In an article called Chocolate torte lab in the December 2011/January 2012 issue, I described a take-home chemistry project for grade 11 students. It provides the students the opportunity to bake a torte, thereby developing basic cooking skills. The lab has in-depth questions to improve the students' understanding of the chemistry of cooking. Part of the student's mark comes from presentation of the torte slice — provided for quality control assurance.
When students do well on an assignment or test, instead of stickers, I often make a drawing such as Happy Earl — an excited Erlenmeyer flask. Last year a student pair submitted their torte slice with a Happy Earl made out of the dried apricots used in the torte.
[This lab is not currently posted in our new platform so if you would like a copy of the lab, email Jean Hein and we email you a copy.]
