OBJECTIVE

Students will be able to identify maple syrup as one form of sugar/sweetener that is locally available

Students will be able to describe the physical change of pancake batter and butter

Students will be able to discuss how the we applied principles of the honorable harvest while sugaring

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

What food comes from trees?

How do you make maple syrup?

How can we be stuarts of the earth?

MATERIALS

• Pancakes! Pancakes! By Eric Carle
• Ziploc Bag
• Ladle 
• Bowls
• Pancake recipe of your choice and its ingredients
• Griddle
• Spatula
• Maple syrup, store-bought or school-made
• Forks
• Plates
• Butter Maker or Jar
• Heavy Cream

PROCEDURE

Introduction:

Today is a special day – we are going to enjoy the syrup we have worked hard to produce! We’ll enjoy them on classic pancakes. I’ll read you this story to learn about all the ingredients. 

Read Pancakes! Pancakes! By Eric Carle. As you list each ingredient, where does it come from? How does making pancakes involve science? (states of matter)

Break to wash hands.

Activity

Add ingredients into a bowl or a ziploc bag, having each student add an ingredient.

As you prepare the griddle, ask students to think about the batter and watch it carefully as it is poured onto the surface to cook. Inquire about how it is turning from a liquid to a solid.

What state of matter is the batter, and how can you tell? (liquid, it takes the shape of the container)

Why does the heat make the liquid form a circle? (The batter begins to turn solid when heat is introduced.)

While you finish cooking pancakes, students can independently make butter by passing the shaker in a circle. Another example of a physical change from a liquid to a solid

Wrap Up/Assessment: 

Enjoy pancakes with butter and school-made syrup. As you are finishing up, explore these talking points to wrap up the unit:

Maple syrup is just one way people add sweetness to recipes. Sugar cane, beets, corn, honey, agave, etc. are all plants that people use to sweeten food. Highlight how special it is that we can produce a locally available sugar.

Circle back to the honorable harvest. We’ve seen firsthand how making maple syrup takes a significant amount of time and resources. How can we use this gift from maples well? What can we give back to the trees and land in return? How can we show gratitude and share this gift with others?

Sources:

This lesson was based off of the lesson: Pancakes! from National Agriculture in the Classroom