1. By: Katherine Araya Sanhueza http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/programs/mypyramid/

2. Student Objectives  Describe the elements that make up MyPyramid.  Explain the importance of eating appropriate amounts from all the different food groups and getting enough physical activity.  Use the MyPyramid.gov Web site to create a personal set of food guidelines.  Create a food diary to record one week's worth of meals, and analyze the entries in comparison to personalized plan from MyPyramid. Materials  My Pyramid: Simple Steps to Healthy Living  Computer with Internet access and printer (see note at bottom of Procedures if computer access is limited)

3. Procedures 1.After watching the video, open a class discussion on eating habits. Do students think about the nutritional value of what they’re eating, or do they just grab whatever is handy and tastes good? From which food group do they eat the most? From which food groups should they eat more? How does what their families eat influence what they eat? Have they ever thought about trying to make healthier food choices? Have they ever tried to keep track of what they eat? Discuss how exercise and good nutrition impact overall health. How much exercise do they get every day?

4. 2. Explain that each student will be using the MyPyramid.gov Web site to get personal food recommendations based on age, gender, and level of physical activity. Then they’ll track what they eat and how much exercise they get for a one week period. Have each student go to www.mypyramid.gov Fill in the box on the right side of the screen with the student's age, gender, and the amount of moderate to vigorous physical activity he or she gets on most days. Click "submit" to create a personalized MyPyramid Plan page.

5. 3. On the MyPyramid Plan page read the food recommendations based on the information provided by the student. Print a copy of these recommendations by following the link on the right side of the screen that reads, "Click here to view and print PDF version of your results."

6. 4. Return to the MyPyramid Plan page and follow the link on the right side of the screen that reads, "Click here to view and print a PDF of a helpful Meal Tracking Sheet." The sheet will list the amounts of food recommended from each group for that student. Have the student print seven copies. They can use the blank side of the sheet to list what they ate at each meal and then fill in the chart to see how many servings they ate from each food group.

7. 5.When they've completed the food diary, have students write a 1–2 page report analyzing how their food choices compared to their MyPyramid plan. They should include the following information:  How many days did what they ate match their MyPyramid plan?  On average, how much did they eat from each food group? Was that more or less than the recommended amount in their plan?  Give examples of which of their food choices belong in the widest part of a group's color band on the pyramid? Which would be in the narrow part of the band?  How much exercise did they get each day?  Did keeping the food diaries cause them to make any changes to their diet?  What affect will keeping the diaries have on their eating habits in the future?

8. 3 points The student described the elements of MyPyramid and explained the importance of balancing proper nutrition with physical activity; used the MyPyramid Web site to create a personal nutrition plan; kept a complete food diary, and wrote a report containing all the requested information. 2 points The student described some elements of MyPyramid and explained one reason why it’s important to balance proper nutrition with physical activity; used the MyPyramid Web site to create a personal nutrition plan; kept a partially complete food diary and wrote a report containing most of the requested information. 1 point Student did not describe any elements of MyPyramid or explain the importance of balancing proper nutrition with physical activity; did not use the MyPyramid Web site to create a personal nutrition plan, did not complete a food diary and did not write a report containing the requested information. Assessment Use the following three-point rubric to evaluate students' work during this lesson.

9. Vocabulary: carbohydrate calorie diet fat nutrients protein vitamin

10. Can we use this activity in Chile?  Target group: 4th grade high school Sagrado Corazon school.  Why? Because they are all teenage girls who care a lot about weight.  Official programme objective aimed: Comprender globalmente distintos tipos de textos orales auténticos, de fuentes y temas variados; procesar, asimilar y reaccionar ante la información recibida de acuerdo a sus propósitos e intereses. Besides, the OFT related to Crecimiento y Autoafirmación Personal.  Possible modifications: ?