Before diving into kitchen botany, we take a look at where life is found on Earth. We explore how NASA is investigating the habitability of Europa, a moon of Jupiter, with the Europa Clipper rocket We develop our science superpowers by starting to ask testable scientific questions.

Then we build our modeling superpower as we learn the kitchen botany of sweet peppers, onions, and cilantro in gazpacho soup through the microscopy of cells and organelles. We look at systems in health and disease, from cells to whole plants. We work out the genetics of Honeycrisp apples, peas, and mustard using Punnett Square math.

We explore life's amazing diversity. We build our explaining superpowers with the case study of Rock Pocket Mice of the Sonoran Desert, CA, which have two coat colors. We develop our investigating superpower by analyzing at a series of whale fossils over time including Ambulocetus, the walking whale. We build a cladogram (family tree) using DNA sequences. We map the timeline of life according to fossil evidence including the development of hominins, our ancestors, over time. We wrap up by digging deeper into body systems and making "brain hats" to map our brain lobe functions.

We learn about viruses and bacteria. We explore the effects of sunlight and sunscreen on yeast DNA. We build a model of how we replace or add genes in DNA to produce medicines and cure diseases. We perform a DNA fingerprinting lab to solve a kitten paternity question. We debate genetically modified organisms such as the Rainbow Papaya. We investigate the algae we use to make sushi nori, popping boba, petri dishes, and jet biofuel. We compare embryonic development across different animals including newts.

We explore the diversity of the ecosystems around our homes and parks using an iNaturalist & National Geographic mapping system. We visit US biomes using 360 VR. We build living bottle ecosystemsn to see how matter cycles. We explore cellular respiration as we grow and weigh caterpillars as they develop into butterflies, to see energy transfer. We look at ecosystem interactions in a Borneo case study to explain why parachuting cats were used to fix a problem caused by DDT insecticide. We wrap up by awarding students with the 8 Superpower Badges earned during the course.