Understanding Muesli Bars

Achievement Strand: Technological Knowledge – Component: Technological Product - Level 1

Objective Students will understand that technological products are made from materials that have performance
properties.
Learning
Intention I am learning to identify materials (in this lesson known as ingredients) that muesli bars are made from.
(derived from
Indicators of 'Material' can also be used in the same way as 'ingredient' however is not used to describe what was cooked
Progression) in a meal. Instead materials typically refer to non-edible things such as buildings, cars, toys, etc

Intended
Students will be able to list ingredients tasted. Students will be able to compare ingredients tasted to
Success
those written on the box.
Criteria
Activity a) Pre-activity discussion:
Instructions As a class brainstorm the kinds of ingredients you might find in muesli bars on the board. Have pictures of
some examples to aid if students are having difficulties – HO 1 – PowerPoint Presentation

INITIAL
b) In groups:
TEACHING
Divide students into 5 groups. Each table will have 3 mystery plates with a tasting of 3 different muesli
ACTIVITY:
bars. Students are to taste from each plate and then fill out what they think they can taste using HO 2
MUESLI BAR
INGREDIENTS c) In groups:
AND TASTING Give out HO 3 that will show anonymously the ingredients for each of the 3 muesli bars.
Students are to match with what they think and name each of the mystery plates.
Students are to answer:
The most popular ingredient I found was __________________________________________________

d) Wrap-up discussion
As a class, students are to give feedback on what they think they tasted, what each of the mystery muesli
bars are and finally what product is the most commonly found.
Teacher
Notes
Resources needed:
Knowledge of any students who may have allergies
X 3 Handouts (HO), PowerPoint presentation, whiteboard and markers, 3 varieties of muesli bars broken
in 28 bite size pieces individually wrapped and put into plastic bags = 7 bags in total

Pre-activity discussion: see above in activity instructions

This activity can also be used for analysis of any number of ingredients in other food products. Ie
biscuits, sandwiches, yoghurts and so on.

Cross-curricular: As a writing activity students could write about their experiences in their draft
writing books calling on adjectives to describe the tastes.
An example:
Today I tasted three muesli bars. One was chocolate and raspberries. It was delicious.

Follow on activities:
This lesson could be used as a starting point to gather information that then would lead onto 2 more
lessons using multiple strands and their components. For example:

 Lesson 2: students creating their own unique muesli bar (Strand: Technological Practice –
outcome, development and evaluation)
As a pre-activity to this lesson some time could be spent discussing the effects of different
ingredients and those who suffer allergies.

 Lesson 3: students analysing the packaging that muesli bars come in (Strand: Technological
knowledge – modelling)
A) A breakdown of all packaging used
B) Working together to come up with new packaging that is environmentally and economically
better
Evaluation Teacher Evaluation Student Evaluation /AT Evaluation
Comments Lesson completed Tuesday 20th March Student feedback:
From 1.45pm to 2.50pm Excited - “ooooh wow!”
Level: Year 3 and Year 4 – 28 students Sharing - “Mrs Mills do you want the extra piece? (Trey Year 3)
This lesson was chosen to go in conjunction with this class’s Delight - “Yeah we’ve got chocolate! We’ve got chocolate!!!” (Jack
inquiry: LOVE FOOD HATE WASTE.
Year 4)
From the beginning I understood the excitement for this idea after
Analytical discussion - “oh ….. a little bit of nuts” (Connor Year 3)
initially discussing it with my AT’s (I have a shared AT classroom).
This excitement was carried over by the students. They really seem
to love technology lessons so from the go were eager to see what I
AT Edwina Mills
had in store for them. “A lot of preparation went into her planning and the children were
engaged and focussed and chatty. Mrs Milani roamed around the
I really put a lot of effort into planning this lesson which I feel aided classroom, stopping at each table during the taste testing,
me substantially as I was confident with my WALT and the topic encouraging them to think carefully what was in each bite and then
itself. helping record their answers.” (AT Edwina Mills).

While there was a lot to do, we covered the entire lesson in the
time given, without feeling the need to rush. Students followed the
instructions and work sheet confidently. I did have to stop them a
couple of times to make sure they were completing the task as I
noted a few children in their excitement weren’t writing as
requested.
Clear instructions were given and Mrs M was prepared to revisit
the handout sheet when children became a little confused.” (AT
Edwina Mills).
The additional PowerPoint pictures were great in keeping the
children on track as well as helping those who were lesson
confident to have a say.
Students achieved the achievement objective in both their
discussions and the work completed on the worksheet.
“Children were focussed and worked hard at identifying the
different ingredients for each bar.
When all the tasting was completed Mrs M brought the children to
the mat, ingredients were discussed and each muesli bar was
introduced.
The ingredients in the bar that children were not familiar with
were, was shared on a PowerPoint and good general discussion
was held.” (AT Edwina Mills).

The worksheet was easy to understand and linked to the WALT.

However, in reflection, I feel a couple of minor changes could be
added to improve a few steps.

A) Labelling the mystery packages 1, 2 and 3 so all children

sampled the same muesli bar at the same time. This would
aid the students when we had to name the muesli bar.
B) Have the students write the name of the individual tastes
rather than having to put in a tick. This is cognitively easier
for them and would help the more challenged students.
Next possible Teacher Students
teaching steps I would continue with the following lessons linked to our
theme. Each of the two lessons would move further into the  Lesson 2: Technological Practice – outcome,
technology strands below: development and evaluation)
Lesson plans are Students have understood the materials used from this
required for  Lesson 2: students will be asked to create their own lesson thus should be able to design their own muesli
subsequent unique muesli bar using the ingredients discovered bar calling on their memories during the in class tasting
lessons in Lesson 1. as well as personal experiences.
As a pre-activity time should be spent discussing the Success Criteria: Students can use prior knowledge
effects of different ingredients and those who suffer and/or personal experience to invent their own muesli
from allergies. bar.
(Strand: Technological Practice – outcome,
development and evaluation)  Lesson 3: Technological knowledge – modelling
Moving into modelling, the students are to design new
 Lesson 3: discuss muesli bar packaging. Draw packaging that is environmentally and economically
attention to the number and kinds of packaging improved students will have the possibility to create
found with muesli bars. Student are then to design their own packaging. Starting from the initial designs
new kinds of packaging and materials to be used in developing their own
(Strand: Technological knowledge – modelling) prototype to be tested.
Success Criteria: Students can describe some different
materials that can be used for packaging. Students will
be able test design ideas using functional models.