King Corn

Background:

From food products, to plastic, fuel, makeup and explosives, corn plays an essential role is thousands of products we use every day. This activity focuses on the many uses of corn, and having students dig deeper into why this crop is vital for the 21st century life. It is important to emphasize the point that corn is more than just a food ingredient and plays a substantial role in many industries and products. As corn is the media to teach genetics content, students need to understand why this plant is important and the essential role science plays in its production.

Use the questions and ideas generated in this section to share interesting facts, and dispel myths about corn. Encourage students to discuss uses and identify similarities and differences in the way the corn ingredient is used.

Materials:

  • National Corn Growers Association “Corn Uses Poster”
  • Several food and non-food products that represent different uses for corn. If at all possible, have the ingredient list for the item. Some examples are:
  • Corn cereal – contains corn meal, corn flour, and corn syrup
  • Soft drink (regular, not diet) – sweetened with high fructose corn syrup
  • Gel-style deodorant – made with ethyl alcohol (ethyl alcohol is another name for ethanol) *ingredients list may say “alcohol denat” short for denatured alcohol
  • Various animal toy figures or photos- livestock, including swine, poultry, beef and dairy cattle are the largest consumer of corn harvests; all products from these animals are dependent on corn
  • Toy car or truck – uses ethanol-blend fuel
  • Biodegradable plastic– made from corn-based PLA
  • Clothing item – made of Ingeo™ PLA corn fiber
  • Paper– corn starch is used in most paper as a binder and to improve printability
  • Make-up, such as foundation- corn starch is used to absorb facial oil and gluten is used as a conditioner in many products
  • Cough syrup- sweetened with high fructose corn syrup
  • Corn or nacho chips-made from whole ground corn
  • BBQ sauce-sweetened with high fructose corn syrup
  • Baby Powder-made from corn starch
  • Popcorn- whole kernels of corn
  • Paper and a writing instrument for each student

Know the Lingo:

Indiana Academic Standards:

Prep:

Procedure:

Before class, line all of the items up at the front of the room. DO NOT tell your students that all of the items contain corn.

1)Ask students if they ever think about what items are made of. Hold up one of the items and ask them if they know what goes into making that product.

2)Explain that you are going to challenge students to think about the ingredient corn, and how it may or may not be used in everyday items.

3)Start at the beginning of the line, and hold up each product. Have the students number their page, and as you show each item, write down if the item has a corn ingredient in it, or not.

4)Go through each item and explain what ingredient in each product comes from corn. For each corn ingredient

Different corn for different uses

Tackle the Topic

  • Discuss the structure of corn. Why are there so many uses? What parts are the most biologically useful? Have students each pick a major product of corn (modified starch, gluten meal, ect.) and research the uses of that product.
  • Have students debate on a controversial topic that deals with the corn product industry. Good examples are: High fructose corn syrup as a sweetener, biotechnology in food products, or ethanol as a renewable fuel source.