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Lesson 1: Factors Influencing Food Choices – Personal & Social

Duration: 60 minutes

Class: Year 1 Home Economics (13-14 years)

Curriculum Alignment:

• NCCA Home Economics Specification (Junior Cycle, 2017)
• Strand: Food Studies – Food Choices
• Learning Outcome: Identify and examine personal and social factors influencing food choices.
• Skills Development: Critical Thinking, Communication, Reflective Thinking

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Learning Objectives

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

• Define food choice and explain how personal preferences affect food selection.
• Recognise social influences such as family, peers, and culture on food choices.
• Reflect on their own food preferences in a structured way.

Key Concepts

• Personal preference (taste, texture, allergies, beliefs)
• Social influence (family habits, peer pressure, cultural traditions)

Suggested Activities

Time	Activity Description	Engagement Strategy
10 min	Starter: Quick Think-Pair-Share - What did you eat today and why?	Promote reflective thinking and peer sharing.
15 min	Interactive Class Discussion: Present four food profiles (different age/gender/social backgrounds). Students predict factors influencing their choices.	Use profiling to contextualise personal/social factors.
15 min	Group Activity: Students create a mind map on A3 paper listing personal and social factors affecting their own families' food choices.	Collaborative work to activate prior knowledge.
15 min	Class Reflection: Groups present findings; teacher facilitates making links to health, emotional and economic factors as lead-in to next lesson.	Public speaking to build communication skills.
5 min	Exit Slip: Write one factor influencing your food choice and explain why.	Quick formative assessment.

Notes

• Use real-life relatable examples such as sports players’ diets, cultural festivals, and peer groups.
• Adjust language complexity to suit mixed-ability students while encouraging higher-order thinking.

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Lesson 2: Factors Influencing Food Choices – Economic & Health

Duration: 60 minutes

Curriculum Alignment:

• NCCA Home Economics Specification, Strand: Food Choices
• Learning Outcome: Examine economic and health factors influencing food selection.
• Skills Development: Research, Critical Analysis

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Learning Objectives

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

• Describe how budget constraints and food pricing influence food choices.
• Explain the impact of health recommendations (e.g., traffic light labelling, allergies) on food purchasing decisions.
• Compare healthier vs less healthy options within an economic framework.

Key Concepts

• Economic factors (budget, seasonal prices, availability)
• Health factors (dietary requirements, allergies, nutrition guidelines)

Suggested Activities

Time	Activity Description	Engagement Strategy
10 min	Starter Quiz: True/False statements about food pricing and health claims.	Quick-paced engagement testing prior knowledge.
15 min	Price Comparison Task: Students examine supermarket flyers (printed) to find two healthy and two less healthy options in a fixed budget scenario.	Real-world application, promotes negotiation skills.
20 min	Case Study: “Sarah’s Allergy” – Students read a short case on dietary allergies and discuss how Sarah chooses her food.	Empathy-building & critical thinking.
10 min	Class Discussion: How do economic and health factors sometimes conflict? Introduce concept of food deserts and accessibility.	Stimulate awareness on inequalities.
5 min	Exit Card: Write one new thing you learnt about economic or health influences on food.	Formative check for understanding.

Notes

• Ensure materials are age-appropriate to avoid overwhelming medical jargon.
• Use familiar brands/products to enhance relevance.

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Lesson 3: Food Sustainability – Food Miles & Organic, Seasonal Foods

Duration: 60 minutes

Curriculum Alignment:

• NCCA Home Economics Specification, Strand: Sustainability in Food Choices
• Learning Outcome: Understand and explain food miles and benefits of organic and seasonal foods.
• Skills Development: Analytical thinking, Research, Sustainability awareness

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Learning Objectives

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

• Define “food miles” and explain their environmental impact.
• Identify organic and seasonal foods and state benefits related to sustainability and nutrition.
• Evaluate choices from sustainability perspectives alongside health and economics.

Key Concepts

• Food miles, carbon footprint
• Organic farming principles
• Seasonal produce benefits

Suggested Activities

Time	Activity Description	Engagement Strategy
10 min	Starter Video Clip (3-4 mins): Animation explaining food miles and carbon footprints.	Visual learning to engage diverse learning styles.
15 min	Class Discussion: What local foods do we eat? When are they in season? How might foods from further away impact the planet?	Encourage personal connections to food origins.
20 min	Mapping Activity: Students receive food items and estimate/trace their journeys on a large classroom map showing sources and distances.	Hands-on kinaesthetic activity to visualise food origin.
10 min	Group Research: Compare organic vs conventional foods’ impact on environment and health; present one key fact each.	Student-led investigation promotes ownership.
5 min	Reflection: How can choosing seasonal and organic foods reduce our carbon footprint?	Reinforce sustainability concept.

Notes

• Emphasise Irish seasonal foods e.g., kale in winter, strawberries in summer.
• Use accessible sources and clear keywords for research to suit mixed reading levels.

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Lesson 4: Food Sustainability – Biodegradable, Recycling & Fairtrade

Duration: 60 minutes

Curriculum Alignment:

• NCCA Home Economics Specification, Strand: Sustainability & Ethical Food Choices
• Learning Outcome: Recognise biodegradable materials, recycling processes and understand Fairtrade principles.
• Skills Development: Ethical reasoning, Environmental stewardship

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Learning Objectives

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

• Define biodegradable materials and explain how recycling reduces food waste impact.
• Describe Fairtrade and why ethical sourcing matters in food production.
• Suggest sustainable practices that can be incorporated into school and home environments.

Key Concepts

• Biodegradable vs non-biodegradable
• Recycling process
• Fairtrade certification and social impact

Suggested Activities

Time	Activity Description	Engagement Strategy
10 min	Starter Experiment: Show two clear containers with biodegradable waste and plastic waste; discuss what happens over days/weeks.	Engages curiosity; hands-on observation discussion.
20 min	Sorting Game: Students sort a mixed pile of “food packaging” into biodegradable, recyclable, and landfill waste piles.	Interactive, physical movement encourages learning.
15 min	Storytime: Read or present a short story about a Fairtrade farmer and discuss the benefits to communities and environment.	Storytelling to evoke empathy and ethics awareness.
10 min	Action Planning: In groups design a poster or pledge for sustainable food-related habits at school (e.g., recycling, buying Fairtrade).	Creative expression reinforces learning and commitment.
5 min	Exit Ticket: One sustainable habit you will try this week and why.	Personal goal setting and accountability.

Notes

• Incorporate real Fairtrade products students may be familiar with (e.g., bananas, chocolate).
• Emphasise practical actions linking theory to lived experience.

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Overall Notes for Teaching Sequence

• Each theory lesson should be complemented by practical cookery sessions where possible (e.g., preparing seasonal dishes, budget-friendly meals).
• Use cross-curricular links with geography (food origins), science (nutrition, decomposition), and SPHE (ethical living) to deepen understanding.
• Assessment to include formative activities (exit slips, quizzes) and summative group projects (posters, presentations).
• Differentiate tasks and provide scaffolding for varied abilities using visual aids, keywords, graphic organisers.
• Encourage reflection journals for students to track their thought progression over the 4 lessons.

This detailed sequence adheres strictly to the Irish Junior Cycle Home Economics curriculum framework by addressing knowledge, skills, and values embedded in food choices and sustainability while fostering student engagement through innovative, learner-centred activities.