Sugar in the EU - Sweeten up your life

All pupils have a ‘sweet tooth’ so they should immediately be motivated by the topic of this project: Pupils investigate where sugar is grown, how it is refined and the different types of sugar that exist in their own country and/or all over Europe. They find out about the history of sugar and how it is traded and used in other countries. They collect and exchange information and compare their results with their partner school.

Age group: 15 - 19

Duration: 1 month

ICT tools: email, chat, shared file archive, Powerpoint

Subject: Chemistry

Theme: Science

Pedagogical value: Pupils do not only learn about the chemical structure of sugar, but also gain insight in the geographical differences of sugar production. They also experience cultural differences in the history and use of sugar.

Process

Getting started

• Teachers put useful documents in the common repository in the TwinSpace.
• They decide on the most practical ones to be used in the project.
• They divide their classes into groups and collect ideas for the procedure together with their pupils.
• Together, they set the common framework of their project work and the outcomes.

Collecting and sorting information

Pupils gather information in groups:

• Where are sugar plants grown in their country.
• Which kind of sugar plants are there in their country and in other European countries.
• From sugar associations and companies: how and where is sugar produced in their country.
• How and where is sugar used – pupils can collect samples (e.g. candies, etc.), take pictures of them and compare findings in the TwinSpace.

All pupils in the class:

• Pupils learn about the history and trading of sugar.
• They learn about the chemical structure of sugar.
• They learn about geographical differences of sugar plants, growth and refining.
• They put the information into a common repository.

Exchanging information

• Pupils compare the results of their investigations and discover similarities and differences.
• They explain these to each other and find factual reasons for them.
• Pupils might like to exchange typical recipes from their countries that include sugar.

Outcome

• Powerpoint presentation on the history, chemistry and geography of sugar.
• Presentation on the school website or in the TwinSpace.

Options

The project can be linked to language or literature classes:

• Write a story in which sugar plays an important role.
• Find and collect stories around sugar.

Similar projects
Pupils can analyse soft drinks like, e.g. Coca Cola, and compare the amount of sugar used in them (health)

The sugar project can be carried out with chocolate or with salt.

Useful links
Science - sugar
http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/candy/index.html

Zuckermuseum Berlin – Sugar Museum (DE, EN, FR)
http://www.dtmb.de/Zucker-Museum/

EU - Reform of the sugar sector
http://europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/capreform/sugar/index_en.htm

Sugar Reform will offer EU producers long-term competitive future
http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?
reference=IP/05/776&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

The Great EU Sugar Scam
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/what_we_do/issues/trade/bp27_sugar.htm

How sugar is made, history of sugar, cane and beet sugar, etc.
http://www.sucrose.com/learn.html

Wirtschaftliche Vereinigung Zucker (in DE only)
http://www.zuckerwirtschaft.de/

	Web Editor:	Sylvia Binger

	Published :	12/10/2005

	Last changed :	28/01/2007

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