Chemical Cookery
Year 9 Chemical Cookery Day
It’s always wonderful to see students engaging with science in a hands-on and memorable way.
On 1st October, every Year 9 student had the opportunity to participate in our exciting Chemical Cookery sessions throughout the school day, with Mr Dean. The event allowed students to explore scientific principles through practical food preparation, demonstrating how chemistry plays an important role in everyday life, whilst showing them what a career in food preparation could entail!
Students were challenged to create a delicious dessert of jelly and ice cream, but with a scientific twist. Rather than using traditional jelly, they used agar agar and a strawberry smoothie mixture to produce colourful jelly laces. This introduced students to the properties of gelling agents and the fascinating ways in which ingredients can be transformed through chemistry.
The fun continued with the ice cream challenge. Students discovered how adding sodium chloride (salt) to ice lowers its freezing point. By using this chemical principle, they were able to make their own ice cream in just five minutes, much to the amazement of many participants.
Throughout the day, students showed great enthusiasm, curiosity and teamwork as they carried out each stage of the activities. The sessions provided an excellent opportunity to experience science in a practical and enjoyable context while developing their understanding of key chemical concepts.
Most importantly, students were able to enjoy the results of their hard work, with many choosing to sample their homemade jelly laces and freshly made ice cream at the end of the session. Some students were able to resist the urge to eat the dish straightaway, plating the dish up with military like precision, whilst others preferred to dive straight in!
A big thank you to everyone involved in organising and supporting the day. It was fantastic to see Year 9 embracing the challenge and discovering that chemistry really can be both educational and delicious!
Mr Dean
Science Department
