The Chemistry of Food

by Carla Mooney, Traci Van Wagoner (Illustrator)

Overview

A fun way for middle schoolers to learn about chemistry—through food! Includes hands-on science projects and graphic novel type illustrations.

Why does tomato sauce taste different from fresh tomatoes? Why does pasta go limp when you cook it in boiling water? What makes ice cream melt?

In The Chemistry of Food, middle school readers learn the science behind the food they love to eat as they explore the chemistry within the meal, how nutrition works, what creates flavor, and why texture is important. What better place to learn the fundamentals of chemistry than in the kitchen? This book offers detailed explanations of five ways chemistry is part of the food they eat. Hands-on, science-minded investigations, links to online resources and media, career connections, and text-to-world questions all create a delicious learning experience for ages 12 to 15. Plus recipes!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781647410247
Publisher:	Nomad Press
Publication date:	09/20/2021
Series:	Inquire & Investigate Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	128
Lexile:	990L (what's this?)
File size:	37 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	16 - 18 Years

About the Author

Carla Mooney has written more than 70 books for children and young adults. Her work has appeared in many magazines including Highlights, Faces, and Learning Through History. Carla lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Traci Van Wagoner holds degrees in illustration from Utah State University and in toy design from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. A longtime member of SCBWI, Van Wagoner has illustrated many children’s books, and her work appears in magazines, newsletters, and on toys and games. Traci lives in New York City, New York.

Carla Mooney has written more than 70 books for children and young adults. Her work has appeared in many magazines including Highlights, Faces, and Learning Through History. Carla lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Traci Van Wagoner holds degrees in illustration from Utah State University and in toy design from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. A longtime member of SCBWI, Van Wagoner has illustrated many children’s books, and her work appears in magazines, newsletters, and on toys and games. When not painting, she is designing and developing games with her husband at Imagine That! Design. Her motto is live, laugh, and learn.

Table of Contents

Intro: What is Chemistry?
Chemical vs. Physical Change

Chapter 1: The Chemicals in our Food
Keep Your Distance: Oil and Water
What Food Additives Are in Your Kitchen?

Chapter 2: Carbohydrates, Proteins, and Lipids
Caramelization of Sugar
Lemon Curd and Protein Denaturation
Make Caramelized Carrots
Use Salt and Ice to Make Ice Cream
How Much Gluten Is in That Flour?
Bake the Perfect Cookie

Chapter 3: Nutrition - What Makes Food Healthy?
What Makes a Food Healthy?
Nutrition and Disease

Chapter 4: Flavor - Mixing It Up
How Smell Affects Flavor
Leftover Pizza: Why Flavor Changes
Are You a Supertaster?

Chapter 5: Texture – What Food Feels Like
Conduct a Blind Taste Test
Test the Texture
How Starches Work as Thickening Agents
Crispy Oven-Fried Potatoes
The Color of Cola

Glossary
Metric Conversions
Resources
Selected Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Human Movement How the Body Walks, Runs, Jumps, and Kicks by Carla Mooney

School Library Connection
"This book is a great blend of graphics and information for the young reader. Chapters look at the kinesiology of the human body, as well as a history of movement in regard to exercise and competition, complete with a timeline. It covers various systems of the body, such as the skeleton, muscles, and organs. Information on nutrition is also included. There are labs and activities the reader can participate in as well as QR codes that will take the reader to relevant websites. This book is a great introduction to research with the many resources provided, including primary sources. The blend of graphics and text will appeal to a variety of readers. Recommended"

Praise for Chemistry Investigate the Matter that Makes Up Your World by Carla Mooney

National Science Teachers Association (NSTA Recommends)
"Chemistry is a short but sweet book that packs a powerful punch of learning about matter on every page...What was really magical about the book is the interconnection from one topic to another! Each chapter leads seamlessly into the next one, building off of the previous concept. Topics include atoms, elements and the Periodic Table, states of matter and how they change, compounds, mixtures and solutions, chemical reactions, acids and bases, and radioactivity. Once I began reading it I couldn't stop, because I could immediately envision how to use this book in my 6th grade classroom, yet still be able to give it to the 8th grade science teacher to use with her students. There are comic strips, key questions/problems to solve, side bar notations, QR codes, and activities to do in each chapter. Chemistry is a very readable, motivating, and highly interactive resource designed to promote a love of learning about the world of matter for any middle school student."

Publishers Weekly
"A timeline that stretches from the speculated existence of atoms by the Greek philosopher Democritus to the 2010 discovery of the element ununseptium greets readers at the beginning of this addition to the Inquire and Investigate series. Mooney offers a thorough overview of what chemistry is and why it matters, in chapters exploring atoms, states of matter, compounds, chemical reactions, and more. Sidebars define terms and explain concepts like density and scientific notation; reader-directed questions and QR codes that link to online resources provide opportunities for outside discussions and investigation. Comics sequences featuring an adult scientist and three students offer breaks from the extensive information provided, while the dozen or so experiments let readers learn about condensation, test for acidic and basic properties, and create a battery from a lemon."

Booklist Series Nonfiction Showcase
"One of the best ways to get kids excited about STEM is to show them how every aspect of daily life is intrinsically connected to science and technology. The reliable Inquire and Investigate series takes on this task by offering titles brimming with information . . ."

PSLA Literature Review
"A fun introduction to cooking and food investigation for middle grade students. The book can easily be adapted for classroom use or specific project research."

From the Publisher