STEM Product/Process 2

History of pizza

Pizza was invented in 1889 in Naples, Italy by Raffaele Esposito. He was called to make some pizza for visiting King Umberto І and Queen Margherita when they were visiting Italy. Toppings queen liked the most was soft white cheese and red tomatoes. With this information, Raffaele was given a challenge to meet the need of the queen and so using his Computational Thinking and Design Thinking he planned and designed the pizza to the likings of the queen. And today, the popular type of pizza is now called Margherita.

There are different types of pizza and it’s variations depend on the region, topping, dressing, baking instruction and seasoning. Other variations also depends on the size, ingredients, ways of cooking and how it is prepared and cook. Despite different forms and size, the most famous is the circular pizza. The most famous types of pizza are: Naepolitan pizza, Mozzarella pizza, Hawaian pizza, meat lovers pizza, and pepperoni pizza. Pizza can also be cooked on a woodfire oven. Woodfire pizza has a very thin and hard crust.

According to Mr.Agson, they cook different types of pizza with various size, different types of ingredients for toppings depending on customers preference.

Agson briefly explained the common process of how he makes pizzas.

Step one - Dough

The dough begins with mixing yeast ,flour, sugar, salt , water and olive oil which normally takes some time. However, according to Agson there are different recipes for the dough alone.

Instead of mixing using the hand, Agson and his team used a bread machine

for mixing which takes around 90 minutes.

Then, the mix is put on a floured surface and place in a warm place to rise for 2 hours (time varies depending on the recipe and ambient temperature) or until doubled in volume.

Step two - Shape the dough

When the ingredients are mixed and the dough is frozen, roll it out into circles, leaving the edge with a crust. The pizza dough roll out into circles using a rolling pin will result spreading it from the center, to at least 20 cm in diameter, lipping it, rotating it from one hand to the other, and return it to your work surface with the unpressed side up. Continue to stretch the dough leaving the rim a little thicker until is 30 cm across.

Step three - topping your pizza

There are many options for pizza toppings, but too much topping makes for a heavy pizza. The most classic Neapolitan pizza is the Margherita topped with tomatoes, buffalo- milk mozzarella and basil which is spread around in a circle making sure it’s evenly distributed, sometimes they add additional toppings such as pepperoni, mushroom, pineapple, bacon and lots more

Dough machine for mixing used by Agson and his team

Putting on the Toppings

One of the electric oven used by Mr, Agson and his team

Once the pizza is done, remove it from the oven, slice it.

Slicing the pizza

Analysis Using The Nesting Doll Framework

Lyons (2018) Nesting Doll Framework was used to analyze the relationship or link between the STEM disciplines in the process of making pizzas. When looking at the connections, relationship, overlaps and boundaries across STEM discipline areas in the process of making pizza, Technology was obvious and mostly applied in the making of pizza.

According to my nesting doll analogy, the main technology applied is the electric oven to cook the pizza. However, before the cooking a lot of technologies were applied such as the dough mixing machine, tools for storing mixed ingredients, Rolling pin, and other tools and equipment used in the preparation of the pizza before cooking. Food technology in terms of the ingredients for the dough and toppings were applied(Dough - yeast ,flour, sugar, salt , water and olive oil, Toppings - tomatoes, buffalo- milk mozzarella, pepperoni, mushroom, pineapple, bacon)

During cooking, technologies used and applied includes the electric oven itself, circuit boards, touch screen buttons to control temperature, time, etc,, selector switch, a thermostat, timer, cooling fan ,etc,

After cooking, pizza slicing tool plus others were used.

Technology discipline was mostly applied in the making process of pizza. Technology works with Engineering to design and construct those technologies or tools. Even Technology applies Science properties of the materials to design and construct the different technologies. More importantly, as per my analogy, Mathematics enables Technology in terms of measurements and calculations.

Technology works with Engineering and vise versa, Engineering applies Science and vise versa, Science is supported by Mathematics, Mathematics enables Engineering and Technology as per my analogy based on the pizza making process.

Relating STEM product/ process 2 to the curriculum

Curriculum Connections

The product is related to Grade 9 Curriculum.

Note: I will be using the new reformed curriculum called Standards-Based Curriculum to identify the connections to the electric oven.

For the cross-curriculum approach to learning based on the STEM product/ process, students could be given a STEM Project based on a connected idea or theme on Food solutions.

Based on the theme, Students in their groups will design a sustainable nutritious food solution and present it to the class

The sustainable nutritious food solution will allow students to identify or explore the following :

Develop nutritious food solutions
Present their food solution
Feedbacks will be used to improve their nutritious food design process
creating nutritious food solutions to different situations or context.
modify their menus and recipes to meet the different needs, occasions and improve health and wellbeing of people

Making informed food decisions requires an explicit understanding of nutritional principles in both theory and practice, This is essential to the development of sound food habits and contributes significantly to the healthy lifestyles in worldwide. Lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, obesity and hypertension are increasing while malnutrition is common among children.

Our students need to develop practical skills in preparing and presenting nutritious food that will enable them to select and use appropriate ingredients, methods and equipment.

Those activities will enable students to understand and develop new knowledge about how they can think more globally and how those problems are affecting themselves and their environment.
It will enable students to think more globally and play their part in finding shared solutions to the world's urgent challenges through sustainable practices.

Description of How To Make Pizza

Step four – Heating the oven

Mr. Agson explains that sometimes while doing the toppings he preheats the oven for some minutes to a certain temperature. How long does it take depends on the materials used to build the oven, shape, thickness and size of the oven. However, temperature and time is shown on the oven will indicate. Maintaining the oven temperature is important.

Step six– And put it in the oven

After slipping your topped pizza onto a lightly floured pizza peel, put the pizza into the oven. The cooking is fast and should take 8 – 12 minutes. It will be done when the crust is nicely browned, the cheese is melted, and the other ingredients of the topping are bubbling.

TECHNOLOGY AND INDUSTRIAL ARTS

SCIENCE

MATHEMATICS

GENERAL CAPABILITIES

Essential Knowledge, Skills, Values, and Attitudes – SBC

Cognitive (Thinking) Skills
Critical Thinking Skills
Creative Thinking Skills
Reasoning Skills
Decision-Making Skills
Problem Solving Skills
Personal Values (importance, worth, usefulness, etc)
Social Values