🧪 Lab-Themed Egg Experiments with Bread pH Testing

 

A STEM Cooking Experience That Teaches Chemistry Through Play KIDS SCHOOL LUNCH RECIPES

🔬 Educational Hook

This recipe trio turns basic egg and bread preparation into real science experiments, teaching pH levels, osmosis, and chemical reactions. Kids earn "lab certifications" for completing each challenge.

Total Time: 55 mins (including observation time)
Yield: 3 edible experiments
Lab Skills: Measuring, observing, recording data

Experiment 1: The Naked Egg (Osmosis Demo)

(Removing shells through chemical reaction)

🧫 Materials

• 2 raw eggs
• 1 cup white vinegar
• Clear jar with lid
• Flashlight

📝 Lab Procedure

1. Day 1:
• Submerge eggs in vinegar. Observe bubbles (CO2 from dissolving calcium carbonate).
• Predict: "What will happen to the shell?"
2. Day 2:
• Rinse eggs. Discover rubbery membrane (science term: semi-permeable).
• Shine light through for "alien egg" effect.

🍞 Bread Connection

Test if naked eggs bounce on different breads:

• Whole wheat (dense = less bounce)
• White bread (soft = more bounce)

Experiment 2: Bread pH Indicator

(Testing acidity with natural dyes)

🧫 Materials

• 3 bread types: sourdough, rye, wonder bread
• Red cabbage water (pH indicator)
• Droppers
• pH color chart

📝 Lab Procedure

1. Steep chopped cabbage in hot water to make purple dye.
2. Drop onto bread samples:
• Pink = acidic (sourdough)
• Blue = alkaline (preservative breads)

🥚 Egg Twist

Dip hard-boiled eggs in cabbage dye to see protein's pH effect.

Experiment 3: Membrane Balloons

(Demonstrating egg elasticity)

🧫 Materials

• Naked eggs from Experiment 1
• Corn syrup vs. water
• Food coloring

📝 Lab Procedure

1. Soak one egg in colored water (swells), one in corn syrup (shrinks).
2. Measure circumference changes with string.

🍞 Bread Application

Discuss how bread dough elasticity relies on similar protein structures.

📊 Data Recording

Provide printable lab sheets tracking:

• Bounce height (cm)
• pH color changes
• Membrane stretch (% increase)

👩‍🔬 Safety & Clean-Up

• Goggles: Use swim goggles for drama
• Aprons: Decorate paper grocery bags
• Spills: Vinegar = natural cleaner

♻️ Real-World Adaptations

Allergy-Friendly:

• Use flax eggs for viscosity tests
• Gluten-free bread for pH comparisons

Picky Eater Hack:
Call shriveled syrup eggs "monster eyeballs."

🌍 Career Connections

• Food scientists
• Biochemists
• Bakery quality control

Coming Next:
5. 🎨 Van Gogh "Starry Night" Egg Toast featuring:

• Edible food coloring painting
• Post-impressionism lesson
• Swirl technique practice