Teacher Resources
Education World: Popcorn Science. Accessed July 17, 2017. http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/03/lp324-05.shtml.
Provides descriptions of several k-8 student investigations with the nature of math, nature of language and nature of science standards. Easy to read teacher format but standards need to be aligned to common core and NGSS.
16 Indian Inventions, From Popcorn to Parkas, Accessed July 27, 2017. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/09.
Types of Corn. Accessed July 17, 2017. http://www2.kenyon.edu/projects/farmschool/food/corntyp.htm.
On-line resource that discusses the different types of corn and the properties of each.
Beauchamp, Arthur, Judi Kusnick, Rick McCallum, and Jim Hollander. Success in Science through Dialogue, Reading and Writing. Davis, CA: University of California, Davis, 2011.
BolderImage. "History." Cretors. Accessed July 17, 2017. http://www.cretors.com/page.asp?i=12.
Provided the history of commercial popcorn machines.
Bybee, R. W. Next Generation Science Standards. for States, by States. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press, 2013.
Boutard, A. Beautiful Corn: America's Original Grain from Seed to Plate. Gabriola Island, B.C.: New Society Publishers, 2012.
This is a comprehensive book on corn. It provided most of the background knowledge on the different types of corn with the emphasis on everta.
Butler, S. "A History of Popcorn." History.com. December 06, 2013. Accessed July 17, 2017. http://www.history.com/news/hungry-history/a-history-of-popcorn.
Good background information on the history of popcorn.
Czerski, H. Storm in a Teacup: The Physics of Everyday Life. S.l.: W. W. Norton, 2018.
Hardback book that explains the physics of everyday events including what makes popcorn pop. The author does an excellent job connecting the physics of thermodynamics through different phenomena.
Cooper-White, M. "The Secret Science Behind Popcorn, Finally Revealed." The Huffington Post. February 12, 2015. Accessed July 17, 2017. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/12/popcorn-physics-science-pops-video_n_6664166.html.
Straightforward description of the process and slow motion video of a kernel popping.
Evans-Hylton, P. Popcorn. Seattle, WA: Sasquatch Books, 2008.
Provides some background knowledge but is mainly a recipe book of more than 60 ways to serve popcorn.
"General Mills v. Hunt-Wesson, Inc., 917 F. Supp. 663 (D. Minn. 1996)." Justia Law. Accessed July 17, 2017. http://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp/917/663/2140347/.
Transcript of the court case. It provides interesting information and might also be used as background knowledge as part of an invention unit as well as this popcorn unit.
Jorgenson, O., Vanosdall, R., Massey, V., and Cleveland, J. Doing Good Science in Middle School: A Practical STEM Guide: Including 10 New & Updated Activities. Arlington, VA: NSTA Press, National Science Teachers Association, 2014.
Excellent resource that describes different effective strategies on doing science with middle schoolers.
Koss, A. G., and Bryant, L. J. Where Fish Go in Winter: And Other Great Mysteries. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2002.
This book is the source of the poem “Why does popcorn pop?” With simple language and rhyme, it captures the science of popcorn.
Levy, J. Incredible Elements: A Totally Non-scary Guide to Chemistry and Why It Matters. New York: Metro Books, 2017.
This book provides simple explanations with strong graphic support for several of the key concepts of my research including phases, the nature of water, the application of heat and heat capacity.
Moulding, Brett D., Rodger Bybee, and Nicole Paulson. A Vision and Plan for Science Teaching and Learning: An Educator's Guide to a Framework for K-12 Science Education, next Generation Science Standards, and State Science Standards. Place of Publication Not Identified: Essential Teaching and Learning, 2015.
Nuwer, R. "Popcorn Physics 101: How a Kernel Pops." Scientific American. Accessed July 17, 2017. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/popcorn-physics-101-how-a-kernel-pops/.
Explains both the sound and the spring like action. Using slow motion camera identifies the starch molecules reforming into leg like appendages.
"Percy Spencer." NNDB. Accessed July 17, 2017. http://www.nndb.com/people/766/000165271/.
Background information on the inventor of the microwave oven.
"Percy Spencer." Famous Inventors. Accessed July 17, 2017. http://www.famousinventors.org/percy-spencer.
Background information on the invention and inventor of the microwave oven.
Perlman, S. "The Physics of Popcorn." Prezi.com. May 19, 2015. Accessed July 17, 2017. https://prezi.com/v1tmfz0ovt_x/the-physics-of-popcorn/.
Could be used by teacher as part of a flipped classroom or introduction. One caution is the use of Charles’ Law which deals with the change in volume rather than the change in pressure.
"Popcorn." Andreoli S.A. Accessed July 17, 2017. http://www.andreolisa.com.ar/popcorn.html.
Gives information about the export of popcorn from Argentina.
"The Science of Popcorn." Carolina Biological Supply: World-Class Support for Science & Math. Accessed July 17, 2017. http://www.carolina.com/teacher-resources/Interactive/the-science-of-popcorn/tr23952.tr.
Step by step lab to investigate pressure using popcorn. Would not be suitable for middle schoolers as it involves Bunsen burners. May be able to do it as a demonstration with either a hot plate or convection burner. Safety concerns over the heat source, high temperatures of the oil and popcorn breaking free of its aluminum foil cover
Severson, K. "Heirloom Popcorn Helps a Snack Reinvent Itself." The New York Times. September 30, 2014. Accessed July 27, 2017. https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/01/dining/heirloom-popcorn-helps-a-snack-reinvent-itself.html.
News article that could serve as a close reading piece for bias and also as background research for a taste test experiment.
Sobey, E. J. C. The Way Kitchens Work: The Science behind the Microwave, Teflon Pan, Garbage Disposal, and More. Chicago, IL: Chicago Review Press, 2010.
"The Thermodynamics of Popcorn." YouTube. December 10, 2014. Accessed July 17, 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZTpSZsS9mo Dec 10, 2014 - Uploaded by Jenni Domanowski.
Good video with slow motion capture of popcorn popping. It also has an extensive reference list.
Wolke, R. L., and Parrish, M. What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science Explained. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 2008. In addition to discussing popcorn, this book also explains the way magnetic induction and microwave ovens work as two of the sources I will look at to generate the heat.
Webmaster@icecube.wisc.edu. "Popcorn Neutrinos." Ice Cube - South Pole Neutrino Detector. Accessed July 17, 2017. https://icecube.wisc.edu/outreach/activity/popcorn_neutrinos.
This lab uses closed air poppers as it seeks to connect the change in mass from before and after popping to neutrinos. In a middle school level, the focus could be change in mass due to the loss of the water as it changed state from a liquid to steam. It presents an interesting extension in using a motion detector to look at energy or doing different things to the seed coat to try and affect the outcome of the experiment.
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