Food Space Tech

Overview

In this second lesson of “Tech in Food Spaces,” students explore how supermarket layouts are designed to help people find things easily and encourage buying. They will gather ideas from pictures, sort “helpful layout” features, and plan what a simple layout could look like for a small food space.

Learning intentions

• Students will investigate how technology can influence how places are arranged for people.
• Students will describe why certain layout features help customers.
• Students will plan a simple layout for a food space using shared ideas.
• Students will communicate their thinking using drawings and spoken/supported sentences.

Success criteria

• I can name one way a supermarket layout helps customers (e.g., “it helps me find items”).
• I can point to a layout feature in a picture and tell what it does.
• I can make a simple layout plan for a food space (where items go).
• I can explain my plan using a sentence I say to an adult or in a supported writing/drawing.

Curriculum links

• Technology: developing knowledge about designing and evaluating—identifying needs, considering how people use products/places, and using criteria to improve ideas.
• Technology: investigating how systems and information can influence design decisions to meet people’s needs.
• Communication: expressing ideas clearly through talk, drawing, and emergent writing appropriate for Year 0.
• Writing processes (planning): planning their writing by saying a sentence to the teacher; suggesting an audience and purpose for the teacher to write about.

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–3 min · Welcome and focus. Teacher shows 2–3 supermarket layout images and says today’s focus: “How can technology change layouts to help people?” Students look closely and respond with one word/gesture (e.g., “find”, “shop”, “money”).

2. 3–10 min · Explore with “Find It” talk. Teacher uses the images and guides questioning: “Where would you look first? Where do you think fruit is? What helps you know what to pick?” Students take turns placing a magnetic/printed “customer” marker on areas in the pictures and say what they notice.

3. 10–16 min · Direct teach: Helpful layout features. Teacher introduces 3 simple features with examples from the pictures:

• Clear signs/labels
• Wide paths/brochure-style “aisle” space (easy to move)
• Arranging items in logical places (e.g., bread together, fruit visible) Teacher models one explanation: “This helps customers find things.” Students repeat the sentence frame: “It helps me ______.”

4. 16–22 min · Sorting: Helps customers / Makes it harder. Teacher provides 6–8 cut-out cards of layout situations (some helpful, some not). Students work in pairs or teacher-led small groups to sort into two groups on the floor: “Helps us” and “Hard to find.” Teacher circulates, asking: “Which one helps and why?” Students point and say a reason using the sentence frame.

5. 22–28 min · Plan a mini layout (say to the teacher). Teacher shows a simple template: a box plan of a small food space with 4 “zones” (e.g., fruit area, snack area, bread area, checkout corner). Teacher reminds students: we plan first by saying. Students draw where items could go and then say one sentence to the teacher (teacher writes/dictates emergent text on the plan card). Sentence stem options:

• “I want fruit here because it’s easy to find.”
• “I put snacks here so customers can see them.”
• “My layout helps people by ______.”

6. 28–30 min · Quick share and tidy. Teacher invites 2–3 students to show their plan. Students answer one question: “What helps your layout?” Teacher collects plans for Lesson 3.

Resources

• Printouts or slides of simple supermarket layout images (large enough for whole class viewing)
• Cut-out picture cards of layout situations (helpful vs not helpful)
• Two large sorting mats: “Helps us” / “Hard to find”
• Magnetic or Velcro “customer” markers
• Mini layout template (box plan with 4 zones) for each student or for pairs
• Crayons/colouring pencils and stickers for item zones
• Teacher sentence frame cards for support
• Poster paper or board space for teacher modelling and key sentence frames

Assessment

• Teacher observes during sorting: can the student identify which layout feature helps and gives a simple reason.
• Teacher listens during “Find It” talk: can the student describe a layout part (signs, paths, logical grouping).
• Collection of mini layout plans: look for evidence that students can place items in a logical zone and state a supporting sentence.

Differentiation

• Support:
• Use strong visuals and short sentence frames (“It helps me find…”, “I put ____ here because…”).
• Offer gesture choices (point, nod, show) before requiring full speaking.
• Provide a partially completed template (e.g., “fruit zone” already labelled) for students who need it.
• Challenge/extension:
• Ask an extra question: “What should we add to help even more?” (e.g., a sign, a different path).
• EAL/SEN:
• Pair students strategically and allow responses through pointing, drawing, or recording with the teacher.
• Keep language consistent across the lesson (same three layout feature words each time).

Learning notes for the teacher (alignment with “planning”)

During the plan step, ensure students plan by saying a sentence to the teacher, and the teacher captures that sentence on the plan. This keeps the activity age-appropriate for Year 0 and builds preparation for drafting later in the unit.