By
Ronda Meives
Lisa Ritter
Shannon Seider
Melissa Vorwald
Shannon Seider
Ronda Meives
Melissa Vorwald
Lisa Ritter
Eat Good to Feel Good!
This thematic unit focuses on the education of students concerning nutrition at the
elementary level. The unit introduces the food pyramid, healthy food choices versus
unhealthy food choices, working with the internet as a resource to learn about nutrition,
and elementary mathematics using nutrition. Included in this thematic unit are lessons
which incorporate various learning strategies and multiple intelligences. The lessons use
learning strategies that are both direct and indirect. Each lesson involves the entire
student through a presentation that is visual, kinesthetic, and auditory, among other
intelligences. The standards, as determined by the ESL standards for Pre K – 12 students,
create an important base upon which each lesson are built.
This thematic unit focuses on nutrition and the various aspects that are included in
the larger scope of nutrition. The unit is comprised of thirteen lessons with several
objectives that are to be addressed by the completion of the unit. Students will
demonstrate an understanding of the basic food groups. Students will be able to identify,
describe, and discuss various foods with other classmates. Upon recognition of various
foods, the students will be able to classify foods by their specific food groups. They will
be expected to also know the food pyramid and how each food can be placed into one
group or another.
The students will also be taught nutrition so that they are able to determine what
foods are healthy for the diet and what foods are to be limited. This will tie directly to the
food pyramid and will also relate to each student personally. The unit also incorporates
fun and singing into some of the lessons. The students will practice vowel sounds by
singing a song that deals with the importance of a balanced diet and will make a snack to
conclude the lesson.
Each student will also be expected to work with some mathematics at a lower
level, mathematics that will involve various nutritional aspects. The students will be
working with graphing and subtraction using hands-on activities, group work, and
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through class discussions. The students will also relate nutritional topics to mathematical
concepts. The relation of these topics will create a link between materials that may seem
unfamiliar to the real world.
This thematic unit consists of various songs, books, and hands-on lessons and will
teach the students to be more aware of nutrition in their lives. The teachers will focus on
the importance of eating healthily in today’s world. Providing students with the
knowledge of a healthy lifestyle at an early age is becoming increasingly more important
and this unit provides teachers with a fun and creative way to educate students.
Throughout this unit, numerous standards, intelligences, and strategies are highlighted so
teachers are aware of how each lesson is benefiting their students. Each lesson presented
in this thematic unit may be extended for further learning. There are resources mentioned
for further reference and also a bibliography located at the end of the unit for reference.
The thematic unit details numerous ways to implement the lesson in a fashion that
is geared towards English for second language learners. The lessons can be clearly taught
and involve a large amount of visual learning. The lessons also provide the students with
a large amount of peer interaction and learning. This will help create a more comfortable
atmosphere within the classroom, putting students at greater ease. Many different
teaching and learning strategies will be introduced to help each student receive the most
beneficial education possible concerning nutrition at an elementary level.
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Lesson #1
Food Groups Class Book
Objective:
To introduce the food pyramid and the six food groups.
To begin to recognize foods by their food group.
To classify foods by their food group.
To work cooperatively to create a book that will be a resource for the entire class.
Materials:
Book "The Edible Pyramid", chalk and chalkboard, magazines with pictures of food,
scissors, glue, markers, plain paper, construction paper for pages of book
Procedure:
1. Read “The Edible Pyramid”. As you read ask students for names of food that would
fit into each food group and why. Discuss what foods are considered health versus
unhealthy. Discuss serving size and the difference between how much they give you in a
restaurant and how much is a healthy portion.
2. Have a student come to the board and draw a large triangle (this will become the food
pyramid). Have students think about what they just read in the book and help come up
with categories for the pyramid with your guidance. Have the students turn to their
neighbor and think of one food that might fit into each food group. Choose a few
students to volunteer the foods they came up with and draw them on the food pyramid.
Point out to the students (if they haven’t figured it out yet) that the bottom of the pyramid
is larger and that means you need more of that kind of food than the foods at the top of
the pyramid.
3. Assign students to six cooperative groups. Show the students an example of a food
group book and assign a different food group to each cooperative group. Explain while
you are modeling how to choose pictures for the book. Each group needs to look through
the magazines you have provided for them for pictures of food and specifically food that
would fit in their assigned food group. If they find a suitable picture they need to decide
as a group if that food fits in their group. Students can also draw examples of foods that
they enjoy at home and discuss why it would fit into their food group (for example: a
popular Indian dish called Aloo Gohbi- cauliflower and potatoes in curry, is a good fit for
the vegetable food group and an average US magazine probably won't have a picture of
it). Groups need to find a least 5-9 pictures. They need to label the foods with their
name. Students need to present their foods to you and discuss briefly why they chose
them. Then have them glue their pictures and labels to the construction paper.
4. After everyone has finished, have the students present their page quickly to the class.
Let the students know again that the pages will be put in book form soon for the class
library and that they can use it for a reference.
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ESL Standards:
Goal 1, Standard 1-Sharing and requesting information
Goal 2, Standards 1, 2, & 3- Participating in group discussion, representing information
visually, recognizing the need for and seeking assistance appropriately from others
Learning Strategies:
Compensation (direct), Cognitive (direct), Memory (direct), Social (indirect)
Multiple Intelligences:
Logical-Mathematical, Interpersonal, Linguistical
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Healthy Food vs. Junk Food and Food Choices
Objective:
To introduce the differences between healthy foods and junk foods.
To understand the need for healthy food choices.
To classify foods by food groups and to place those foods on the food pyramid.
Materials: Book "Berenstein Bears and Too Much Junk Food", large outline of an
empty food pyramid on butcher paper, note cards, markers or pencils, tape, chalk board
and chalk, healthy snack like slices of fruits and vegetables
Procedure:
1. Review the food pyramid using the class book the students created. Have a poster or
internet site available to display the food pyramid.
2. Review how the pyramid works and the need for a balanced diet. Discuss how the
body is a machine that needs special fuel, much like a car needs gas. Find out if the
students know about vitamins, minerals, calcium, fats, proteins, and carbohydrates and
what part of the food pyramid you could find them on.
3. Brainstorm and come up with several healthy foods and several junk foods. List the
foods on the chalkboard.
4. Read the story "The Berenstein Bears and Too Much Junk Food”. Discuss the story.
Ask questions about the characters' food choices. Add the foods from the story into the
chart.
5. Pass out the note cards. Everyone gets 2 cards (students can have more if they need
them). Students can draw a picture or copy the food name from the board or think of
food items themselves onto the card. When they are done, they can come up to the empty
food pyramid and tape their cards to the appropriate groups.
6. Discuss the different food choices, what seems to be popular and if that food is a
health or junk food, if there is a lot of junk food what kind of foods would be a better
choice, etc.
7. As a reward for their hard work and to reinforce what a good food choice is students
can partake in the snack!
ESL Standards:
Goal 1, Standards 1,2, and 3- Sharing and requesting information, sharing personal ideas,
using context to construct meaning
Goal 2, Standards 1, 2, and 3-Following oral directions, comparing and contrasting
information, using context to construct meaning
Goal 3, Standard 2- Using acceptable tone, volume, stress, and intonation in various
social settings
Learning Strategies:
Memory (direct), Cognitive (direct), Compensation (direct)
Multiple Intelligences:
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Linguistic, Logical-Mathematical, Bodily-Kinesthetic
Food Drive Activity
Objective: To demonstrate understanding of the food groups by categorizing foods.
Materials: Grocery sacks, canned goods and non-perishable food items
Procedure:
1. Students' parents were notified a few weeks ahead of time to send one or two food
items with their child to school on this day for our activity and eventual donation of the
food to the local food pantry.
2. Sacks are labeled: fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, meats, other. Students work in
small groups to decide which sack their items go in.
3. Discuss what a "well-balanced" sack might contain and create one or two sacks
together.
4. Discuss where the food is going after this lesson. Talk about how the food pantry
helps the community and what a great help the students and their parents have been!
ESL Standards:
Goal 1, Standards 1 and 2- Engaging in conversation, participating in a favorite activity
Goal 2, Standard 1-negotiating and managing interactions to accomplish tasks
Learning Strategies:
Memory (direct), cognitive (direct), Social (indirect)
Multiple Intelligences:
Linguistic, Interpersonal, Logical-Mathematical, Bodily-Kinesthetic
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Lesson # 3
Apples Galore!
Objectives:
1. To teach adjectives concerning characteristics of apples.
2. To classify different types of apples through different means, such as taste,
color, size, etc.
3. To introduce graphing as a way to categorize student responses.
4. To introduce different means of graphing such as Venn diagrams or bar
graphs.
Materials:
1. One each of several kinds of apples (Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Granny
Smith, Red Rome, etc.)
2. Utensils to cut the apples into numerous slices.
3. Chalkboard to graph the results.
Procedure:
Gather seven or eight kinds of apples and display them with labels of their names
on a shelf or table in the classroom. This will generate student interest because most
children think that there is only one kind of apple – red.
Selecting one apple at a time, ask the students to describe what the apple looks
like by using adjectives such as red/yellow, big/small, spotted/not. Record the student
responses on either the board or a giant apple cutout on a classroom wall.
Next, cut each apple into small, bite-size pieces and allow each student to taste the
different apples. Then ask the students to describe the flavor and texture such as
sweet/sour, soft/hard, juicy/not. Record the student responses.
Take a vote to see which apple was the students’ favorite. Tally the results and
make a bar graph showing the results. Next, choose two apples and place them in a Venn
diagram and decide how they are alike and different. Maybe the two apples are both sour,
but one is red and one is yellow.
Direct the students to write a paragraph about what they learned during this
activity. They can write about the kind of apple they liked best using the adjectives
generated during the class taste-test.
ESL Standards:
1. Goal 1, Standard 2---Participating in a favorite activity.
2. Goal 1, Standard 3---Practicing new language.
3. Goal 2, Standard 1---Participating in full class, group, and pair discussions.
4. Goal 1, Standard 2---Demonstrating knowledge through application in a variety
of contexts.
Learning Strategies: Memory Strategies, Cognitive Strategies, Affective Strategies
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Multiple Intelligences: Visual, Kinesthetic, Logical
Extensions: Students could do same activity with other fruits, vegetables, various foods.
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Lesson # 4
Friendship Salad
Objectives:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Students will be able to identify the various kinds of fruit in English.
Students will be able to describe the various kinds of fruit in English.
Students will be able to discuss with a group about a particular fruit.
Students will participate in a teambuilding activity which appreciates diversity.
Materials:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Fruit
Helpers to wash and cut up the fruit
Paper
Markers
Forks, bowls, and napkins for enjoying the product!
Procedure:
A letter would be sent home asking parents to send in some type of fruit prior to
the day the Friendship Salad would be made. The parents should know that it can be a
simple fruit like apples or oranges, or something different, like a papaya or a mango. It
would be a good idea to arrange to have a couple of parent helpers to come in to help
with the preparation of the salad.
The day of the Friendship Salad have the students sit in a circle on the floor. The
students will go around and tell what fruit they brought both in English and in their first
language, then they will place the fruit in the middle of the circle.
After everyone has put their fruit in the middle, ask for suggestions for how to
sort the fruits. For example, maybe they will want to put all the apples together or all the
fruits that are orange together, and so on. At this point the various qualities of the fruits
can be discussed. The students can discuss the size, shape, color, taste, and type of fruits
that are in the middle of the floor.
The students will each take one piece of fruit from the middle, not necessarily the
piece they brought, and return to their seat. On a piece of paper, the students will draw,
label, and describe the piece of fruit that they chose. When finished, the students will
pair off and share their description with a partner.
All students will return to the circle with their fruit and drawing. The students
will go around the circle and share their picture and description with the rest of the class.
While the students are sharing, have the parent helpers start to collect the fruits. The
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fruits need to be washed, cut up, and placed into a bowl. You can add whipped cream or
plain yogurt to the fruit salad.
Explain to the students that we started with individual fruits with unique characteristics
and put them all together to make this Friendship Salad. Together, all the fruits make an
even better snack!
Standards:
1. Goal 1, Standard 1---Engaging in conversations
2. Goal 1, Standard 2---Participating in a favorite activity
3. Goal 1, Standard 3---Listening to how others speak English, practicing new
language
4. Goal 2, Standard 1---Following oral directions, participating in full-class and pair
discussions
Learning Strategies: Social Strategies, Memory Strategies, Cognitive Strategies
Multiple Intelligences: Spatial, Interpersonal, Bodily-Kinesthetic
Extensions:
If content and time permits, this lesson could be expanded to include an element of
mathematics. The students could measure how long or tall the fruit is and how much it
weighs, and also include this information in their description of the fruit.
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Lesson # 5
Singing, Reading, and Eating
Objectives:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Students will practice vowel sounds by singing a song.
Students will listen to the teacher read a story and be able to discuss the story.
Students will realize the importance of a balanced diet.
Students will follow directions to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Materials:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
CD—“Toddlers Sing”
Book---Bread and Jam for Frances
Makings for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
Napkins
Peanut butter facts
Procedure:
Begin lesson by playing and singing the song “Apples and Bananas”. Even though the
students have heard it before, it is a good time during the nutrition unit to remind them of
the importance of vowel pronunciation. They can hear that by saying the vowels
differently the word completely changes.
Ask the class the following question: If you had to eat the same food for every meal
every day, what would you want that food to be? Discuss and share answers as an
introduction to the book. Then read the book, Bread and Jam for Frances, by Russell
Hoban. After reading the book, have a discussion about what words were not
understood, what happened in the book, and what lesson we can take from the book.
This book teaches the importance of having a balanced diet.
Tell the students that peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are a very common food to put
in sack lunches. Have a discussion about what foods are common to eat for school lunch
in their countries. Share some interesting peanut butter facts with the students.
Play the song “Peanut Butter and Jelly” one time through so the students can hear how it
goes. Then the second time through have the students sing along and add motions if they
want.
To end the lesson, bring out the makings for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and give
instructions on how to make them. Students can follow the teacher’s directions step by
step to make the sandwich. Students who have never tried one will have the opportunity
to taste a very typical sandwich.
Songs can be found on the cd, “Toddlers Sing”. [email protected]
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Standards:
1. Goal 1, Standard 1---Engaging in conversations
2. Goal 1, Standard 2---Participating in a favorite activity, sharing traditions and
values, participating in popular culture
3. Goal 1, Standard 3---Listening to how others use English, practicing new
language
4. Goal 2, Standard 1---Following oral directions, participating in class discussions
5. Goal 2, Standard 3---Focusing attention selectively
Learning Strategies: Social Strategies, Cognitive Strategies, Compensation Strategies
Multiple Intelligences: Interpersonal, Musical, Bodily-Kinesthetic
Extensions:
Students could demonstrate how to make a favorite food from their culture.
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Lesson # 6
Nutrition and the Internet
Objectives:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Students will have the opportunity to practice using the computer and internet.
Students will learn about the nutritional value of some of their favorite meals.
Students will learn that some fast foods may be more nutritious than others.
Students will be able to share their research results in a class discussion.
Materials:
1. Computers with internet access.
2. Fast Food Facts
Procedure:
Before beginning the lesson, the teacher can lead a discussion about favorite fast food
restaurants, what the students order when they eat there, and how nutritious they think the
food might be. Then the teacher can share some interesting Fast Food Facts with the
students.
Using the web site http://www.olen.com/food/, students will investigate the nutritional
value of a meal of their choice at the fast food restaurant of their choice by using the
Food Finder at this site. First, the students should enter a meal that they would typically
order to find out calorie, fat, cholesterol, and sodium content. Then, the students should
try to find an alternate meal at a fast food restaurant that would be more nutritious.
When all students have finished their searches, a class discussion can be held as to what
may have been the least or most nutritious meals found.
If time permits, the students may play the nutrition games at the following web sites:
http://www.dole5aday.com/
http://www.exhibits.pacsci.org/nutrition/
Standards:
1. Goal 1, Standard 1---Getting personal needs met, engaging in conversations
2. Goal 1, Standard 2---Participating in a favorite activity, participating in popular
culture
3. Goal 1, Standard 3---Practicing new language
4. Goal 2, Standard 1---Following oral and written directions, participating in class
discussions
5. Goal 2, Standard 2---Comparing information, gathering information
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Learning Strategies: Memory Strategies, Cognitive Strategies, Social Strategies
Multiple Intelligences: Bodily-Kinesthetic, Interpersonal
Extensions:
There are many ways the teacher could expand on this lesson.
The teacher could have the students prepare a line graph of favorite restaurants to see the
varied preferences in the class. Students could make graphs depicting the nutritional
value of the foods they researched, etc.
Students could do more research to find out what fast food restaurants may be more
nutritious in general.
Students could come up with a list of fast foods that are more nutritious than others as a
guide of wiser choices that could be made.
Students could do a writing activity with their findings.
Students could present their findings to the class.
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Lesson # 7
Veggies and Numbers
Objectives:
1. Recognize the importance of vegetables in our daily diets.
2. Demonstrate mathematic skills in subtraction working with carrot sticks.
3. Visually recognize a variety of vegetables.
Materials:
1. How Many Veggies? By Phil Vischer
2. Carrot sticks
3. Posters of various vegetables
Procedure:
The teacher will read the picture book How Many Veggies? by Phil Vischer to the
students as an opening activity. After reading the picture book, the teacher will talk to the
students about the importance of vegetables in their daily diet. The teacher will have
posters located in the front of the classroom with different types of vegetables and discuss
with the students each type of vegetable on the posters.
The teacher will pass out plastic bogs with ten carrot sticks in each to all of the
students. The teacher will explain to the students that they are going to work with
subtraction using carrots, which are vegetables. The teacher will read students through
the mathematics lesson using the carrot sticks. The teacher will have the students take
two carrot sticks away and ask for volunteers to answer the problem. Once the teacher
has completed the subtraction lesson, students will eat the carrot sticks. The teacher will
have students raise their hands and name any type of vegetable they can think of while
eating the carrots. The teacher will create a list of vegetables that the students name on
the board.
ESL Standards:
1. Goal 1, Standard 2---Reading about a favorite activity
2. Goal 2, Standard 1---Following oral and written directions, implicit and
explicit.
Learning Strategies: Cognitive Strategies, Psychomotor Strategies, Social Strategies
Multiple Intelligences: Visual, Kinesthetic, Logical
Extensions: This lesson could be easily adapted for an addition lesson, a fraction lesson,
and other mathematical extensions.
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Lesson # 8
Sample Sponge Activities
The “Let’s Begin” is a great way to introduce a new topic or to review topics covered the day
before, lessons before, or even units before. Sample “Let’s Begin” problems for a food unit:
Day One1. What is your favorite food?
2. What are three foods you will not eat?
3. What can you cook?
4. What time do you eat dinner usually?
5. Do you eat breakfast most mornings?
This particular day would be a good way to lead into some discussions about different cultures and
customs.
Day TwoList from your vocabulary, 5 healthy foods and 5 unhealthy foods.
Could also lead into some discussion about nutrition.
Day ThreeCome up with a dinner from your vocabulary words that you would NOT want to eat.
Could lead into some discussions about likes and dislikes.
Day FourTake the food vocabulary from your list and put them into categories. Ex: fruits
Could lead into a discussion about what sort of categories they came up with.
*This is the day the “Empezamos” or “Let’s Begin” page would be collected.*
Day FiveToday a different activity would be used...some examples follow.
Use paper plates and have them draw a meal they would like to eat.
Look at a grocery ad and identify the food.
Give them strips of paper with food vocabulary and have the students
sort them into categories, such as, likes and dislikes, food groups, words
they know/words they need to study, etc.
Etc.
Standards:
Goal 1, Standard 1—Sharing and requesting information, engaging in conversations
Goal 1, Standard 2—Sharing social and cultural traditions
Goal 1, Standard 3—Learning and using language “chunks”
Goal 2, Standard 1—Following oral and written directions, participating in discussions,
expressing likes and dislikes
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Additional Sponge Activities
Rhyming riddles. Invite students to create rhyming riddles about their favorite fruits and
vegetables. For example:
I'm yellow and I'm sweet.
I'm what monkeys like to eat.
I grow in trees.
Serve me with peanut butter, please!
What am I? _______________________________
Language arts. Create a class nutrition book. The book might include students'
favorite healthful snack recipes or students' favorite food-related jokes. (If a carrot and a
cabbage ran a race, which one would win? The cabbage, because it's "a head." What do
you call a tomato that talks back to a farmer? A fresh vegetable!) Or your students might
create a "Fruits and Vegetables of the United States" book; include a page of information
about the fruits and vegetables that are the leading products of each state.
Graphing. Invite students to poll their classmates and to chart the results to a nutritionrelated question. Kids might develop their own questions or choose one of the following:
•
•
•
•
What's your favorite fruit juice -- orange, apple, grape, grapefruit, or cranberry?
Which of these sandwiches do you prefer -- peanut butter and jelly, bologna, ham
and cheese, salami, or turkey?
What's your favorite sandwich bread -- white, wheat, Italian, multi-grain, rye, or
pita?
What's your favorite snack -- potato chips, apple, banana, grapes, orange, candy
bar, carrots, or pudding?
Math -- filling out a table. Invite students to track for five days the number of servings
they eat from each food group.
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Alphabetical order. Write the following list of fruits on a board or chart and invite
students to arrange the list in alphabetical order. (Adjust the list according to your
students' skills.)
raspberry
grapefruit
peach
raisin
kiwifruit
blueberry
apricot
mango
pear
tangerine
orange
apple
strawberry watermelon cherry
grapes
plum
pineapple
banana
cantaloupe lemon
prune
nectarine lime
Language arts -- story writing. Among all students' favorite stories are folk tales that
explain "how the lion got its roar," "how the hyena got its laugh," and other quirks of
animal nature. Invite students to write a story to explain how the raisin got its wrinkles,
how the tomato got its color, how the peach got its fuzz, or another fact about the nature
of fruits or vegetables.
Classifying. Display two sheets of chart paper or divide a section of a blackboard into
sections. Head one sheet or section "Worst Foods for Children." Head the other sheet
"Best Foods for Children." Invite students to add foods to either list. When the lists are
completed, your students might want to see how many items on their lists match the ten
best and worst foods for kids published on the kids' pages of the Center for Science in the
Public Interest's Web site.
Health. Cut a large triangle out of mural paper or cardboard. Divide the triangle into
sections that mirror those on the food pyramid. Then invite students to bring to school
magazines and newspaper circulars that include pictures of foods. Students can cut out
food pictures that fall into one of the six sections of the pyramid and paste them in the
appropriate section. Note: The Internet is another good source of food images. Hundreds
of sites offer clip art that can be printed out. Your students could cut images from those
clip art sources. Here are two good sites: Maryann Sterling's Food Art and The Food
Resource.
Nutrition Quiz
1. This phrase starts with an "F." It is the name of a diagram that lets you know what the
US government recommends that you eat each day. What is it? _______________
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2. This word also starts with an "F." It is the name of a type of food that is good for you.
It grows on trees and other plants and usually contains seeds. Many are sweet. What are
they? _______________
3. This type of food starts with a "V." They grow on plants and are rich in vitamins and
minerals, but are low in calories. What are they? _______________
4. This word starts with a "B." It is the name of a meal that you eat in the morning. It
gives you the energy to start your day. What is it? _______________
5. This food starts with a "B." It is a green vegetable that is very good for you. What is it?
_______________
6. This food starts with a "B." It is a starchy food that you can use to make sandwiches.
What is it? _______________
7. This food starts with a "B." It is a fatty food made from cream. What is it?
_______________
8. This food starts with a "C." It is a sweet food that contains mostly sugar. It is low in
nutrition and is bad for your teeth. What is it? _______________
9.This food starts with a "C." It is a high-protein food that is made from milk. What is it?
_______________
10. This food starts with a "C." It is a vegetable that grows underground and is high in
vitamins that are good for your eyes and skin. What is it? _______________
11. This food starts with a "J." It is made by squeezing the liquid from fruits or
vegetables. What is it? _______________
12. Can you name 4 fruits that start with "P"? _______________ _______________
_______________ _______________
13. This food starts with a "P." It is made from bread dough, tomato sauce and cheese.
What is it? _______________
14. This vegetable starts with a "P." It contains many vitamins and minerals. French fries
are made from it. What is it? _______________
15. This fruit starts with an "O." It is high in vitamin C and other healthy nutrients. What
is it? _______________
16. This food starts with an "N." It is usually made from grains. What is it?
_______________
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17. This food starts with an "N." It is high in protein and usually high in fats. What is it?
_______________
18. This food starts with an "I." It is made from cream and is high in fats and sugar. What
is it? _______________
19. This food starts with an "E." It is high in protein. What is it? _______________
20. This food starts with an "R." It is made by drying grapes. What is it?
_______________
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Lesson # 9
Gregory, The Terrible Eater
Overview:
This is an evaluation project for a Science and/or Health
unit of study on the basic food group, good nutrition, and food sources
of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.
Purpose:
The purpose of this activity is for the students to review
and demonstrate their understanding of the need for balanced meals and
an understanding of the food sources for proteins, carbohydrates, fats,
minerals, and vitamins.
Objectives:
1. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the four basic food groups.
2. Students will construct a balanced menu.
3. Students will use food advertisements to determine the best buys for
their menu selections.
4. Students will present their menu orally to the class and be able to
defend their selections.
5. Students will construct a graph to illustrate the total cost differences
in their menus.
Materials:
1. Newspaper food advertisements
2. Graph paper
3. Children's book Gregory,The Terrible Eater by Mitchell Sharmat
Procedure:
Have students save food ads from local papers for a month prior to this
assignment.
Read the book , Gregory,The Terrible Eater by Mitchell Sharmat. Then discuss
with the class if Gregory had gotten some good advice for his eating habits? Ask the
students if their parents have ever tried this approach to entice them to eat foods that they
dislike?
Review the four food groups and review sources of proteins, carbohydrate, fats,
vitamins and minerals.
Divided the class into groups of three and four students each.
Assign the groups the projects of planning a three meal a day menu for five
days.
Use the newspaper food ads to figure the cost of their menus. Stress that
economy is important.
Each group presents their menu to the class and must be able to defend their
selections.
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Record the total costs of each menu and they have each group construct a bar or
line graph to show the differences in the menu costs.
ESL Standards:
Goal 1: To use English to communicate in social settings.
Goal 1, Standard 1---Students will use English to participate in social interaction.
Standard 2---Students will interact in, through, and with spoken and written
English for personal expression and enjoyment.
Standard 3---Students will use learning strategies to extend their communicative
competence.
Goal 2: To use English to achieve academically in all content areas.
Standard 1---Students will use English to interact in the classroom.
Standard 2---Students will use English to obtain, process, construct, and provide
subject matter information in spoken and written form.
Standard 3---Students will use appropriate learning strategies to construct and
apply academic knowledge.
Multiple Intelligences: Spatial, Linguistic, Interpersonal, Logic
23
Lesson # 10
TITLE: PYRAMID RELAY
OVERVIEW: This lesson familiarizes students with the food pyramid. It will get the
students involved with deciding which food group a particular food item falls into and
why. This lesson can be used to recognize the relationship between personal health
behaviors and individual health behaviors.
PURPOSE: The students will understand the use of the food pyramid.
OBJECTIVES:
1. The students will list the 5 food groups on a sheet of paper.
2. The students will identify and categorize different types of foods into their proper food
groups.
3. Distinguish the difference between the 5 food groups.
4. Identify reasons why a particular food item is healthy.
MATERIALS:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Tape
The Food Pyramid
Envelopes
2 Paper Bags
2 Sets of Index Cards (Each set a different color)
Markers or chalk
PROCEDURE:
1. The teacher will draw the food pyramid on the chalkboard, labeling each space with
the proper food group name and the number of servings needed each day.
2. An envelope will be taped inside each area of the pyramid.
3. The teacher will write the names of different types of foods on the index cards (twiceone on each set of colored index cards).
4. Each set of index cards will be placed into 2 paper bags in front of the room.
5. Divide the class into 2 teams. Each team will line up in single file. When the teacher
says go the first person in each line goes to the paper bag and draws an index card with a
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name of a food. He/she then goes to the chalkboard and sticks the card into the
corresponding envelope in one of the food groups. Once the first person was done, the
second person in line would do the same thing. This would continue until one team used
all their index cards. This team would earn 15 points. The other team would earn 10
points.
6. The envelopes are now checked to be sure that the foods were placed in the correct
food group. Each team will get 2 points for each properly placed food item (the team is
determined by the color of the index card). But, on the other hand, an incorrectly placed
card will result in the team losing 2 points. While doing this the teacher should be
reviewing the information with the students.
ASSESSMENT:
1. Ask the students why this lesson related to nutrition.
2. Ask the students whether or not they thought nutrition was important.
ESL STANDARDS:
Goal 1: To use English to communicate in social settings.
Standard 1: Students will use English to participate in social interaction.
Goal 2: To use English to achieve academically in all content areas.
Standard 1: Students will use English to interact in the classroom.
Standard 3: Students will use appropriate learning strategies to construct and
apply academic knowledge.
Multiple Intelligences: Spatial, Interpersonal, Logic, Kinesthetic
25
Lesson # 11
TITLE: SCRUMPTIOUS SEQUENCING
OVERVIEW: This lesson provides the opportunity for students to build on
sequencing skills and make a delicious snack. This activity can be used with
students that have a lot or little to no background in cooking and/ or preparing
food.
PURPOSE: Students will make a snack all by themselves.
OBJECTIVES:
1. Students will demonstrate the different steps to follow in assembling a snack by
making their own snack in class.
2. Students will demonstrate taking the initiative to assemble a snack on their own
by making one at home and having a parent sign a form.
3. Learn how to use easy to follow steps in assembling Spudnicks.
MATERIALS:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
1 box Rice Crispies
1 microwaveable bowl
2 bags of pre-wrapped caramels
1 box of toothpicks
2 bags large marshmallows
1 roll of wax paper
1 stirring spoon
1 microwave
PROCEDURE:
1. Write instructions on the board or overhead for all to observe.
2. Bring out the materials and place them on a table in clear view.
3. While reading objectives aloud, hold up the object to which it corresponds.
4. Unwrap all caramels, and heat in the microwave for approximately eight
minutes on a medium power, or until soft and melted. (Microwaves may vary.)
5. Spread out a piece of 12x8 inch piece of wax paper in front of each child.
6. Take a large marshmallow and poke a toothpick into it so it won't fall off.
7. Pour one cup of rice-crispies onto the center of the wax paper.
8. Holding the toothpick, dip the marshmallow into the melted caramel. When it
is completely covered, allow to drip.
9. Still holding the toothpick, roll the caramel covered marshmallow in the ricecrispies until covered on all sides.
10. Allow this to dry on the wax paper for three minutes, then enjoy eating it!
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ESL STANDARDS:
Goal 1: To use English to communicate in social settings.
Standard 1: Students will use English to participate in social interaction.
Standard 3: Students will use learning strategies to extend their communicative
competence.
Goal 2: To use English to achieve academically in all content areas.
Standard 1: Students will use English to interact in the classroom.
Standard 3: Students will use appropriate learning strategies to construct and
apply academic knowledge.
Multiple Intelligences: Spatial, Logic, Kinesthetic
27
Lesson # 12
TITLE: Fun With Fruits
OVERVIEW: By the end of this lesson students produce a book containing information
they know about a particular fruit, create slides and email information about the fruit.
OBJECTIVES:
1. Students will write observations about fruits (color, size, shape, texture, like or
dislike).
2. Students will write facts and information about a fruit of choice
3. Students will write a recipe that uses the fruit of their choice
4. Students will cut and paste a picture representing their fruit
5. Students will complete a puzzle pertaining to facts about their fruit
6. Students will create slides about their fruit
7. Students will email their "fruit character"
MATERIALS:
•
•
•
•
•
Fruits for students to observe
Computer with Internet connection and Kid Pix
Index Cards
Paper for book (writing, construction)
Crayons, pencils, markers, glue
PROCEDURE:
1. Using the search engine http://www.dole5aday.com/ students will go the
Nutrition Center and Cool Stuff about Fruits and Veggies icon. Students find a fruit
of interest and write facts on index cards about their fruit. Students will go to Fun Stuff
icon and into Kids Cookbook icon to find and copy a recipe that includes the fruit of their
choice. Students then go into 5 A Day Coloring Sheets icon to find and print a picture of
their fruit. While in the Fun Stuff icon students will also find and print a puzzle that
includes facts on their fruit. Puzzle is completed by student.
2. Using the information found from website students will construct a book that includes
facts about their fruit, include pictures of their fruit, include a recipe, and the completed
puzzle about their fruit.
3. Using Kid Pix, students will create slides on their fruit that can be linked to primary
grade students.
4. Students will email their fruit character at the Fan Mail icon informing them of the
facts they learned and asking any questions that were not found in the research of their
fruit.
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EXTENTIONS:
Students will conduct a collaborative group observation on a fruit. Information on
observations are kept on a class generated chart.
ESL STANDARDS:
Goal 1: To use English to communicate in social settings.
Standard 1: Students will use English to participate in social interaction.
Standard 2: Students will interact in, through, and with spoken and written
English for personal expression and enjoyment.
Standard 3: Students will use learning strategies to extend their communicative
competence.
Goal 2: To use English to achieve academically in all content areas.
Standard 1: Students will use English to interact in the classroom.
Standard 2: Students will use English to obtain, process, construct, and provide
subject matter information in spoken and written form.
Standard 3: Students will use appropriate learning strategies to construct and
apply academic knowledge.
Goal 3: To use English in socially and culturally appropriate ways.
Standard 1: Students will choose a language variety, register, and genre
according to audience, purpose, and setting.
Multiple Intelligences: Spatial, Interpersonal, Logic, Kinesthetic, Linguistic
29
Bibliography
Bernstein, S. (1985). The Bernstein Bears and Too Much Junk Food.
ESL Standards. Illinois: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc.
Hoban, R. (1964). Bread and Jam for Frances. Harper Collins Publishers.
Leedy, L. (1994). The Edible Pyramid. Holiday House.
Oxford, R. (1990). Language Learning Strategies. Massachusetts: Heinle & Heinle
Publishers.
Sharmat, M. (1989). Gregory, the Terrible Eater. Scholastic Trade.
Vischer, P. How Many Veggies?
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