Fast food is so familiar to young people and is one thing that can provide a real-world example of where design really matters. Helping students understand the science behind the industry, then turning this into an activity for a specific purpose will keep their interest high and should produce some quality results and good understanding. This D&T lesson should be taught in conjunction with a science activity looking at suitable materials for keeping fast food close to its original temperature. Students can consider fast food packaging they are already familiar with, and predict and test which will work best keeping certain foods (eg potatoes) hot or cold.

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