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Art & Science of Foods I

Course Description

The Family and Consumer Science curriculum outlines the transferable skills and performance-based competencies for students to become informed, confident, and competent individuals capable of adapting and managing the challenges of living and working in a diverse, global society. Students enrolled in Family and Consumer Science courses will engage in relevant and meaningful learning experiences and apply their critical thinking skills to construct meaning and make informed decisions around the consumption and production of resources in an ever-changing world.

Art and Science of Foods (Foods & Nutrition 1) is a course that offers authentic opportunities for students to investigate the principles of food preparation as they build a foundation to become self-sufficient in accessing healthy foods. Students will engage in the engineering design process as a framework to motivate interdisciplinary thinking, inspire future exploration and provide real life connections for the students to utilize in their learning.

Grade Level(s):  9th-12th grades

Related Standards (State &/or National):  National Standards for Family Consumer Sciences Education

Essential Questions

  • What actions can a person take to be safe in the kitchen?
  • What are the basic principles of preparation for grains, dairy, protein, fruits and vegetables?
  • How can nutrients be preserved when preparing food?
  • How could the information on the food product label help you make informed decisions about the food you buy?
  • How can MyPlate be used effectively to assist in the selection of nutritional eating habits?
  • Why is empathy important?

Enduring Understandings

  • Procedures prevent accidental injury in the kitchen
  • Basic principles of preparation for grains, dairy, protein, fruits and vegetables
  • All nutrients have a unique function and are reduced with some cooking methods.
  • Information on the food product label helps to make informed decisions when purchasing food.
  • The art of cooking requires skills and knowledge.
  • The design thinking process supports positive risk-taking, motivates interdisciplinary thinking, inspires future exploration and provides real life connections for students to utilize in their learning.
  • Empathy is essential to understanding and being able to add value to our ever-changing world.
  • Empathy is the ability to grasp the many sides of today's complex problems and the capacity to collaborate with others to solve them.

Course-Level Scope & Sequence (Units &/or Skills)

Unit 1: A Day in the Kitchen

The art of cooking requires skill and knowledge. In this unit, students will analyze conditions and practices that promote kitchen safety, food sanitation principles, and preparation techniques when planning and preparing food products. The design thinking process will be introduced as a framework to motivate interdisciplinary thinking, inspire future exploration and provide real life connections for students to utilize in their learning.

Students will know:

  • Safety is taking the necessary precautions in order to prevent danger, risk or injury.
  • Sanitation is maintaining clean conditions to prevent disease and promote good health.
  • Appropriate measuring equipment, techniques, and tools for food preparation
  • Proper techniques used to measure ingredient quantities
  • Commonly used basic equivalents

Students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate safe and sanitary kitchen procedures
  • Demonstrate proper measuring techniques of various ingredients
  • Identify appropriate measuring equipment and techniques for dry and liquid ingredients
  • Determine proper techniques to effectively prepare food products
  • Utilize measurement tools to demonstrate knowledge of portion control and measurement techniques
  • Use mathematical and computational thinking. (NGSS Process Skill 5)

Unit 2: The Greatness of Grains

In this unit, students will demonstrate kitchen safety, food sanitation principles, preparation and storage techniques, proper use of the tools and equipment using various seasonings and cooking techniques when cooking and preparing grain products.

Students will know:

  • A variety of grain products include, but are not limited to, pasta, rice, quinoa, barley, and couscous.
  • Different grains require different cooking techniques.
  • Grains can be seasoned in a variety of ways.
  • Nutritional value depends on how grains are processed.
  • The selection and use of the proper equipment when producing grain products
  • The daily serving intake of a grain product

Students will be able to:

  • Prepare a variety of grain products
  • Demonstrate the principles of cooking different grain products
  • Identify the nutritional value of different grain products
  • Differentiate between whole-grain, whole-wheat and refined-grains

Unit 3: The Dimensions of Dairy

All nutrients have a unique function. In this unit, students will identify, describe, and demonstrate the principles of preparation, proper tools and equipment, various cooking techniques (tempering) and ways to avoid curdling and scorching when cooking with dairy products.

Students will know:

  • 3 cups of dairy is essential in a daily diet.
  • Dairy encompasses cheese, milk, yogurt, frozen dairy products and a variety of non-calcium items.
  • Non-dairy eaters can obtain calcium from a variety of non-dairy items.
  • Dairy requires intentional cooking techniques.
  • All milk products are pasteurized.

Students will be able to:

  • Make an educated choice when choosing dairy products.
  • Prepare a variety of dairy products.
  • Demonstrate the principles of cooking with different dairy products.
  • Identify the nutritional value of different dairy products.

Unit 4: The Power of Proteins

All nutrients have a unique function. In this unit, students will identify, describe, and demonstrate the principles of preparation, proper tools and equipment, various cooking techniques (roasting, sauteing, pan frying and grilling) and seasoning when cooking with protein products (eggs, legumes and ground meat).

Students will know:

  • 8 ounces of seafood is the recommended weekly intake.
  • The daily serving of protein products.
  • The selection and use of the proper equipment when producing protein products.
  • Nutritional value depends on how proteins are processed.
  • A variety of protein products include, but not limited to, eggs, legumes, meats, poultry and seafood.
  • Different proteins require different cooking techniques.

Students will be able to:

  • Describe the nutritional value of proteins.
  • Identify factors affecting the selection of proteins.
  • Describe how to properly store proteins to maintain their quality.
  • Describe the principles and methods of cooking proteins.

Unit 5: The Flavors of Fruits & Vegetables

All nutrients have a unique function. In this unit, students will identify, describe, and demonstrate the principles of preparation, tools and equipment, various cooking techniques (simmering, boiling,roasting, sauteing, pan frying and grilling) and seasoning when cooking fruit and vegetable products.

Students will know:

  • Fruit and vegetables are high in fiber and vitamins.
  • Choosing a variety of fruits & vegetables will be beneficial to their nutrition.
  • Cooking fruits and vegetables will change the nutritional value.
  • Different ways to prepare and cook fruits and vegetables.

Students will be able to:

  • Identify a serving of fruit and vegetables
  • Prepare fruits & vegetables using a variety of methods
  • Select fruits & vegetables based on their maturity and ripeness
  • Select appropriate preparation tools based on the fruit & vegetables.
  • Properly use a chef and/or paring knife

Unit 6: The Top Chef

This is the capstone experience in Art & Science of Foods I, in which students engage as "top chefs," selecting their ingredients from the five food groups (grains, dairy, protein, fruit, and vegetables), designing and implementing recipes, using appropriate tools and effective cooking techniques to create a quality meal.  Students will engage in the process of cooking that mirrors the engineering design process and includes:

  • Building empathy
  • Defining criteria and identifying constraints
  • Brainstorming multiple solutions
  • Prototyping/testing and analyzing results to make changes
  • Refining and launching to others

The design thinking process supports positive risk-taking and motivates interdisciplinary thinking, inspires future exploration and provides real life connections for students to utilize in their learning.

Course Resources & Materials:  Cooking supplies and ingredients

Date Last Revised/Approved: 2017