Food Origins Explored

Overview

This 60-minute lesson introduces Year 5 pupils to the origins of their food, linking technology and geography through practical activities. Students will learn where different foods come from — local farms and gardens, the sea, shops, and other countries — and how these foods travel to their plates. This lesson closely follows the National Curriculum for England: specifically, the computing, science, geography, and design & technology components related to understanding products and their origins.

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Curriculum Links

National Curriculum for England (Key Stage 2 - Year 5)

• Design & Technology (DT):

  • Pupils should investigate and analyse a range of existing products.
  • Understand where and how a wide range of food products are grown, reared, caught, and processed.

• Geography:

  • Locate the world’s countries, including those producing food imports to the UK.
  • Understand the impact of trade links and global products.

• Science:

  • Describe the importance for humans of exercise, eating the right amounts of different types of food, and hygiene.

• Computing:

  • Use technology purposefully to create, organise and manipulate digital content.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to:

• Identify the origins of common foods, categorising them into farm, sea, shop, garden, or different countries.
• Explain in simple terms how food travels from different parts of the world to their plates.
• Use technology to map and present findings effectively.

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Resources Needed

• Large world map or globe (physical or digital projector-based)
• Selection of food product images or real samples (e.g., fish, vegetables, fruits, chocolate, rice, bread)
• “Food Journey” worksheets (tracking the path from origin to plate)
• Laptops/tablets with simple mapping software or Google Maps (offline mode acceptable)
• Large classroom whiteboard or flip chart
• Sticky notes or coloured labels
• Video clip: brief animation showing food supply chains (can be teacher-prepared or freely created)

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (10 minutes)

• Engage: Begin with a quick, interactive question: “Where do you think your breakfast came from today?”
• Show images or real examples of common foods. Ask students to guess whether they come from a farm, sea, shop, garden, or overseas.
• Briefly highlight the learning objectives and explain why understanding food origins is important (health, environment, sustainability).

2. Main Activity Part 1 – Categorising Food Origins (15 minutes)

• Split pupils into small groups of 5-6.
• Distribute a mixed selection of food images/samples and “Food Journey” worksheets.
• Each group categorises foods by origin (farm, sea, shop, garden, country).
• Groups write or draw short notes about each product’s origin on their worksheets.

3. Main Activity Part 2 – Mapping Food Journeys (20 minutes)

• Using laptops/tablets or a large world map, each group picks 2-3 foods from their list.
• Pupils research or are guided to discover the country of origin for imported foods (e.g., bananas from Ecuador, chocolate from Ghana).
• They plot the journey of each food from farm/garden/sea to their plates using mapping software or by placing coloured pins/labels on the classroom map.
• Encourage pupils to think about transport methods (ship, plane, truck) and distance travelled.

4. Class Discussion and Reflection (10 minutes)

• Groups present one food journey to the class, explaining where it comes from and how it travels.
• Discuss the environmental and cultural implications of food transport: Does travelling far affect the food's freshness or carbon footprint?
• Brief discussion on locally grown food versus imported food and why both are important.

5. Assessment and Plenary (5 minutes)

• Quick quiz using mini whiteboards or thumbs-up/thumbs-down on statements like:
  • “Fish comes from the sea.”
  • “All fruits are grown in the UK.”
  • “Chocolate comes from countries near the equator.”
• Recap learning objectives using pupil verbal feedback: “Tell me one food origin you learned today.”
• Set a simple follow-up task: Keep a small food diary for a day noting where each food comes from if possible.

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Differentiation

• Support: Provide pre-printed labels with country names and simple maps.
• Challenge: Pupils research one unusual food import and create a short digital presentation.
• EAL: Use visual aids and vocabulary cards for key terms (farm, sea, shop, garden, country names).

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Cross-Curricular Extensions

• Science: Explore nutrition and why certain countries grow particular foods based on climate.
• Geography: Further mapping activities on climate zones and agricultural regions.
• Computing: Create digital posters or presentations about a chosen food’s journey.

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Teacher Notes

• Prior preparation: Pre-select food items that are familiar and some imported to make the global links strong but accessible.
• If technology access is limited, the world map and printed images can effectively replace digital tools.
• Tailor the video clip length and content to keep it lively and suitable for 9-10 year olds.
• Emphasise links to children’s everyday lives and encourage curiosity about their own meals.

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This lesson is designed to connect technology with geography and science, meeting national curriculum aims while inspiring pupils to think critically about global food networks.