Maple syrup - Blog #4

Lesson #3                  Maple Syrup – Blog 4       by Crystale M. Straub-Moyer

I’m planning on doing this lesson around Earth day when we learn about trees.  I’m moving to a new building and one of our classrooms will be a kitchen that we can sign up and use for special activities.    We will learn about trees and how much they help us and how trees can be an income for some people in Pennsylvania.  After visiting the Somerset Historical Society and being part of a Spotza party.  I really enjoyed and learned so much about Maple syrup that I want to share with my students.   I will show the children what is used to tap the maple syrup from trees.  We learned that 40 gallons of maple sugar water is needed to make 1 gallon of Maple syrup.  We will have posters and pictures of the tools and materials used during the 1800s. (content)

I will boil pure maple syrup from Somerset or Vermont on the stove.  When the maple syrup reaches the temperature of a softball I will remove a teaspoon for each child and put into a Dixie cup of cold water with a popsicle stick.  The children will stir the liquid in the Dixie cup creating Spotza and be able to eat it as long as there are no allergies.   After stirring the Spotza, we  will take the remaining maple syrup and take turns stirring  until the syrup crystalizes and becomes sugar.  Each child will be abe to taste the sugar too.  This will also tie in with our Science unit solids and liquids. (creative activity)

The children will recognize and identify the materials needed to make maple syrup. (DOK-1)  The children will predict what is going to happen when they stir the syrup in the Dixie cup of cold water. (DOK-2)   The children will hypothesize what happens as the crystals are forming from the syrup – going from a liquid to a solid. (DOK-3)  The students will apply concepts and teach our 4^th grade buddies about Maple syrup and have a Spotza party for them. (DOK-4)

Standards :   25.4, 3.3a, 3.4c, 5.4, 4.8, 1.6, 10.5, 5.3 c and e, 7.4, 2.2, 2.7