How to Succeed in your Junior Cycle Home Ec CBAs

What do you have to do for each CBA? 

CBA 1: Creative Textiles

This classroom-based assessment is often referred to as "the sewing CBA". 

You are given two options:

• Make a textile item for an individual or the home 
• Recycle or upcycle a textile item for an individual or the home

Whichever option you chose, remember your target audience... either for:

• A person
• A home

This CBA gives you the chance to show off your textile skills and to be really creative while doing so.

Top Tip: The title of the CBA is “Creative Textiles” so don’t forget that this is your time to let your creative side shine!

CBA 2: Food Literacy Skills

This CBA is done in 3rd year and is based on briefs/ tasks that are sent out by the State Exams Commission (SEC) around November time. 

There are 3 briefs but you will only pick one out of a hat (under the supervision of your teacher) and do research based on that topic. This CBA is directly linked to the cookery exam that you will do around Easter time in 3rd year.

The CBA involves using the design brief process (just like in CBA 1) to demonstrate your culinary and creative food literacy skills and nutritional knowledge in the researching, analysing and planning of a food literacy skills brief for everyday living.

How do I choose my topic? 

CBA 1:

Here are some ideas of where you can find some inspiration: 

• Ask your peers/older brothers & sisters for suggestions
• Ask your teacher to show you some past examples
• Go online. Type craft projects into Google and you will find some fabulous
  websites such as Pinterest.com, upcyclemystuff.com etc.
• Have a flick through some craft magazines & books

CBA 2:

As mentioned above, the tasks/briefs for CBA 2 are sent out by the SEC.

The briefs are usually based on some of the following broad areas: 

• Healthy family meals to reflect the current healthy eating guidelines
• A special dietary consideration or a diet-related disease 
• A particular stage of the life cycle 
• Healthy school lunches
• A healthy homemade alternative to a commercial/takeaway meal 
• Resourceful cookery/ethnic cookery
• A food enterprise/farmers' market product

What format should my CBAs take? 

CBA 1

Craft piece:

The craft piece must be a TEXTILE item, therefore it must be made of some type of material/cloth etc.

CBA 1 & 2

Written piece: 

It is completely up to you as to what way you want to present the written part of the CBA. However, you should always take your teacher’s advice on board. Here are some ideas:

Reminder: For CBA 2, present your chosen solution (the dish that you have picked that best suits the brief) in a menu format.

To read Linda's full CBA 1 guide, including a template, click on the attachment below:

To read Linda's full CBA 2 guide, including a template, click on the attachment below:

Or, if you're more of a listener, we interviewed Linda on the Studyclix Podcast for her tips on succeeding in the CBAs.

Tune in below or wherever you get your podcasts!

Good luck with your CBAs, we know you will do great! 

If you are looking for help with your Home Ec exam, check out our 'How to get a Distinction in Junior Cycle Home Ec' guide below: