Math & Science Gumbo

Fruit Leathers

Overview of Lesson

Students make fruit leather snacks and learn about physical changes and measurements.

Goal

Students will learn about physical change, fractions, ratios, percents and weight.

Objectives

Students will measure fruit by weight.
Students will dehydrate fruit and measure again, comparing weight with pre-dehydrated fruit.
Students will discuss what physical change has taken place.

Ohio Academic Content Standards

Science
Physical Science (Grade 6)

Benchmark A:
Relate uses, properties and chemical processes to the behavior and/or arrangement of the small particles that compose matter.

Indicator:
3. Describe that in a physical change (e.g., state, shape and size), the chemical properties of a substance remain unchanged.

Science
Physical Science (Grade 4)

Benchmark A:
Compare the characteristics of simple physical and chemical changes.

Indicator:
2. Identify characteristics of a simple physical change (e.g., heating or cooling can change water from one state to another and the change is reversible).

Mathematics
Number, Number Sense and Operations (Grades 5 & 6)

Benchmark D:
Use models and pictures to relate concepts of ratio, proportion and percent.

Indicators:
Grade 5
1. Use models of visual representations to develop the concept of part-to-part and part-to-whole, and the concept of percent as part-to-whole.

Grade 6
4. Describe what it means to find a specific percent of a number using real-life examples.

5. Use models and pictures to relate concepts of ratio, proportion and percent, including percents less than 1 and greater than 100.

9. Give examples of how ratios are used to represent comparison; e.g. part-to-part, part-to-whole, whole-to-part.

Mathematics
Measurement (Grades 5 – 6)

Benchmark A:
Select appropriate units to measure angles, circumference, surface, area, mass and volume, using: a) U.S. customary units; e.g., degrees, square feet, pounds and other units as appropriate; b) metric units; e.g., square meters, kilograms and other units as appropriate.

Benchmark B:
Convert units of length, area, volume, mass and time within the same measurement system.

Indicator:
Grade 5
5. Make conversions within the same measurement system while performing computations.

Materials

Fruit of teacher’s choice
Food dehydrator, OR access to oven or warm place (like a car window)
Accurate scale to weigh fruit
Tool to slice fruit (either a knife or a food processing device)
Cheesecloth to cover fruit (needed if dehydrating in the open air)
Disposable plastic food gloves for sanitary purposes
Plastic food wrap or wax paper

Procedure

Wash fruit.
Core (if needed).
Have the students weigh all fruit and record results (use plastic food wrap on scale and handle food while wearing plastic gloves).
Slice into very thin pieces.
Arrange in a single layer on trays.
Cover with cheesecloth. (Use this step only if dehydrating fruit in a warm place like on the dashboard of a car. Do not use cheesecloth in oven or dehydrator.)
Dehydrate until fruits are dry but pliable.
Have the students weigh results and compare to pre-dehydrating weights. (Use plastic food wrap on scale and handle food while wearing plastic gloves.) Use these numbers to develop ratios, fractions and percents.
Once the fruit is ready, let the students eat it!
Have students write out the process they used, and what they discovered.

Evaluation

Use Fruit Leathers rubric to determine students’ performance.Rubric: Fruit Leathers

Rubric: Fruit Leathers

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Strategy / Procedures	Typically uses an efficient and effective strategy to solve the problem(s).	Typically uses an effective strategy to solve the problem(s).	Sometimes uses an effective strategy to solve problems, but does not do it consistently.	Rarely uses an effective strategy to solve problems.
Scientific Concepts	Explanation shows complete understanding of the scientific concepts used to solve the problem(s).	Explanation shows substantial understanding of the scientific concepts used to solve the problem(s).	Explanation shows some understanding of the scientific concepts needed to solve the problem(s).	Explanation shows very limited understanding of the underlying concepts needed to solve the problem(s) OR is not written.
Scientific Reasoning	Uses complex and refined scientific reasoning.	Uses effective scientific reasoning.	Shows some evidence of scientific reasoning.	Shows little evidence of scientific reasoning.
Neatness, Organization, Grammar and Spelling	The work is presented in a neat, clear, organized fashion that is easy to read.	The work is presented in a neat and organized fashion that is usually easy to read. Grammar and spelling are generally correct.	The work is presented in an organized fashion but may be hard to read at times. There are some grammar and spelling errors.	The work appears sloppy and unorganized. It is hard to know what information goes together. Grammar and spelling are poor.

Web Resources

The Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet on Drying Foods ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/5347.html

University of New Mexico CAHE, Drying Foods
www.cahe.nmsu.edu/pubs/_e/e-322.html

University of Missouri Extension, Quality for Keeps: Drying Foods muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/hesguide/
foodnut/gh1562.htm

Minnesota Extension Service Information Sheet for Home Food Drying
www.netwoods.com/cooking/drying.html

University of Michigan, Preserving Food Safely web1.msue.msu.edu/msue/imp/mod01/master01.html

Drying Food With the Sun
www.countrysidemag.com/issues/4_1999.htm#drying

Backwoods Home Magazine’s basics of solar food drying www.backwoodshome.com/articles/shaffer58.html