Food Trucks ESL Resource for Elementary Students

 This resource is included in the Transportation unit for Elementary ESL at this link: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Transportation-Unit-for-Elementary-ESL-4049752

Bring meaningful language practice into your classroom with this engaging Food Trucks ESL resource designed for young English learners. Through hands-on activities, games, puzzles, and role-play, students explore food vocabulary while naturally practicing essential grammar structures in a fun and interactive way.

These flashcards introduce the different food trucks and the foods they sell in a clear way. They can be used to present new vocabulary, and review previously learned words.

Activity 1. Put flashcards on the walls. Students pretend to “drive” to a food truck.

Teacher says: “Drive to the ice cream truck!”

Students move and stand next to the correct flashcard.

Teacher: What does the food truck sell?

Students: ice cream!

Variation: Student leaders give directions.

Activity 2. Food Truck miming- kinesthetic learning- Say a food truck and students pretend to eat that food, real or imaginary next to that flashcard.

Ice cream truck → pretend to lick ice cream, Pizza truck → pretend to eat pizza, Taco truck → pretend to hold taco, Fast food truck → pretend to eat hamburger

Activity 3. Food Truck Driver and Customer Role Play. Skills practiced: speaking, real-life language, transportation awareness

Place the flashcards around the classroom as different “food trucks.”  One student is the food truck owner: Hi, this is my pizza truck.

Another student is the customer: “Hello! I want pizza, please.”

Truck owner responds: “Here you are.” / “Thank you.” (using the cutouts available)

Activity 4. Food Truck Route prepositions Game (Map integration). Make a simple road on board. Students move trucks flashcards and say: The donuts truck is between the ice cream food truck and the fast food truck.

Activity 5. Class Food Truck Festival.  Several students sit with flashcards in hand.

Other students walk around asking: “What do you sell?”

Student answers: “I sell donuts.”

Activity 6. People work at the food trucks. Place the food truck flashcards on the board. Give students the worker flashcards. Students come to the board and place each worker next to the correct food truck. Then, they say a sentence, for example: “The baker works in the bakery food truck.” or “The chef works in the pizza food truck.”

This activity helps students make connections between jobs and places.

The small cards provide a hands-on way for students to practice food truck vocabulary through interactive activities.

Activity 1. WRITE Food Truck Sells. Student chooses a flashcard and writes what it sells: This food truck sells ramen.

Activity 2. My Favorite Food Truck Writing to make personal writing connection. Students choose one small card and write:   My favorite food truck is the ice cream food truck.
I like ice cream.

Activity 3. Speaking Circle Game. Students sit in circle of 8 with cards. Student says: I have the taco food truck.

Next student: I have the ramen food truck.

Continue around circle.

Activity 4. Description Writing Challenge.

Students write: The pizza food truck sells pizza. It is red and yellow.

Activity 5. Food Truck Parking Lot (Prepositions integration)

Students use the small food truck cards with an opened paper clip attached to the back so each card can stand up on the table like a real food truck in a plaza. Place the cards around the table to create a “food truck plaza.” Students take turns pointing to a truck and saying sentences using prepositions, such as: “The pizza food truck is next to the taco food truck,”.

These worksheets help develop reading, writing, and grammar skills while supporting independent learning and building confidence in using English.

Worksheet 1. Color and write the food trucks word. Color each food truck according to the teacher’s instructions. Then, write the correct name under each food truck. Finally, show your worksheet and say sentences, for example: “This is the pizza food truck.”

Worksheet 2. My food truck. Create your own food truck. Color and decorate it. Then, write sentences about your food truck.

Example: My food truck is a smoothie truck. It sells fruit smoothies. It is purple and pink. I like smoothies.

After creating and coloring their own food truck, students design a menu for their truck. They write the names of the foods they sell and decorate the menu with colors and drawings. Students can present their food truck and read their menu to the class.

Worksheet 3.  Practice important question and answer structures related to food trucks. Students read each question carefully and write complete answers using correct grammar. They practice Yes/No questions, questions with does, and can questions.

Worksheet set 4. First, students carefully read the instructions and color each food truck according to the correct color. After completing the coloring worksheet, students use it to answer questions about the food trucks.

Worksheet 5. Cut, Paste, and Write Activity. In this activity, students cut out the worker flashcards and paste each worker next to the correct food truck. After matching the workers and food trucks, students write sentences that describe each worker and their food truck.

Worksheet 6. Questionnaire Worksheet: Food Truck Survey. Students conduct a class survey by asking their classmates: “What is your favorite food truck?”

Students walk around the classroom and ask different classmates the question. They listen carefully and write one answer on each line.

Follow-Up Activity: Class Graph of Results

After completing the survey, I guide the class in creating a graph on the board using the collected results. Each student reports their answers, and together we count how many students chose each food truck.

Students help place marks, stickers, or draw bars on the graph to represent the results. Then we read and discuss the graph using complete sentences, such as: Five students like the pizza food truck.

Worksheet 7.  Food Truck Menu Writing Activity. Students observe each food truck and write the foods and drinks that it sells.

After completing the worksheet, students can share their ideas with the class using sentences such as:  The taco food truck sells burritos.

These games promote interaction, build confidence, and help reinforce learning through play.

Game 1. Food Truck Order Game (Role-Play Cards)

Students practice real-life communication by role-playing as food truck workers and customers using the printable role-play cards. One student wears the worker badge and stands behind the matching food truck card, while another student uses a customer card to order food.

 The customer reads their card using target sentences such as “I want a hamburger.” or “Can I have ice cream, please?” The worker listens and responds with functional language like “Here you are.” or “Yes, of course” , using the cutouts available in the resource. Students then switch roles to practice both speaking and listening.

 

Game 2. Where is the Food Truck? (Prepositions Game)

Students build their own interactive food truck plaza using the foldable food truck markers and the printable plaza board.

Each student places their food truck on the plaza. One student reads a movement card aloud, for example: “Place your truck next to the ice cream truck”

The student with that truck listens, understands the instruction, and moves their marker to the correct position.

 
Game 3. Board game. Food Truck Board Game Activity

In this interactive board game, students place their foldable food truck markers on one of the two paths shown on the board. Each path is followed by the arrows.

Students take turns rolling the dice and moving their markers along the path. When a student lands on a colored token, they pick up the corresponding question card.

Game 4. Puzzles

Students work together to build food truck puzzles by matching the food truck, the food, the worker, and the label. As they assemble each puzzle, students read the words and identify what each food truck sells.

Find practical strategies to make teaching easier and more effective. You’ll love visiting my other blog for younger learners.

https://eflpreschoolteachers.blogspot.com/