This lesson helps students learn about the characteristics of the world's regions by investigating the types of food that are common in different parts of the world. Students will conduct research to find out about the climate, landscape, and cultures of a few countries. They will compile their findings into a plan for an international food court in a local mall, describing the types of food that will be served, the decor, and the entertainment.

Geography

Standard 4: "The physical and human characteristics of places"

Three to four hours

• Computer with Internet access
• Wall map of the world
• Blank Xpeditions outline map of the world, one for each small group of students
• Large pieces of white paper
• Drawing materials (e.g., color pencils, markers)

Students will

• list the types of foods they associate with different parts of the world;
• research foods from six countries, and take notes on their findings;
• label the six countries on a map;
• research the climate, landscape, and cultures of the six countries;
• discuss the similarities and differences between foods in the different countries; and
• design an international food court to be placed in a local shopping mall, with four sections corresponding to four of the countries they have researched.

Point to Latin America, southern Europe, East Asia, Africa, and a few other regions on a world map, and ask students what types of food are associated with each place. They might say tortillas for Latin America and pasta for southern Europe. Write their ideas on the board.

Tell students that the world is divided into regions that aren't always clearly defined. For example, as one looks at a map of Asia, it's not easy to tell where East Asia ends and Central Asia begins. Regions are sometimes defined by country boundaries, but they can also be defined by cultural characteristics such as languages and religions. Another way to define a region is by the types of food that are traditionally grown and eaten there.

Divide the class into small groups of two to four children. Have students go to the Food Museum Web site and find three Eastern Hemisphere and three Western Hemisphere foods. They should try to find foods from a variety of regions within both hemispheres.

Ask them to take notes on the following types of information about the food, as seen at the Food Museum: history, region where it originated, places where it is grown today, and ways it is prepared and eaten.

Give each group an Xpeditions blank outline map of the world, and ask them to label the locations of the foods they have learned about. As an option, they can shade the locations with colored pencils.

Have students search the Internet or library resources for information on the countries the foods come from. If a particular food comes from more than one country, ask them to choose the country where it seems to be the most common or to select the largest country. Have them find out more about the countries' climate, landscape, and cultures, and ask them to list four to six facts about each country. They can begin their Internet research at the CIA World Factbook.

Hold a class discussion comparing and contrasting the foods students have researched. What types of food do Asian countries tend to have in common? What about Latin American countries? Are there certain types of food, such as rice, that seem to be common in many parts of the world?

Ask groups to pretend they have been hired to design an international food court at a local shopping mall. The food court will have four sections, corresponding to four of the countries they have researched. Each food-court section will serve food from that country and will be decorated with items appropriate to that country.

Have students design the food court on a large piece of paper, showing the floor plan and drawing pictures of some of the items that will be used to decorate each section. Within each section, they should also list some possible menu selections and describe the types of entertainment that will be offered.

If time permits, students can look up some recipes from each of the countries so they have a better idea of the types of food that the food-court might offer. They might try the Yahoo! Recipes page.

Ask students to visit a local ethnic restaurant and take notes on the menu, decor, and entertainment (if there is any). If possible, they should also ask the restaurant owner or a member of the waitstaff a few questions about the country the restaurant represents, such as what the most common foods are there and whether they have particular meals on special occasions.

Have students write brief reports on their restaurant visits and share their discoveries with the class.

CIA World Factbook
Food Museum
National Geographic: Xpeditions Activity—Geographic Groceries
Yahoo! Recipes