| In this easy elementary science project we are going | | | | cooled, boiled water in each of the remaining bottles. |
| to experiment with yeast. I wonder if you know what | | | | 9. Cut a piece of clear film for each of the remaining 3 |
| yeast is? Well, it is a type of fungus that lives on the | | | | jars that is about twice the width of the jars. |
| skins of many fruits. A spoonful of yeast contains | | | | 10. Stretch one piece over the neck of each of the |
| millions of little single-celled organisms (it is very simple | | | | remaining jars and secure it with a elastic band. |
| organisms.) These organisms work like tiny factories to | | | | 11. Place the jar with the green dot (a) in a warm place. |
| by taking sugar and making alcohol and carbon dioxide | | | | 12. Pace the jar with the blue dot (c) in one of the |
| gas. This is the process that turns the mixture of grain | | | | bowls and put some cold water and ice in this jar too |
| and water into beer and the bubbles it produces are | | | | keep it cold. If the ice starts to melt, add more ice to |
| used to make bread light and fluffy. We are going to | | | | keep the water cold all the time. |
| have a look at the conditions that are necessary for | | | | 13. Now you place the jar with the red dot (b) in the |
| the yeast to grow. | | | | other jar and pour some very hot water in the bowl. |
| This is one of our easy elementary science projects | | | | Ask and adult to help you with this. The water must be |
| where adult supervision is vital as we are going to use | | | | very hot but, not boiling as that may cause the jar to |
| hot water. Ask an adult to help you with the boiling of | | | | break. If the water start to cool down, add extra hot |
| the water. | | | | water to keep it hot all the time. |
| The purpose of this science project is to find the ideal | | | | 14. Check on your jars regularly for the next 2 hours, |
| conditions for yeast to grow in. | | | | keeping the conditions for each jar as it started. |
| What you need for this experiment: | | | | 15. Make meticulous notes of everything that happens. |
| - A kettle | | | | 16. Can you explain why it happens? |
| - A measuring jug | | | | 17. How do you think this knowledge can be used in |
| - Water | | | | baking bread? |
| - 4 Small glass jars | | | | If you did this easy elementary science project |
| - Dried yeast | | | | correctly, the following will happen: |
| - 2 Heatproof bowls | | | | |
| - A teaspoon | | | | 1. The yeast in the jar that was kept in the hot water |
| - Dried yeast granules | | | | (red, b) lies in a cloudy layer at the bottom of the jar as |
| - Clear film | | | | the yeast was killed by the hot water. |
| - 3 Elastic bands | | | | 2. In the jar that was kept in the cold water (blue, c) |
| - 4 Colored stickers, green, red, blue and yellow | | | | there is only a little froth at the top of the jar as the |
| - Sugar | | | | cold slowed down the yeast. (I wonder if you can think |
| - Ice cubes | | | | how this information can be of some use to a baker.) |
| - Scissors | | | | 3. In the jar that was kept in a warm place (green, a) |
| - Pen | | | | the yeast has fed on the sugar and water and the |
| How to do this easy elementary science project: | | | | resulting carbon dioxide should be pushing up the clear |
| | | | film already. |
| 1. Fill the kettle about half full with water. | | | | 4. The yeast in the last jar (yellow, d) shows no sign of |
| 2. Boil the water to kill any organisms that might | | | | any activity as the dry yeast is hibernating and will only |
| interfere with the working of the yeast. | | | | become active in the presence of water, sugar and |
| 3. Now place the stickers on your glass jars. | | | | warmth. (Not too hot, because we have already |
| 4. For safety's sake also mark the stickers a (green), b | | | | established that overheating will cause the yeast to |
| (red), c (blue0 and d (yellow). | | | | die.) |
| 5. With a teaspoon, place a level teaspoon of yeast | | | | This easy elementary project is proofs that even |
| into each jar. | | | | doing the simplest experiments can teach us all |
| 6. Now you place the same amount of sugar in each | | | | something of value. How do you think what we |
| jar. | | | | learned today can be of practical use to us? In fact it |
| 7. Place the jar with the yellow dot (d) away in a | | | | has been used for years in the process of baking |
| warm place. | | | | bread, making wine and making beer. |
| 8. In the remaining jars, pour about 2/3 cup of the | | | | |