### Lesson Plan: Storage of Foods
**Grade Level:** Senior Secondary 2
**Subject:** Food and Nutrition
**Duration:** 60 minutes
**Topic:** Storage of Foods
#### Objectives:
1. Students will understand the importance of proper food storage.
2. Students will learn common food storage methods.
3. Students will identify factors that influence food spoilage and methods to prevent it.
4. Students will understand how to properly store different types of foods.
#### Materials Needed:
- Whiteboard and markers
- PowerPoint presentation or printed handouts
- Examples of storage containers (e.g., Tupperware, vacuum-sealed bags)
- Fresh, frozen, and packaged food items
- Temperature chart for refrigerators and freezers
- Worksheets for group activities
- Audio-visual aids (projector, speakers)
#### Lesson Outline:
**Introduction (10 minutes):**
1. **Greeting and Attendance:**
- Welcome students and take attendance.
2. **Engagement Question:**
- Ask students: "Why is proper food storage important?"
- Discuss their answers briefly.
**Lesson Development (35 minutes):**
1. **Presentation on Food Spoilage and Safety (10 minutes):**
- Explain food spoilage, contamination, and the importance of food safety.
- Discuss biological factors (bacteria, molds, yeast).
- Explain chemical factors (enzymatic reactions, oxidation).
- Mention physical factors (temperature, light, moisture).
2. **Food Storage Methods (15 minutes):**
- Discuss refrigeration and freezing.
- Explain pantry storage (dry foods, sealed containers).
- Talk about canning, pickling, fermenting, and vacuum-sealing.
- Show examples of each method with food items and storage containers.
- Discuss the importance of temperature control with a temperature chart.
3. **Group Activity: Identifying Storage Needs (10 minutes):**
- Divide students into small groups.
- Give each group a variety of food items.
- Have them categorize foods based on the best storage method.
- Each group will present their findings.
**Conclusion (10 minutes):**
1. **Recap and Q&A (5 minutes):**
- Summarize key points.
- Answer any remaining questions from students.
2. **Assessment and Homework:**
- Distribute a worksheet with questions on food storage methods.
- Assign a short homework project: Have students at home audit their pantry/refrigerators for proper food storage and report their findings with recommendations for improvement.
**Additional Notes:**
- Encourage students to use and cite reliable sources if doing any further reading or research.
- Remind students to consider the safety of perishable items at different stages (preparation, cooking, storage).
#### Evaluation:
- **In-class Participation:** Observe student engagement during the lesson and group activities.
- **Worksheet and Homework:** Assess understanding and application of food storage principles based on returned worksheets and homework projects.
By the end of this lesson, students should have a clear understanding of why food storage is essential, the methods used to prolong shelf-life, and how to properly store a variety of foods.