Part of Lesson Plan: Making Apple Juice

Activity Overview / Details

As students walk into the classroom there is a bottle of apple juice and a full glass that the teacher is drinking.  Ask students how do we get apple juice?  Students will come to the conclusion that we smash apples and collect the juice.  Ask for a volunteer to take an apple, cut it up into small pieces, and then place it in a strong plastic container.  Have the student crush up the apple and collect the liquid and put it into a glass.  Ask students about the amount of juice compared to the apple?  Ask students what happens to the mashed up part?  Students should come to the conclusion that it becomes apple sauce.  Ask students what is apple sauce.  Teacher may have to guide students that they are plant cells and the juice is the liquid inside the cell.  Ask students if there a way to get anymore liquid out?  Help students to start thinking on a molecular level.  Present the four types of enzymes that we will be using.  Have students write a hypothesis on the enzyme amount that will give the most amount of juice.