.....

Foreign Cuisine

Download PDF Version

Instructor: Susan Steele

Workshop Title: International Foods

Targeted Grade Levels: 9th-12th Grade

Content Areas Covered: Health, Social Studies, Language Arts, Culinary Arts

Anticipated Duration: One week

Rationale: Students need to develop an appreciation for various cultures.

Objectives:

The students will be able to:

• Describe factors that influence one’s food choices
• Explain how food choices reflect one’s culture and ethnic background
• Identify ways that family members and friends may affect one’s food decisions and preferences
• Explain how time and money influence food choices
• Prepare a written report
• Present information to the class

Sunshine State Standards:

• LA.A.1.4.2: The student uses the reading process effectively, especially when interpreting diagrams, etc.
• LA.A.2.4.8: The student constructs meaning from a wide range of texts and synthesizes information from multiple sources to draw conclusions.
• HE.A.1.4.9 : The student comprehends concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention, especially in regard how nutrient and energy needs vary in relation to gender, activity level, and stage of life.
• SS.B. 2.4: The student understands the interactions of people and the physical environment.
• NFCS Standards: 2.1, 3.2, 7.4, 12.2

Resources Needed:

• Culturegrams
• computers with internet capabilities
• recipe books, encyclopedias, etc.

Procedures:

1. The students should be divided into groups of three or four.
2. Each group will select a country to research that culture’s cuisine and eating styles and preferences.
3. Each group will then prepare a three-page typed report that should include concepts such as: holiday foods, foods eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, food taboos, eating styles, meal etiquette, etc.
4. After they have written their reports, each group will present information about their country’s cuisine to the rest of the class.
   
   Note: The students should be encouraged to dress to reflect their country and even prepare samples of common foods eaten in their specific country.

Assessments:

• Written Report: Graded on content development, correct grammar, etc.
• Oral Presentation: Rubric – varied depending upon student achievement level
• Unit Exam: Written questions that covered all of the countries which were presented

Reflection:

Each semester, I use this lesson for my Life Management Skills class. This is perhaps their favorite activity! I have been able to improve this lesson plan with each class.

I have found it to be important to emphasize that the groups should not use their written report for their oral presentation. I had several groups attempt this in the beginning and the presentation became a recitation and was quite boring for the rest of the class. I have also had to emphasize that the students should not copy recipes into their written report. One of the written reports that was turned in was solely comprised of recipes! That definitely did not achieve this lesson’s purpose.

If the students prepare food for the remainder of the class, it is important that they share all of the ingredients because of food allergies. One group brought in “Vegetable Sushi” because they were presenting information about Japan. I have severe allergies to shellfish and did not know that the vegetable sushi included clam juice. Soon after I ate the sushi, I went into anaphylactic shock! I always carry an epinephrine pen, so I was okay. I am very glad that it didn’t happen to any of the students.