Classroom Materials
The "Poker Chip Model" activity, developed by Great Lakes Bioenergy, uses household items to help students understand where the majority of earth's carbon is located and how it moves from place to place.
Fermentation Challenge: Making Ethanol from Cellulose
This high school-level lab demonstration and inquiry activity introduces students to the process of fermenting cellulosic biomass into ethanol, along with the challenges researchers face in this ar
Fermentation in a Bag
In this simple experiment, students investigate the process of fermentation in resealable bags with bakers yeast, warm water and various sources of plant sugar. Students observe and measure evidence of the chemical changes associated with fermentation: bag inflation (CO2) and indicators of ethanol production. Younger students can observe fermentation in a single bag, while older students can create multiple set-ups to compare how yeast ferments sugar, starch and cellulose-based biomass options.