5th Grade Problem Based Learning Food Truck Lesson Plan Example

Topic: Food Trucks

Objectives & Outcomes

• Students will be able to create a food truck, including menu, food pricing, and advertising.
• Students will be able to calculate the order costs for their menu items and give appropriate change to customers.

Materials

• Drawing paper
• Pencils
• Calculator
• Ruler
• Food truck template: https://www.teachingkidsbusiness.com/food-truck-project-templates/
• Writing utensils

Warm-Up

• Have students sit in a circle. Hand out a few pieces of paper and a pencil to each student. Ask the students to draw a picture of a food truck. When they are finished, have them share their drawings with the class.

Direct Instruction

• Introduce the concept of a food truck and the purpose of a food truck. Explain that a food truck is a mobile business that sells food to customers on the go.
• Discuss the importance of creating a menu for the food truck. Emphasize the importance of considering customer preferences, pricing, and competition.
• Show the students some examples of food trucks and their menus.
• Discuss the importance of advertising for a food truck. Emphasize the importance of using various media, such as social media, print media, and word of mouth, to reach as many potential customers as possible.

Guided Practice

• Divide the class into small groups.
• Give each group a set of ingredients and a set of instructions for creating a dish on their food truck's menu.
• Have the groups work together to create a name for their food truck and a menu that includes the dish they created along with other items.
• Have the groups present their food trucks and menus to the class.
• Ask the class for feedback on the menus.

Independent Practice

• Have the students work individually or in small groups to create their own food trucks.
• Have them create a name for their food truck and a menu that includes at least three different dishes.
• Have them create price tags for their dishes and calculate the total cost of their menus.
• Have the students create advertisements for their food trucks, either through posters or social media.
• Have the students sell their food trucks' dishes to the rest of the class, calculating change and giving appropriate receipts.

Closure

• Have each group present their food truck and menu to the rest of the class.
• Ask the students to evaluate their peers' food trucks, giving feedback on their names, menus, and advertisements.
• Discuss as a class the challenges that the students faced during the project, including creating their food trucks and pricing their dishes.

Assessment

• Observe the students as they work through the guided practice and independent practice activities.
• Have the students complete a formal evaluation form for their group members, evaluating their skills in creating a food truck and pricing their dishes.
• Have the students complete a written reflection on their experience with the project, including any challenges they faced and what they learned.