Students will learn the basic science of food safety and the importance of safe food practices while playing a board game, performing “fact or opinion” and “cause and effect” activities, and then writing an essay on what they learned. This activity can be used to supplement lessons on food safety.

45 minutes

• Four 1/2" pieces of sponge; four colors, for teams of 3-4 students
• What's All the Talk About Food Safety student page, for teams of 3-4 students
• Playing It Safe! Game Board, 1 per team of 3-4 students
• Playing It Safe! Game Cards, 1 per teams of 3-4 students

1. Explain that students will learn about the science of food safety.
2. Discuss the differences between “facts” and “opinions.” Select students to read dictionary definitions of these two terms.
3. Have students number a piece of paper from 1-6. Instruct them to listen to the statements that you read to them. They are to write an “F” next to the number if they think the statement is a fact, and an “O” if the statement is an opinion. Read the statements below, one at a time, and have the students record their answers. Discuss the answers.
4. In preparation for the game, orally read What’s All the Talk About Food Safety?
5. Create groups of three to four students. Explain Playing it Safe and then have the students play the game.
   • Game Directions:
     1. Shuffle the playing cards and place them face down on the board.
     2. Place the sponge markers on “Start.”
     3. The first player draws a card from the top of the stack, reads it aloud, and then moves the number of spaces directed. All students should listen to the fact stated on the card, making a mental note that the statement is indeed a “fact.” If a person must move “back” but is already on “Start,” then the player should remain on “Start.”
     4. The next player takes a turn. Continue until one player crosses the finish line.
     5. Reuse the cards, if necessary.
6. Remind students that a “cause” is something that makes something else happen. What happens is the “effect.” Have groups do the Cause and Effect activity located on the game board. Students should agree on the answers and discuss as a class.
7. Have each student write a three paragraph essay that covers the following information. Once written, have students edit for proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation, including capitalization.
8. What is food safety and why is it important to use safe food practices?
9. Define “food-borne illness” and provide specific examples of food-borne illnesses.
10. Describe several things a person could do to prevent food-borne illnesses.

California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom

This activity was sponsored by the Alliance for Food and Farming and the California Beef Council