Curriculum Links 

• KS2/3 Art & Design: Old and new styles in commercial design 
• KS2/3 Design & Technology: Product and packaging design 
• KS2/3 Design & Technology: Food and Nutrition 
• KS2 PSHE: Responsibilities 
• KS2 Science: Uses of everyday materials 

Learning Objectives 

• Knowledge of different examples of past and present packaging designs 
• Understanding of how packaging design can be influenced by various factors 
• Skills of identifying different elements of product and packaging design, such as font and 'look and feel' 

Discussion Ideas 

• What do you think makes good packaging design? 
• How important is the design of something in increasing sales of the product? 
• How can supermarkets help people to live healthier lifestyles? How could they reduce the environmental impact of their products?
  • Do you think they are doing enough?
• Can you tell by looking at packaging which audience that product is aimed at, and if so - how? 

PSHE Discussion Ideas 

Should we have to pay for bags which give free advertising to large companies? 
Does paying for bags really have an impact on the environment? 
Who should be responsible for environmental issues – the supplier or the consumer? 
If plastic bags are a starting point for customers taking responsibility for the environment, where else can we make a difference?  

Activity Ideas 

Who benefits? 

• Cut out the images of packaging from the timeline then sort them into three sections: 
  • changes which benefit M&S (profit, attract more customers) 
  • changes which benefit the customer 
  • changes which benefit the environment 
• Produce a Venn diagram to show how some changes overlap. 

Recycling: 

• Use the resources as a starting point to look at how pupils, or the whole school, can encourage recycling such as: 
  •  produce a persuasive TV/Radio advert to encourage recycling 
  • work with local agencies to find out what needs doing in the area 
  • design a recycling logo for school 
  • make posters for the school dining room about how to reduce waste/packaging. 

• Look at the packaging examples in the timeline and record all the different fonts that have been used by M&S.
  • Then invent a new font for your own supermarket - see how different you can make it from the M&S fonts. 

Bag design: 

• Choose a decade between 1890 and 2010 and design a carrier bag that reflects the style of that time. 
  Design for different audiences: 
• Design packaging for a food product, or an item of clothing, that is aimed at a particular age range.
  • Think about what colours, shapes, fonts, and words might be more attractive to that group of people 

Science: 

• Research the best packaging for specific foods and carry out an investigation into how to keep food fresh for longer.
  • You could investigate what causes bacteria and moulds to grow,
  • How could packaging prevent this?
  • What other factors cause food to expire?