January 25, 2025
At Coconino High School, chemistry and culinary arts came together in an extraordinary collaboration that brought science, art, and cooking to life. This innovative project, led by CIT & AP Chemistry teacher Amanda Harrison and Advanced Culinary teacher Janeille Buckley, introduced students to the fascinating world of molecular gastronomy—specifically the spherification of liquids, the process behind the creation of “bursting boba” and “fruit caviar.”
Supported by the ASU Arizona STEM Acceleration Project (ASAP), this project showcased the interconnectedness of chemistry, culinary, engineering, and mathematics. Harrison has been an ASAP Fellow for the past two years, receiving $2,000 annually to fund creative, STEM-based projects. These funds made it possible to purchase equipment and consumables for the collaboration, ensuring its continuation for years to come.
The project paired Harrison’s Honors CIT Chemistry students with Buckley’s Culinary students in a two-day hands-on learning experience. Chemistry students researched and presented the science behind spherification, while culinary students taught their peers about kitchen safety, sanitation, and the recipe itself. Working in seven groups, nearly 70 students—46 chemistry students, 19 culinary students, and student aides—transformed the kitchen into a bustling laboratory of creativity. Using flavors like Ginger Ale, Dr. Pepper, pomegranate, orange juice, and orange white tea and experimenting with cherry juice as a test flavor, students measured, mixed, and dripped solutions into a setting bath to create edible spheres. On the final day, they enjoyed their creations with ice cream and soda while reflecting on what went well and brainstorming improvements for future experiments.
The success of this project has paved the way for an ongoing partnership between chemistry and culinary classes at Coconino High School. The grant funding from ASAP provided essential supplies and professional development for Harrison and ensured that the collaboration would continue annually with the support of Career and Technical Education (CTE) funding.
Last summer, Harrison presented the Chemistry—Let’s Lick the Spoon project at the ASU STEM Acceleration Project Conference, sharing lessons learned and best practices with fellow educators. The lesson plan is now published on the ASU website as part of their open-source STEM resources, allowing other teachers to bring this interdisciplinary experience to their classrooms.
This unique collaboration has shown students how chemistry and culinary arts are deeply intertwined, inspiring them to explore the practical applications of science in everyday life.
“Our students loved this activity and the opportunity to see how culinary and chemistry are really related,” said Harrison.
