IN SCHOOL
ACTIVITY #2: MAKING HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES
OVERVIEW
Students will explore the components of healthy eating by creating a model of the food
groups referenced in the Choose My Plate materials from the USDA. Using their models,
students will analyze how to make healthy choices incorporating examples of foods within
each group and creating tips to encourage healthy choices. Using RAD Land movie
segments, students will evaluate healthy snacks.
TARGET AUDIENCE
Grades 3–5
ACTIVITY DURATION
30–45 minutes
OBJECTIVES
Students will:
• Identify and describe the components of the five food groups
• Explain why it is important to include grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy, and protein in their diets
• Summarize why it is important to limit sugars, saturated fat, and sodium in their diets
• Create a list of healthy food choice tips
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NATIONAL STANDARDS
Science (Next
Generation Science
Standards)
LS1.C. Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms. Food provides animals
with the materials they need for body repair and growth and the energy the need to
maintain body warmth and for motion.
English and Language
Arts (Common Core
Standards)
CCSS ELA-Literacy RI.5.7. Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the
ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently.
National Health
Education Standards
Standard 7: Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors
and avoid or reduce health risks.
• 7.51 Identify responsible personal health behaviors
• 7.5.2 Demonstrate a variety of healthy practices and behaviors to maintain or improve
personal health
• 7.5.3 Demonstrate a variety of behaviors to avoid or reduce health risks
Standard 8: Students will demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family, and community
health.
• 8.5.1 Express opinions and give accurate information about health issues
• 8.5.2 Encourage others to make positive health choices
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MATERIALS
USDA website: Choose My Plate
RAD Lands Videos:
• Episode 3: “Big: Snack Challenge” (4:38-7:38)
• Episode 5: “Lazy Day: Snack Challenge” (19:03-21:40)
Markers, colored pencils, crayons
Chart paper or large paper
Speakers
VOCABULARY
Food groups
PROCEDURE
Teacher Note: Each RAD Lands video is approximately 22 minutes in length. It is recommended that
students view all of the videos in their entirety prior to engaging in the activities.
Engage
1. Ask students, “What is your favorite snack?” Have several students share their
responses with the class.
2. T
ell students they are going to watch a video called “Snack Challenge.” Ask them to
observe the different kinds of foods the kids use to create their snack.
3. S
how video segment “Snack Challenge” from Episode 3: “Big,” (4:38-7:38).
4. Ask students, “What did you notice about the foods the kids used to create their snacks?
What kinds of foods did they use?”
5. E
xplain to students that today they are going to learn about food groups and the
importance of making healthy food choices from a variety of food groups.
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Explore
1. Explain that each kind of food we eat fits into different food groups. Ask students if
they can name any of the food groups; record students’ correct responses.
2. T
ell students they will be creating a model of the five food groups. Explain to students that models can
be smaller replicas of a concept and they can also be visual pictures or diagrams.
3. D
istribute paper and coloring materials (e.g., markers, crayons, or colored pencils). Instruct students
to draw a large circle on the paper to represent a plate. Demonstrate how to divide the circle into four
unequal sections. Finally, have students draw a smaller circle at the top right of the large circle.
4. U
sing the ChooseMyPlate materials from the USDA, play the Five Food Group Song (2.5 min).
5. A
sk students, “Can you name the 5 food groups? Let’s find out!” Ask students to name the food
groups. Label the demonstration plate and have students label their plates, writing large enough to
see, but leaving plenty of room for other information. Repeat naming until all five food groups have
been given.
Explain
1. Selecting one food group at a time, students will identify examples of foods included in each group.
Have students draw examples on their model plates and color them in.
2. A
sk students to imagine they have created a healthy snack using their plate as a model.
Ask the following questions:
• Based on the plate you just created, about how much of your snack should be fruits and vegetables?
(Student responses should be about ½ or 50%).
• Based on the plate you just created, about how much of your snack should be protein
and grain? (Student responses should be about ½ or 50%).
• Why are the sections for sugars and fats smaller than the other sections?
•W
hat other observations, not inferences or opinions, can you make about the food groups model? Students
may conclude that sugars and fats should be used in moderation, that whole/real foods are part of a
healthy diet, and that many different meals can be made by combining different food groups. Answers will
vary; clarify misconceptions as needed.
3. E
xplain that portion size is not shown on the “ChooseMyPlate” picture because portion size depends on
your age, health, body type, and height. For example, a two year old would not eat the same amount of
vegetables or fruits as someone who is 30 years old. However, 50% of what both of them eats each day
should be vegetables or fruits. If needed, a further example:
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4. A
sk students, “Fruits and vegetables are very good for us. So, wouldn’t it be healthy to eat only fruits
and vegetables?” Engage students in a discussion about the importance of eating a variety of foods
each day to ensure that their bodies get all the nutrients it needs in order to stay healthy and strong.
5. R
eview with students that “ChooseMyPlate” guides them towards making healthy choices about the
foods they eat. Ask students to describe why they might need to make healthy choices, or how will
healthy food choices will benefit their health. Responses should include:
• Help control weight
• Provides the energy needed to do things they like to do
• Provide the nutrients they need to grow and develop
• Reduce the risk of diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes
Elaborate
1. Tell students they are going to take part in a Snack Challenge. Show students the
video segment “Snack Challenge” from Episode 5: “Lazy Day” (19:03-21:40).
2. A
fter the segment, ask students to identify some of the different food groups the kids
used in their snacks.
3. C
hallenge students to create their own healthy open-faced sandwiches using foods
from a variety of food groups. Students should draw and label their sandwiches on a
separate sheet of paper from their model plates. Encourage students to consult their
model plates for guidelines and food suggestions.
4. A
sk volunteers to share their sandwich recipes with their classmates. If possible, display students’
sandwiches and model plates.
Optional Extension
1. For older grade levels, students watch Episode 3: “Big” and Episode 5: “Lazy Day.”
After viewing the videos, ask students to do the following:
• Propose ways farming will need to change in order to support the populations
in the next generation.
• Investigate how taste impacts the foods that we eat and formulate a theory about the relationship
between taste and the food choices.
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