The Food Studies curriculum focuses on developing an understanding of food and nutrition principles. The importance of making healthy food choices in order to promote the well-being of individuals and families is stressed throughout the course. The development of self-reliance, independence and positive social skills as well as teaching practical food preparation skills that all students will continue throughout daily living is a major focus.

Consumer Knowledge: to develop a knowledge that will enable students to make wise buying choices when shopping for food.

Personal Skills: to allow students to cultivate practical skills that can be used daily in the preparation of foods.

Technological Advances: to gain a knowledge of the changes in the production of food and the many conveniences that can be attributed to technological advances.

Careers and Employment: to create an awareness of the career opportunities in the fields of Food and Nutrition.

The Food Studies 10 and 30 consist of two 100 hour courses. Courses are designed to create an awareness of the role of food and nutrition in daily living. The skills and knowledge developed in this courses will foster self-reliance and independence. Food Studies will provide students with the opportunity for achievement and success through a combination of theory and practical experiences within the school and/or the workplace.

The Food Studies courses combine theory and practical food experiences. The study of foods is essential; the preparation of food whether at school or at home can be a creative, interesting, enjoyable, satisfying and rewarding experience.

With the increasing number of single families and working parents, meal preparation is often the responsibility of younger family members. Knowledge and understanding of basic food preparation and nutrition are important in order to make healthy food choices for individual and family well-being.

Foundational objectives are the major, general statements that guide what each student is expected to achieve for the modules of the PAA curriculum guidelines. Foundational objectives indicate the most important knowledge, skills, attitudes/values, and abilities for a student to learn in a subject. Both the Foundational Objectives for Food Studies 10, 30 and the Common Essential Learnings (CELs) Foundational Objectives to be emphasized are stated in this document. Some of these statements may be repeated or enhanced in different modules for emphasis. The Foundational Objectives of the Core Modules of the Food Studies 10, 30 curriculum include:

• To appreciate the importance of Canada’s Food Guide for the development of an individual’s health and wellness.
• To understand the importance of the science of nutrition.
• To understand and practise safety in the preparation and storage of food.
• To apply independent learning skills in the preparation of nutritious foods.
• To be creative when applying knowledge about nutrition to food preparation.
• To understand better the social and cultural aspects of food for all people.
• To be aware of and practise environmental protection through conservation and recycling.
• To develop the desire and ability to access knowledge about issues and obtain factual information before forming opinions about food-related issues.
• To identify and evaluate personal qualities related to career choices.
• To be aware of career and employment opportunities related to diet, food and food preparation.

All of the subject and CELs Foundational Objectives are stated explicitly at the beginning of each module.

The primary focus of Food Studies is to prepare students for everyday life in a global society. The Food Studies curriculum provides a balance between academic and practical food preparation experiences. Students are actively engaged in the learning process. The Food Studies courses are designed to be comprehensive and as relevant as possible.

The Learning Objectives listed in each module are designed to help students build the competencies identified in the Foundational Objectives and the Common Essential Learnings Objectives. The Teacher Notes suggest teaching approaches and define some of the criteria necessary for assessment. Suggested food preparation experiences apply learning objectives, teach specific skills, and develop expertise in food preparation. Practical lab experiences are an integral part of each module. Teachers should plan each module to determine how the cooking experiences can best be incorporated into classroom activities.

There are many teacher/student activities included in the curriculum. Teachers are not expected to complete them all but may choose from or adapt the suggestions. Teachers should choose or design learning activities that meet the curriculum objectives and the needs of their students.

Consumer education and buymanship concepts are incorporated into many of the food modules. A separate module was not developed. These concepts need to be emphasized in as many modules as possible.

Each of the two Food Studies courses requires one hundred hours of instruction. The Introductory Level modules (Food Studies 10) help students build daily living skills and form the basis for further learning. Introductory Level modules are developed for students who have no previous experience in food studies. Certain modules will be recommended for use at the Middle Level.

The Advanced Level modules (Food Studies 30) help students build on competencies developed at the Introductory Level and focus on further development. These modules demand a higher level of expertise and student responsibility and can help prepare students for entry into the workplace.

There is a range of hours given for each of the modules to allow for flexibility and differences in Saskatchewan programs.

The course is written using CELs as an integral part of the framework. Transition-to-work skills are also an important part of the course content and suggested activities. Employability skills (academic, personal management, and teamwork skills) are an integral part of the Food Studies curricula. There are many career opportunities in the area of foods and some ideas have been included. School and community situations will help determine the employment and work study opportunities for students.

**Work Study Guidelines are found in the Practical and Applied Arts Handbook.