Palm Crest GATE students learn the science of cooking

The subject of baking came to life Thursday as GATE students at Palm Crest Elementary School learned about the chemistry behind bread-making in a special after-school enrichment class.

Jacklene Murran, a La Cañada Unified parent who teaches adult and children’s culinary lessons, wanted students to learn some of the science about how yeast makes bread rise and how processes including heat, moisture and kneading activate gluten proteins.

“Cooking is science. There’s chemistry, there’s biology — knowing how to cut up an animal — but I don’t want to gross anybody out today,” Murran joked.

The 90-minute lesson was planned so each student would make a French bread animal shape out of dough, using nuts and edible seeds for decoration, according to Hilary Gregg, La Cañada Unified’s elementary schools GATE coordinator.

“The goal behind this lesson was to understand the role of science in cooking,” Gregg said. “It’s integrating the science lessons they’ve learned with cooking, and it’s also a chance for them to be creative.”

And creative they were. Although given a template for basic animals — turtles and teddy bears — many opted for more unique creations, like Squirtl from Pokemon and “a goat that wreaks havoc on physics itself,” according to one sixth-grader.

“Do hedgehogs have tails?” fourth-grader Jenna Ku asked Gregg.

“Yes, I think they have tiny ones,” the teacher replied as Ku ran back to her station.

As 28 animal shapes baked in the cafeteria oven, Murran laid down some science. She explained how bread’s ingredients create chemical reactions that contribute to its shape, texture and taste.

Yeast, she explained, is really a bunch of living single-celled organisms. They eat sugar and belch out carbon dioxide, Murran said, illustrating her point during a dough-making demonstration.

“It’s alive, but it needs things to live,” Murran explained. “You have to add a couple of things in order for it to lift.”

When the demonstration ended, students produced and kneaded their own dough, with the help of adult supervisors, to take home. George Kamar, 11, said he was surprised at all the science that takes place in the kitchen.

“I thought we were just going to learn how to bake stuff, but I was actually impressed with what we learned about yeast and bread,” he said.

Ku, who made the hedgehog, said she enjoyed the class. And what would she do with her in-class creation?

“I’m going to take it home and share it with my sisters and brother,” she said, before adding. “And maybe I’ll give some to my chickens.”