For the Love of Food!

Lesson Overview

This 45-minute lesson is designed for Year 7 students in Australia, focusing on the Australian Curriculum: Languages - Japanese. The lesson is structured around the curriculum outcomes ML4-INT-01 and ML4-UND-01, which require students to exchange information and opinions in familiar contexts using culturally appropriate language and to interpret and respond to information, opinions, and ideas in texts.

Students will explore Japanese food culture by engaging in interactive oral and written activities. The lesson will focus on discussing favourite dishes, expressing opinions about food, and understanding Japanese dining etiquette.

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Learning Outcomes

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

• Exchange information about their favourite foods in Japanese (ML4-INT-01).
• Express opinions on different foods using Japanese adjectives (ML4-INT-01).
• Interpret information from a Japanese restaurant menu and respond appropriately (ML4-UND-01).
• Understand basic Japanese dining etiquette (ML4-UND-01).

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Lesson Structure

1. Warm-Up Activity (5 minutes) – What’s on the Menu?

• Display images of popular Japanese foods (e.g., sushi, ramen, okonomiyaki, takoyaki).
• Ask students to guess the food's name and raise their hands if they have tried it.
• Introduce the phrases:
  • 「何がすきですか？」 (Nani ga suki desu ka?) – What do you like?
  • 「○○がすきです。」 (___ ga suki desu.) – I like ___
• Model pronunciation and have students chorally repeat.

2. Key Vocabulary & Expressions (10 minutes) – Talking About Food

Introduce key terms on the board with visual aids:

• 食べ物 (たべもの, tabemono) – food
• おいしい (oishii) – delicious
• まずい (mazui) – bad-tasting
• たかい (takai) – expensive
• やすい (yasui) – cheap
• からい (karai) – spicy

Pair students and have them practise mini-conversations using the structures introduced earlier.

3. Interactive Group Task (15 minutes) – Japanese Food Roleplay

• Scenario: Students are at a Japanese restaurant greeting each other and ordering food.
• Provide a simple Japanese restaurant menu with pictures.
• Assign roles (customer, waiter, friend).
• Model a short dialogue for reference:
  • Student A: 「いらっしゃいませ！何を食べますか？」 (Welcome! What will you eat?)
  • Student B: 「ラーメンをたべたいです。」 (I want to eat ramen.)
  • Student C: 「おいしいですか？」 (Is it delicious?)
  • Student B: 「はい、おいしいです！」 (Yes, it’s delicious!)
• Rotate roles and encourage students to use at least one adjective when responding.

4. Cultural Component (8 minutes) – Japanese Dining Etiquette

• Play a short clip (if available) or display a set of images showing:
  • Chopstick etiquette (e.g., do not stick chopsticks upright in rice).
  • Common phrases used while eating (「いただきます」and「ごちそうさまでした」).
  • Sitting arrangements and restaurant customs.
• Have students compare Australian table manners with Japanese dining culture in small groups.

5. Wrap-Up & Exit Ticket (5 minutes) – Food Preferences Survey

• Give students a small slip of paper or whiteboard and ask them to write:
  • Their favourite Japanese food in Japanese.
  • One word to describe its taste (e.g., おいしい, からい).
• Students read their responses aloud as they leave the classroom.

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Assessment & Differentiation

Formative Assessment:

• Oral observations during roleplays.
• Written exit tickets to gauge retention of vocabulary.
• Active participation in discussions.

Differentiation Strategies:

• Provide visual aids and gesture support for struggling learners.
• Allow advanced students to extend their responses with 「とても」(very) or「すこし」(a little).
• Pair students strategically so stronger students can support peers.

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Resources Needed

• Flashcards or slides with food images and key vocabulary.
• Printed or digital menus in Japanese.
• Whiteboards or slips of paper for the exit ticket activity.
• (Optional) Short video or image slides showcasing Japanese dining etiquette.

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Reflection & Follow-Up Activity

• Teacher notes observations about students’ confidence in using new vocabulary.
• In the next lesson, students will learn how to describe food preparation steps in Japanese.

This lesson provides students with a fun, interactive way to engage with Japanese language and culture while meeting the requirements of the Australian Curriculum: Languages (Japanese) for Year 7.