Sarahi Elizabeths

In this last unit, we learned about prevention of diseases. Our classmates did math concepts like probability, to relate to the probability of getting diseases and medications working. We also did an activity where we make a family tree to do a recording of affected disease in our family history. For our field experiences, we had a certified Yoga Nidra instructor come in and guide us through a meditation session. This was to show us alternative ways of healing other than medication. For this action project, we combined what we learned in Disease and Cure. We had to create a patient profile for a fictional person, that could be based on someone real. I chose myself In this profile to learn about my health hen it came to my family. I hope you enjoy me playing doctor!

Baking with Baking Soda!

In our second unit cooking in Food, we did a lab report on experimenting the different types of leavening agents, such as biological leavening agents and biological leavening agents. In order to experiment with the different types of leavening agents, we split up into groups of 3. The most challenging part for me was the test. I tend to freak out about test and timing frames but turns out to get a good grade. One thing I would be proud of is how our bread turned out knowing it was delicious.

Leavening Agents Experiment
Food AP2
5/13/17
Group: Baking soda
partners: RP, EM

For this experiment, we tested different types of leavening agents such as baking soda, sourdough, and yeast.  Leavening agents is a substance creating the dough expansion by releasing gases within the mix. Baking soda and sourdough are chemical leavening agents which would make them experimental groups as they have been chemically altered to rise faster. In order for baking soda to work properly, it must be used with another acidic ingredient such as buttermilk. Yeast would be used as our controlled group knowing it is a biological leavening agent. This means it is a natural leavening agent that may take longer to rise as it ferments the sugars in the food that create carbon dioxide.

Which leads us to our question, Which leavening agent will leaven the bread higher? My hypothesis was baking soda will rise higher. The reason behind this would be when I think of baking I associate baking soda with it from all the previous recipes I've seen.

Ingredients:

Sourdough:

4 cups water
10 cups flour
3.5 tbsp salt
¾ cup sourdough starter

Yeast:

3 Cups Lukewarm Water
6.5 to 7.5 cups of All Purpose Flour
1 Tbsp salt
1.5 Tbsp Dry or Active Yeast

         Baking Soda:

3.5 cups flour
2 cups buttermilk
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Procedure:

Sourdough:

1. Combine all the ingredients except salt
2. Let the dough sit for 15-60 minutes
3. Add salt
4. Knead dough for 10 to 15 minutes
5. keep the dough at room temperature for 4-6 hours
6. Slit the top and bake for 1 hour
7. Let sit to cool then slice

Yeast:

1. Mix all the needed ingredients for the dough
2. Cover the bowl and let it sit for 2 hrs in room temperature to rise
3. Refrigerate for 2 hours
4. Make loaf and let it rise again for 1 hour
5. Slit top of the bread and bake for 25-35 minutes at 450 (temp)
6. Let it sit to cool and slice

Baking Soda:

1. Combine all dry ingredients
2. Pour in the buttermilk
3. Gently mix ingredients
4. Take out the bowl and shape it into a ball making sure not to knead it
5. Cut an x on the top
6. Bake for 40-50 minutes
7. Let it sit to cool and enjoy a slice

Calculations:

Baking soda: 
  No calculations needed because the recipe had the perfect serving size amount

Yeast: The yeast bread was done 1/4 of the recipe by multiplying all the ingredients by .25

  3 x .25 = ¾ cup
  7 x .25 = 1 ¾ cup
  1 x .25 = ¼ tbsp
  1.5 x .25 = ⅜ tbsp

Sourdough: The sourdough bread was 1/4 of the recipe
  3 x .25 = ¾ cup
  7 x .25 = 1 ¾ cup
  1 x .25 = ¼ tbsp
  1.5 x .25 = ⅜ tbsp

Variable	Control Group (Commercial Yeast Bread)	Experimental Group 1 (Sourdough)	Experimental Group 2 (Commercial Leavening Agent Bread)
Flour type	Same	same	Same
Dough rise time	2 hrs at room temperature and 2 hrs-7 days in the refrigerator	15-60 minutes	5 minutes
Oven temperature	450 F	500 F	450 F for 15 minutes, then 400 F for 20-30 minutes more
Bake time	25-35 minutes	2 hours	40 minutes
Dough amount	¼ of recipe	¼ of recipe	Full recipe
Other	N/A	N/A	buttermilk

Nutrition: My group calculated the nutrition information for baking soda by finding the the serving in each ingredient we used then added it all up together.

•   Calories 1400+240=1640. 66% of your daily usage nutrition. (= 1640/2500)

•   Carbohydrates 4 g from sugar + 322 g from flour + 24 g from buttermilk = 350 g 88% of my daily usage nutrition. (= 350/400)

•   Fat 6 g. 7% of our daily usage. (= 6/78)

•   Protein 50 g. 89% of my daily usage nutrition. (= 50/56)

Analysis: Yeast: The yeast bread lead up to be the only bread that was not burnt. It had the perfect amount of fluff and crust. The before and after height change was 48.1% which went from being 3" tall to 4" tall.

Sourdough: The sourdough bread turned out to be in the last place from the tasting department as it was completely burnt from the outside and raw on the inside. The cause of this might be from the technique used to knead. The before and after height change was decreased by 18.2%.

Baking soda: I I would say my group loaf of bread was the better tasting and the highest results in the height by 62.5%. The outer part of the bread was had a strong crunch which is personally my favorite. The baking soda was better from the sugar and buttermilk as it added a nice fluff and sweetness to it.

:This bar graph shows the before and after height difference in inch:

GA "Leavening Agents" (2017)

Overall my hypothesis was slightly right. The yeast bread increased the most in height but did not expand as much as experimental group 1 and 2 in width or length. The baking soda bread grew the most in height but didn’t change in width or length. The sourdough rose the most in all aspect but was smaller than the other bread.

Yeast:

GA "yeast bread" (2017)

Sourdough:

GA "sourdough bread" (2017)

Baking Soda:

GA "baking soda bread" (2017)

Dont be a Water Killer, Invest in a Water Filter

In our first action we learned about the importance of water, which took us in depth with clean water and learning how a filtration works. This action project in my Water class is about making your own working water filter with natural resources. We were given the choice of different water sources to filter and I chose river water from our first action project. We will then calculate the pH before and after filtration and turn them into a logarithmic equation. The purpose of this action project was to get a deeper look into filtration and see how it works from a hands on perspective. We were able to connect with this project as an individual by making water filters, as well as on a field experience as we saw how Chicago gets its water and how it's filtered. One of the things that stood out from all the things we learned was the field experience. Knowing I am a visual learner it was surprising to me that I was able to experience how I get my water delivered so fast no matter where I am. The most challenging part for me was the logarithms. Logarithms were challenging because math is one of the subjects I'm not the strongest at but once I figured it out it was a satisfying feeling. From the whole experience I am mostly proud of my water filter. Even though I did not get great results it was awesome to know how easy it is to make one knowing purchasing a water filter can get pretty expensive.

My water filter will be organized by the biggest to smallest similar to the ground water filtration. For example bigger particles from the water will be filtered with bigger rocks. Smaller particles from the river water will be left behind but filtered by the sand and charcoal.

 GA, (2016), Don't be a Water killer, Invest in a Water Filter, Water Sketch.

Materials:

-Sand

-Rocks

-Charcoal

-Sponges

-Fishnet cloth

-Coffee filters

-Gatorade bottle

-Scissors

-Tape

 Procedure:

1. I first rinsed off any excess liquid in my gatorade bottle, then I cut about an inch at the bottom of the bottle to have the funnel effect. 
2. I replaced the bottle cap with layered fishnet cloth. 
3. Then I layered each material bottom to top using coffee filter, charcoal, sponge, sand, sponge, rocks, and sponge. 
4.  Once I was done layering my water bottle I tested the pH level with the river water and got 3.8 before and after. 

Results:

GA, (2016), Don't be a Water killer, Invest in a Water Filter,Water filter.               

(Before)                                               (After)

Add captionGA, (2016), Don't be a Water killer, Invest in a Water Filter, Results chart

GA, (2016), Don't be a Water killer, Invest in a Water Filter, Before & After Timeline

My pH did not get more acidic or alkaline as it did not filter any of the river water.

GA, (2016), Don't be a Water killer, Invest in a Water Filter, Logarithm equation

pH+ value was 1.58 times 10^-4. My pH level did not change.