Chef Dave
12-02-2007, 09:14 AM
Objective: To familiarize students with how fresh eggs are packaged and transported from the farm to their dinner table.
Context: Students may benefit from knowing that until a hundred years ago, most people in this country were farmers. Advances in farming technology have made it possible for one person to do more work and only 2 people out of every 100 are now farmers. Advances in food storage (refrigeration), transportation (train, plane, truck, ship), and distribution (wholesale distribution suppliers which stock food and distribute products to restaurants and supermarkets) has also made it possible for eggs to reach the family kitchen while still fresh.
Eggs are not the only food that are produced by farms and transported to your kitchen. Ask the students what other types of foods are produced and transported i.e. meat, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, and grains.
Materials needed:
* carton of milk
* package of cookies
* can of vegetables
* box of cereal
* package of raw meat
* bowl of shell eggs
* carton of eggs - foam casing
* carton of eggs - cardboard casing
* flat of eggs
* ziplock bags, one for each egg
* pieces of cardboard
* pieces of styrofoam, sheets
* pieces of sytrofoam, popcorn
* clean rags
* rolls of toilet paper
* rolls of paper towels
* glue and tape
* scissors
1) Compare and contrast the packaging used for cookies, vegetables, meat, milk, and cereal. (Keep all eggs out of sight). Are they the same? Are they different? Why are they different? Which items are fresh? Why do certain types of food need certain types of packaging? Why do certain types of food also need to be refrigerated? What might happen if certain foods were not properly packaged or refrigerated?
2) Show the students the bowl of eggs. Discuss: What do farmers do with eggs before they are sent to market? Why can't we transport eggs like this, in a bowl? What would happen if the eggs weren't refrigerated?
3) Place each egg in a zip lock bag to avoid messes in the (likely) event that the eggs are broken. Divide the students into small groups. Give each group one egg in a zip lock bag.
4) Tell each group that they must create a way to help farmers package their eggs so that the eggs don't break during shipping. Show students the supplies they may use to create and package their eggs:cardboard, styrofoam, rags, toilet paper, paper towels, glue, tape, and scissors.
The packages will have to be strong enough to prevent breakage from handling during transportation.
Allow the students time to discuss their plans and create their storage units. (All eggs must remain inside their ziplock bags).
5) Have each group present their packaging idea to the class. Have them explain their design and why their package will help safeguard the egg.
6) Test the packages. Collect all egg packages. Sit before a desk. Lift the package one foot above the desk. Release the package and let it drop to the surface of the desk. Have a representative from each group open the package and remove the zip lock bag to see if the egg survived the rough handling.
7) Discuss: Which egg packages worked? Which didn't? How were the ones that worked different from the ones that didn't?
8) Show the class the cartons of eggs. Examine the packaging. Compare/contrast the packaging with student packages. Discuss how machines are used to make these packaging units. Also show the students the flat of eggs. Explain how the flats are stacked, one on top of another in a sturdy cardboard box. (Individual cartons are also stacked inside cardboard boxes and like the flats, are removed from the boxes at the supermarket). Discuss how eggs are also transported in refrigerated train cars or trucks.
Context: Students may benefit from knowing that until a hundred years ago, most people in this country were farmers. Advances in farming technology have made it possible for one person to do more work and only 2 people out of every 100 are now farmers. Advances in food storage (refrigeration), transportation (train, plane, truck, ship), and distribution (wholesale distribution suppliers which stock food and distribute products to restaurants and supermarkets) has also made it possible for eggs to reach the family kitchen while still fresh.
Eggs are not the only food that are produced by farms and transported to your kitchen. Ask the students what other types of foods are produced and transported i.e. meat, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, and grains.
Materials needed:
* carton of milk
* package of cookies
* can of vegetables
* box of cereal
* package of raw meat
* bowl of shell eggs
* carton of eggs - foam casing
* carton of eggs - cardboard casing
* flat of eggs
* ziplock bags, one for each egg
* pieces of cardboard
* pieces of styrofoam, sheets
* pieces of sytrofoam, popcorn
* clean rags
* rolls of toilet paper
* rolls of paper towels
* glue and tape
* scissors
1) Compare and contrast the packaging used for cookies, vegetables, meat, milk, and cereal. (Keep all eggs out of sight). Are they the same? Are they different? Why are they different? Which items are fresh? Why do certain types of food need certain types of packaging? Why do certain types of food also need to be refrigerated? What might happen if certain foods were not properly packaged or refrigerated?
2) Show the students the bowl of eggs. Discuss: What do farmers do with eggs before they are sent to market? Why can't we transport eggs like this, in a bowl? What would happen if the eggs weren't refrigerated?
3) Place each egg in a zip lock bag to avoid messes in the (likely) event that the eggs are broken. Divide the students into small groups. Give each group one egg in a zip lock bag.
4) Tell each group that they must create a way to help farmers package their eggs so that the eggs don't break during shipping. Show students the supplies they may use to create and package their eggs:cardboard, styrofoam, rags, toilet paper, paper towels, glue, tape, and scissors.
The packages will have to be strong enough to prevent breakage from handling during transportation.
Allow the students time to discuss their plans and create their storage units. (All eggs must remain inside their ziplock bags).
5) Have each group present their packaging idea to the class. Have them explain their design and why their package will help safeguard the egg.
6) Test the packages. Collect all egg packages. Sit before a desk. Lift the package one foot above the desk. Release the package and let it drop to the surface of the desk. Have a representative from each group open the package and remove the zip lock bag to see if the egg survived the rough handling.
7) Discuss: Which egg packages worked? Which didn't? How were the ones that worked different from the ones that didn't?
8) Show the class the cartons of eggs. Examine the packaging. Compare/contrast the packaging with student packages. Discuss how machines are used to make these packaging units. Also show the students the flat of eggs. Explain how the flats are stacked, one on top of another in a sturdy cardboard box. (Individual cartons are also stacked inside cardboard boxes and like the flats, are removed from the boxes at the supermarket). Discuss how eggs are also transported in refrigerated train cars or trucks.