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Experimenting with Plants and Exploring our kitchen Chemistry DRAFT instructor’s Course Outline By Luis A. D’Elia

A fun course designed for adults to experience--or re-experience the wonderful world of biology and natural sciences by doing simple and safe experiments and by performing ‘magic tricks’) Note: the vast majority of the experiments can be carried out with simple everyday house (kitchen) elements; occasionally, experiments requiring special equipment such as microscopes will be run so that arrangements with the biological sciences department to use the equipment can be discussed.

Summary: 1. The first class we will share our (students’ and instructor’) experiences in biology/science classes that we had many years back in high school, and we will remember stories about science experiments (animal dissection is one of the experiences that tend to stick most to the alumni’s minds). We will review some basic understandings in biology, together will learn what some senior students know or remember about specific natural phenomena such as photosynthesis, sauerkraut/yogurt/wine natural production, earthquakes, acid rain, food chain, blood circulation and much more. 2. The instructor will perform a few demonstrations of experiments and some magic tricks that are science-explained to encourage students to join in carrying out some group or individual experiments 3. The class will start doing basic experiments and learning magic tricks that use science principles. There will be on going discussions on the phenomena being observed and on the activity itself, and importantly, on the feeling, perceptions, thoughts and reflections that golden-age students have as a result of the activity. “07888126c1f6f1d3cb717d5656f07cdb.doc (Luis) 2

CLASS 1 notes:

I. ORGANIZING OUR CLASSES: . Personal Presentations – expectations – . Household items: bathrooms, break, absences (number of students for experiments) . Special needs to be aware of? . SAFETY: biohazards, tasting product of experiments. Kitchen safety. Allergies.

25 min “07888126c1f6f1d3cb717d5656f07cdb.doc (Luis) 3

II. Preparation of: 1. De-chlorinated water

III. SPILLING OF SWOLLEN SEEDS (*) INITIAL SET UP. In this experiment bean seeds are placed in a sealable plastic bag with water (a ‘control’ bag is also made with seeds but no water). The seeds in water will expand and push their way forcefully spilling out of the bag, explaining the essential need of water to start out growth and life.

Spilling of swollen seeds- MATERIALS 2 SEALABLE PLASTIC BAGS per student X 16= 32 1 KILO FRESH BEAN SEEDS 1 SMALL TRAY X 16=16

Discuss: 1- what is the problem? Matter (small) change into larger! Is it true? What is driving the process? How is it that from apparent dry matter (substances in seed) there is more matter (seedling) produced without the addition of any matter from OUTSIDE the seed? 2- Type of experiment>>Thesis pre-formulated>> Control >> why? Variables>> 3- Expected results? why? 12 min ______

IV. POWER OF YEAST IN WINE MAKING (Luis D’Elia’s Productions) Wine is a product of a primary fermentation of glucose into ethanol (alcohol) and CO2 (a gas) + water. We will demonstrate the process by reproducing the phenomenon in a small scale.

Power of yeast in wine making –MATERIALS SACCHAROMICES BAYANUS (YEAST) 100 GRAMS GRAPE JUICE CONCENTRATE X 2 LITERS TABLE SUGAR ¼ KILO 250 ML-GLASS JARS WITH LIDS X 8 (L) COOLER TO CONTAIN 8 x 250 ML-JARS OF JUICE STIRRERS (teas spoons) X 8 THERMOMETERS for liquids X 8 POT TO HEAT JUICE “07888126c1f6f1d3cb717d5656f07cdb.doc (Luis) 4

Discuss: A few concepts on Experiments: a. (Western) Scientific methods – b. Experiments’ repetitiveness, consistency, validity, accuracy, safety (biohazards). Reliability is the extent to which an experiment, test, or any measuring procedure yields the same result on repeated trials. Validity The degree to which a study accurately reflects or assesses the specific concept that the researcher is attempting to measure. A method can be reliable, consistently measuring the same thing, but not valid c. Experiments set-up: controls, variables. 15 min

Discuss for WINE MAKING: 1- Controls 2- Timing of observable signs of fermentation –timing of experiment 3- Biohazards?>> yeast concentration –dead yeast cells – Use of CONTROL 4- Use of examples of fermentations in food 5- Chemical rxn in fermentation a. WINE; b. BREAD; C. YOUGURT; d. Sauerkraut

15 min discussion 15 min prep ______

V. magic=LIGHTER ORANGE WILL FLOAT BETTER? . (© compilation and adaptation from various sources-LD’2005) Physics of flotation and forces MATERIALS: LARGE ORANGES X 3 DEEP BOWL OR TRAY KNIFE 5 min ______magic=IMPERMEABLE SKIN . (© compilation and adaptation from various sources- LD’2005) BODY POWDER X 150ML GLASSES X 8 3 min ______VI. WHY THE SUN BECOMES BIGGER AND RED-ORANGE AT DUSK (©) In this experiment a glass jar, a lamp and a box are used to re-construct a sun setting atmospheric scenario. The optical effect of light refraction on dense materials is explained. VII. Why the sun becomes…MATERIALS GLASS JARS (500ml) X 7 “07888126c1f6f1d3cb717d5656f07cdb.doc (Luis) 5

MILK 250 ML FLASH LIGHTS (L)WORLD GLOBE 5 min ______VIII. THE SUN DRIVES THE GREEN (© compilation and adaptation from various sources- LD’2005) In this experiment we will use plants with the chlorophyll pigment to prove that the sun is a needed factor in the photosynthetic reaction.

The sun…MATERIALS A LARGE GREEN PLANT WITH WIDE GREEN LEAVES PAPER CLIPS X 16 2 SHEETS OF CONSTRUCTION PAPER OF ANY LIGHT COLOR

Discuss: Photosynthesis process 7 min ______

IX. magic=SUPERMAN/WOMAN FINGER: Powering a boat! . (© compilation and adaptation from various sources-LD’2005) STYROFOAM SHEET APPROX 4cm thick X 15cm long x 6 cm wide DETERGENT 5 ML LARGE TRAY BOLT & NUT, FEATHER OR PIECE OF STYROFOAM

Discuss: What is flotation? Do diagram of flotation Expected results Re-test with more detergent! Results? 7 min “07888126c1f6f1d3cb717d5656f07cdb.doc (Luis) 6

CLASS 2 notes:

. OBSERVE, RECORD, DISCUSS PREVIOUS on-going EXPERIMENTS 5 min X. THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT is different from atmospheric warming PART I (prep) (Luis D’Elia’s production) Misconceptions have been circulating even in schools about the use of the ‘greenhouse effect’ as a metaphor or model for our planet’s increased atmospheric warming. In this experiment, using household elements we will attempt to demonstrate the difference between the two.

The greenhouse … – MATERIALS: ELEMENTS TO PREPARE INDIVIDUAL “TERRANIA” X 16:

DISPOSABLE WATER-PROOF TRAYS (approx. 50cm x 50 cm x 30 cm) GROUP A= PLANTS, SOIL, GROUP B= CEMENT BLOCK PIECES, A FEW PLANTS GROUP C= POLYETHYLENE, SAND, PLANTS initial work 15 min ______

XI. PRODUCING POTABLE OCEAN WATER (*) . By removing the salt from salty water, we can make ocean water more prone to consumption. This experiment will use everyday kitchen elements to remove salt from salty water.

MATERIALS: ½ Kg COARSE SALT MEASURING CUPS X 8 MEASURING SPOONS X 8 LARGE TRANSPARENT BOWLS X 8 COFFEE CUPS X 8 PLASTIC FOOD WRAP “07888126c1f6f1d3cb717d5656f07cdb.doc (Luis) 7

SMALL ROCKS X 8

Discuss: testing taste of water before the experiment starts--Concept of condensation 15 min ______

XII. HOME-MADE SAUERKRAUT PRODUCTION (©) Sauerkraut food is, in fact, a bacterial growth on cabbage. We will not only prepare Sauerkraut from cabbage, but also observe the microscopic bacteria that grow at different stages in the natural production. Sauerkraut sampling and testing will wrap-up this activity.

Home-made sauerkraut production MATERIALS ½ Kg Yogur-CONTAINER with LID x 16 (L)1LITER JAR (OPEN MOUTH and lid or plastic) for group 3 KILOS FRESH GREEN CABBAGE 180 ML COARSE SALT 25 ML GLUCOSE (or table sugar) BLACK GARBAGE BAG

Discussion: Mixed Fermentation: organisms modify their environment to such an extend that they cannot live there any longer, others do. Set-up of experiment: growth conditions-compare to wine fermentat. Anaerobic, nutrients. Expected results – Changing initial conditions, i.e., Boiling the cabbage at the beginning… 20 min ______

XIII. Magic=THE POWER OF CO2 . (© compilation and adaptation from various sources- LD’2005) GLASSES X 7 RAISINS X 5 X 7= 35 TRANSPARENT SODA POP BEVERAGE A FEW DRY NOODLES 7 min

XIV. magic=CAN YOU COLOR THE EGG SHELL? -(GROUP ACTIVITY) . (© compilation and adaptation from various sources-LD’2005) “07888126c1f6f1d3cb717d5656f07cdb.doc (Luis) 8

Porosity of surfaces

MATERIALS: FOOD COLORING (10 drops each pair stud) 2 X BOWL (250 ML) FRESH EGGS X 4 VINEGAR (70ml) 5 min

XV. THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT is different from atmospheric warming PART II (measuring & findings) (Luis D’Elia’s production). The greenhouse … – MATERIALS: INDIVIDUAL “TERRANIA” PREPARED BEFORE X 16 DISPOSABLE WATER-PROOF TRAYS (approx. 50cm x 50 cm x 30 cm) WRAPPING PLASTIC (L) HEAT LAMP 200 W THERMOMETERS 16 X 2= 32 PLASTIC BAGS LARGER THAN SIZE OF THERMOMETER x 16

25 min

XVI. Magic=FLIPPING COINS MAGIC (****) 2 LARGE COINS AND 1 MIDDLE-SIZE COIN 3 min “07888126c1f6f1d3cb717d5656f07cdb.doc (Luis) 9

CLASS 3 notes:

. OBSERVE, RECORD, DISCUSS PREVIOUS on-going EXPERIMENTS 5 min XVII. SNAILS SURVIVAL WITHOUT FEEDING THEM! Now it is time to formulate a thesis around some of what we learnt from PHOTOSYNTHESIS. Will a snail and a plant survive trapped in an enclosed tube filled with water? Can we apply here what we learnt and predict the results?

Snail Survival… MATERIALS: TEST TUBES X 8 and 3 Elodea sp Aquatic PLANTS x 15 (shoots) SNAILS x 12 DE-CLORINATED WATER x 2 LITERS PLASTIC WRAP 20 min

XVIII. PLANTS LOVE US: THEY PRODUCE OXYGEN! (©) How can we prove that plants produce O2 as a result of their photosynthetic process (we’ll recall the elements needed for photosynthesis from a previous experiment).

Plants love us…MATERIALS: Elodea Sp. AQUATIC PLANTS X 7 (L) DE-CHLORINATED WATER X 200ML GLASS FUNNELS X 7 GLASSES WHERE FUNNELS WILL FIT MID-SIZE TEST TUBES X 7

Discuss: control of experiment Variables Expected results Changing conditions= expected results? What is the learning lessons: plants in the house 15 min ______“07888126c1f6f1d3cb717d5656f07cdb.doc (Luis) 10

XIX. Magic=I CAN HOLD THE WATERS! . (© compilation and adaptation from various sources-LD’2005) A SMALL CUP A FULL CUP AND A QUARTER OF NICKELS 5 min XX. BABY SEEDS ARE HOT! (©) In this experiment we would like to test if there is a change in temperature between non-sprouted seeds and sprouted ones.

MATERIALS: 4 FOAM CUPS PER GROUP MASKING TAPE 2 THERMOMETERS PER GROUP X 6 =12 BEAN SEEDS X 600 ML 15 min

XXI. WHY MEET TENDERIZERS SOMETIMES DO NOT WORK? (**) By incubating cartilage tissue (gelatin) with regular meet tenderizer at different temperatures we will be able to demonstrate how meet tenderizers (bio-chemical enzymes) work and when they will not work.. Why meet tenderizers…MATERIALS MEET TENDERIZER UNCOLORED GELATIN (GELLO) PACKS X 16 30 min

XXII. magic=TEETER-TOTTER WITHOUT PUSH (Group demo) . (© compilation and adaptation from various sources-LD’2005) 10CM-SIDE WOODEN BLOCKS (or 2 medium size glasses) x 2 MATCHES PINS X 2 A MEDIUM SIZE CANDLE WITH TWO WICK-ENDS TRAY 5 min

XXIII. MICROSCOPIC BEAUTIES (© Luis D’Elia’s production) Beautiful worlds can be seen by magnifying the view of a feather, an onion slice, our skin cells or (already prepared slides of animal organs’ cells) “07888126c1f6f1d3cb717d5656f07cdb.doc (Luis) 11

LIGHT MICROSCOPES LUIS D’ELIA’S own MICROSCOPIC SLIDES COLLECTION ONGOING?

7 min ?? XXIV. magic= FORKS ON THE EDGE . (© compilation and adaptation from various sources- LD’2005) gravity force

GLASSES X 7 SPOONS AND FORKS X 7 (each) MATCHES X 20 5 min

XXV. magic=GUESSING WITH EGG IS HARD-BOILED –(GROUP ACTIVITY) . (© compilation and adaptation from various sources-LD’2005) A look at centrifugal forces

HARD-BOILED EGGS X 2 FRESH EGGS X 2 2 min XXVI. EGG BUBBLES & EGG REDUCTION (© compilation and adaptation from various sources-LD’2005) Chemical reactions and their products

1st Part: EGGS X 8 VINEGAR 1 L GLASS JARS OR LARGE GLASSES (TO FIT EGG) w/ LIDS X 8 2nd part: CORN SYRUP 600 ML 2 min prep 5 min observ/disc

XXVII. magic= STABBING WITHOUT BLEEDING! . (© compilation and adaptation from various sources-LD’2005) The effects of surface tension and preasure

SMALL PLASTIC BAGS x 16 SMALL BRANCHES OR REGULAR SHARPENED PENCILS 3 min “07888126c1f6f1d3cb717d5656f07cdb.doc (Luis) 12

CLASS 5 notes:

. OBSERVE, RECORD, DISCUSS PREVIOUS on-going EXPERIMENTS 5 min

XXVIII. WORMS HELPING US IN THE KITCHEN INVITED PRESENTER:Karen-Lewis-Clark from Waste Management Branch of the City of Edmonton will be doing a presentation and teaching participants HOW to MAKE a HOUSE VERMICOMPOSTER and she will encourage discussions on the basics of composting and waste management. We will build a class composter but students will be encourage to build one either during or outside of the classes with the instructor’s support. MATERIALS:

A 50 LITERS PLASTIC RECTANGULAR BOX + LID (A TOTTE) GARDEN SOIL X 5 KG OLD NEWSPAPERS WORMS:…………….. FOOD SCRAPS LITERATURE on VERMICOMPOSTING 60-90 min XXIX. FILTERING waste WATER for washing (development issues: 1/3 world do not have water. Manufacturing a WATER FILTER)

2-LITERS TRANSPARENT POP BOTTLES –x 2 CUT AS INDICATED

STUFFING-COTTON (1/3 of filter) , SAND (5 cm high), CHARCOAL 2.5 cm high), ROCKS (to fill the rest) FOOD COLORING 15 min XXX. CELLULAR DIFFUSION (©) It seems complicated, but the physics and chemical diffusion phenomenon in animal and plant cells is a simple concept that can be observed and demonstrated using paper “07888126c1f6f1d3cb717d5656f07cdb.doc (Luis) 13

towels, dyes and plant stems. The coloring of fresh flowers that students may bring will wrap-up this activity.

Cellular Diffusion-MATERIALS: FRESH CELERY STALKS X 16= 16 FOOD DYE, RED, BLUE, YELLOW HEAVY ABSORBENT PAPER X16 SHEETS TOOTHPICKS 7 min XXXI. COLORS ON MILK (****) FOOD COLORING GLASS WITH MILK 3 min

XXXII. CONFUSING APPLES WITH ORANGES ( source cited below) COTTON BALLS APPLES ORANGE EXTRACT GLASSES x 2

5 min XXXIII. TORNADO simulation . (© compilation and adaptation from various sources-LD’2005) 2-LITERS TRANSPARENT POP BOTTLES –x 2 FOOD COLORING TAPE 5 min XXXIV. BALLOON INFLATOR . (© compilation and adaptation from various sources-LD’2005) The effects of cold and warm temperature in the gases (air)

EMPTY PLASTIC WATER BOTTLE X 8 BALLOONS X 8 + “07888126c1f6f1d3cb717d5656f07cdb.doc (Luis) 14

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CLASS 6 notes:

. OBSERVE, RECORD, DISCUSS PREVIOUS on-going EXPERIMENTS

XXXV. magic=EXTINGUISHER (Group demo) . (© compilation and adaptation from various sources-LD’2005) Concepts of combustion and chemical reactions

TALL GLASS X 1 FOLDABLE PIECE OF CARDBOARD MATCHES & CANDLE BAKING SODA & VINEGAR 5min

XXXVI. magic=BALLOON POWER OVER WATER STREAM(Group demo) . (© compilation and adaptation from various sources-LD’2005) static electricity and charges

BALLOON PIECE OF WOOL SINK with running water 5 min

XXXVII. magic=LIME BATTERY . (© compilation and adaptation from various sources-LD’2005) LIMES X 8 COPPER WIRE fine x 2 m STEEL WIRE X 2 m WIRE CUTTERS 5 min

XXXVIII. HOMEMADE HOOVER BOARD FILM CANISTERS WITH LIDS X 8 BALLOONS X 8 5min “07888126c1f6f1d3cb717d5656f07cdb.doc (Luis) 15

XXXIX. F I N A L FINISHING EXPERIMENTS AND FINAL DISCUSSIONS. DISMANTLING EXPERIMENT SET UPS. BIBLIOGRAPHY. 25 min

I acknowledge credits for some of the original ideas to (*) Anthony Fredericks –Sterling Publications 1995 (**) Alberta Education Distance Learning (***) my colleagues, Mark Mercer and Kerry Kricken (U of A, 1997) (****) “You Gotta Try This”. Vicky Cobb & K. Darling. Morrow Junior Books: NY. 1999. (©) compilation and adaptation from various sources-LD’2005. References consulted to do compilation: Greey de Pencier books, Ontario, Canada-1982 (“Dr. Zed’s dazzling book of science activities”; Simon & Schuter books, NY, USA, 1982-“More Science Surprises from Dr. Zed”, Gordon Penrose, author-edited by Marilyn Baillie; Van Cleave, Janice.”VanCleave’s 201Awesome, Magical, Bizarre, & Incredible Experiments”. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.: NY, 1994.); Faith Hickman Brynie, “Six-minute Nature Experiments”. Sterling Publishing Co., NY, USA 1999. “Kitchen Science”, Chris Maynard, 2001. DK: London. “Science Smart”- Diehn et al-Main St NewYork 2003. Some of the on-line consultations: http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/HomeExpts/ (Retrieved March 02, 2005); http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/leaves.html#PROJECTS (Retrieved March 02, 2005); http://www.courseworkbank.co.uk/GCSE/Biology_Coursework/Photosynthesis/ (Retrieved March 02, 2005);

EXTRA EXPERIMENTS:

XL. DEMONSTRATING TOBACCO DAMAGE IN LUNGS (***) Artificial lungs and trachea/bronchi are made by using plastic bottles, tubing and more. A cigarette smoke that enters the system will leave observable consequences in the lining used to simulate the interior of the lungs.

XLI. WHERE IS THE CHLOROPHYLL? (© compilation and adaptation from various sources-LD’2005) CHROMATOGRAPHY experiment. Suspecting that chlorophyll is a “07888126c1f6f1d3cb717d5656f07cdb.doc (Luis) 16