Regents Chemistry Course Outline

Welcome to Playing With Your Food: Culinary Chemistry!

Ms. Heymont & Ms. Telesford

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What is chemistry? What does it have to do with playing with your food?

How can you make the bubbliest soda? How can you grow the biggest, clearest rock candy crystal? Is Gatorade really the best drink to revive yourself after exercise? How can a chemical reaction change the meltiness of your cheese? In this class, these and other food questions will be investigated through chemistry. Chemical reactions and the structure of the atom can explain all sorts of culinary mysteries.

• Types and phases of matter (why does popcorn pop? what keeps soda bubbly?)
• Solutions: concentration, effect of a solute, solubility (making candy crystals)
• Atomic structure (how do we get the colors in food dyes?)
• Ions and electrolytes (which drink is best after exercise?)
• Compounds: bonding, ratios, percent composition (how much sugar is there in your gum?)
• Chemical reactions (juice spherification, meltiest cheese, caramelization of meat & cheese)

Semester Learning Targets

• I can explain food-based phenomenon with chemistry.
• I can describe chemical changes in terms of atomic structure and interactions.
• I can design and carry out a scientifically-valid experiment.

Graduation-level science PBAT

You will pick a topic from the chemistry concepts explored throughout the semester and expand on that through your own group project. This will include a grad-level PBAT paper and a presentation of yourwork in a “demo derby.”

• Pens (always have 2 in case one runs out)
• Your Chemistry binder (this will be made in class)
• The 5 Commitments and strong work habits

In the Lab

Most weeks, class will meet at least 1 day in the lab (room 241, across the hall). These labs give you an opportunity to do hands-on chemistry investigations to find new answers and to put what you learn in the classroom into practice.

• Do your very best to make sure that you do not miss lab days. These are activities that cannotbe made up.
• This course requires you to be present for the lab activities, to fully participate in them, to follow all safety rules, and to complete the lab reports.

• On PupilPath, you’ll see your class assessment based on mastery of our science, inquiry, and writing learning targets. You will also be assessed on your Habits of Work and Learning.

• If you are absent, you are responsible for getting the notes, worksheets, or assignments you missed from the work folders on the door. Papers will be available in class for only 1 week, and then on the website.
• Late assignments are accepted until the end of the marking period. HOWEVER, for your success in science research, you should do all your work on time.

Student Name:

Dear parent/guardian,

We are excited to work with your child this semester in what we expect to be a very interesting chemistry course. Please take a look at the syllabus above to see what the expectations for this class are. Chemistry is a demanding subject, and this course ends with a full-scale graduation-level PBAT, so we’ll be expecting a lot of dedication from your student.It will also be fun and we hope that he or she has a lot of cool things to tell you about when they come home.

Please note that the expectation is that your student will defend their work at a PBAT panel inJune or January of this school year.

1. Please provide us with a phone number you can be reached at:

And your email address, if you’d like us to have it:

1. How do you prefer to be communicated with? circle one:

• Text
• Email
• Phone call

1. In class, we will often use Google Classroom to organize and submit assignments. There is also a feature that sends parents updates on student progress. Would you like to have these updates?
   Circle: yes or no Be sure to provide your email address up above.

Please sign below, that you have seen this syllabus and letter. Cut off at the dotted line and have your student return it to me. This is their first homework!

signatureThanks!

Ms. Heymont & Ms. Telesford