An introduction to cheese culture for schools.

Of all of the activities planned by the Andalusian cheesemaking heritage project, particular emphasis has been placed on the challenge of introducing the world of cheese and the production processes involved therein to schoolchildren. Broadly speaking, the aims of this particular workshop are to inform and educate teachers and pupils alike about artisan cheeses and the cattle-farming systems involved in their production, and to provide teachers with tools to enable them to work on the concepts acquired during the workshop in the classroom. This involves

- Raising awareness of the traditional techniques and culture associated with artisan cheesemaking in Andalusia.
- Explaining the differences between traditional and industrial cheeses.
- Responding to the demands expressed by the various different schools.
- Promoting artisan cheeses.

The workshops are aimed at children aged seven and eight years old. They will take up a whole morning of school time, running from 9:00 to 14:00, and include the following activities:

- A talk outlining the cattle farming systems currently employed in Andalusia, with particular emphasis on the goat, the cheesemaking process and the typical characteristics of artisan cheese. This will be delivered in a fun but educational way. If the company in question has its own livestock based near the factory, a visit to the cattle farm may also be arranged.
- A visit to the cheese factory during which the children will have the chance to make cheese themselves.
- The provision of material to enable teachers to work in the classroom on the concepts dealt with by the workshop. This takes the form of a workbook containing a story, a word search, pictures to colour in, etc. which we have called “A day with cheese and goats”.

The workshops will primarily take place in schools located in towns and villages in which an artisan cheese company is based.

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