Preserving Food

Overview

Lesson 1 of 2 introduces the inquiry for “Food Storage Through Ages”. Students explore a few real-life preservation examples (fresh milk, whole wheat, and dehydrated fruit), build shared understanding of what “going bad” means, and record their wonderings and questions to guide their paired research in the next lesson.

Learning intentions

• WALT ask questions about food preservation and how storage choices affect food over time.
• WALT identify what we already know and any misconceptions about food storage (e.g., fridges, drying, sealed containers).
• WALT begin to use sources provided by the teacher to find information for an inquiry purpose.
• WALT communicate ideas clearly in inquiry books using short notes and question stems.

Success criteria

• I can explain (in my own words) what might cause food to spoil.
• I can write at least 2–3 “how/why” questions about preservation methods.
• I can sort examples into preservation “types” (e.g., refrigeration, drying, keeping grains dry).
• I can record what I learned and what I still need to find out.

Curriculum links

• Social Sciences (History / New Zealand History): Students explore change over time in everyday life practices, including how people stored food in different times.
• Inquiry learning: Students gather and interpret information from sources and refine questions through investigation.
• Literacy in Social Sciences: Students use subject-relevant language to ask and answer questions, recording thinking in an inquiry book.
• Key competencies: using language, symbols, and texts to record questions and notes; thinking to clarify misconceptions; participating and contributing in pairs.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook (sensory prompt) · Tuning In. Teacher displays three items (fresh milk in a clear container, whole wheat in a sealed container, and dehydrated fruit) and asks: “What do you notice, and what makes these different for keeping food?” Students quickly turn-and-talk, then share one observation and one question.

2. 5–12 min · Prior knowledge & misconceptions · Finding Out. Teacher records student ideas under two headings on the board: “We think…” and “We wonder…” using common stems. Briefly model respectful challenge: “Let’s test that idea with evidence.” Students contribute one statement and one wondering; teacher rephrases into inquiry questions.

3. 12–20 min · Mini teach: Spoilage and preservation (concept building) · Sorting Out. Teacher explains at a Year 6 level that food can spoil when it changes due to microbes and exposure (air, moisture, warmth), and that preservation slows these changes. Teacher emphasises: preservation methods vary (keeping cold, keeping dry, sealing, etc.). Students update their inquiry book with a short “What causes spoilage?” note and circle any misconception to revisit later.

4. 20–30 min · Inquiry question generation · Sorting Out. Teacher models transforming a thought into an inquiry question:

• “How does a fridge stop food going bad?”
• “What did we use in the past to store food?” Students write 3–4 questions in their inquiry books using stems provided (How…? Why…? What…? What changes when…?).

5. 30–37 min · Pair research set-up (guided start) · Going Further. Teacher introduces the investigation task for Lesson 1: use provided resource packs (short texts, picture cards, and a simple timeline prompt showing “then and now” storage ideas). Each pair chooses one preservation example to investigate first (milk/refrigeration, wheat/keeping dry, dehydrated fruit/drying). Students highlight key facts in the resource pack and record two evidence notes in their own words.

6. 37–43 min · Share & refine questions · Going Further. Teacher prompts: “Which questions are getting clearer? Which need better evidence?” Pairs share one new learning and one question they still need to answer, while teacher adjusts the class question wall.

7. 43–45 min · Exit reflection · Reflecting. Teacher asks students to complete the final sentence stem: “Today I used evidence to… / Next lesson I will find out…” Students write 1–2 sentences; teacher collects quick checks to plan grouping for Lesson 2.

Resources

• Three real examples: fresh milk, whole wheat (sealed), dehydrated fruit
• Inquiry books (or class journals) and pencils
• Board/markers or interactive whiteboard slides
• Short resource packs per pair (texts and picture cards about preservation methods)
• Simple “then vs now” storage prompt sheet (no dates required)
• Question stem cards (How… Why… What changes… What did people use…)
• Highlighters or coloured pencils
• Class chart paper for “We think / We wonder” and “Question wall”

Assessment

• During hook and misconception discussion: teacher listens for accurate ideas about spoilage causes and flags misconceptions.
• During question generation: teacher checks students can create clear “how/why/what” inquiry questions linked to preservation.
• During pair research: teacher observes whether students can extract and record evidence notes from provided resources.
• Exit reflection: quick check of what students learned and what they will investigate next.

Differentiation

• Support:
• Provide sentence starters for evidence notes (e.g., “This source says…”, “It works by…”, “I still wonder…”).
• Offer a simplified resource version with key facts already highlighted for students who need more scaffolding.
• Extension:
• Challenge fast finishers to add one cause-and-effect statement (e.g., “If we keep food cold, then…”, “If we keep food dry, then…”).
• Invite them to compare two methods and explain why each slows spoilage differently.
• EAL/SEN considerations:
• Allow oral rehearsal with a partner before writing.
• Use visual picture cards for preservation methods and keep language consistent across the class chart (cold, dry, sealed, reduce spoilage).

Extension (optional)

• Not included for this lesson (Lesson 2 will continue the inquiry using the questions and evidence gathered today).