be easily incorporated into our discussions. Cooking vegetables is a science itself. Even preseving them, such as kimchi, is an excellent introduction to food nutrition and preservation. By the way, talking about kimchi, in it lives a host of live organisms which one can conduct experiments on. Moreover, it also gives you an excellent opportunity to talk about Korean culture and food. Concepts such as osmosis, pH value, density of the food, as well as dissecting the vegetables to identify plant tissue and structure can be explored too.

With the wide variety of creative ideas for experimentation, the kitchen is a wonderful learning laboratory for people of all ages.

Kelvin Ho
http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/teaching-science-through-cooking-82660.html

  1. #1 by Chay on July 19, 2010 - 2:58 am

    Please critique my teaching reaume?
    Chaylin
    **********Personal Info Provided****************

    Career Objective

    To teach at an elementary level with the dedication to provide a stable learning environment

    PROFILE

    1Extensive outreach and volunteer activities at local schools, Chambers of Commerce and other city foundations and centers
    2Broad knowledge of elementary education level material, philosophies and instructional methods
    3Create successful partnerships that produced lasting relationships

    PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
    Spiegel & Utrera
    Legal Secretary Orlando, Florida
    3/2009-Present
    Responsibilities are supervising all aspects of the office
    1Composing legal documents and contracts
    2Preparing state-filed documents
    3Scheduling meetings, answering phones, greeting clients
    4Daily communications with other branch offices throughout the country

    Steak and AleMaitland, Florida
    Local Store Marketing Coordinator10/2005-7/2008

    Implemented and executed local store marketing initiatives while working with the community
    1Strengthened community relations through membership with Partners in Education, Maitland Chamber of Commerce and volunteering at local clubs and events
    2Increased brand awareness by building relationships with local businesses and creating partnerships with local nonprofits
    3Organized city tastes and outside catering with local nonprofits including historical center and arts museum

    Dominos PizzaOrlando, Florida
    Manager1/2003-9/2005

    1Responsibilities included leading employees and operations, developing and delegating driving routes, cooking, and creating and implementing solutions to staff issues

    EDUCATION

    Florida Teacher Certification ExaminationsOrlando, Florida
    Passed March 2010

    University of Central FloridaOrlando, Florida
    Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice8/2006-12/2008

    Seminole Community College Lake Mary, Florida
    Associates of Arts in Communications 8/2004-5/2006

    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
    Related Activities and Interests:
    1.Partners in Education with Dommerich Elementary and Lake Sybelia Elementary provided the opportunity to participate in activities such as; Career Day, Field Day, judging an oration contest, providing food and refreshments for the PTA, and creating contest to promote reading skills
    2.Ecology Club at Edgewater High School gave the chance to travel to local elementary and middle schools and teach classes of students about animals, without adult supervision. In this club I was responsible for leading my fellow students to the chosen school. I would lead the class discussions for the students, and was also charged with the welfare of all the students traveling with my group and for the safety of the students we were showing the animals to.
    3.The Senior Project I chose to complete pertained to Multiple Intelligences and how they can be applied in the classroom. I was given permission by Maitland Middle School, as well as my sixth grade teacher, Mrs. Paroline, to come into the sixth grade science classroom and teach for two separate weeks. The first week I taught with standard teacher curriculum with no changes. The second week I tested the children and grouped and taught them according to their learning styles and with custom learning materials.
    4.Received the Bright Futures Scholarship due to exceptional high school grades and performance.

  2. #2 by keyia22 on July 19, 2010 - 8:00 am

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    References :
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