Chemistry connects facets of our lives in compelling, and often imperceptible, ways. From one’s ability to read this sentence, to the delicious meals we crave, chemistry is an interdisciplinary driving force. York House Science 8 classes recently had the opportunity to extend classroom learning to the outdoors by preparing homemade chai from raw ingredients, such as cinnamon bark, cardamom pods, ginger root, cloves, and peppercorn.
Using camping stoves from our outdoor education expeditions, students prepared chai through a combustion reaction. In doing so, concepts of kinetic molecular theory and the classification of matter were reinforced. Students learned about compounds such as zingiberene from ginger and cinnamaldehyde from cinnamon bark…and then consumed them.
Thank you to everyone that helped out with this activity, including Ms. Kealey and Ms. Robin.
Ross Petersen and Alison Waterhouse
Senior School Science Teachers