Exploring Ingredients

Lesson Overview

Lesson 4 of 10 in the "Cooking Skills Adventure" Unit

• Year Level: 2
• Curriculum Area: Technology
• Strand: Technological Knowledge
• Achievement Objective: Students will identify and describe different food ingredients, understand where they come from, and recognise their importance in cooking.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this lesson, students will:

1. Identify and categorise common food ingredients (fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins).
2. Understand where these ingredients come from (farm, ocean, orchard, etc.).
3. Begin to develop an appreciation for the diversity of ingredients used in cooking.

Lesson Duration

60 minutes

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Materials Needed

• A selection of real or plastic food items (fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins)
• Large labelled baskets (Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Proteins)
• A prepared mystery ingredient box with a hidden food item inside
• A3 paper and crayons for a drawing activity
• A short video or picture book about food origins in Aotearoa New Zealand

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Warm-Up Discussion (10 minutes)

Engage students with an interactive game:

• Ask students, “What did you eat for breakfast today?” Encourage answers and discuss different food items.
• Write key responses on the board and group them into categories (e.g., fruit, vegetable, grain, protein).
• Introduce today's guiding question: Where does our food come from?

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2. Sorting Game – Food Detective (15 minutes)

Hands-on Activity:

• Provide students with a selection of food items (real or plastic) such as apples, carrots, rice, chicken, bread, fish, etc.
• Place four large baskets with labels: Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Proteins.
• One by one, students pick an item and place it in the correct basket while saying its name out loud.
• Discuss each category as a class.

Extension Question:

• Where do we get apples from? (Orchards)
• Where does chicken come from? (Farms)
• Where does rice come from? (Fields)

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3. Mystery Ingredient – What's Inside? (10 minutes)

• Bring out a Mystery Ingredient Box (a covered box with a hidden food item inside).
• Allow students to feel inside (without looking) and describe its shape, texture, and smell.
• Let them guess what it is before revealing!
• Discuss how this ingredient is grown or produced in New Zealand.

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4. Creative Drawing – My Favourite Meal (15 minutes)

• Provide A3 paper and crayons.
• Ask students to draw a meal they love (e.g., fish and chips, spaghetti, sandwiches).
• Encourage them to label the ingredients.
• Pair-share: Students present their drawings to a partner and discuss the ingredients in their meal.

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5. Wrap-Up & Reflection (10 minutes)

• Class Discussion: What was your favourite food we talked about today?
• Review the guiding question: Where does our food come from?
• Exit Ticket: Ask each student to name one new ingredient they learned about today before they leave.

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Assessment Opportunities

✅ Observation during sorting game – do students correctly categorise ingredients?
✅ Participation in the mystery box activity – can they describe the food item?
✅ Drawing and discussion – do students illustrate and label key ingredients?

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Teacher Reflection After Lesson

• Did students engage with the hands-on activities?
• Were they able to recognise and categorise food ingredients?
• Did any students need additional support with the concept of food origins?

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Next Lesson Preview

Lesson 5: Tasting Adventure!
Students will explore how ingredients change when cooked and taste-test different foods.

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This lesson plan integrates hands-on learning, sensory exploration, and creative expression to make learning engaging and memorable for Year 2 students. 🌱🍎👩‍🍳