Sugar bush

High school (ages 12+)
Food & Cooking

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/sugar-bush

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Acer saccharum
2. What is the syrup concentration?Minimum of 66% Brix (sugar content), achieved through evaporation
3. What is a sugar bush and why is it special?A sugar bush is a forest where sugar maple trees grow. It’s special because the trees produce sweet sap that can be turned into maple syrup.
4. How does the maple tree make sap flow in a sugar bush?When the nights freeze and the days warm, pressure changes in the tree cause sap to move up. This "bleeding" lets us collect the sap.

Brix: A unit of measurement indicating the sugar content of a liquid, commonly used for maple syrup.
Diurnal Temperature Fluctuation: The daily cycle of temperature changes, essential for inducing sap flow in maple trees.
Reverse Osmosis: A water purification process used in modern syrup production to remove water from sap before boiling, reducing energy needs.
Maillard Reaction: A chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars that gives browned foods their distinctive flavor and color.