1. The Very Hungry Caterpillar
By Eric Carle
A webquest: by Jess Moehle

2. Introduction Why do you think he got a stomach-ache?
In this webquest we will learn what foods we need to eat to grow up big and strong

3. Process
First watch a video and listen to how Eric Carle developed and created his book The Very Hungry Caterpillar by clicking HERE
Next listen to the author Eric Carle read his book The Very Hungry Caterpillar by clicking HERE

4. Food Plate
Learn about the food plate and how it helps us to make healthy choices by reading this article
Choose one of the following articles to read:
The NY Giants take on nutrition
The women’s US soccer team’s take on nutrition
Once you have an understanding of what foods are good for us and what foods are not, try playing this GAME and see if you can get your rocket ship to Planet Power

5. Healthy Food Sorting
First, print out this sheet with the foods the Hungry Caterpillar ate on it and color/cut them out
Next make a T-chart labeled Healthy and Non-Healthy foods and sort the foods accordingly
Then answer the following questions on the back of your T-chart:
Did the Caterpillar eat more healthy or non-healthy foods?
Why do you think the Hungry Caterpillar had a stomach-ache on Saturday?
Think about what you eat on a daily basis and make a prediction, do you eat more healthy or non-healthy foods?

6. Food Journals
For the next week you will use a food journal that has been given to you to record what foods you ate everyday for one whole week (just like the Hungry Caterpillar)
Now you will analyze the foods you have eaten
Take the foods you have eaten and sort them into the different food plate categories and chart them on this sheet
Then answer the questions on the second sheet about your food plate chart

7. Conclusion
Now that you have learned all about what foods help to keep us healthy, you are going to use this information to write a persuasive letter to the cafeteria workers. You will tell them what foods they should be serving and why.

8. Evaluation
You will be evaluated on your completion of the tasks according to the following rubric:
Task 2 1
Completed all tasks in Rubric
You completed all tasks in the webquest
You completed most of the tasks in the webquest
You completed 2 or less tasks in the webquest
T-Chart
T-Chart is finished and sorted correctly
T-chart is finished, and is mostly sorted correctly
T-chart is incomplete
T-Chart Questions
All of the questions about the T-chart are answered thoughtfully
Most of the questions about the T-Chart are answered thoughtfully
The questions were not answered or were inaccurate
Food Journal
The food journal was completed for one week
The food journal was completed for a few days
The food journal was not completed at all
Food Journal Graph
The graph is accurately filled in according to the foods that were eaten by you
The graph is mostly filled in correctly according to the foods that were eaten
The graph is not filled in at all or is done incorrectly
Food Journal Questions
All questions about the graph are answered thoughtfully
Most of the questions about the graph are answered thoughtfully
The questions were not answered thoughtfully or not answered at all
Persuasive Essay
The letter contains at 3 or more ideas on what should be served in the cafeteria and include reasons why. Demonstrates best writing practices.
The letter contains at least 1 or 2 ideas on what should be served in the cafeteria and why. Demonstrates some best writing practices.
The letter contains little to no knowledge of nutrition and/or shows no best writing practices

9. Resources
Eric Carle – The Very Hungry Caterpillar [Video File]. Retrieved from Eric Carle Website (n.d). Retrieved April 2, 2011, from Kids Health .org (2011). Retrieved April 3, 2011, from United State Department of Agriculture (2011). Blast off game. Retrieved April 7, 2011, from