food

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Food and Fibre Investigations

There are so many resources available that can aid both educators and students on Food Fibre Production! How can you condense down to just one or two resources for students? Why not just use the Cool Food Planet resource.  It is a one-stop-shop for all your food and fibre needs. Not only does it provide students with interactive learning based games, but it provides a means of extension for those students that are developing their knowledge and want to move on to the next level!

Subject

Design and Technology

Year Level

Foundation to Year 6

Strand

Knowledge and Understanding

Sub Strand

Foundation to year 2 –

Explore how plants and animals are grown for food, clothing and shelter and how food is selected and prepared for healthy eating

Year 3 and 4 –

Investigate food and fibre production and food technologies used in modern and traditional societies

Resource Link

Home

Price

Free resource for students and teachers

 

General Capabilities

Cool Food Planet encompasses the general capabilities of:

  1. Numeracy
  2. Intercultural understanding
  3. Critical and creative thinking

 

Snapshot of Cool Food Planet

As discussed in the video below, children are exposed to food that is just present to them at meal times or presented to them in forms of packaging.  Cool Food Planet is a resource that enables teachers to teach to students the benefits of good nutrition and poses as an introduction to food production.

Link – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hs9H-wL0P3E

 

 

Plant Tycoon: How to replace a real life garden with a virtual one.
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Plant Tycoon: How to replace a real life garden with a virtual one.

Learning Area

Design and Technology

Year Level

Although this game is targeting the curriculum for the younger years; unless you are experienced with playing the game I suggest it be used by years 3/4 to revisit the concepts learned in earlier years.

Strand

Technologies Contexts

Sub-Strand

Food and fibre production – Plants and animals used for production have basic needs, such as food/nutrients, water, space, protection (ACTDEK003)

From from the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA).

Link to the Resource

http://www.bigfishgames.com/games/2135/plant-tycoon/?pc

Can be purchased online for $10 through Big Fish Games; however, once it is purchased once it can be downloaded as many times as needed!

General Capabilities

Information and communication technology (ICT) capability and Critical and Creative Thinking.

Links to Other Learning Areas

Science, Literacy

Using this Resource

Plant Tycoon is perfect for classrooms that want to teach the values of planting a garden but simply do not have the space or resources. The game allows students to create their own garden in a virtual world. They can water and fertilise their plants while also making sure they are getting enough sun. Plant Tycoon also allows the students to experiment with cross-pollination – seeing how the DNA of plants can combine in a simple way and make new creations come to life. Although creating a physical class garden would be ideal, not every class can do this. Plant Tycoon allows the younger years to learn about the basic needs of plants and the production of growing different types in real time which is different to other garden-based virtual realities. It also incorporates the learning of sustainability and economics with plant production; displaying to the students how plants need to be bought and sold to increase revenue. This resource is cheap and its real-time running makes it feel more true-to-life. It is relaxing, challenging and students can create at their own pace.

A Quick Video

Below is a video of some in-game action. Don’t be deterred if it looks too complex – it is much simpler than it looks! From 0:00-1:20 the game shows how  ‘people’ purchase the plants. This video is just to display how interactive the game is and how many different plants can be created; but as the teacher it is possible to restrict the game play to just growing the plants if you so desire.

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Isn’t it funny how bees make honey?

About this resource:
Isn’t it funny how bees make honey? is a 5 minute video which explains where honey comes from, how it is made and shows an insight into the lives of bees. Along with the video is information to help support teachers including an overview of the resource, questions for before, during and after viewing the video, relevant curriculum links in each year level from F – 2. This resource is part of the Splash ABC series which is a collection of resources and videos across different learning areas which are linked to the Australian Curriculum.

Subject: Design and Technology

Year level: F – 2

Link: http://splash.abc.net.au/home#!/media/86020/where-does-honey-come-from-

Links to other learning areas: Science, Health, Geography

 Links to the Australian Curriculum:

 

Code: ACSSU002

Learning Area: Science

Strand: Science Understanding

Substrand: Biological sciences

Year Level: F

Description: Living things have basic needs, including food and water

 

Code: ACSSU017

Learning Area: Science

Strand: Science Understanding

Substrand: Biological sciences

Year Level: 1

Description: Living things have a variety of external features

 

Code: ACSSU030

Learning Area: Science

Strand: Science Understanding

Substrand: Biological sciences

Year Level: 2

Description: Living things grow, change and have offspring similar to themselves

 

Code: ACSIS012

Learning Area: Science

Strand: Science Inquiry Skills

Substrand: Communicating

Year Level: F

Description: Share observations and ideas

 

Code: ACSIS029

Learning Area: Science

Strand: Science Inquiry Skills

Substrand: Communicating

Year Level: 1

Description: Represent and communicate observations and ideas in a variety of ways such as oral and written language, drawing and role play

 

Code: ACSIS042

Learning Area: Science

Strand: Science Inquiry Skills

Substrand: Communicating

Year Level: 2

Description: Represent and communicate observations and ideas in a variety of ways such as oral and written language, drawing and role play

 

Code: ACTDEK003

Learning Area: Technologies

Strand: Design and Technologies

Substrand: Design and Technologies Knowledge and Understanding

Subject: Technologies

Year Level: F

Description: Explore how plants and animals are grown for food, clothing and shelter and how food is selected and prepared for healthy eating

 

Code: ACTDEK003

Learning Area: Technologies

Strand: Design and Technologies

Substrand: Design and Technologies Knowledge and Understanding

Subject: Technologies

Year Level: 1

Description: Explore how plants and animals are grown for food, clothing and shelter and how food is selected and prepared for healthy eating

 

Code: ACTDEK003

Learning Area: Technologies

Strand: Design and Technologies

Substrand: Design and Technologies Knowledge and Understanding

Subject: Technologies

Year Level: 2

Description: Explore how plants and animals are grown for food, clothing and shelter and how food is selected and prepared for healthy eating

 

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Cool Food Planet

Subject: Design and Technologies

Strand: Knowledge and Understanding

Sub-Strand: Food and Fibre Production

Years: 3-4.
This resource also suits Years 5-6.

Curriculum Description: Investigate food and fibre production and food technologies used in modern and traditional societies (ACTDEK012) (ACARA, 2014)

Links to Other Learning Areas: Science, Health and Physical Education, Mathematics and English.

Cross-Curricular Priorities: Sustainability

General Capabilities: Information and Communication Technology, Personal and Social Capability, Literacy, Numeracy, Critical and Creative Thinking.

Description
Cool Food Planet is an interactive resource, aimed at two age groups: 6-8 years and 9-12 years. Students complete an array of games and activities throughout their food mission as they learn about food production, processing, preparation, storage and healthy eating related to a wide range of foods. The information provided throughout the resource is an easy read, and directly links to, health, safety and nutrition. Cool Food Planet, allows students to customise their own character as they work through their mission. There is even a section of information for parents and teachers.

Getting Started
Cool Food Planet is very user friendly. To get started you only need to access the site via a URL, contained HERE. There is a downloadable mission card, which makes the mission for students more authentic. Students, parents and teacher, then follow the on screen prompts, these are often delivered by aliens and slugs.

Classroom Application
Students can complete a module at a time, e.g. Farm Land, Fit Island, Cook City, Taste Mountain or Healthy Town. Through these modules students are engaged with a different step in the food production process. Students can design a food pyramid, explain the steps of food production (e.g. growing) through visual and written steps, recommend food alternatives to eat healthier, conduct their own kitchen audit regarding hygiene and correct food storage. The list of options is endless really!

References
Australian Curriculum and Assessment Reporting Authority [ACARA] (2014). Retrieved from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/technologies/design-and-technologies/curriculum/f-10?layout=1

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Nourish Interactive

Ride The Food Label

Subject: Design and Technologies

Year Level: 3-4

Strand: Digital Technologies knowledge and understandings

Sub strand: Using digital systems

4.3 Recognise the contribution food and fibre production and food technologies make to modern and traditional societies

Link to the resource

http://www.nourishinteractive.com/kids/healthy-games/7-ride-the-food-label-game-nutrient-information

Cross curriculum priorities and general capabilities

Critical and creative thinking (CCT), Numeracy (NUM), Information and Communication Technology (ICT),Literacy (LIT)

Links to other learning areas

English, Health and Physical Education, Science, Maths.

A classroom activity using this resource

Students should be given introductions to food and its reading its labels prior to this activity otherwise it may be too difficult.The interactive activity give students an exciting and fun way to learn about reading labels, serving sizes and their contents. Students need to use mathematical thinking to decide and choose the serving sizes in relation to the contents. The website and game is easy to use for students with simple instructions and prompts for students to navigate their way around.

How to use this resource

1. This activity should occur after introductions to reading labels and serving sizes.

2. A recap of this information should occur including the definitions of some of the main ingredients e.g. Added Salt, Calcium, Calorie, Cholesterol, Fibre, Fats, Protein, Serving Size, Sodium, Vitamin.

3. Ask students to list their favourite packaged foods that they like to eat.

4. Ask students why they choose some food over other foods, is it because its healthier, yummier, less fat etc.

5. Discuss with students how they would make healthy choices about the food they are going to eat? If they had three of the same food, what do they look at to choose the one that is best for them?

6. Take students to the computer labs/on iPad and direct them to the Ride the food label game.

7. Students should participate in the game and record their final scores, if students receive at least 60% they will get animations at the end of the game.