Need Some Pointer for Cooking Topic for OLS

[mt_goodrich]

I have been asked to teach the "Cooking" during the district's upcoming Outdoor Leader Skills weekend.

I have the manual and I have some ideas, but wanted to know if anyone had taught this session and if so, what did you concentrate.

I, and my co-instructor, were going to go over setting up a camp kitchen, planning a proper meal (something besides the norm of chili dogs), etc. I really wanted to concentrate of sanitation and proper way to wash dishes. If you have ever gotten sick (aka: The Runs) because of poor sanitation and improperly washed dishes (forgetting to rinse), you will know what I mean.

Problem that I see is I won't have enough time. Only 35 minutes has been allotted. I may get a little more time, but not much.

What would you absolutely spend more time on?

[wagionvigil]

Food Safety is very Important. Under Cooking meat. Temperatures etc.

[Quailman]

I was going to mention food safety as well. Scouts should get the reminders about fully cooking meat, not using same plate for uncooked and cooked meats, etc. every year.

One other thing scouts in my troop have benefited from is training in how to use the can opener attachment on a pocket knife. For a while in grad school I only had the one on my swiss army knife - no electric or crank one in my kitchen - so I can go around a can faster than a scout can crank a manual opener. Show them how to use the two types (swiss army knife and BSA knives work in different directions).

Oh, you said Leaders' Skills... I'll bet a lot of them can't handle a pocket knife can opener either.

[WeeWillie]

I don't have the OLS trainer's guide readily available but cooking is allocated alot more than 35 minutes. 35 minutes is merit badge mill for adults. Whoever is organizing the OLS is teaching our new leaders that it is OK to low ball requirements. What's the rush? It is probably too late for this session.

[deweylure]

food sanitation is number1,then first aid for burns. Since you have limited time use a prepared poster board with ffood sanitation
rules

[mt_goodrich]

Sorry I didn't get back to you all sooner on this.

I have 45 minutes for this presentation. The OLS manual states one hours. Still, I feel I am going to be rushed.

Thanks for the suggestions so far. I plan on having lots of handouts and will have some posters.

[joat]

Yes, you'll either be rushed and will be forced to just present the highlights, with no depth of learning. Or you'll have to cut out some of the topics. I'd ask the course director what parts he does not want to be presented. It's impossible to cover all the material in 1/4 less time, so he needs to make a decision.

One idea is to take the full hour to present the material, right before lunch. Then use the lunch period to continue the discussion and answer questions. The participants are cooking their own lunch right? Using the fire-building skills they learned in the session just before yours, right?