Innovative teaching projects: Students cook with university students!

Innovative teaching projects: Students cook with university students!

As part of innovative teaching concepts, the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and the Goethe University Frankfurt am Main are giving new impetus to teaching about food production. In a seminar entitled “Cooking from the Perspective of Biology and Chemistry Teaching,” student teachers try out various subject areas that go beyond cooking and create a connection between science and everyday life. This reports presse.uni-mainz.de.

Topics covered include cheese and bread production, food preservation and the production of non-alcoholic drinks. A particular focus is on the production of vegan burger patties from peas. The project aims to awaken the curiosity of students and break down basic inhibitions. In addition, the connections between biology, chemistry, nutrition and environmental awareness should be made clear. The highlight of this seminar is a project day that takes place together with students from the Elisabeth Selbert School in Wiesbaden.

Practical experiments in class

A practical example of the implementation of this teaching content is the production of mozzarella. For this experiment, 4 liters of whole milk are used together with a citric acid solution and rennet. The exact process ranges from heating the milk to pressing the curds, which are stored in the refrigerator. The shelf life of the cheese produced is three to five days. In keeping with cheese production, the preparation of cream cheese is also covered, which is also explained in detail and provides relevant materials, as in schule-bw.de documented.

Overall, the experiments offer an attractive opportunity for students to gain practical experience and deepen their understanding of biochemical processes. These methodological approaches are not only essential for interdisciplinary education, but also a valuable addition in the context of sustainable nutrition and agricultural education, which is becoming increasingly important.

A contribution to education for sustainable development

The issues surrounding organic food are also the focus of the school projects. Questions like “What characterizes organic food?” and “What contribution do they make to environmental protection?” are a central part of class discussions. The school aims to give students an understanding of the connections between their consumer behavior and ecological and social aspects. An approach that is based on the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and thus promotes responsibility for one's own actions is, among other things, through environment-in-lessons.de supports.

The students should be empowered to make self-determined and socially responsible consumption decisions. In the context of education for sustainable development (ESD), various teaching units are offered to promote critical reflection and the ability of the learners to act. By learning how to select and evaluate food, students will become more responsible and sustainable consumers in the future.

The cooperation between the Rhine-Main universities offers a promising framework for implementing these complex topics in teaching. Biology teacher Alfred Bonk emphasizes the relevance of external projects that help students place the content they have learned in a larger social context. An approach that enriches the education of both the ninth graders at the Elisabeth Selbert School and the students at the participating universities.