Ed Home - TRC Home - sciencelines Index - Spring 2001
Beginning Steps
Learning Outcomes
It is expected that students will:
- Compare ways of extracting energy and how they affect the environment by removing chocolate chips from a cookie.
Time
- Allow approximately 40 minutes for this activity. More time will be necessary if students are assigned the Extension question.
Materials
- Chocolate chip cookies, paper, toothpicks, pencils, "Chocolate Chip Mining" student sheet
Prerequisite Knowledge and Skills
Students should be able to:
- Follow instructions to perform a science experiment.
- Explain the steps necessary in the problem-solving model of scientific investigation.
Pre-Planning
- Gather the necessary materials for this activity.
- Collect pictures of various mines and mining operations.
Here We Go:
Presentation Suggestions
- This activity is often done as a teacher-led activity, with the entire class performing the steps in the activity at the same time. This approach does not let students observe what other students are doing and increases the impact of the analyogy.
- One way to introduce the activity is to tell the students that each of them represents a mining company and a large multinational corporation wants to invest in the company that can get the most resources in the shortest amount of time. This competition will get the students into the mood of the activity and shows students how competition for resources leads people to do things that they might not otherwise do.
- Tell students that they can hold onto their cookie, but they cannot pick it up during the two-minute mining period.
Answers to Procedure Questions:
Student predictions will vary.
Student chip number will vary.
Student descriptions will vary. The cookie is usually destroyed.
Student predictions will vary.
Student chip number will vary.
Student descriptions will vary. The cookie is usually in better condition than the first time.Answers to Investigation Questions:
The first method produced the most chocolate chips. The second method produced the least chocolate chips.The second method produced the least damage. The first method produced the most damage.
Student processes will vary. Some students will destroy the entire cookie first, then pick the chocolate chips out. Other students will try to get each individual chocolate chip out one at a time.
The mining of energy resources can have a great impact on the environment. The two mining methods are at the ends of a spectrum. Mining companies (and society) try to balance the need for energy resources and preserving the environment. It is up to society to decide where along the spectrum we should draw the line for mining non-living resources.
Student answers will vary. If we try to conserve the environment, we may have fewer energy resources and/or we might have to pay more for them.
Student answers will vary. This is a good way to find out how students feel about the environment.
Student research will vary. They should be able to research current mining techniques.See "Background Information," "Following It Up" and "Meeting Individual Needs."
Student Sheet Teacher Information