Food Can Science
Learning more about materials by studying food containers

The Lessons: An Overview

Aim: For children to learn more about the properties of materials and that these properties are useful. To help devise a test for one of the properties and to learn which materials are renewable and which are finite.

Age Group: Year 3 / 4 (The activities could be differentiated for older pupils)

Curriculum Links:
QCA Science Unit 3C – ‘Materials and their characteristics’. Education for Sustainable Development

LESSON 1
A puzzle activity in which children identify some of the properties in containers that prevent micro-organisms from spoiling food.

LESSON 2
This lesson goes through the process of devising and evaluating a test, i.e. which food container is the strongest?

LESSON 3
A sorting activity in which children organise materials by source into those which are finite and those which are renewable.