I love a Minute that teaches me something - and I admit that science is my weakest subject. I understand the states of matter and always knew that frozen water expanded - but now I can make the connection between that and the inability to freeze lettuce and celery. I love getting smarter, and your students will too! |
English/Language Arts
Explore biographies
Use this Minute to introduce inventor and entrepreneur Clarence Birdseye to your students - and to review the basic information included when doing biographical writing!
Social Studies
Explore indigenous populations
Author Cobb introduces the indigenous Canadian Inuits as the people from whom Birdseye got the idea for flash freezing. Use this Minute to introduce or reinforce the idea of indigenous populations around the world - and what happens to them when exploring peoples come knocking.
Explore the history of food preservation
The ability to preserve food has some big social impact in terms of how people can geographically live and move from one place to another. Have students look at how ancient cultures preserved foods and follow those techniques through time. Can your students find ties to the ways that we preserve food today? What benefits or consequences can be traced to the ability to preserve food for travel?
STEM
Explore states of matter - water
This is a perfect Minute to read with students so they can understand the real world importance of understanding the nature of water in all three states of matter. Have students design an experiment to see the difference between fast freezing and slow freezing methods. Can they devise an experiment where they can measure the difference? Time for some critical thinking and experiment design.
Explore chemistry - sugars
Author Cobb mentions the sugar known as trehalose and how this sugar might be the answer to flash freezing more delicate vegetables. Use this Minute to introduce the structure and nature of sugars, made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen combinations.
Explore invention drawn from observation of nature
Birdseye developed his technique by observing the difference that a quick freezing process made in the Arctic environment. There are many inventions and discoveries that have been engineered after careful observation of nature. Have your students search for some and start a list. Then ask them what they are inspired from in the natural world, and what invention ideas they can imagine.
Explore biographies
Use this Minute to introduce inventor and entrepreneur Clarence Birdseye to your students - and to review the basic information included when doing biographical writing!
Social Studies
Explore indigenous populations
Author Cobb introduces the indigenous Canadian Inuits as the people from whom Birdseye got the idea for flash freezing. Use this Minute to introduce or reinforce the idea of indigenous populations around the world - and what happens to them when exploring peoples come knocking.
Explore the history of food preservation
The ability to preserve food has some big social impact in terms of how people can geographically live and move from one place to another. Have students look at how ancient cultures preserved foods and follow those techniques through time. Can your students find ties to the ways that we preserve food today? What benefits or consequences can be traced to the ability to preserve food for travel?
STEM
Explore states of matter - water
This is a perfect Minute to read with students so they can understand the real world importance of understanding the nature of water in all three states of matter. Have students design an experiment to see the difference between fast freezing and slow freezing methods. Can they devise an experiment where they can measure the difference? Time for some critical thinking and experiment design.
Explore chemistry - sugars
Author Cobb mentions the sugar known as trehalose and how this sugar might be the answer to flash freezing more delicate vegetables. Use this Minute to introduce the structure and nature of sugars, made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen combinations.
Explore invention drawn from observation of nature
Birdseye developed his technique by observing the difference that a quick freezing process made in the Arctic environment. There are many inventions and discoveries that have been engineered after careful observation of nature. Have your students search for some and start a list. Then ask them what they are inspired from in the natural world, and what invention ideas they can imagine.
© Karen Sterling, 2018 - May be used for educational purposes without written permission