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FILE NAME pophist.pi poppop.pi popability.pi The popprep.pi popnutri.pi Popcorn popcom.pi Program popteachtools.pi
POPCORN BOARD TEACHING GUIDE PB_0900813_TeachersGuideUpd.qxp:PB_0250310_TeachGuideReprnt.qxp 12/13/13 11:12 AM Page b
MEMORANDUM To:Educator From:The Popcorn Board
The more things change, the more they stay the same.Take education for instance. There may be new approaches to teaching, but the basic goal remains constant: make learning interesting and fun so students get more out of their schooling.
One way to motivate students is to have them study subjects they can relate to, like food, for example. Americans of all ages love to eat and children especially like to snack. However, indulging in high-fat, calorie-dense foods can lead to weight gain and poor eating habits. Children should learn at an early age about the benefits of “smart snacking” so they can make choices they can feel good about. One snack food that always makes the grade is popcorn. As a snack or complement to any meal, popcorn is delicious, easy to prepare and fun to eat. But best of all, it’s good for you! In addition to its dietary value, popcorn has historical, scientific and technological merit — making this versatile food a perfect study-aid in any classroom setting. The Popcorn Program is an interdisciplinary educational guide designed to introduce elementary school students (grades K-8) to popcorn and its many applications. In this package you will find lesson ideas for the following subjects: Social Studies, Mathematics, Language Arts, Science, Health and Consumer Science (Home Economics).
From a historical perspective, students will see popcorn has a genuinely American origin. As a science project, students can study how and why the tiny kernels pop. The nutrition section highlights popcorn’s nutrient composition and how it supplies the body with energy to function properly.This section also features ways to enjoy popcorn as a healthy snack.The study section provides students with interesting ways to tie popcorn into their favorite subjects. In addition, your classes can sharpen their online skills and gather additional information by visiting the Popcorn Board’s Web Site. The Popcorn Program offers a variety of study tips tailored to fit the needs of your students and curriculum. By focusing on this popular snack, projects can be fun as well as educational.
So get with the “program” and make learning about popcorn part of your future lesson plans. PB_0900813_TeachersGuideUpd.qxp:PB_0250310_TeachGuideReprnt.qxp 12/13/13 11:12 AM Page 1
FILE NAME pophist.pi FILE NAME: pophist.pi poppop.pi popability.pi Taking Its popprep.pi popnutri.pi Place in popcom.pi American popteachtools.pi History
Popcorn…An American Food
Fact: Popcorn is one of the oldest American foods and has had a significant role in our history. Archaeologists have uncovered proof that popcorn had been around long before the arrival of the Europeans in the New World. Some of the oldest ears of popcorn were found in the mid-1900s by archaeologists exploring the Bat Cave in west central New Mexico and later in the Tehuacán Valley of Mexico. These ears were proven to be about 4,000 to 4,500 years old. Fact: Popcorn was used by the Native Americans as a staple in their diet and for decoration. Sixteenth century Aztec Indians used popcorn in their ceremonies; young women danced a “popcorn dance” and wore garlands of popcorn in their hair. Fact: Early Americans threw popcorn kernels directly into the fire or into heated sand. Once popped, the corn was sifted and then pounded into a fine, powdery meal and later mixed with water for eating. This was especially handy when traveling making it a true American “to go” meal. John Winthrop, Jr., son of the first governor of Massachusetts, reported this common practice among Native Americans in 1662, as did Benjamin Franklin in 1785. Fact: In South America, kernels of popcorn found in burial grounds in the coastal deserts of North Chile were so well preserved they would still pop even though they were 1,000 years old. Fact: Popcorn is a popular snack food. It’s wholesome and naturally delicious. Foods that are good sources of fiber, such as popcorn, are an important and necessary element in the diet. Fact: Most of the world’s popcorn is grown in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska and Ohio. 1 PB_0900813_TeachersGuideUpd.qxp:PB_0250310_TeachGuideReprnt.qxp 12/13/13 11:12 AM Page 2
FILE NAME FILE NAME: poppop.pi pophist.pi poppop.pi Just How popability.pi popprep.pi Popular is popnutri.pi popcom.pi Popcorn? popteachtools.pi mericans consume 51 quarts per man, woman and child each year. Approximately 70 percent of that is purchased at retail stores in both raw Aand popped form, and eaten at home. The remainder pops up almost any place associated with FILE NAME: popability.pi fun, food and fitness — movie theaters, sporting events, entertainment arenas, amusement parks, and other recreational centers. Kids love popcorn because it What Makes tastes good and adults favor popcorn for its nutritious value. it Pop?
opcorn is a whole grain maize product — it’s grown extensively in the corn belt states of the U.S., where the majority of popcorn sold worldwide is grown. It resemblesP corn-on-the-cob in appearance and cultivation, although only popcorn kernels have the ability to pop. Popcorn can be ear-harvested, where the whole ear of corn is cut and stored for eight-12 months, until the moisture levels in the kernels reach optimum levels. At this point, the kernels are stripped from the cobs and graded to eliminate ones that are too small to pop efficiently. Alternatively, popcorn can be harvested by the combine method where the corn cobs are picked and shelled simultaneously.The kernels are then dried with hot forced air, packed and distributed for sale. Popcorn’s ability to pop lies in the fact that the kernels contain a small amount of water stored in a circle of soft starch inside the hard outer casing. When heated, the water expands, creating pressure within, until eventually the casing gives way, and the kernels explode and pop, allowing the water to escape as steam, turning the kernels inside out. Although the early Indian corn carried no popping guarantee, popcorn brands today vow at least 99 percent of the kernels will pop.The key is a constantly improved product.Throughout the years, popcorn processors have implemented significant hybrid popcorn seed research to continually enhance their product.
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FILE NAME: popprep.pi FILE NAME pophist.pi Preparing poppop.pi popability.pi Perfect popprep.pi popnutri.pi Popcorn popcom.pi ot only is popcorn tasty and economical popteachtools.pi (for as little as four cents, you can enjoy a quart at home), it’s also easy to prepare.Whether youN choose to pop popcorn in an electric popper, on the stove or over an open fire, follow these tips for perfectly popped popcorn: First, warm the popper, heavy pan or skillet. If oil popping your corn, add 1/4 cup of cooking oil to the pan.Allow the oil to heat.The best popping temperature is between 400 and 460 degrees Fahrenheit. Oil burns at 500 degrees. If your oil starts to smoke, it’s too hot. Any cooking oil will work provided it can retain the proper temperature. The less saturated the fat in the oil (like corn or sunflower), the less calories you add to your snack. Don’t pop popcorn in butter. Butter will burn. Test the heat of the oil by dropping in one or two kernels.When the kernel pops or spins in the oil, you’re ready to add the remaining popcorn. Pour just enough kernels to cover the bottom of the pan. Shake the pan to be certain oil coats each kernel. Kernels that do not pop are known as “old maids.” They do not have sufficient water contained within the starch to create the build up of pressure needed to pop the kernels. If your popcorn does not pop into fluffy, crunchy kernels, it may have lost some of its moisture. Rejuvenate popcorn by filling a 1-quart jar 3/4 full with popcorn. Add one tablespoon of water. Cover and shake every five to 10 minutes until all the water is absorbed. In two to four days it should be perfect for popping.
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FILE NAME FILE NAME: popnutri.pi pophist.pi poppop.pi Natural Nutrition popability.pi It’s hard to believe a snack food that tastes so good can actually be good for you! With suggestions from organizations such as the National Cancer Institute (NCI), American Dietetic Association (ADA), the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), the popprep.pi American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the Feingold Diet, there’s no doubt popcorn is a perfectly sensible snack to fit into any meal/fitness plan. popnutri.pi Popcorn contains fiber, providing roughage the body needs in the daily diet. popcom.pi Popcorn is low in calories — only 31-55 calories in one cup of unbuttered, and when lightly buttered, one cup still only has 133 calories. popteachtools.pi Popcorn has no artificial additives or preservatives, and is sugar-free. Popcorn contains energy-producing carbohydrates. Popcorn is ideal for between meal snacking since it satisfies and doesn’t spoil an appetite. Popcorn inspires creativity. While there’s no doubt hot buttered popcorn is pleasing to any palate, popcorn also can be enjoyed when combined with seasonings, spices and other foods like raisins, fruit and cheese providing a whole-grain, delicious snack. A NOTE OF SAFETY: While Popcorn is a healthful and delicious snacking choice when prepared with low-fat ingredients, it is never recommended for infants or toddlers. Kernels can pose a (choking) threat to their safety (American Academy of Pediatrics).
FILE NAME: popcom.pi A Worldwide Resource Want more information about this smart snack food? Visit the Popcorn Board’s Web Site (http://www.popcorn.org). Material featured includes: “Watch Popcorn Pop,” “Encyclopedia Popcornica” and “Calorie Counter.” In addition, there are creative ways to fit popcorn into your life all year round, ideas for popcorn-related activities and crafts, and games “Popcorn Pong” and “What Do You Know? Quiz” to play.
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FILE NAME: popteachtools.pi FILE NAME pophist.pi History poppop.pi popability.pi 1. Have students do a research project on the Native American groups that used popcorn.Ask them to report different ways popcorn was used. How popprep.pi many varieties did each tribe use? Have them report their findings in class. 2. Ask students to research different kinds of popcorn poppers.When were they popnutri.pi invented? Who used these poppers? How do they pop popcorn? How do they compare to today’s poppers? popcom.pi 3. Have students draft a chronological study on the uses of popcorn from the early days of the Indians to the number of places and ways popcorn is used today. popteachtools.pi Geography
1. For younger grades, play unscramble the words with the letters spelling out places that relate to popcorn; i.e., where popcorn was first identified, where the first popcorn popper was invented, key locations where popcorn is grown, manufactured, etc. Follow with a discussion on each location’s role in popcorn history. 2. Give students a list of geographic locations that have played a part in popcorn’s history.Ask them to locate these spots on a map. 3. Have students research the major popcorn producing states.Ask them to report why popcorn grows so well in these areas. Is it the soil, climate, planting methods, etc. 4. Divide the class into groups of countries. Compare the differences and/or similarities of how popcorn is used, eaten, grown and sold in United States as compared to other countries.Try to locate popcorn products, packaging labels and advertisements to add to the discussion. 5. Divide the class into groups. Have students find out where popcorn is sold in different states, both as kernels and as ready-popped corn. List the available range of flavors. Devise a questionnaire to find out when and where people eat popcorn, and their favorite flavors.Write a report on your findings.
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FILE NAME pophist.pi poppop.pi Science popability.pi 1. Do an experiment to find the proper oil temperature necessary popprep.pi for perfect popcorn. 2. Have students conduct an in-class popcorn popping demonstration. popnutri.pi Follow the instructions in the Program. Make notes to record the volume of kernels before and after popping.To do this, place them in a measuring popcom.pi cup and make a note of the level, then pop the kernels and record the levels again. popteachtools.pi 3. Divide the class into teams and compare “regular” popcorn and microwave popcorn (i.e., taste, cost, popping procedures, etc.) What makes the two different.Which is considered “better or “more whole-grain.” 4. Discuss environmental issues relating to packaging materials and their disposal.Which are considered the “best” and “worst” from an ecological standpoint. 5. Have your students contact popcorn growers and interview them about the process of planting popcorn. If possible, have them keep a journal of an actual crop, from planting time, harvesting and processing. Math
1. Have students do a cost analysis on store-bought popcorn vs. popcorn sold at movie theaters. Have them report their findings. 2. Have students perform a cost comparison of popcorn at different places where popcorn is sold; i.e., movie theaters, sporting events, amusement parks, zoos, etc.Which offers the best value. The worst.What’s the mark-up. Discuss findings. 3. Based on the equation 1 oz. (2 tablespoons) unpopped kernels yields 1 quart of popped popcorn, ask your students how much 51/2 tablespoons of unpopped kernels would yield. Or, how many unpopped kernels are needed to make 10 quarts of popped popcorn. Supply your own figures for additional questions.
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Language Arts
1. Have your students research what it takes to go from the processing company to the stores and movie theaters that sell popcorn. Identify the major processing companies and largest retailers. 2. Have students visit a grocery store and pick out three different types of popcorn.Ask them why they picked the ones they did: was it brand name, packaging, advertising, etc. 3. Ask students to find advertisements for popcorn in magazines and on television. Discuss what they liked and disliked about the ads.What motivates them to want a particular brand/product. 4. Have students locate retail outlets that sell popcorn. Do they advertise. How much, if at all, has advertising increased sales. 5. Divide the class into groups and have them do a marketing campaign for a new popcorn product. The campaign should include choosing a flavor and a name, and creating a logo and package design. 6. Plan an advertising campaign for the new product. Decide which groups of people are most likely to eat it, then develop ideas based on these groups — the “target market.” Write down the ideas and decide which media — magazine, newspapers, posters, television, radio or cinema, or a combination — to use. 7. Have students develop and plan the advertisements. Write the words and design the page for a press advertisement, write the script or words for a jingle or produce a story board (small pictures that outline the plan of the film) for television. 8. Consider promotional ideas to help sell the product — t-shirts, hats, buttons, etc. — to tie-in with your theme.Where would these items be offered. Have students make plans and designs of their ideas.
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FILE NAME pophist.pi poppop.pi Consumer popability.pi Science popprep.pi 1. Discuss ingredients which could be used for making flavored popcorn — either sweet or savory, or both. Decide which popnutri.pi flavors to try and write up the recipe ideas. 2. Hold a contest in the classroom to find the perfect popcom.pi popcorn. Create different categories for winners, i.e., most whole-grain, most indulgent, most creative, etc. Pick a panel popteachtools.pi of judges to determine the winners. 3. One quart of popped popcorn costs only 4-9 cents, making popcorn one of the most economical snacks around. Ask your students to compare other favorite snack foods by cost and determine which are the best bargains.
Health 1. Ask students to make a list of popular snack foods. Have them check those snacks they feel are most whole-grain and star the ones they feel are most caloric. Analyze the nutrients and calorie count of each snack on the list with your students. 2. Have students locate actual fitness and healthy eating plans that recommend popcorn as a whole-grain and low-calorie snack. 3. Let your students act as reporters. Have them contact nutritionists, dieticians and members of the American Dietetic Association and interview them. Find out why they feel popcorn is a smart snack choice and how they would incorporate it into their diet. Report the findings to the class. 4. Find out which information must appear on a package. Collect packaging examples to help. Have the class research the legal requirements for food labeling and write up a summary of their results.
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Just for fun... Getting down And the answer is “Popcorn” Play “Popcorn Jeopardy” just like the to business... popular television program. Have students Popcorn as a Fundraiser create categories and determine answers Instead of selling cookies, have a “Pop” to questions about popcorn. Choose off where students bring in different players or teams, and let the games popcorn recipes and sell the finished begin. Categories should include topics product to raise money for their school, Popcorn Program. listed in the extracurricular activities, cheerleading Popcorn Word Games squads, etc. Use this as an opportunity For the younger crowd, design a word to put their marketing skills to use. Have game where students need to unscramble students determine price, profit margins, or find words that relate to popcorn. advertising, etc. Home and the Holidays Popcorn for Pleasure Holiday celebrations fill classrooms See how your school compares to year-round. Have your students create other schools that sell popcorn as their holiday-related popcorn recipes and fundraising activity, whether it’s football explore other uses for popcorn. Have games, theatrical performances, or other your students do these projects at sporting events. Discuss the findings home and report on the reactions from in class. family members.
FILE NAME You’ve got questions...We’ve got answers. help The Popcorn Institute is a trade association of Following is a summary of material available from popcorn processors. Processors contract with the Popcorn Board: farmers to grow popcorn, store, dry and package history highlights it, and get it to stores, theaters and institutions that make it available to us to eat. production figures industry facts The Popcorn Board is a non-profit organization funded by U.S. popcorn processors.The Board popping secrets strives to raise the awareness of U.S. popcorn as nutrient data a versatile, whole-grain snack via domestic and international marketing efforts. promotion opportunities “pop”ular recipes For more information, contact: The Popcorn Board, 330 North Wabash Ave., Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60611; 312.644.6610; or via the Internet at http://www.popcorn.org.
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The Popcorn Program
The Popcorn Board 330 North Wabash Ave., Suite 2000 Chicago, IL 60611 312.644.6610 Internet: http://www.popcorn.org