Butchery and fabrication of beef, lamb, fish and poultry are topics with a great deal of information. It takes time to teach it and for students to grasp and retain the knowledge. I use a writing-to-learn active learning technique when teaching these lessons.

Writing to learn helps students process, organize and extend their thinking. I give students an outline that mirrors my lectures. I ask that they fill it out as we go along in class over several sessions. They receive participation or homework credit by completing their notes each week and this really helps them stay on track. You can click here to see the lecture outline I give my students which includes poultry, beef, lamb and pork. If you would like my lectures on meat, beef, veal, pork, lamb, poultry, fish/shellfish and game This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and I will be happy to share my PowerPoint presentations.

This writing-to-learn strategy goes hand-in-hand with a previous article I wrote about teaching fabrication, “Beyond Primal Cuts: Teaching students where meat cuts originate and the animal’s muscle structure during a butchery review class.”

In that article, take a look at the animal carcass cut review activity. I think this is a great tool to use before an exam to help cement fabrication information. I will put the PowerPoint in presentation mode and call out the numbers on the slides and ask the students what cut is associated with the number. After they respond, I hit the enter key to see if they are right. It’s a fun way to review information.

Chef Jennifer M. Denlinger, PhD., CCC, CHEP, is the Culinary Management Program Department Chair at the Poinciana Campus of Valencia College. She is also the vice president of ACF’s Central Florida Chapter. Additionally, Chef Denlinger earned the 2020 Innovation Award, sponsored by CAFÉ and the Idaho Potato Commission, for a creative escape room based on safe food handling procedures. She also earned the 2021 Green Award sponsored by the United Soybean Board and was runner up in 2021 for the Postsecondary Education of the Year sponsored by Sysco Corporation.