{"id":4574,"date":"2025-07-14T12:59:26","date_gmt":"2025-07-14T12:59:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/schools.jove.com\/?p=4574"},"modified":"2026-07-22T15:40:08","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T15:40:08","slug":"fermentation-explained-for-middle-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/schools.jove.com\/fermentation-explained-for-middle-school\/","title":{"rendered":"Fermentation Explained: How Organisms Make Energy Without Oxygen"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"4574\" class=\"elementor elementor-4574\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ef3dc91 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"ef3dc91\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-081d7dd elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"081d7dd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Fermentation Explained: How Organisms Make Energy Without Oxygen<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7090152 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"7090152\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-44ee0c2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"44ee0c2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/schools\/v\/10745\/anaerobic-respiration-lactic-acid-fermentation\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fermentation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is one of the most surprising and exciting biological processes to teach in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/schools\/solutions\/middle-school\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">middle school<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> science. It helps answer a powerful question: How do organisms make energy without oxygen? From muscle soreness after a sprint to baking fluffy bread, fermentation is both biologically essential and incredibly relatable.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this article, we\u2019ll explore how to teach the concept through real-life examples, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/schools\/standards\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NGSS-aligned<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> classroom activities, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/schools\/science-video\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">JoVE videos<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that break down anaerobic respiration and energy production without oxygen.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Start with <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/schools\/v\/10976\/introduction-to-cellular-respiration\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">JoVE\u2019s Cellular Respiration<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/schools\/v\/10745\/anaerobic-respiration-lactic-acid-fermentation\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fermentation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to visually explain the energy conversion that happens without oxygen.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e308475 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"e308475\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6d91503 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"6d91503\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What Is Fermentation in Cells?\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f8aa59f e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"f8aa59f\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1e1dcc5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1e1dcc5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/schools\/v\/10745\/anaerobic-respiration-lactic-acid-fermentation\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fermentation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a process used by cells to produce energy without oxygen. It\u2019s a type of anaerobic respiration, which contrasts with the more familiar aerobic (oxygen-based) pathway.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In humans, lactic acid fermentation happens during intense exercise when muscles can\u2019t get enough oxygen. In yeast and some bacteria, alcoholic fermentation produces carbon dioxide and ethanol\u2014this is what helps bread rise and fuels beverage production.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both processes allow organisms to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/schools\/v\/12170\/atp-energy-storage-and-release\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">keep making ATP (energy<\/span><b>)<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, even in low-oxygen environments.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cff0c4e e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"cff0c4e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9673be1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"9673be1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Why Fermentation Matters in Science Education\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f94ac6e e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"f94ac6e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bc6cc85 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"bc6cc85\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/schools\/v\/10745\/anaerobic-respiration-lactic-acid-fermentation\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fermentation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> connects several core <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/schools\/solutions\/middle-school\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">middle school<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> science themes:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Energy transfer in cells<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><br \/><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The role of oxygen in metabolism<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><br \/><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Real-world examples students recognize (food, exercise, industry)<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This topic supports <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nextgenscience.org\/pe\/ms-ls1-7-molecules-organisms-structures-and-processes\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">NGSS standard MS-LS1-7<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which focuses on \u201cdeveloping a model to describe how food is rearranged through chemical reactions\u201d to release energy. It also reinforces systems thinking and supports <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/schools\/solutions\/middle-school\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">middle school<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> life science exploration.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ee70e7c e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"ee70e7c\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3e597c3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3e597c3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Hands-On Classroom Activity \u2013 Yeast Fermentation Lab\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3de4456 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"3de4456\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-94061c7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"94061c7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Objective: Observe how yeast ferments sugar in the absence of oxygen and produces carbon dioxide.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Materials:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dry yeast<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><br \/><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Warm water<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><br \/><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sugar<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><br \/><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Balloons<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><br \/><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Test tubes or small bottles<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><br \/><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Graduated cylinder<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Steps:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Combine warm water, sugar, and yeast in a container.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><br \/><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stretch a balloon over the top to trap gas.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><br \/><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Observe the balloon inflating over time proof of fermentation!<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><br \/><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have students measure and compare balloon size under different sugar concentrations.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><br \/><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/schools\/v\/10745\/anaerobic-respiration-lactic-acid-fermentation\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use JoVE\u2019s Fermentation video<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to support instructions and visual understanding.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4a8fb89 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"4a8fb89\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-28f2f9c elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"28f2f9c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\"> Connecting Fermentation to Student Life and Real-World Applications<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5f9d1ab e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"5f9d1ab\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-29d3b0c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"29d3b0c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fermentation isn\u2019t just a lab topic, it\u2019s part of what students experience every day. From yogurt and kombucha to sourdough bread, fermented foods rely on microbial metabolism. During exercise, students feel muscle fatigue caused by lactic acid buildup, giving them a direct, physical link to the lesson.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To help students visualize how these processes occur at the cellular level, especially during intense activity or oxygen shortages, educators can incorporate visual tools.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/schools\/v\/10976\/cellular-respiration-and-production-of-energy\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use JoVE\u2019s Cellular Respiration<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to illustrate how cells switch between aerobic and anaerobic modes when oxygen runs low.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8203760 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"8203760\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a4ce115 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a4ce115\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Conclusion \u2013 Teaching Fermentation Through Visual and Experimental Learning\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8d199c3 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"8d199c3\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-17af355 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"17af355\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/schools\/v\/10745\/anaerobic-respiration-lactic-acid-fermentation\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Teaching fermentation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> through <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/schools\/science-video\/science-experiments\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">JoVE\u2019s NGSS-aligned life science experiments<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on fermentation helps students visualize energy production in a relatable way. By connecting muscle function, food science, and microscopic biology, you build not only understanding\u2014but curiosity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With hands-on activities and high-quality science videos, middle school students can explore one of biology\u2019s most fascinating survival tools: making energy without oxygen.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/share.hsforms.com\/1FyaUdqz3T3yuF-IuUZXDfwc2eur\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Book a Free Demo<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to access JoVE\u2019s full <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/schools\/solutions\/middle-school\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">middle school <\/span><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/education\/3165\/genetics\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">genetics collection.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bring <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jove.com\/schools\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">JoVE<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to your school starting at just $2 per student.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pricing based on 1,500 students. <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/viewmail.jove.com\/hubfs\/K12%20Schools\/K12%20Funding%20Resources%20Flyer_2025.pdf?utm_campaign=14083630-K12_Q2_2025_Newsletter_June%20Edition&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_YoAQE_jZOxP2S56v0c7u1QwdSYCTxqWB2w5XzInlBixw8VciDctvVLnjRYMcQLUwoIc0yUBDE6qXfTZ_fdpwkm9LHPA&amp;_hsmi=2&amp;utm_content=2&amp;utm_source=hs_email\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Explore funding options here.<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">)<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Fermentation Explained: How Organisms Make Energy Without Oxygen Fermentation is one of the most surprising and exciting biological processes to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":4576,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[63],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4574","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ngss-standards"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.8 (Yoast SEO v27.8) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Fermentation Explained for Middle School | JoVE K12<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Teach fermentation with JoVE K12 visuals that help students understand how cells make energy without oxygen and connect examples to daily life during labs.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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