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Examining Nutrition

Investigation 4 – Lab

Back to Investigation 4

BE PREPARED

Supplies and Equipment:

Class Materials:

1 can (1.36 kg) or 100 g shortening
1 food scoop
1 Investigation Four Supplement Pages

Group Materials:

1 triple beam balance
1 lab scoop
4 plastic cups, 2 oz
1 100 ml beaker
1 calculator
1 piece of masking tape, approximately 30 cm in length
1 food container with a nutrition label or nutrition label from the Investigation Four
Supplement Page (provided below)
Colored pencils or crayons (optional)

Individual Materials:

1 Student Data Record

Teacher Preparation:

1. Make one copy of the nutrition labels provided at the end of the investigation. Cut the labels apart. (Optional: Provide empty containers of food items with nutrition labels. Each item should contain at least 2 grams of fat and be from a different food group or category. The labels should contain the information needed for analysis during the Post-Lab of this investigation such as %DV total fat, serving size, and the weight or volume of the food.) Note: If the nutrition labels from other foods are used, keep in mind that dry beans are considered part of the vegetables group and the meat and beans group. Also note that oil packaged separately, such as vegetable, olive, or canola oil, are included in the oils category, which is not considered a food group.

2. For each group, fill the 100 ml beakers with shortening.

3. Place the materials each group will need at a distribution point.

4. Organize the class into five cooperative groups.

Instruction:

1. Instruct each student group to obtain the following necessary materials from the distribution point: One (1) triple beam balance, one (1) lab scoop, one (1) 100 ml beaker filled with shortening, one (1) piece of masking tape, approximately 30 cm in length, and four (4) plastic cups. Optional: one (1) pack of colored pencils or crayons.

GET FOCUSED

Investigation Four introduces students to the important class of nutrients, lipids.

INVESTIGATE

In Trials 1 and 2, students will determine the fat content of two food or beverage items. Each group will select two different “food items” to investigate. For the purposes of this Investigation, either an empty food container with a nutrition label or a nutrition label chosen from the selection above will be referred to as a “food item.”

Students will locate the amount of fat contained in their items on the nutrition labels and will use the triple beam balance to measure the mass of the fat contained in their items. Shortening will represent the fat in the “food item.” The passages that follow are provided to assist with the direction of the students as they conduct their experiment. The question students will investigate in this experiment is:

How much fat is in different foods and beverages?

Trial 1

Determination of total fat in one “food item.”

a. Explain to students that they will determine the amount of total fat contained in two of five food and/or beverage items.

b. Announce the name of each of the “food items” to the class. Ask students to record the names of the “food items” in their table in Problem 2a of their Student Data Record.

c. Assign each group two “food items” that they will investigate. Students should indicate their “food items” by circling their items in the table and recording the names in Problem 2b of their Student Data Record.

Prediction – Ask students: How many grams of fat do you think is in each item?

Encourage students to record their Prediction in Problem 2c of the Student Data Record.

d. Distribute one “food item” to each table and direct students to complete the nutrition label in Problem 2d for their specific item.

e. Explain that students will use the information on their nutrition label to measure the mass of the fats contained in their “food item.” In order to do this students will use shortening to represent fat and the triple beam balance to obtain the mass of the fat found in their “food item.” Students should use clear plastic cups when measuring the fat in each “food item.”

f. Remind students that Use and Operation of a Triple Beam Balance is one of the tools from their Procedural Toolbox. Encourage students to recall the steps they need to perform in order to use the triple beam balance to measure the mass of a substance.

• If necessary, direct student groups to equilibrate their triple beam balance before starting their experiment. Tell them they can refer to the directions for Triple Beam Balance Equilibration in their Procedural Toolbox if they wish.

• If needed, remind students that they will need to recall the Procedural Tool for Measuring Mass Using a Container as they conduct their experiments. Students should refer to their Procedural Toolbox and the steps in their Student Data Record for assistance with this process.

g. Once students have measured the amount of total fat in their first “food item”, they should illustrate the amount of fat contained in their item by filling in the drawing in Problem 2i to match the shortening in their plastic cup. Direct students to use the length of masking tape and a pencil to label the plastic cup(s) they use as “Food 1.”

h. Students should finish Trial1 by using their data to complete the information about their food item in the table in Problem 2a of their Student Data Record.

Trial 2

Determination of total fat in a second “food item.”

a. Once each group has finished determining the total fat content of their first “food item,” direct student groups to switch “food items” so that each group has a second “food item” at their table.

b. Students should repeat the procedure they used when analyzing the nutrition label and measuring the mass of total fat in their first “food item” for this second food item. They should label the plastic cup(s) they use as “Food 2.”

c. As students conduct this second Trial they should record their data in Problems 3a-3h of their Student Data Record.