Public: Education: Curriculum
High School Food Science Curriculum   (+4, -5)  [vote for, against]
Finally, a subject you can use to ask out a date with!

Recently, there have been many studies which suggest that student's aren't interested in science/engineering professions.

One of the many reasons why is because students feel science is no where relevant to their "real" lives. Instead, students should have the options of taking a "food science" course (more than just a home economics course) which applies scientific principles to how food is actually made.

It has always been said that equations have been known as the "cook book" approach. Why not directly apply it?

So, Basically it would be an introduction of how to make basic food and would a synthesis of other courses.

Here are some other factors:

-The cost: not as expensive because all the ingredients are household ingredients.

-Support: Why of course from the fast food industry. They will learn that "sodium benzoate" is a flavor preservative.....

-Theory: learn how to make basic foods and how to apply that at home using the "alton brown guide to science."

-Lab: It would include activities in the class and outside of the class using basic ingredients.

-Finally, you can ask your date: "You know, those melons would taste great in a salad" instead of saying "I think my protons are attracted to your electrons!"

-They say the pathway to a persons heart is their stomach. Somehow, it hasn't been through their brain...

In the end, students thus being motivated that science could actually be fun, perhaps they would consider being doctors or engineers.

Warning: Spelling not guaranteed.....neither is this sentence.
-- compatta, Jun 06 2006

Wiki/gastronomy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastronomy
[jellydoughnut, Jun 07 2006]

unfortunately, i think that you would wind up with the combined social stigmas of home ec. and chemistry.

in fact, by removing the possibility of blowing things up, you eliminate the greatest reason most have for taking chem in the first place.
-- tcarson, Jun 06 2006


I did something like this. It was thrown in as a short course if you picked three sciences at GCSE. I have no idea why. It wasn't that good.

So baked.
-- RobertKidney, Jun 06 2006


You make science & engineering fun by using explosions and big sparks.
-- Jinbish, Jun 06 2006


yes yes!!! glee! [Jinbish] knows!!! [Jinbish] KNOWS THE TRUTH!!!! FIRE!! MAYHEM! HEE HEE!
-- tcarson, Jun 06 2006


I think this would be good because many people don't know how to make things from scratch like bread for example (some people don't even know bread can be made from scratch), or maybe ice-cream and other things.
-- BJS, Jun 06 2006


breathe into brown paper bag, [tcarson]. breathe gently...

+5 for the idea
-- po, Jun 06 2006


but paper bags tend to spontaneously combust in this context [po]...
-- tcarson, Jun 06 2006


But home ec teachers don't beliieve in science.

At least mine didn't twenty-<mumble> years ago. She honestly taught spontaneous generation of worms as fact.
-- Galbinus_Caeli, Jun 07 2006


Why was your Home ec. teacher talking about worms?

Baked...gastronomy. See link.
-- jellydoughnut, Jun 07 2006



random, halfbakery