On August 1st, middle school students participated in a structured inquiry lab that investigated fermentation in yeast under varying environmental conditions. Through this lab, students developed a foundational understanding of chemical reactions in living organisms and how matter is transformed—not created or destroyed.
The scientific inquiry positively impacted student learning by guiding them through a scaffolded investigation and learning experience. Students made predictions, followed detailed experimental procedures, recorded data, and analyzed results using graphic organizers and analysis questions. The structured inquiry provided enough support for young learners, while still allowing them to engage in scientific method practices.
The linked student work samples demonstrate several key learning outcomes:
- Students accurately identified manipulated and responding variables based on balloon inflation observations. Their conclusion answers reflect an understanding that gas formation (CO₂) is evidence of a chemical reaction, and they correctly identified glucose as the raw material transformed by yeast.
- Students initially believed that new matter was created during fermentation (evidence of CO₂ in the inflated balloon) but revised their thinking after completing the raw materials/products chart. They marked ATP as “not matter” and correctly matched the chemical formula for ethanol. The lab writeup assignment shows how structured inquiry supports deeper understanding of matter conservation.
Students engaged in meaningful small-group discussions, which helped uncover and address misconceptions—such as confusing the transformed matter (CO₂) with the creation of new matter. These moments illustrate how structured inquiry fosters scientific reasoning and conceptual understanding.
The scientific method experience was especially powerful because it connected biology and chemistry in a way that was observable, hands-on, and age-appropriate. The visible inflation of the balloon made abstract concepts more concrete, and the multi-step lab write-up supported analysis and reflection. Students were excited, curious, and proud of their scientific work. The "ribbon on the yeast-experiment package" was having students go to the sink to carefully remove the balloon and smell the ethanol alcohol that was formed in a special flask in which I put double the amount of yeast and sugar in; this flask had bubbling yeast and sugar overflowing into the partially inflated balloon.
Link to Student Lab Writeup:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ATn8r6hpptnJnUmwbbZq8FiPDTOj3MIPQMH6FYpLp0Q/edit?usp=sharing
Student Work Samples:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/19c5HrAbpJksJkAkJz9PVIbI55NXuIZ5zlzrAFL7XQUU/edit?usp=sharing