1. Animals Unit Activity 2.1 Zooming Into Food
Carbon: Transformations in Matter and Energy
Environmental Literacy Project Michigan State University
Animals Unit Activity 2.1 Zooming Into Food
Image Credit: Craig Douglas, Michigan State University

2. What makes up our food?
Beef
We can find out what materials our food is made of by reading nutrition labels.
We will use labels with a serving size of 100 g.
This means that 1 g = 1% of the materials in the food.
Image Credit: Michigan State University
Have students identify materials that make up beef.
Hand out one copy of 2.1 Food Labels Worksheet to each student. Tell them to start with “beef” on row 1 of the table. They will complete this row as they watch and discuss 2.1 Zooming Into Food PPT.
Use slide 1 to introduce the discussion. They will “zoom in” to see what the different materials in foods look like at the atomic-molecular scale.
Use slide 2 to point out that all the nutrition labels used in this lesson have the same serving size: 100 grams. This makes it easy to compare the composition of different foods.
Use slides 3-7 to introduce students to fats, carbohydrates, and proteins, the key organic materials in food. They can fill in the cells for those materials on the worksheet as they are introduced to each organic material.
Use slide 8 to discuss the other substances on the nutrition labels. Tell students that these are important for life, but only in small amounts. Water, which is the most abundant ingredient in many foods, is not included on the nutrition label.
Together, model how to complete the first row of the 2.1 Food Labels Worksheet for “beef.” Show students how to calculate the amount of water: 100 g minus the total g of the organic materials listed. Students can fill in “less than 1 g” for Vitamins and Minerals (about 1%) and 59 g for Water on the worksheet (about 60%).
Use slide 9 to discuss chemical energy for animals: calories. Ask students: What do calories tell us? This is a measurement of how much chemical energy is in food. Scientists determine number of calories by burning the food and measuring the energy as heat. Food is the source of chemical energy to all animals, including humans. Note that high-energy C-C and C-H bonds are yellow on the illustrations of molecules. These bonds contain chemical energy that we can use when we eat food that contains molecules with these bonds.

3. What makes up our food? FATS
Beef
Food Label Credit: Michigan State University
Molecule Credit: Craig Douglas, Michigan State University
Have students identify materials that make up beef.
Hand out one copy of 2.1 Food Labels Worksheet to each student. Tell them to start with “beef” on row 1 of the table. They will complete this row as they watch and discuss 2.1 Zooming Into Food PPT.
Use slide 1 to introduce the discussion. They will “zoom in” to see what the different materials in foods look like at the atomic-molecular scale.
Use slide 2 to point out that all the nutrition labels used in this lesson have the same serving size: 100 grams. This makes it easy to compare the composition of different foods.
Use slides 3-7 to introduce students to fats, carbohydrates, and proteins, the key organic materials in food. They can fill in the cells for those materials on the worksheet as they are introduced to each organic material.
Use slide 8 to discuss the other substances on the nutrition labels. Tell students that these are important for life, but only in small amounts. Water, which is the most abundant ingredient in many foods, is not included on the nutrition label.
Together, model how to complete the first row of the 2.1 Food Labels Worksheet for “beef.” Show students how to calculate the amount of water: 100 g minus the total g of the organic materials listed. Students can fill in “less than 1 g” for Vitamins and Minerals (about 1%) and 59 g for Water on the worksheet (about 60%).
Use slide 9 to discuss chemical energy for animals: calories. Ask students: What do calories tell us? This is a measurement of how much chemical energy is in food. Scientists determine number of calories by burning the food and measuring the energy as heat. Food is the source of chemical energy to all animals, including humans. Note that high-energy C-C and C-H bonds are yellow on the illustrations of molecules. These bonds contain chemical energy that we can use when we eat food that contains molecules with these bonds.
1 glycerol
3 fatty acids
Fat molecule

4. What makes up our food? CARBOHYDRATES
Beef
Food Label Credit: Michigan State University
Molecule Credit: Craig Douglas, Michigan State University
Have students identify materials that make up beef.
Hand out one copy of 2.1 Food Labels Worksheet to each student. Tell them to start with “beef” on row 1 of the table. They will complete this row as they watch and discuss 2.1 Zooming Into Food PPT.
Use slide 1 to introduce the discussion. They will “zoom in” to see what the different materials in foods look like at the atomic-molecular scale.
Use slide 2 to point out that all the nutrition labels used in this lesson have the same serving size: 100 grams. This makes it easy to compare the composition of different foods.
Use slides 3-7 to introduce students to fats, carbohydrates, and proteins, the key organic materials in food. They can fill in the cells for those materials on the worksheet as they are introduced to each organic material.
Use slide 8 to discuss the other substances on the nutrition labels. Tell students that these are important for life, but only in small amounts. Water, which is the most abundant ingredient in many foods, is not included on the nutrition label.
Together, model how to complete the first row of the 2.1 Food Labels Worksheet for “beef.” Show students how to calculate the amount of water: 100 g minus the total g of the organic materials listed. Students can fill in “less than 1 g” for Vitamins and Minerals (about 1%) and 59 g for Water on the worksheet (about 60%).
Use slide 9 to discuss chemical energy for animals: calories. Ask students: What do calories tell us? This is a measurement of how much chemical energy is in food. Scientists determine number of calories by burning the food and measuring the energy as heat. Food is the source of chemical energy to all animals, including humans. Note that high-energy C-C and C-H bonds are yellow on the illustrations of molecules. These bonds contain chemical energy that we can use when we eat food that contains molecules with these bonds.

5. What makes up our food? CARBOHYDRATES
fiber
glucose
Molecule Credit: Craig Douglas, Michigan State University
Have students identify materials that make up beef.
Hand out one copy of 2.1 Food Labels Worksheet to each student. Tell them to start with “beef” on row 1 of the table. They will complete this row as they watch and discuss 2.1 Zooming Into Food PPT.
Use slide 1 to introduce the discussion. They will “zoom in” to see what the different materials in foods look like at the atomic-molecular scale.
Use slide 2 to point out that all the nutrition labels used in this lesson have the same serving size: 100 grams. This makes it easy to compare the composition of different foods.
Use slides 3-7 to introduce students to fats, carbohydrates, and proteins, the key organic materials in food. They can fill in the cells for those materials on the worksheet as they are introduced to each organic material.
Use slide 8 to discuss the other substances on the nutrition labels. Tell students that these are important for life, but only in small amounts. Water, which is the most abundant ingredient in many foods, is not included on the nutrition label.
Together, model how to complete the first row of the 2.1 Food Labels Worksheet for “beef.” Show students how to calculate the amount of water: 100 g minus the total g of the organic materials listed. Students can fill in “less than 1 g” for Vitamins and Minerals (about 1%) and 59 g for Water on the worksheet (about 60%).
Use slide 9 to discuss chemical energy for animals: calories. Ask students: What do calories tell us? This is a measurement of how much chemical energy is in food. Scientists determine number of calories by burning the food and measuring the energy as heat. Food is the source of chemical energy to all animals, including humans. Note that high-energy C-C and C-H bonds are yellow on the illustrations of molecules. These bonds contain chemical energy that we can use when we eat food that contains molecules with these bonds.
starch molecule

6. What makes up our food? PROTEIN
Beef
Amino acids
Molecule Credit: Craig Douglas, Michigan State University
Food Label Credit: Michigan State University
Have students identify materials that make up beef.
Hand out one copy of 2.1 Food Labels Worksheet to each student. Tell them to start with “beef” on row 1 of the table. They will complete this row as they watch and discuss 2.1 Zooming Into Food PPT.
Use slide 1 to introduce the discussion. They will “zoom in” to see what the different materials in foods look like at the atomic-molecular scale.
Use slide 2 to point out that all the nutrition labels used in this lesson have the same serving size: 100 grams. This makes it easy to compare the composition of different foods.
Use slides 3-7 to introduce students to fats, carbohydrates, and proteins, the key organic materials in food. They can fill in the cells for those materials on the worksheet as they are introduced to each organic material.
Use slide 8 to discuss the other substances on the nutrition labels. Tell students that these are important for life, but only in small amounts. Water, which is the most abundant ingredient in many foods, is not included on the nutrition label.
Together, model how to complete the first row of the 2.1 Food Labels Worksheet for “beef.” Show students how to calculate the amount of water: 100 g minus the total g of the organic materials listed. Students can fill in “less than 1 g” for Vitamins and Minerals (about 1%) and 59 g for Water on the worksheet (about 60%).
Use slide 9 to discuss chemical energy for animals: calories. Ask students: What do calories tell us? This is a measurement of how much chemical energy is in food. Scientists determine number of calories by burning the food and measuring the energy as heat. Food is the source of chemical energy to all animals, including humans. Note that high-energy C-C and C-H bonds are yellow on the illustrations of molecules. These bonds contain chemical energy that we can use when we eat food that contains molecules with these bonds.

7. Organic food molecules
CARBOHYDRATES:
SUGAR (GLUCOSE)
FATS
STARCH
Molecule Credit: Craig Douglas, Michigan State University
Have students identify materials that make up beef.
Hand out one copy of 2.1 Food Labels Worksheet to each student. Tell them to start with “beef” on row 1 of the table. They will complete this row as they watch and discuss 2.1 Zooming Into Food PPT.
Use slide 1 to introduce the discussion. They will “zoom in” to see what the different materials in foods look like at the atomic-molecular scale.
Use slide 2 to point out that all the nutrition labels used in this lesson have the same serving size: 100 grams. This makes it easy to compare the composition of different foods.
Use slides 3-7 to introduce students to fats, carbohydrates, and proteins, the key organic materials in food. They can fill in the cells for those materials on the worksheet as they are introduced to each organic material.
Use slide 8 to discuss the other substances on the nutrition labels. Tell students that these are important for life, but only in small amounts. Water, which is the most abundant ingredient in many foods, is not included on the nutrition label.
Together, model how to complete the first row of the 2.1 Food Labels Worksheet for “beef.” Show students how to calculate the amount of water: 100 g minus the total g of the organic materials listed. Students can fill in “less than 1 g” for Vitamins and Minerals (about 1%) and 59 g for Water on the worksheet (about 60%).
Use slide 9 to discuss chemical energy for animals: calories. Ask students: What do calories tell us? This is a measurement of how much chemical energy is in food. Scientists determine number of calories by burning the food and measuring the energy as heat. Food is the source of chemical energy to all animals, including humans. Note that high-energy C-C and C-H bonds are yellow on the illustrations of molecules. These bonds contain chemical energy that we can use when we eat food that contains molecules with these bonds.
FIBER
PROTEINS

8. Adding up materials in food
Beef
Organic materials in beef:
Fat: 21% (21 g out of 100 g)
Carbohydrates: 0%
Protein: 18%
Cholesterol and vitamins: less than 1%
Inorganic materials in beef:
Minerals (calcium, sodium, iron): less than 1%
What’s left?
WATER: about 60%
Food Label Credit: Michigan State University
Have students identify materials that make up beef.
Hand out one copy of 2.1 Food Labels Worksheet to each student. Tell them to start with “beef” on row 1 of the table. They will complete this row as they watch and discuss 2.1 Zooming Into Food PPT.
Use slide 1 to introduce the discussion. They will “zoom in” to see what the different materials in foods look like at the atomic-molecular scale.
Use slide 2 to point out that all the nutrition labels used in this lesson have the same serving size: 100 grams. This makes it easy to compare the composition of different foods.
Use slides 3-7 to introduce students to fats, carbohydrates, and proteins, the key organic materials in food. They can fill in the cells for those materials on the worksheet as they are introduced to each organic material.
Use slide 8 to discuss the other substances on the nutrition labels. Tell students that these are important for life, but only in small amounts. Water, which is the most abundant ingredient in many foods, is not included on the nutrition label.
Together, model how to complete the first row of the 2.1 Food Labels Worksheet for “beef.” Show students how to calculate the amount of water: 100 g minus the total g of the organic materials listed. Students can fill in “less than 1 g” for Vitamins and Minerals (about 1%) and 59 g for Water on the worksheet (about 60%).
Use slide 9 to discuss chemical energy for animals: calories. Ask students: What do calories tell us? This is a measurement of how much chemical energy is in food. Scientists determine number of calories by burning the food and measuring the energy as heat. Food is the source of chemical energy to all animals, including humans. Note that high-energy C-C and C-H bonds are yellow on the illustrations of molecules. These bonds contain chemical energy that we can use when we eat food that contains molecules with these bonds.

9. Chemical energy in food
Beef
Calories are a measurement of chemical energy in food: the energy available from high-energy bonds in organic molecules
Food Label Credit: Michigan State University
Molecule Credit: Craig Douglas, Michigan State University
Have students identify materials that make up beef.
Hand out one copy of 2.1 Food Labels Worksheet to each student. Tell them to start with “beef” on row 1 of the table. They will complete this row as they watch and discuss 2.1 Zooming Into Food PPT.
Use slide 1 to introduce the discussion. They will “zoom in” to see what the different materials in foods look like at the atomic-molecular scale.
Use slide 2 to point out that all the nutrition labels used in this lesson have the same serving size: 100 grams. This makes it easy to compare the composition of different foods.
Use slides 3-7 to introduce students to fats, carbohydrates, and proteins, the key organic materials in food. They can fill in the cells for those materials on the worksheet as they are introduced to each organic material.
Use slide 8 to discuss the other substances on the nutrition labels. Tell students that these are important for life, but only in small amounts. Water, which is the most abundant ingredient in many foods, is not included on the nutrition label.
Together, model how to complete the first row of the 2.1 Food Labels Worksheet for “beef.” Show students how to calculate the amount of water: 100 g minus the total g of the organic materials listed. Students can fill in “less than 1 g” for Vitamins and Minerals (about 1%) and 59 g for Water on the worksheet (about 60%).
Use slide 9 to discuss chemical energy for animals: calories. Ask students: What do calories tell us? This is a measurement of how much chemical energy is in food. Scientists determine number of calories by burning the food and measuring the energy as heat. Food is the source of chemical energy to all animals, including humans. Note that high-energy C-C and C-H bonds are yellow on the illustrations of molecules. These bonds contain chemical energy that we can use when we eat food that contains molecules with these bonds.
High-energy C-C and C-H bonds are yellow. This color represents the usable energy stored in these bonds.