Teaching Practice

A STEM Activity Focused on Chemistry: Smart Food Packaging

Volume: 6 Number: 1 June 30, 2025

A STEM Activity Focused on Chemistry: Smart Food Packaging

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to present a STEM activity designed to develop students' scientific process and entrepreneurship skills in accordance with the problem-based teaching method focused on chemistry courses and their implementation stages. The design of the activity is based on a real-life problem related to the learning outcomes in the chemistry curriculum. The use of smart packaging, which is widely used in some countries abroad, is not yet widespread in our country. Smart packages are systems that inform consumers about the freshness of food. In the STEM activity initiated with a story, students were asked to design and prototype a smart packaging that is harmless to human health with cheap and easily accessible materials given to them and to carry out the promotion and marketing of the product they created. STEM worksheet applications, which include questions and directions that will enable students to work in accordance with scientific research steps, include application stages aimed at providing students with 21st-century skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, communication, entrepreneurship, and design. The students who participated in the activity described it as interesting.

Keywords

STEM activity , Problem based learning , Entrepreneurship , Scientific process skills

References

  1. Aprianty, H., Gani, A., & Pada, U. T. (2020). Implementation of project-based learning through STEM approach to improve students’ science process skills and learning outcomes. JTK: Jurnal Tadris Kimiya, 5(2), 144-152. https://www.academia.edu/download/72490547/pdf.pdf
  2. Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998). Assessment and classroom learning. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 5(1), 7-74.
  3. Bruce, M. R., Wilson, T. A., Bruce, A. E., Bessey, S. M., & Flood, V. J. (2016). A simple, student-built spectrometer to explore infrared radiation and greenhouse gases. Journal of Chemical Education, 93(11), 1908-1915.
  4. Burrows, A. C., Breiner, J. M., Keiner, J., & Behm, C. (2014). Biodiesel and integrated STEM: Vertical alignment of high school biology/biochemistry and chemistry. Journal of Chemical Education, 91(9), 1379-1389.
  5. Card, D. (2001). Estimating the return to schooling: Progress on some persistent problems. Econometrica, 69, 1137–1160.
  6. Çevik, M. (2018). Impacts of the project based (PBL) science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education on academic achievement and career interests of vocational high school students. http://earsiv.kmu.edu.tr/xmlui/handle/11492/2092
  7. Dugger, W. E. (2010). Evolution of STEM in the United States. The Technology and Engineering Teacher, 70(1), 8–12.
  8. Gabel, D. L., & Sherwood, R. D. (1983). Facilitating problem solving in high school chemistry. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 20(2), 163-177.
  9. Gabel, D. L. (1993). Introductory science skills. Waveland Press, Inc.
  10. Gonzalez, H. B., & Kuenzi, J. J. (2012, August). Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education: A primer. Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.
APA
Karakaya, Ç., & Kavak, N. (2025). A STEM Activity Focused on Chemistry: Smart Food Packaging. Instructional Technology and Lifelong Learning, 6(1), 108-127. https://doi.org/10.52911/itall.1596532