Nutrition Unit Plan

By: Nicole McComic, Kelly Thurston, & Ashley Caldeira

1. Food Collage Activity: Students will have the opportunity to make their own food collage, by cutting healthy foods out of old magazines together to make a picture.

Teaching Methods: Students could work in partners or independently. Show few examples of Food Collages that are at standard and some that aren’t. The method being used is constructivist/ social. The teacher acts as the facilitator and points students toward the right answer and direction. This could also include the critical aesthetic method because students have the chance to make their own work of art.

Assessment: Students must not only find 20 different healthy foods but 10 motivating words as well; following a rubric format.

Differentiation: Students who struggle could work in pairs or groups to help one another.

Learning Theories: Social Cognitivism is used through a modeling process and observational learning. The student see examples of what the teacher has put together and learns/imitates it.

2. Diet: Vitamins & Nutrients Activity: Students will watch a video on the importance of Vitamins and Nutrients and take notes then do a corresponding cross word puzzle individually.

Teaching Methods: Behaviorist teaching method is used. Students learn through authority figure. Teacher transfers the knowledge to the students.

Assessment: Cross word puzzle includes a mixture of 20 fill in/questions.

Differentiation: Students are encouraged to take notes during the video to help remember the material. Students could work with a partner to finish the cross word puzzle.

Learning Theories: Cognitivism is used where the students are note taking, problem solving, and have to work individually.

3. Food LabelsActivity: Teacher will make a giant food label poster to try a few examples with the class. Students should bring 5 food labels from home and will fill out a corresponding worksheet.

Teaching Methods: Constructivist Teaching method. Students are learning through a facilitator. Students use what they know already to develop further knowledge.

Assessment: Students fill out a worksheet after the lesson to check for understanding.

Differentiation: Students are encouraged to ask teacher as well as peers for help if they struggle. If they have a very hard time, teacher could lessen the amount of items to find within the food label.

Learning Theories: Constructivism is used

where the students learning is built upon

prior knowledge of Nutrition to read a format food labels

MyPlateActivity: Students will be able to build a healthy plate. Students will color in a plate representing the proper portions of each of the five food groups. Teaching methods: Traditional: students will fill out a MyPlate with the color size they think each portion is that they would be consuming at each meal. Constructivist - teacher will facilitate students to the right answer. Behaviorist – MyPlate quick quiz. Assessment: - Formal: will receive a written quiz on what the five food groups are on “MyPlate” naming at least one example from each food group. Differentiation: Simplified – Have the students work in groups together to color the parts of the plate. Challenge – Have the students create 3 meals from the “MyPlate guidelines”Learning theory: social cognitive is used through a modeling process as well as observational learning. Symbolic – through source of media (PowerPoint)

Fitness

Activity: Students will be provided a slideshow on pregame meals, then they will get to pick their own activity and design a meal for the night before strenuous activity. Example: Running a marathon, playing in a football game, volleyball game, golfing. They will create a PowerPoint presentation.Teaching methods: Constructivist teaching method: students will learn with the teacher facilitating learning. Students use prior knowledge and continue to build. Assessment: Formal: The pregame meal will be graded using the appropriate rubricChallenge – Plan a breakfast lunch and dinner for an athlete and what to eat after the activity. Simplified – working in groups Learning theory: Cognitive: students will be able to self-question themselves as they decide what foods they want to include in their pregame meal as well as what sport they will be participating in.

Anorexia & Bulimia Activity: The station manager at the local radio station, TEEN-FM, needs your help. To raise awareness about eating disorders among teens, TEEN-FM is going to broadcast a series of four radio spots that address the following topics related to eating disorders: Characteristics of anorexia and bulimia - Causes, Warning signs, Effects.

Teaching methods: constructivist: students use what they know to develop further knowledge.

Assessment: Teacher observation, rubric

Differentiation: simplified: working in groups or partners. Think pair share.

Learning theory: observational learning – Symbolic- students will explore the kidshealth website to find information for their radio spots. Social cognitive: group discussion will take place on what to include in the radio spot.

Obesity

Students will check out the articles on KidsHealth for guidelines to help them evaluate the items on the menu in their school’s cafeteria. They will write a petition to the principal that proposes change. They will use evidence to back up their opinion. Make your cafeteria the most nutritious place around! Teaching Methods: Transformative: students will explore food options in their own cafeteria and at home. Assessment: Informal: teacher observation, discussion. Differentiation: simplified: students will be able to work with a group Challenge: Take a closer look at one of your family’s favorite dinners, and determine how you could make it healthier. You can even take a trip to the grocery store to shop for the items that you need.Learning Theory: constructivist: students will explore different food options in various locations. Allows divergent thinking.

8. GMO’s

Activity: Learning about Genetically Modified Organism’sStudents will be able to understand what genetically modified organism’s are and how they affect our

bodies and agriculture economy. 1. Introduction with Class Discussion: About GMO’s: what they are, what they do, why they are controversial. Teacher will manipulate the discussion by asking questions requiring the students to think and make educated guesses. 2. Video Clip : 10 minute video clip called “From Seed to the Supermarket” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86aaNy9DQpI 3. Individual Review: (Post Video) Review a list of benefits and controversies of GMO’s and select the three most important factors related to their use and why they think so.

 Teaching Methods: *Traditional- the discussion to begin class is produced through teacher question in which they want students to think on their own and get introduced to the topic. Teacher will offer information to make sure the right information is crossed. The video brings in a social method in which the students will use it to generate their own views as to which factors they found most important about the topic during their individual review assignment.  *Transformative- During class discussion teacher will relate GMO’s to local agriculture companies and how they affect their ecosystem.

 Assessment:

 Informal~ Class Discussion- The teacher will take note of who participates and who is actively listening to others. Formal~ Individual Review Assignment- From the given list students will write down what they think are the three most important factors (benefits or controversies) related to GMO usage and why. Students will be graded on participation for this assignment.

Differentiation:Allow students to work with a partner for this assignment creating small group discussion. This will allow them to form deeper opinions and better brainstorming on the topic by offering one another their own views to form the list of three factors.

 Learning Theories: 

Constructivist/Social Method- Students are able to introduce themselves to the topic through whole group/class discussion. They are also able to watch a video clip as a class and produce their own personal views on the factors of GMO’s.

Cognitive- Students are able to self-question themselves after watching the video clip to create their own personal views on the GMO factors. They are also able to self-question during the class discussion through the teacher’s general questioning of the subject.

 Social Cognitive- Students are able to form understanding about what GMO’s are and how they affect their bodies and the agriculture community through whole group discussion.

 Behaviorist- By turning in the list of factors, students receive points toward their grade for participating in the assignment.

 

9. Healthy Food Consumerism in the Community

Activity: Field Trip to Local Farmer’s Market1. Farmer’s Market Field Trip Intro- Walk through local farmer’s market as a class. Have an employee or upper hand at the store to meet with the class. They will give the class an introduction to their store and will explain how important local consumerism is. 2. My Plate Activity- My Plate sheet to construct/write down their own healthy meal using the foods in the farmers market. They will also write down the prices of the food’s (including full price with servings noted) to practice their healthy food consumerism. Students should also be encouraged to look at the nutrition labels.

Teaching Methods: Traditional- Students are able to create a My Plate sheet of their own meal. They will record the price of the food listed.  Transformative- Students are able to visit a local farmers market where they interact directly with the community to gain deeper understanding on healthy food consumerism. They are able to look at the prices of foods to gain a better feel for being a consumer in the community. They are able to make their own My Plate balanced meal with the foods in the local market.

Assessment:Informal~ Teacher will keep track of the students around the market to make sure they are participating in the My Plate assignment. He or she will offer help and constructive feedback with the assignment.Formal~ The My Plate assignment will be graded and collected. It will be graded based on effort, creativity of the meal, and whether they followed the directions of creating a healthy meal with the food prices listed, including amount of servings per unit.

Differentiation:Students will be able to work with a partner for this assignment to create small group discussion on making their My Plate. With this, they are able to share ideas together on how to create a healthy meal.

 Learning Theories: 

Constructivist- Students are able to explore a local farmers market where they create their own healthy meals. They are able to explore food choices and consumer prices to make up their own My Plate using prior nutrition knowledge.  Cognitive- Students are able to self-question themselves as they figure out what they want as their healthy meal. They will pick their foods noting the price per serving as well as the nutrition content listed.

Social Cognitive- Students are able to learn more about their local farmers market through group introductory discussion. They are able to help one another out around the market using social skills and communication.

 Behaviorist: By turning in the My Plate assignment, students receive credit points towards their grade in the class.

10. Class GardeningActivity: Class Gardening (Weather Permitting- Seasonal)

-Students will get to work together as a class to plant a small garden of vegetable and fruit plants. The class will take care of the plants during the school year as scheduled by the teacher (weather and season permitting).1. Safety for Gardening2. Group and Seed Assignment- Students placed in groups. Include an informational sheet on specific seed care and gardening technique.3. Gardening- Students will be directed to the (already prepared) area for planting. They will work in groups to plant their seeds. Teacher will offer tips to the gardening and remind them of the importance of organics and healthy foods. They will connect the garden growing to the organic food they found at the local farmers market.

Teaching Methods:Traditional- Students follow the given safety precautions and gardening guidelines. They are assigned their own groups and the seed they will plant.

Transformative- Students are making a “school grown” garden in their community promoting organics and local agriculture. Students and teacher will make connections to their local farmers market field trip and the organic food that was grown there.

Assessment:  Informal~ Students will participate in group discussions within their gardening groups and with the teacher. Formal~ Students will be able to earn participation points towards their class grade by engaging in the group gardening.

(Weather/Season Permitting)

Differentiation:

Students will be able to complete a recording sheet if they prefer not to get hands on with the gardening. The recording sheet will simply be a written observation of their groups gardening and work ethic.

Learning Theories: 

Constructivist- Students are able to make their own gardens in small groups. This will be guided by small group discussion and participation.

Cognitive- Students are able to interpret the safety precautions with the gardening information sheet to create their group garden.

Social Cognitive- Students are able to communicate and work together to plant their own garden.

Behaviorist: By participating in this assignment, they earned participation points towards their class grade.