Capstone Project Proposal Draft

Name of student: ______Tiffany Shao______________ Date: ____Oct 5, 2023_____

Teacher: _____Mr. Green_______ Block: _____C______

The Capstone strand I have chosen is _______Product______________

Proposed title for my Project Proposal: (write the proposed title for your Capstone Project in one clear
sentence): Discovering the art and science of baking: exploring ingredients, techniques and flavor

profiles.

What is your inquiry question that interests you for further research? It should be a question that connects with
a purpose, passion or personalized area of interest for you. This is a question that you cannot just google an
answer for. Please see examples from your Capstone booklet.
My inquiry question is:

Investigating the Science of Baking: How do Different Ingredients and Techniques Impact the Texture and
Flavor of Homemade Baking?

Rationale/context: Detail your reasons for choosing this inquiry question. Explain WHY you are choosing to
investigate this topic as a major area of focus. How does this area of inquiry connect to your passion(s),
purpose? Why is it of personal interest to you?

The reason why I have chosen to investigate the science of baking, specifically exploring how different
ingredients and techniques affect the texture and flavor of homemade baked goods. This inquiry shows my
deep personal interest in baking as a hobby and my desire to understand basic scientific principles behind
it. Baking has always been a source of joy for me personally, by delving into this topic, my goal is to deepen
my knowledge and appreciation of baking arts while sharing this new understanding with others who share
a similar passion for baking or are interested in the science behind it.

Background: What background knowledge/connections/prior learning do you have in this area of inquiry?

1.I can explain the fundamental concepts such as the role of ingredients like flour, sugar, eggs, and
leavening agents in baking, as well as key techniques like mixing, kneading, and fermentation. 2. I can
discuss the chemical reactions that occur during baking such as the fermentation process in bread-making.
3. I can describe how different ingredients contribute to the texture, flavor, and structure of baked goods.
For instance, I can explain how sugar impacts sweetness, or how fats affect tenderness. 4. I can discuss
various baking techniques, such as creaming, folding, and oven temperature control, most importantly, how
they influence the outcome of the baked goods.

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Career connections: What is your intended career area at this point in time? What connections does this
inquiry question have to your life, academic and/ or career goals?

At this point in time, my intended career area is in medicine. Although the inquiry question about the
science of baking may not seem directly related to medicine, but it offers several valuable connections to
my life, academic, and career goals. Firstly, it shows that I’m always ready to learn new things, especially in
science, which is important in medicine. Secondly, it helps me get better at solving problems skills, which is
also crucial when treating patients. Thirdly, I can demonstrate the ability to understand and communicate
complex scientific concepts, which is useful when communicate with patients about their health. Lastly, it
shows the passion I have for the science part of food, which could be helpful in giving advice about healthy
eating as a pharmacist. So, even though baking and medicine seem different, they can work together to
help me be a better pharmacist.

Interdisciplinary and core competencies connections: What subject areas and core competencies will
be connected with your project? Outline and explain the connections.

My project is a study of the science of baking and its impact on texture and flavor, which is related to
chemistry and mathematics as it connects to chemical reactions, fermentation, and precise measurements.
It also links with core competencies like critical thinking, communication, and creativity as I explain complex
concepts and try to experiment with bake variables.

Capstone Presentation medium: select one or more project mediums you wish to use to present your
project. Outline and give details about how you will present your project once completed. You may use a
combination of mediums.
o Electronic portfolio: Prezi or PPT
o Physical portfolio
o Website
o imovie presentation
o YouTube channel

I will be using YouTube to present my capstone project because it is a popular platform among people my
age and provides an engaging way to visually display my experiments and techniques related to the
science of baking.

Description of my Capstone project. Specific Project Details of the Capstone Project: what will you
research, create, study, produce, solve, investigate? What product will be produced at the end of this
project for evaluation. Write a one-page description outlining your proposal.

Description:
For my Capstone project, I will explore the complex and interesting science behind baking, with a particular
focus on understanding how different ingredients and techniques contribute to the flavor and texture of
homemade baked goods. Throughout this project, I will research, conduct baking experiments, and record
them in a video presentation.

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 Research:

The project will begin with broad research into the fundamental principles of baking, including the
chemistry of ingredients, heat transfer, and the role of different techniques such as creaming and
fermentation. I will review academic papers, cookbooks, and online resources to gather a foundation of
knowledge.

Experiment:

The key to this project is practical experimentation. I will carefully plan a series of baking experiments,
each designed with different variables. These experiments will involve altering techniques (e.g., kneading
time and skill) to observe the direct impact on the texture and flavor of the final baked products. I will
document each step of the process, from preparation to tasting.

Product:

By doing this project, I will produce an engaging and formative video presentation of my research and
experiments. The video will include clear explanations of the scientific concepts behind baking and
demonstrations. Of course, it will include graphics and visuals to help understanding. 4-5 videos will
produce at the end to evaluate.

I will present in a way that's easy for everyone to understand, especially when baking at home. I'll
demonstrate the science behind baking, like how different ingredients and techniques affect what we bake.
Then, I'll share what I learn in simple words, easy-to-follow recipes, and engaging visual videos, so anyone
can enjoy baking at home and understand how the science behind it works. It's about making the magic of
baking accessible to everyone, no matter their baking experience.

In conclusion, the goal of my capstone project was not only to strengthen my own understanding of baking
but also to share this knowledge with others who share a similar passion or curiosity for the science behind
baking arts.

Resources/ Technology/Skills: Make an assessment of the resources, technology and skills you will
need to be able to complete this project. What is your plan to be able to access/learn all of the resources
necessary to achieve completion of this project? Detail your plans.

To complete this project, I need access to various resources, including baking ingredients, kitchen
equipment, and research materials on the science of baking. Also, I will need video recording and editing
equipment to create my video presentation. To ensure I have these resources, I seek help from my family
to purchase baking ingredients and equipment and access academic databases for research. For video, I
will use my existing knowledge of video editing and may seek guidance from teachers or online tutorials
to help with my video editing skills. Overall, my plan is to utilize all the existing resources, seek help as
needed, and continuously improve my technical and research skills throughout the project to successfully
complete it.

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Mentors/Community Connections: What types of mentor(s)/community connections will you need to
help you complete your capstone project? How will your mentor(s) help you? What is your plan to access
the mentorship/community connections necessary for this project?

I will seek mentorship from experienced bakers and science teachers who can provide guidance on
understanding the scientific concepts behind baking. These mentors can offer a deep understanding of
different techniques and ingredient interactions. To access this mentorship, I plan to reach out to online
bakery professionals, and science teachers in school. By building these mentorships and connections, I
aim to gain valuable expertise and feedback that will improve my project and contribute to its success.

Project limitations: What are some project limitations and potential obstacles that you foresee that might
affect progress with your Capstone Project?

Firstly, getting all the ingredients to do my baking experiments, takes money and time to buy them.
Secondly, the need for advanced equipment and software for video editing might have technical
challenges since I'm not that familiar with them. Time management is the biggest challenge, as balancing
my academic coursework and extracurricular activities. Lastly, since baking can sometimes be
unpredictable, I might need to do experiments over and over to test them more than once, which could
take extra time. But I'll try to plan carefully and be flexible to overcome these challenges.

Other considerations: List and detail any other related information/ considerations about your project
that you feel should be included in your project proposal.

Kitchen safety. Throughout the experiment, I will prioritize kitchen equipment and food safety guidelines.
Also, I will be mindful of allergies when sharing baked products with others. Environmental sustainability
is also important, and I will responsibly reuse any leftover ingredients and materials to minimize food
waste.

References: Provide a literature review of 5-10 PEER REVIEWED ACADEMIC references: research,
videos, etc. that offer some preliminary research you have done for your project that shows you are able
to access the key information that you will need to be able to complete this project/work. Your list should
be written using correct APA formatting.

1. 5 tips on how to Shoot & Edit engaging cooking videos. (2021). Retrieved from
https://youtu.be/t_kf4WIeQ2U?si=KWMtVMATQnYZhsZ9
2. The Science of Baking: Sonya Veligodskaya: Tedxfrancishollandschoolsloanesquare. (2022).
Retrieved from https://youtu.be/09WXvI3gbbI?si=YnUGF2kmYOeXKPCx
3. Chemistry of breadmaking: An introduction to the science of Baking. YouTube. (2014, May 7).
https://youtu.be/-H9pyNHxIO8?si=opJ1ub0YvcUUcKTx
4. 3 ways to create engaging food videos using only static shots. YouTube. (2020, April 24).
https://youtu.be/zselTkZciUk?si=JaBkVZ3zqv3kHBTf
5. How to shoot top down video!: Make a “tasty” style video. YouTube. (2020b, November 11).
https://youtu.be/ZzygLeDxUC0?si=ImlHGhkBE2I_jYRn

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