Healthy Cooking Basics

Subject:

Health and Physical Education
Year Level: Year 5
Duration: 60 minutes
Class Size: 20 students
Unit: Healthy Choices Unlocked (Lesson 18 of 30)

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Lesson Overview

Students will develop basic cooking skills by preparing a simple, healthy recipe in class. They will explore the importance of cooking at home as a strategy to promote personal and family health. Discussion will focus on applying knowledge from the Australian Dietary Guidelines and safe kitchen practices to make healthy food choices.

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Western Australian Curriculum Alignment

Strand: Health, Wellbeing and Physical Education
Substrand: Personal, Social and Community Health
Content Descriptions:

• AC9HP6P10: Analyse how behaviours influence the health, safety, relationships and wellbeing of individuals and communities
• AC9TDE6K04 (Design and Technologies): Explain how the characteristics of foods influence selection and preparation for healthy eating
• AC9TDE6P03: Select and use suitable materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques to safely make designed solutions (in this case, food preparation with hygiene and safety)

General Capabilities Integrated:

• Personal and Social Capability (collaboration, safety)
• Literacy (following instructions, discussion)
• Critical and Creative Thinking (planning healthy meals, food preparation techniques)

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Learning Objectives

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

1. Demonstrate safe and hygienic basic cooking techniques, including preparation and handling of ingredients.
2. Prepare a simple, healthy recipe—applying their knowledge of healthy foods based on the Australian Dietary Guidelines.
3. Discuss the benefits of cooking at home for individual and family health.
4. Identify ways to include healthy cooking as part of daily living to promote wellbeing.

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Lesson Breakdown

Time	Activity	Description	Resources
0-5 min	Introduction & Learning Intentions	Introduce the lesson focus: basic cooking skills and healthy eating at home. Outline learning objectives clearly.	Whiteboard/Chart paper
5-15 min	Group Discussion: Importance of Cooking at Home	Engage students in discussion: Why is cooking at home important? Benefits for health, family bonding, cost, and control over ingredients. Link to Australian Dietary Guidelines briefly (serves of fruit/veg, limits on sugar/fat).	Discussion prompts, poster of Australian Dietary Guidelines
15-20 min	Safety & Hygiene Briefing	Demonstrate and explain key kitchen safety rules (washing hands, safe knife use, cleaning surfaces, allergy awareness). Emphasise safe teamwork and hygiene practices.	Handwashing station, posters with safety rules, props such as utensils
20-55 min	Cooking Activity: Prepare Healthy Recipe	Students work in pairs/small groups to prepare a simple recipe such as a Veggie Wrap or Fruit Salad incorporating multiple food groups. Teacher & aides supervise and assist. Encourage students to apply safe food handling and use tools correctly.	Ingredients, chopping boards, knives (plastic/safety knives), bowls, utensils
55-60 min	Reflection & Wrap-up	Facilitate sharing time: What did they learn? How can they use these skills at home? Prompt ideas on how cooking at home supports health. Assign thinking about a healthy meal they would like to make for homework.	Reflection journal or quick oral sharing

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Detailed Activities

1. Introduction & Learning Intentions (5 min)

• Write the lesson title on the board: Healthy Cooking Basics.
• Share learning intentions in kid-friendly language: “Today you will learn how to cook some healthy food safely and why cooking at home helps keep us healthy!”

2. Group Discussion: Importance of Cooking at Home (10 min)

• Prompt questions:
  • Why do you think cooking at home is better than eating takeaway or fast food?
  • What healthy ingredients can you think of for cooking at home?
• Highlight key benefits:
  • More control over what we eat (less salt, sugar, fat).
  • Saves money and is fun.
  • Helps family spend time together.
• Connect to Australian Dietary Guidelines recommendations about fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and limiting processed foods (refer to elaboration AC9TDE6K04_E2).

3. Safety & Hygiene Briefing (5 min)

• Demonstrate:
  • Correct hand washing (use soap and water for 20 seconds).
  • How to safely and properly use a knife or utensil.
  • Cleaning up after cooking.
  • Importance of avoiding cross-contamination.
• Remind students about allergies and to check ingredients.
• Establish group rules for kitchen safety and collaboration.

4. Cooking Activity: Prepare Healthy Recipe (35 min)

• Choose a simple, healthy recipe such as:
  • Vegetable Wrap: Whole grain wrap, mixed salad veggies (lettuce, cucumber, carrot), lean protein like chicken or chickpeas, and a light yoghurt-based dressing.
  • OR Fruit Salad: Variety of fresh fruit, a squeeze of lemon to prevent browning.
• Students work in pairs or small groups to wash, chop, assemble, and serve.
• Teachers monitor for safe use of equipment, ensure hygiene, and support where needed.
• Encourage students to discuss the food groups involved and their benefits.

5. Reflection & Wrap-up (5 min)

• Students share what cooking skill or healthy habit they learned today.
• Discuss how they might help at home with cooking or prepare a healthy meal for their family.
• Set a simple related homework: “Plan a healthy meal you would like to cook at home.”

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Assessment Strategies

Formative assessment:

• Observe students’ application of kitchen safety and hygiene during cooking.
• Listen to participation and contributions during discussions about healthy eating and cooking at home.
• Evaluate students’ reflections to assess understanding of lesson objectives.

Success criteria:

• Students demonstrate safe and hygienic food handling.
• Students prepare a simple healthy recipe.
• Students articulate benefits of cooking at home for health and wellbeing.

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Equipment and Materials

• Fresh vegetables and fruits for recipe
• Whole grain wraps and/or basic cooking ingredients
• Child-safe knives and chopping boards
• Bowls and mixing utensils
• Handwashing facilities and sanitising supplies
• Poster/chart of Australian Dietary Guidelines
• Safety and hygiene posters

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Extensions and Differentiation

• For advanced learners: Introduce measuring ingredients, or modifying recipe to reduce salt/sugar further.
• For students needing support: Provide pre-cut ingredients or pair with a buddy for assistance.
• Use visuals and step-by-step pictorial recipe cards to support diverse learning needs.

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Cross-Curricular Opportunities

• English: Following recipe instructions, describing food preparation steps orally or in writing.
• Science: Discussing changes in food (texture, flavour) through preparation methods.
• Technologies: Using tools and equipment safely and effectively as part of Design and Technologies outcomes (AC9TDE6P03).

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This lesson fully aligns with the Western Australian Curriculum’s Health and Technologies strands, emphasising practical life skills, safe behaviours, and healthy lifestyle choices for Year 5 students. The inclusion of authentic cooking experience and critical discussion about home food preparation aims to deeply engage students, enhance wellbeing knowledge and empower healthy choices.