About the Course
The saying goes, you are what you eat, and in this chemistry class, you'll learn how true that adage really is. With your classmates, you'll explore the ways fats, proteins, and carbohydrates fuel our bodies and make energy for everything from taking a breath to reading a book to running a marathon. Through lab experiments and class discussions, you'll examine the composition of familiar foods, consider the chemical reactions necessary to make them, and explore the role foods play in health and disease. You'll learn about vitamin D deficiency, study the labels of multivitamins, and complete a vitamin C titration to compare the nutritional value of common fruit juices. You'll also analyze the contents of your favorite fast foods and learn about proteins while using a biuret solution to test for peptide bonds. While studying freezing-point depression, the periodic table, and elemental properties, you'll make your own ice cream. By keeping a food journal, and at the end of the course, you'll build your public speaking skills by giving a presentation about what you've learned.
Typical Class Size: 12
Learning Objectives
- Compare and contrast examples of molecular food models and evaluate each based on the given structural composition
- Recreate the periodic table by organizing elements based on their properties
- Construct a definition of taste based on the relationships of taste buds, receptors and the brain and conduct pH tests to differentiate between compounds with different tastes
- Experiment and evaluate the relationship between smells and their levels of acidity and alkalinity
- Investigate and conclude the coloring of food’s effects on perception of its taste
- Classify common foods based on their nutritional content into the major groups of the food pyramid
- Relate the molecular structure of proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates to their physical properties
- Produce a model of the major organs of the digestive system describing how these structures dictate function
About Advanced Enrichment courses
These courses offer above-grade-level material that is presented in a novel context, explored with other advanced learners, and guided by a CTY educator to help prepare students for higher-order thinking and college-style academic challenges. Students work individually and may finish the course early if they complete all requirements before the course end date.
Requirements
CTY courses have grade-level requirements and most require minimum test scores. Some courses may also have prerequisites.
Identification DetailsDates and Tuition
In Person
Gilman School
Baltimore, MD
Day Site
You will be asked to join or sign in first.
Register by: June 21, 2026
Filling up fast! 1 spots left
Time Commitment:
This course has a lab fee of $187.
Course Materials
Students should bring basic school supplies like pens, notebooks, and folders to their summer program. You will be notified of any additional items needed before the course begins. All other materials will be provided by CTY.
Sample Reading
These titles have been featured in past sessions of the course, and may be included this summer. CTY provides students with all texts; no purchase is required.
Culinary Reactions: The Everyday Chemistry of Cooking, by Simon Quellen Field
Food and Nutrition for Every Kid: Easy Activities That Make Learning Science Fun, by Janice Van Cleave
Speyer School
New York, NY
Day Site
You will be asked to join or sign in first.
Register by: June 21, 2026
Full Waitlist Available
Time Commitment:
This course has a lab fee of $187.
Course Materials
Students should bring basic school supplies like pens, notebooks, and folders to their summer program. You will be notified of any additional items needed before the course begins. All other materials will be provided by CTY.
Sample Reading
These titles have been featured in past sessions of the course, and may be included this summer. CTY provides students with all texts; no purchase is required.
Culinary Reactions: The Everyday Chemistry of Cooking, by Simon Quellen Field
Food and Nutrition for Every Kid: Easy Activities That Make Learning Science Fun, by Janice Van Cleave
You will be asked to join or sign in first.
Register by: June 8, 2026
Filling up fast! 1 spots left
Time Commitment:
This course has a lab fee of $187.
Course Materials
Students should bring basic school supplies like pens, notebooks, and folders to their summer program. You will be notified of any additional items needed before the course begins. All other materials will be provided by CTY.
Sample Reading
These titles have been featured in past sessions of the course, and may be included this summer. CTY provides students with all texts; no purchase is required.
Culinary Reactions: The Everyday Chemistry of Cooking, by Simon Quellen Field
Food and Nutrition for Every Kid: Easy Activities That Make Learning Science Fun, by Janice Van Cleave
Registration Fee and Financial Aid
Tuition and fees will be waived or reduced for students who qualify for financial aid.
Learn more about Financial Aid