What Makes A Cookie Crumble?

Science Fair!  The dreaded project of the seventh grade year at TCA Junior High.  We survived Cody's 

"Shake It But Don't Break It"(How earthquakes affect structures made of different materials) project 2 years ago.  Now, it was Lauren's turn.  Since she likes to cook, she decided to go with a cooking project.

She wanted to test the differences between using coconut oil, butter, and vegetable shortening in a chocolate chip cookie.  She was comparing the taste and texture based on which fat was used.  

Her project really involved 5 phases.  

Phase 1:  The Baking Phase.

 She had to make 3 batches of each kind

 I was her assistant for the evening

 3 batches of each kind = 9 BATCHES OF COOKIES!!

We spent a whole evening baking them up.  

 They all had to be done at the same time so that they were all equally fresh

 First tray of many

 "Butter" cookies

 "Coconut Oil" cookies

 We forgot to take a pic of the "vegetable shortening" cookies.

Here are all the completed batches:

Phase 2:  Taste Testing and Surveys 

Each one had to be individually bagged and labeled.  Lauren did not realize when she decided to do this particular project that she would need 20 adults to sample each of the cookies and rate them according to taste and texture within 24 hours of baking them.  That was a huge challenge!  I actually took her out of school that morning and took her to my Bible Study with me to find some human subjects.  It took us 4 hours to get all the people we needed.  We even had to go to some people's houses, and I had to hold my haircut person hostage until cookies were sampled.  People, we were desperate!!  It was such a relief to be done with that part.

 Part 3: Completing the paperwork for the trifold

Lauren had to develop graphs and documents for her trifold that she would make to present on the day of the science fair.  She did most of that work at school or on her own at home.

Part 4:  Putting together the trifold

 We spent HOURS doing this.  I was the official "border maker" for her display.

 This project made us go cross-eyed!

 "We work together in all kinds of weather!"

 I may or may not have wanted to cuss a few times

 It is coming together!

 This girl began working on this project in November!!

 Thanks to my friend, Jess, we had lovely letters to use.

 I am so proud of all of her hard work!

 The finished product

 Close up of the Trifold

 Close up of her Notebooks and displays

Phase 5:  Present at the Science Fair

Lauren dreaded this like nobody's business.  She is not a fan of speaking in front of people, especially adults who are critiquing you.  She did not want to do it.  I did not get pics because parents were not allowed at this part.  She was so relieved to be done!  She got several good comments about her presentation and a certificate for the presentation and look of her trifold!

The Science Fair Project of 2014 is complete!!  Just in case you are wondering, Butter won the taste test and Coconut Oil won the texture test.  

Now, I only have to go through this 4 more times!  Eish!!