Students enrolled in chemistry at Danvers St. John Preparatory School -- The Prep -- are accustomed to a traditional science classroom dynamic. They balance mastering new concepts and solving chemical equations with time spent in the lab, where they put those theories into practice and watching science come to life. No matter what the lesson or the real-time experiment, it can sometimes be difficult for students to see the relevance of the content they're exploring. Chemistry teacher Alex Demokritou '15 is no stranger to the classic question from students: "When am I going to use this?"

"Science Department Chair Gary Smith P'12 and I were talking about how we could provide context for students around the work that we're doing in class," explains Demokritou. "When working with numbers and manipulating what those numbers are measured in, the obvious answer for me became baking."

That spark of an idea quickly turned into a recent, multidisciplinary effort to bring chemistry to the kitchen and demonstrate the "sweetness" of science. After pitching the lesson to Principal/Associate Head of School Dr. Keith Crowley, Demokritou was directed to Benjamin Shute, the general manager of SAGE Dining Services at St. John's.

"SAGE was super enthusiastic about building community with the students by helping them see the other side of where their lunches are prepared and meeting them in a more familiar way," says Demokritou. "It spread into this larger community project, which was really powerful in its own way."

Over the course of a week, five different sections of chemistry classes donned hair nets and gloves and went to work making apple-cinnamon bread with a recipe specifically curated for them by SAGE. Collaborating to manipulate units of measure and make numeric conversions, students homed in on the crucial concept of numeracy.

"I want them to have an appreciation when they're given a number with units," says Demokritou. "Can they conceptualize what that means in the real world? Can they see the recipe calls for a kilogram of flour, and picture how much that really is? I think an activity like this, as well as labs in general, is a unique opportunity to build that connection and are important for what we do in the chemistry department."

Translating numbers and deriving their meaning makes chemistry seem as much a language as it is a science. For students, the deviation from the typical classroom environment can make the lesson take hold even more.

"It was an extremely fun experience that I never thought I could get in school," says Aidan Barker '28. "I enjoyed learning about the measurements, contributing to the process, and cheering on my friends as they scooped units of flour into the mixing bowl."

Whether it's serving up flour, cracking eggs, measuring oil, or participating in one of the other methods of baking to make a delicious creation, one thing is clear: Chemistry is unquestionably relevant outside of the classroom.



JACQUELINE CHIANCA IS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS (JCHIANCA@STJOHNSPREP.ORG OR 978-774-1050 X330) AT ST. JOHN'S PREPARATORY SCHOOL IN DANVERS, MASS., A GRADE SIX THROUGH 12 SCHOOL EDUCATING YOUNG MEN FROM MORE THAN 90 COMMUNITIES TO BE, DO, AND STAND FOR GOOD IN THE WORLD.