A non-profit organization that brings agriculture into B.C. classrooms has launched a new multi-faceted educational tool about duck.
The Spotlight Series on Duck was released on Feb. 17 by BC Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation (BCAITC) which teaches high school students about duck farming, plus provides them with recipes and Jeopardy-style duck games.
“We’re excited to bring the Spotlight Series on Duck into our teaching kitchen at Maple Ridge secondary,” said chef instructor Trevor Randle, BCAITC’s chef. “It’s important to feature locally grown foods in our culinary arts program so students can relate the food they cook and work with to the importance of agriculture in our province.”
To bring the Spotlight Series on Duck alive, high school teaching kitchens across B.C. will receive Pekin Duck, donated by Fraser Valley Specialty Poultry in Chilliwack, this month. Pekin duck is a unique new ingredient for Take a Bite of BC’s culinary programs. Students will use it to create a variety of fresh, healthy, and culturally diverse school meals that celebrate our province’s diversity.
“Fraser Valley Specialty Poultry’s donation to the Take a Bite of BC program will directly impact 6,784 Grade 11 and 12 culinary arts students and will also help influence an additional 59,000 students to eat locally grown dishes on a regular basis in school cafeterias,” said Pat Tonn, BCAITC executive director.
Here’s what the culinary arts students learn as part of the Spotlight Series on Duck:
• Activity: A curriculum-linked Jeopardy-style educational duck game accompanies the video about the duck story from farm to kitchen.
• Recipes: Students can fine-tune their culinary skills while making duck recipes like Ground Duck Asian Lettuce Wraps and Whole Roasted Duck.
• Grow BC: Students can explore Grow BC, an interactive GIS resource, to learn the story of ducks. From where and how ducks are farmed, this resource provides straightforward integration into class curriculum.
The new Spotlight Series on Duck compliments the existing Spotlight Series on Eggs, Cranberries, and Apples. The series can be used by schools and homeschools alike to educate students on B.C.’s incredible agriculture and food system. Find the series at www.bcaitc.ca, available for free download 24/7 for convenient online learning.
About BCAITC: BCAITC is a non-profit, charitable organization that works with educators to bring local agriculture to B.C.’s students. Together with farmers, teachers, and agriculture specialists, we teach students about the story of agriculture and food in B.C. To learn more about BCAITC, visit www.bcaitc.ca.