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Cookin Castle

Cookin Castle

Cookin Castle is an online interactive website intended to teach and promote healthier eating and good food hygiene practices to children in Primary 4-7. 

Includes guidance for parents, carers and teachers.

Interactive
40-50 mins x 5 days
P3–P5P5–P7

Play the game

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  • HWB 1-30a - By investigating the range of foods available I can discuss how they contribute to a healthy diet.

  • HWB 1-32a - I am beginning to understand that nutritional needs change at different stages of life, for example the role of breastfeeding in infant nutrition.

  • HWB 1-33a - I am becoming aware of how cleanliness, hygiene and safety can affect health and wellbeing and I apply this knowledge in my everyday routines such as taking care of my teeth.

  • HWB 2-32a - I understand that people at different life stages have differing nutritional needs and that some people may eat or avoid certain foods.

  • HWB 2-33a - Having learned about cleanliness, hygiene and safety, I can apply these principles to my everyday routines, understanding their importance to health and wellbeing.

  • HWB 3-33a - I can apply food safety principles when buying, storing, preparing, cooking and consuming food.

  • HWB 1-15a - I am developing my understanding of the human body and can use this knowledge to maintain and improve my wellbeing and health.

  • HWB 2-15a - I am developing my understanding of the human body and can use this knowledge to maintain and improve my wellbeing and health.

  • HWB 3-15a - I am developing my understanding of the human body and can use this knowledge to maintain and improve my wellbeing and health.

  • HWB 1-16a - I am learning to assess and manage risk, to protect myself and others, and to reduce the potential for harm when possible.

  • HWB 2-16a - I am learning to assess and manage risk, to protect myself and others, and to reduce the potential for harm when possible.

  • HWB 3-16a - I am learning to assess and manage risk, to protect myself and others, and to reduce the potential for harm when possible.

  • HWB2-20a - By applying my knowledge and understanding of current healthy eating advice, I can contribute to a healthy eating plan.

  • TCH 3-03a - I can explore and use the features of a variety of familiar and unfamiliar software to determine the most appropriate to solve problems or issues.

  • TCH 3-04a - I enhance my learning by applying my ICT skills in different learning contexts across the curriculum.

  • TCH 2-04a - I explore and experiment with the features and functions of computer technology and I can use what I learn to support and enhance my learning in different contexts.

  • TCH 1-14b - Having evaluated my work, I can adapt and improve, where appropriate, through trial and error or by using feedback.

  • LIT 0-14a - I use signs, books or other texts to find useful or interesting information and I use this to plan, make choices or learn new things.

  • LIT 1-14a - Using what I know about the features of different types of texts, I can find, select, sort and use information for a specific purpose.

  • Develop knowledge of kitchen hygiene
  • Develop knowledge of food storage
  • Develop knowledge of personal hygiene
  • Understand the storage of different types of food
  • Identify areas for cleaning in a kitchen
  • Identify the correct sequence for hand washing
  • Identify a range of healthy food options to make a meal
  • Plan a healthy menu for a week
  • Increase awareness of important of hygiene when dealing with food

For parents, carers and children

  • Visit the Cookin' Castle website 
  • Click the green 'Play Now' button
  • Step 1: Generate name
  • Step 2: Find your school – type in your school name and it should appear
  • Download code so you can back to your scores
  • Play
  • The wizard will keep you right
  • Explore the castle storeroom and kitchen for games

Resources

Setting up in the classroom

  • Display Cookin Castle on the whiteboard/computer screens/tablets.

Activities

  • Cookin Castle can be used as an individual groups task or on a whiteboard as a class activity.
  • The pupils take the role of the family cook within Cookin Castle – the last cook has left the family in the castle feeling ill and their job is to make the family feel better.
  • The wizard provides a tutorial, written and audio, about how to play the game and encourage pupils to investigate the different area of the castle.
  • The 2 areas of the Castle are:
    • the store room – which has been left in a terrible mess by the previous cook so the first task is to clean and tidy the store room and test the pupils' food hygiene knowledge
    • the kitchen – choose what the family have for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks and prepare and cook dinner for the family.

Cross-curricular links

Health and Wellbeing

  • PE - discuss how food provides people with energy and how the body uses it.
  • Discuss nutritional needs for different members of the family.
  • Discuss food preferences and food allergies and the importance of reading food labels.
  • Spotting hazards in the kitchen using the "Crazy Kitchen" interactive 
  • Learn names of bacteria and the conditions required for them to grow.
  • Research various health conditions related to food.
  • Explore cooking techniques related to healthy eating.
  • Keep a food diary of their own for day/weekend/weekday - children can take photos of food as a visual diary.
  • Discuss the importance of hand washing and correct techniques required.

Literacy – Reading, finding and using information

Social Studies

  • Discuss rationing in World War 2.

Numeracy

  • Discuss food labels and weights of food.
  • Discuss food shopping and money involved.
  • Relate fractions to the Eatwell Guide

Expressive Arts

  • Draw bacteria.
  • Draw abstract images of how food goes through the body.
  • Create a collage of different food groups.
  • Music - create music to mimic harmful or good bacteria.

Assessment opportunities

  • Presentation of meal choices – peer assessment.
  • Create a menu – peer or teacher assessment.
  • Class quiz to show knowledge of facts covered.
  • Pupils aim to get a high mark for the store room section and overall high score following the kitchen section.
  • Pupils say why foods need to be stored on certain shelves of fridge.