Middle School Food Safety Lessons

Lesson 5 Supermarket Smarts Part 2 National Health Education Standards (grades 5-8) 1:1; 4:3; 7:2

introduction

Explain to students: “We have all been extremely busy preparing for this final lesson which synthesizes the knowledge gained from four previous lessons in food safety. The emphasis has been on the 4Cs of Food Safety (Clean, Cook, Chill, and Combat Cross-Contamination). We have learned why these 4Cs are necessary—and gained understanding that it is everyone's responsibility to control the spread of bacteria—from the farmer, food processor, persons who transport food, those who work in our markets and restaurants, and to ourselves as consumers. We understand how food becomes contaminated along the path from farm to table and ways to preserve food so that it will not become contaminated. We have studied just one important place on the continuum or path of food, and today we are going to hear how different departments in a supermarket keep foods safe.”

activity 1

State: “Marcia's mother, Mary Brown, is late coming home from work. She stops in the deli of the supermarket to see what will help her put food on the table quickly for her family.” Say: “What has the deli department team found out about how food is kept safe in that department for the Brown family?” Call on each additional team: Meat, Poultry, Seafood; Produce; Dairy, Eggs; Checkout/Employee Break Area. Make appropriate summarizing comments at the end of each presentation. Ask students to comment and question the team and the presenter. Be sure to include as many of the team members as possible in answering the questions posed by fellow students. If possible, provide copies of printed reports for each student for their notebooks. Display posters and ask students to note any newly developed websites or websites discovered in their food safety notebooks.

closure

Share with the students: “As we have traveled the path from farm to table in these five lessons on food safety, we have had experiences and received information new to all of us. I especially want to thank each of the teams who told us about the responsibility of employees at the supermarket for food safety—just one of the links in the farm to table! Now I would like to use a special technique to remind you all of the highlights of these five lessons (See "Whip Around, Pass.") Let's whip around the class and in order say 'Clean, Cook, Combat Cross-Contamination, Chill.’”

integration ideas

Ask the students to: Plan a food safety training session for employees in a supermarket. This should include a list of guidelines each employee must follow. Request permission to investigate if the faculty lounge has adequate food safety procedures. Prepare a helpful list of suggestions. Seek permission to prepare a presentation to students in grade one on hand washing. Include a poster for each elementary school bathroom to remind students to wash their hands. Prepare a skit to be shown at lunchtime to fellow students. Emphasize hand washing before eating. Obtain proper permission and present the skit. Work with the local radio or TV station to prepare a question and answer program regarding food safety. Request time on the local TV evening news to present a report on specific behaviors everyone can do to make food safer. Discuss with the editor of the local newspaper the submission of a press release. Submit a well-written press release about the issues learned related to food safety in these lessons. Ask the English teacher to review the press release before submission. Follow up to promote publication of the press release.

Rhode Island Department of Education

Rhode Island Department of Health