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Food Safety from Farm to Fork

A resource used to help students better understand food safety through real-life examples, activities, and games.

Description

This instructional resource unit provides students with a better understanding of food safety through real-life examples and enjoyable activities. Students learn that everyone has a responsibility in minimizing food-borne illness: farmers, transporters, restaurants, grocery stores, and consumers. Through books, games, puzzles, math problems, and science investigations, participants identify the roles each person plays in ensuring that food is safe to eat. Hands-on activities and real-life examples are included for students. What’s inside: Background information about food safety, lesson plans with time frames, related materials, web links to core subject standards, directions for activities, reproducible handouts and game pieces, and a resource list. Activity highlight: In “Mighty Microbes,” students are introduced to epidemiology; they use epidemiological techniques to assess an outbreak and determine the cause of an illness that makes picnickers sick. Students use data tables, classify data, and read information to solve the mystery. They write a short article on their findings for a fictitious local newspaper and complete a quiz.

  • Key Content Areas: After School, Cafeteria Connections, Food Literacy and Cooking Activities, Integrated Subjects, Healthy School Environment

  • Originator of Resources: California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom

  • User of Resource: Teachers

  • Audience: Grades 5, 6, and 7

  • Languages: English

  • Number of lessons: 5 lessons

  • Amount of time per lesson: 50 minutes

  • Format: Downloadable free PDF; available in hard copy with CD upon request

Resource

To access the California Agriculture in the Classroom Curriculum, visit the LearnAboutAg.org Food Safety: From Farm to Fork web page External link opens in new window or tab. (PDF).

Contact

If you have any questions, please contact the California Agriculture in the Classroom by email at info@learnabouttag.org.

Questions:   Nutrition Services Division | 800-952-5609
Last Reviewed: Wednesday, August 12, 2026
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