At an urban high school in Philadelphia, a teacher-engineer team questioned if a project-based learning unit using Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), National Academy of Engineering (NAE), and Understanding By Design (UBD) frameworks could be designed and executed to successfully teach students about macromolecules. Molecular gastronomy (MG) is a branch of food science that studies the physical and chemical transformations of food. MG provided a universally relatable framework, food, to teach chemistry and biology. Students were tasked with using the engineering design cycle to produce a molecular gastronomy snack during a school-wide Cook-Off. MG technique and macromolecule constraints required students to develop skills ranging from using a knife to thinking abstractly about chemical reactions and the form and function of macromolecules. The final products created during the Cook-Off were evaluated based on chemistry/biology knowledge, aesthetics, and nutritional value. The design process of the unit itself is highlighted in this work, including background pedagogy, detailed lessons explaining food science, and a website-linked unit plan. Results show that the unit strongly contributed to student learning and that students showed mastery of the objective NGSS and NAE Grand Challenges covered in this work.
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