What makes bread rise?

This article was originally published by the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation on Friday 14 August, 2015.

Ever wondered how bread gets its oomph? With this hands-on experiment, children delight in discovering the secrets of leavening agents that make bread rise.

This activity is taken from Tools for Teachers 3 Years 5&6, one of the publications in our Foundation's curriculum-approved series of kitchen garden teaching resources. It can be a useful resource to celebrate Science Week and get students engaged and excited about the mechanics of food. 

In this activity, children use scientific methods of experimentation to test the three different leavening (rising) agents and record their results. It is just one of the many fun and educational ways the curriculum can be integrated into kitchen classes.

Download the Leavener Lineup activity, which includes teacher’s notes, step-by-step instructions and a sheet to record the results.

Want more activity ideas? Join the Kitchen Garden Classroom.