Introduction to Nutrition: Teaching Students Healthy Eating Habits Stefanie Pagano-Kor and Conor Quinn Education 200 Curriculum Project December 2005 Trinity College

Overall Goal We want first graders to understand the importance of making good nutritional decisions and realize how healthy eating habits impact their everyday lives.

Objectives Students will identify foods as healthy vs. unhealthy and will classify foods in terms of their nutritional value. Students will identify foods as healthy vs. unhealthy and will classify foods in terms of their nutritional value. Students will predict the nutritional value of foods consumed at home. Students will predict the nutritional value of foods consumed at home. Students will recognize different food groups from the food pyramid and foods that fit into each group. Students will recognize different food groups from the food pyramid and foods that fit into each group. Students will apply basic knowledge of greater than and less than to numerically compare nutritional information. Students will apply basic knowledge of greater than and less than to numerically compare nutritional information. Students will create their own definitions of “healthy” eating habits. Students will create their own definitions of “healthy” eating habits. Students will assess their own nutritional habits. Students will assess their own nutritional habits.

Justification State Recognized Curriculum Standards State Recognized Curriculum Standards Meets the Connecticut State Department of Education’s Content Standards established for grades K-2 emphasizing a healthy and active life. Meets the Connecticut State Department of Education’s Content Standards established for grades K-2 emphasizing a healthy and active life. “Students will establish and maintain healthy eating patterns.” “Students will establish and maintain healthy eating patterns.” Childhood Obesity Childhood Obesity According to the American Obesity Association, approximately 30.3% of children ages 6-11 are overweight and 15.3% are obese. According to the American Obesity Association, approximately 30.3% of children ages 6-11 are overweight and 15.3% are obese. "Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States, especially in children and adolescents. Those statistics are even more alarming among Latin populations." "Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States, especially in children and adolescents. Those statistics are even more alarming among Latin populations." Personal Placement in Hartford School System Personal Placement in Hartford School System Our observations of a first grade snack time evidenced that children are making unhealthy eating choices. Our observations of a first grade snack time evidenced that children are making unhealthy eating choices.

Weekly Planner Monday Read aloud The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food. Read aloud The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food. Introduce categorization chart.: Introduce categorization chart.: More, Less, None Fat, Calories, Vitamins Re-read story. Re-read story. Using plastic and/or real food items mentioned in the book, students, as a class, will place foods into the categorization chart. Using plastic and/or real food items mentioned in the book, students, as a class, will place foods into the categorization chart. Nutrition Diary entry Nutrition Diary entryTuesday Review nutrition chart and assign numerical values to the more, less, and none columns. Review nutrition chart and assign numerical values to the more, less, and none columns. Using nutrition labels brought from home students will use the chart to predict the nutritional value of their own foods. Using nutrition labels brought from home students will use the chart to predict the nutritional value of their own foods. Introduce the USDA’s MyPyramid for kids. Introduce the USDA’s MyPyramid for kids. Students will construct their own food pyramid by cutting out pictures from magazines and placing them in their proper food groups. Students will construct their own food pyramid by cutting out pictures from magazines and placing them in their proper food groups. Nutrition Diary entry. Nutrition Diary entry.Wednesday After receiving back their food labels with their corresponding teacher made labels, students will independently fill in blank nutrition charts using these labels. After receiving back their food labels with their corresponding teacher made labels, students will independently fill in blank nutrition charts using these labels. Using greater than/less than, students will compare the information from their labels with information from other students’ labels Using greater than/less than, students will compare the information from their labels with information from other students’ labels Nutrition Diary entry Nutrition Diary entryThursday Students will teach their parents about their own definition of healthy by creating a poster version of their definitions. Using pictures from magazines or their own drawings they will portray healthy eating habits. Students will teach their parents about their own definition of healthy by creating a poster version of their definitions. Using pictures from magazines or their own drawings they will portray healthy eating habits. At home, students will show their posters to their parents as a way of showing them healthy foods that they would like to eat. At home, students will show their posters to their parents as a way of showing them healthy foods that they would like to eat. Nutrition Diary entry Nutrition Diary entryFriday Students will independently review their nutrition journals. They will take a tally of the number of foods consumed in each category throughout the week. Students will independently review their nutrition journals. They will take a tally of the number of foods consumed in each category throughout the week. Each student will place his results in a large food pyramid in the classroom. Each student will place his results in a large food pyramid in the classroom. Student will review class results and discuss the implications in terms of healthy eating habits both as a class and as an individual. Student will review class results and discuss the implications in terms of healthy eating habits both as a class and as an individual. Nutrition Diary entry. Nutrition Diary entry. *As a continuation to the unit, students will take a field trip to a local grocery store to choose a healthy snack.

Nutrition Diary Throughout the week students will be keeping a picture diary of foods they consume during snack-time. They will write a short sentence reflecting on why they ate what they did. Throughout the week students will be keeping a picture diary of foods they consume during snack-time. They will write a short sentence reflecting on why they ate what they did. “I ate a Snickers because it tastes good.” “I ate cookies because they are sweet.”

Nutrition Diary On the final day of the unit, students will review their diary entries and will count up how many snacks they consumed from each food group. They will then place check marks in a blank food pyramid to show how often they ate a snack from a specific food group. On the final day of the unit, students will review their diary entries and will count up how many snacks they consumed from each food group. They will then place check marks in a blank food pyramid to show how often they ate a snack from a specific food group.

Meat &BeansMilkOilsFruitsVegetablesGrains | ||| | Students will then share their personal food group tallies with the class and will add their own results to the class’ food pyramid to show the class’ collective nutritional habits. Students will then share their personal food group tallies with the class and will add their own results to the class’ food pyramid to show the class’ collective nutritional habits.

Nutrition Diary As a culmination of the unit, there will be a class discussion in which students reflect upon and assess their personal and collective eating habits. As a culmination of the unit, there will be a class discussion in which students reflect upon and assess their personal and collective eating habits. What do your results tell you about your eating habits? What do your results tell you about your eating habits? Are you eating healthy foods? Are you eating healthy foods? How can you improve your nutritional habits? How can you improve your nutritional habits?

Evaluation Nutrition Diary Nutrition Diary Daily entries, categorization, reflection Daily entries, categorization, reflection Nutrition Chart Activities Nutrition Chart Activities Estimating, Greater Than/Less Than Estimating, Greater Than/Less Than Food Pyramid Construction Food Pyramid Construction Posters Defining “Healthy” Posters Defining “Healthy”