3.2 Cooling Counts
This is Lesson 3.2 (“Cooling Counts”) from the National FFA Mentoring Program’s Grow Your PALS Program Guide, Food and Nutrition unit. Through hands-on experiments (a yeast balloon blow-up and a water cooling activity), students learn the ideal temperatures for microorganism growth, what causes microorganisms to grow on food, and safe food-handling practices (Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill). The large-group lesson concludes with persuasive reporting and application activities promoting safe food handling.
At a glance
- Learning objectives
-
- Describe the ideal temperatures for microorganisms to grow.
- Identify what causes microorganisms to grow on food.
- Identify safe good-handling practices.
- Time required
- Instruction time for this lesson: 50 minutes.
- Materials
-
- Hot water
- Measuring cup
- Shallow container
- Tall container
- Food thermometer
- Paper and pencil
- One 8 ounce cup
- Room temperature water (about 70 degrees) – 1/2 cup sugar
- One package of dry yeast
- Two 12 ounce clear plastic bottles
- Two balloons
- Two large deep bowls
- Warm water (about 110-120 degrees)
- Ice water (below 40 degrees)
- PALS3.2.LG.AS.A – cut up
- PALS3.2.LG.AS.B – one per student
- PALS3.2.LG.AS.C – one per student; different colors for pairing
- PALS3.2.LG.TM.A
- PALS3.2.LG.TM.B
- Unit
- Food and Nutrition
- Lesson Type
- Large Group
- Precepts
- J. Mental Growth; J6. Persuade others
- Key Terms
- Microorganisms; Hypothesis
- Resources
- Hypothesis. (n.d.) In Ask.com, www.dictionary.com; Partners for Food Safety Education. (2006). Fight Bac! Keep Food Safe From Bacteria; National FFA Organization. (2003). LifeKnowledge Precepts and Signs of Success.
Downloads & Links
Aligned Standards
National Standards
- FPP.01.01.02.bDiscuss the issues of safety and environmental concerns about foods and food processing (e.g., Genetically Modified Organisms, microorganisms, contamination, irradiation).
- NL-ENG.K-12.12Applying Language Skills
- NL-ENG.K-12.4Communication Skills
- NS.K-4.3Life Science