The Science of Maryland Agriculture

Transcription

1 The Science of Maryland Agriculture OBJECTIVES: Students will be able to identify the 3 types of corn grown in the world. Students will learn the major uses of corn and its byproducts. Students will learn how to make a bio-plastic from corn by-products. REQUIRED MATERIALS: Cornstarch Measuring spoons Corn oil Water Food coloring (optional) Medicine dropper (1 per group) Plastic spoons (1 per group) Paper cups (2 per group) Analysis/question student recording sheet (1 per student) Microwave AMOUNT OF TIME TO ALLOW: 60 minutes. Extension activities will take additional time.

2 Corn or, as it is called in many countries, maize is one of the most important crops in the world. It accounts for 20% of the world s food calories. In addition to feeding humans, corn is the major feed for livestock, fuels our cars, and sweetens our drinks. Amazingly, there are over 3,500 uses for corn; the top five are: 1. Livestock Feed (40%) Most corn is used to feed livestock with the majority eaten by poultry and beef cattle. 2. Ethanol (29%) Ethanol is a type of alcohol that can be made from corn and is used as a fuel in cars and trucks. 3. Export (11%) The United States produces enough corn that one in every five rows is exported to other countries. 4. Corn Syrup (under 4%) This a liquid made from corn starch that can be found in many food items and beverages. It is cheaper than sugar and often used as a sweetener in your soda. 5. Cereal and other (1.6%) This is what gets made into our corn flakes and cereal. Additional uses include corn plastics, diapers, and cleaning agents. There are 3 different types of corn. 1. Sweet corn This is the type of corn that humans eat. You would know it as corn on the cob or corn that you eat from a can or frozen. Sweet corn account for only 1% of the corn grown in the U.S. 2. Field corn This is also called dent corn because the kernels are slightly dented at the top. This corn is most commonly grown for animal feed and ethanol production. It can also be used for human consumption once it has been processed. 99% of the corn in the U.S. is field corn. 3. Popcorn This is exactly what you think. It has a hard outer shell that helps it retain moisture. When it is heated, the moisture cooks and produces steam that causes the kernels to pop. Corn grows on the plant in an ear, which is considered the fruit of the plant. Each kernel is a seed, and many kernels are held together on a cob. Each ear of corn contains about 800 kernels and will always have an even number of rows. Shelled corn, or dried corn kernels that have been removed from the cob, is measured in bushels. A bushel is equivalent to 56 pounds. Corn is the most planted crop in the United States. The U.S. grows more corn than any other country in the world and accounts for about 40% of the world s corn production. The U.S. plants over 90 million acres of corn and harvests about 14 billion bushel of corn a year. Most of the corn grown in the U.S. comes from a region known as the Corn Belt. This is a group of 12 states that includes South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky. In Maryland about 430,000 acres are planted in corn each year, yielding about 75 million bushels. Corn ranks third on the state s agriculture commodity list and is the highest ranking field crop in Maryland in terms of amount produced.

3 Begin by asking students how many have eaten corn on the cob and if they enjoy it. Now show them the 3 pictures of corn (sweet, field, and popcorn) and ask them which they think we eat. We eat popcorn and sweet corn. We can also eat field corn when it is processed and made into corn meal or corn starch. Livestock consume most of the field corn, though. Now asks students what else we can get from corn. Make a list on the board. Show them the pictures included on the PowerPoint and ask them if they think these products contain corn. Directions: Read out loud, or have the students read, the following scenario: Globally there is an effort to reduce the amount of plastics in landfills and to create plastics that biodegrade more quickly. There is also a shift away from using petroleum-based plastics to using renewable bio-plastics. Companies are looking for prototypes of bio-plastics that are renewable and more biodegradable. Locally, The Maryland Amaizing Toy Company has hired your group to research and develop a corn-based toy, either a bouncy ball or Frisbee that they can mass produce. Your team will use the recipe below to make your corn plastic and create a toy. After your prototype has been developed, you will conduct tests to determine the effectiveness of your toy. Corn plastic recipe for 1 Frisbee (half the recipe for a ball) 10 teaspoons cornstarch 10 teaspoons water 10 drops corn oil Food coloring if desired (optional) 1. Use the measuring spoons to measure 10 teaspoons of cornstarch and put it in a cup. 2. Add 10 teaspoons of water to the cornstarch. 3. Use the medicine dropper to add ten drops of corn oil to the cup containing the other ingredients. 4. If desired, add food coloring to the mixture. 5. Stir well and be sure there are no lumps in the mixture. 6. Place the second cup into the first cup so that some of the mixture is squeezed upwards between the sides of the two cups. 7. Microwave for 20 seconds. Continue microwaving 20 second at a time until the plastic has become solid. Then set to the side to cool. 8. Complete the questions on the student analysis/question worksheet while waiting for the

4 mold to cool. 9. After the plastic has cooled, remove your plastic mold from the cup. Explanation Use the questions from the activity to guide a class discussion. What did you observe about how the plastic changed as you microwaved it? What other products can you think of that could be made from a bio-plastic? Is your bio-plastic the same as other teams plastic? In addition, the following video can be accessed to review the purpose for using bio-plastics versus the plastics currently being utilized. To access the video, visit YouTube.com and search for the How Stuff Works channel. From the channel s page, search for corn plastic. Read the following series of statements. Have students stand on one side of the room if they believe the statement is true and on the other side of the room if the statement is false. Once students have made their selections, go over the answer before proceeding to the next statement. 1. Since corn plastic is manufactured from corn starch, it is a renewable resource. (True) 2. Bio-plastics are expensive to manufacture. (False) 3. Most commercial composting facilities will accept bio-plastics? Hint: bio-plastics are considered residential materials. (False; only about a quarter will accept residential materials.) 4. Bio-plastics are freezer safe. (True) 5. Bio-plastics can leach chemicals into food or soil. (False) 6. Corn bio-plastic looks, feels, and handles just like petroleum-based plastic. (True) 7. The manufacturing of corn bio-plastic diverts corn away from the world s food supply. (True) 8. A product made from corn bio-plastic can handle hot items up to 200 degrees F. (False; they can only handle temperatures up to 120 degrees F.) 9. The bio-plastic you created is compostable. (True; once composted it will be indistinguishable from other compost.) 10. You are able to put corn bio-plastic in your recycling bin to be recycled. (False; corn bio-plastic is not recyclable and must be kept separate from other plastic.)

5 Additional activities utilizing corn to create a by-product include making corn putty or corn ink. Corn Putty 1 cup cornstarch 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp water Food coloring Blend all ingredients together with a fork. The mixture should flow when the bowl is tipped but feel solid when you touch it. If it s too thick, add a little water. If it s too runny, add a little cornstarch. Play with it like clay, then watch it become liquid again. Corn Ink To access the activity, visit < biotechnology-activities/> and choose Agriculture in Print: Soy Ink. The activity is outlined for soy, but corn oil can be substituted for the soy to create corn ink. Assign students to research corn syrup. Information about corn syrup can be found from The Beverage Institute for Health and Wellness < and from the Iowa Corn Promotion Board < fructose_corn_syrup/>. Seed salesman This person works for a seed company. He or she sells seed and provides information to farmers about new products and technology. Extension agent This is an educator who works with farmers to provide current information, based on university research, on seed varieties, technology, and farming practices. Agronomist Agronomists study the interactions of plants, soil, and the environment. They work with plants that are used for food, fuel, or fiber. Botanist A botanist is a scientist who studies the biology of plants. Miller This person works in a mill to process corn into flour or meal. Commodity buyer This person works to match buyers and sellers of agriculture commodities, similar to how a stockbroker works with buyers and sellers of stocks. A pre/post test should be completed with this lesson plan. Student understanding of concepts can also be evaluated through class discussion as well as through evaluation of completed activity data sheets. Analysis/conclusion questions that are answered incorrectly by a large number of students should be addressed in a follow-up discussion.

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7 The Science of Maryland Agriculture PRE-Evaluation: Amaizing Corn 1. How old are you? 2. Are you... (Select one.) A boy A girl 3. Are you.(select ALL that apply.) African American/Black Asian Other Native American/Alaskan Native Hispanic/Latino White Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander 4. What type of school do you go to? (Select one.) Public school Private school Religious school (Catholic, etc.) Home school Your Science and Agriculture Opinions and Knowledge 5. BEFORE going through the AGsploration Program, please circle the degree to which you agree or disagree with the following statements. Strongly Disagree Disagree I like science I feel that Maryland agriculture is a part of science Science is useful for solving everyday problems Maryland agriculture is beneficial to me, my family, and my community. When I graduate from high school, I would like to have a job in agricultural science. Agree Strongly Agree I can name three jobs in the agriculture industry BEFORE going through the AGsploration Program, please circle your knowledge level about the topics listed below. None Low Medium High Very High Maryland agriculture Types of corn and how it is grown Corn products Bio-plastics because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry,

8 The Science of Maryland Agriculture POST-Evaluation: Amaizing Corn Your Science and Agriculture Opinions and Knowledge 7. AFTER going through the AGsploration Program, please circle the degree to which you agree or disagree with the following statements. Strongly Disagree Disagree Agree Strongly Agree I like science I feel that Maryland agriculture is a part of science Science is useful for solving everyday problems Maryland agriculture is beneficial to me, my family, and my community. When I graduate from high school, I would like to have a job in agricultural science I can name three jobs in the agriculture industry AFTER going through the AGsploration Program, please circle your knowledge level about the topics listed below. Very None Low Medium High High Maryland agriculture Types of corn and how it is grown Corn products Bio-plastics As a result of participating in this activity, tell one new thing you will try or one thing you will find information about. because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry,

9 The Science of Maryland Agriculture SUPPLEMENTAL-Evaluation: Amaizing Corn Directions: If you are teaching more than one lesson plan in one day, you may attach this to the pre/post evaluation form for the other lesson you are teaching. Please have the student fill out these during the pre and post evaluation times. In addition, only have the student fill out the post evaluation questions Q5 Q7 at the completion of all lessons. PRE-Evaluation BEFORE going through the AGsploration Program, please circle your knowledge level about the topics listed below. None Low Medium High Very High Maryland agriculture Types of corn and how it is grown Corn products Bio-plastics POST-Evaluation AFTER going through the AGsploration Program, please circle your knowledge level about the topics listed below. None Low Medium High Very High Maryland agriculture Types of corn and how it is grown Corn products Bio-plastics because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry,