Design and technology at key stages 1 and 2    (Year 3)

• Discuss the contribution of sandwiches to a healthy diet. Introduce the 'balanced plate' model of food groups. Ask the children to identify different foods in the groups. Encourage them to look at their own diets.

• Ask the children to evaluate a range of bought sandwiches, recording opinions on appearance, smell, taste and texture. Record this information on a database to find the most popular choice.

• Give the children a selection of breads that can be used for sandwiches to taste eg rye bread - Danish open sandwiches; pitta bread - filled kebab; flat bread - filled naan; bread rolls; French stick; sliced and unsliced loaves. Ask them to identify each one and explain what it can be used for.

• Ask children to consider how the sandwiches are packed and stored in a shop until use. Which materials are used and why? Where are sandwiches kept? What happens to sandwiches that are packed badly?

• Discuss the importance of preparing a food area, wearing aprons, and personal hygiene. Discuss why some foods are high risk and should be kept in a fridge.

• Demonstrate or explore different ways of making sandwiches eg toasted sandwiches, double-decker sandwiches, open sandwiches, club sandwiches, filled pitta, filled fajitas, 'doorstep'/chunky filled sandwiches. Discuss how different effects can be achieved and who would eat these sandwiches.

• Show the children how to prepare and/or cook simple sandwich components eg hard-boil an egg, make tuna mayonnaise, grill bacon rashers, make cheese on toast.

• Use different spreads eg butter, margarine, mayonnaise on the bread to carry out a discrimination test to see if children can identify each spread.

• Discuss the function of each ingredient in the sandwich eg bread - to hold filling, spread - to bind together and moisten.

• Show the children how to use a knife for slicing and cutting eg keeping fingers well back and cutting away from self, using a fork to hold a tomato still while cutting through the prongs and a grater. Ask them to practise using them correctly and safely.

• Discuss how food ingredients change when different preparation techniques are used or heat/cold is applied.

• Ask the children to record what they have eaten over three days. Use time and plate wallcharts to show different times of meals. Discuss ways of improving our diet.

• Discuss with the children the purpose of the sandwich and provide help to develop the criteria for their designs.

• Explain clearly that when designing children have a choice of:
  - bread
  - spread
  - filling ingredients and finishing
  - shape/appearance of the finished product
  

• Discuss how each product contributes to a healthy diet. Encourage the children to try these combinations as prototypes before committing them to their final design.

• Explain that children will need to develop a clear sequence for making the sandwich, emphasising that the quality of the finished product can be ensured through accurate use of tools and careful presentation. A small group may set up a production line simulation, with each child doing one process such as cutting bread, spreading, filling, finishing. What will you need? Where will you work? Who will do what? How much time do you have? Are there different ways of making it? Which would give the best results?

• Evaluate their product and each other's against the original design criteria. How well does this work? How can you improve it? What do you need to change?