Bruschetta Preparation

Year Level

Year 7

Duration

60 minutes

Class Size

20 students

Unit

Culinary Skills Development Lesson 12 of 19

Lesson Overview

WALT: Make bruschetta focusing on dicing and slicing techniques and hands-on vegetable preparation for the dish. Students will develop practical kitchen skills, particularly knife skills, and engage in collaborative food preparation with a strong focus on safety and hygiene. Visual supports will be used to support diverse learning needs, including dyslexia-friendly materials. Advanced learners will have an opportunity to research the history and cultural significance of bruschetta as an extension activity.

Curriculum Alignment

Western Australian Curriculum: Design and Technologies (Years 7–8)

AC9TDE8P03 - Select, justify and use suitable materials, components, tools, equipment, skills and processes to safely make designed solutions. Students will practise technical skills safely and develop expertise in preparing ingredients for a recipe (including dicing and slicing vegetables).
AC9TDE8P01 - Analyse needs or opportunities for designing, and investigate and select materials, components, tools, equipment and processes to create designed solutions. Selecting appropriate vegetables and kitchen tools for bruschetta preparation demonstrates this competency.
AC9TDE8P05 - Develop project plans to individually and collaboratively manage time, cost and production of designed solutions. Managing time in food preparation and working cooperatively will allow students to meet this standard.

Health and Hygiene Expectations

Implicit in the safe use of kitchen equipment is adherence to hygiene standards, reflecting personal and community health responsibilities.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Demonstrate safe and effective dicing and slicing techniques consistent with kitchen food preparation standards.
Prepare vegetables for bruschetta according to hygienic food handling practices.
Use visual guides to support skill acquisition and safety awareness.
Work collaboratively to produce a simple culinary dish.
(Extension) Research and present the origins and cultural history of bruschetta.

Resources Required

Visual guides/pictorial step-by-step instructions on dicing and slicing
Vegetable ingredients for bruschetta (tomatoes, garlic, basil, onion)
Kitchen tools: chopping boards, knives, bowls, spoons
Handwashing stations / sanitiser
Worksheets for extension activity
Timer/clock
Visual hygiene reminders (posters)
A dyslexia-friendly recipe card with clear fonts and bullet points

Lesson Breakdown

Time	Activity	Description	Differentiation / Notes
0-10m	Introduction and WALT	Brief explanation of the lesson objectives; highlight importance of safety and hygiene.	Use simple language and visual posters to support comprehension.
10-20m	Demonstration of techniques	Teacher demonstrates dicing and slicing using visual step-by-step guide. Students observe carefully.	Provide enlarged laminated visual guides for visual learners; verbal and kinesthetic cues.
20-40m	Hands-on preparation	Students work in pairs to prepare vegetables for bruschetta under supervision. Safe knife use emphasised.	Students with fine motor challenges given adaptive tools or assisted support.
40-50m	Assemble bruschetta	Students combine ingredients to prepare the final dish. Practice teamwork and portion control.	Pair more advanced students with those needing support to encourage peer learning.
50-55m	Extension Activity (optional)	Advanced learners research and share brief facts on the history and cultural significance of bruschetta.	Provide dyslexia-friendly reading sheets and allow oral presentations as an alternative.
55-60m	Clean-up and Reflection	Students clean their workstation, wash hands, reflect on their skills development.	Reflective discussion with visual prompts to support all learners.

Assessment

Formative: Observation of safe, effective knife skills and teamwork during preparation.
Peer/self-assessment: Using a simple checklist or smiley-face Likert scale to evaluate their own and each other's performance focusing on safety, hygiene, and technique.
Extension: Short written or oral summary of bruschetta history demonstrates research skills and cultural understanding.

Differentiation Strategies

Visual aids with step-by-step pictures to support students who benefit from visual learning.
Use of coloured chopping boards and tools for students with difficulty in processing or following instruction (helps with focus and organisation).
Verbal instructions broken into small manageable steps.
Hands-on support and modified tools for students with physical or fine motor challenges.
Small groups or pairs to encourage peer assistance and verbal communication.
Dyslexia-friendly recipe cards: Clear font (e.g., Comic Sans or Arial), large text size, use of bullet points, and high contrast colour scheme.
Extension tasks for advanced students involving cultural and historical research of the dish.

Teacher Notes

Reinforce hand hygiene before and after food handling.
Constantly monitor knife use for safety; reinforce correct posture and cutting techniques.
Encourage students to ask questions and discuss food preferences or allergies if applicable.
Link this practical skill to future lessons on more complex cooking techniques or other cuisines.

This lesson offers a rich hands-on experience fostering practical food preparation skills aligned to the Western Australian Curriculum, promoting safety, cultural awareness, and student engagement in Technologies focused on culinary skills.

If you want, I can also help prepare visual guides or student handouts for this lesson.

Teaching Instructions