Nutrition Grades 3 4

8/2/2019 Nutrition Grades 3 4

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Teamnutrition.usda.gov

MyPyramid

Level 2

Lessons for Grades 3 and 4


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United States Department of AgricultureFood and Nutrition Service FNS-385September 2005

The U.S. Department o Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs andactivities on the basis o race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.

To fle a complaint o discrimination, write USDA, Director, Ofce o Civil Rights, Room 326-W,Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call

(202) 720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.


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MyPyramidfor Kids

Food Math

Vary YourVeggies andFocus on Fruits

Students identifythe food groupsthat make upMyPyramid forKids and learn howmuch from eachfood group theyshould eat.

Students discussthe importanceof eating all thefood groups andcalculate how muchthey need to eatfrom each foodgroup to meet the

MyPyramid for Kidsrecommendations.

Students learnabout the nutri-tional qualities ofvegetables andfruits and set goalsto eat more fruitsand vegetables.

Students listen asthe teacher readsA Conversation withPyramid Pal aloud.During the story,students answer ques-tions on the MyPyramidfor Kids handout.

Using the Food Mathhandout, studentspractice adding andsubtracting amountsof food to meet therecommended amountfrom each food group.

Using the Steps to aHealthier You handout,students learn aboutgoal-setting as theythink about ways toadd more fruits andvegetables to their diet.

Students createcartoons based onA Conversationwith Pyramid Pal.

Students create arap song about theimportance of eatingall the food groups.

Students research adark green or orangevegetable and createan ad campaign forthat vegetable. Groupsperform their ad forthe class.

Students categorizelunchroom foodsaccording to thefood groups inMyPyramid for Kids.

A representative from thschool foodservice staffvisits the classroom todiscuss how theycreate balanced menus.

Students review thecafeteria lunch menu tond the dark green andorange vegetables offereStudents develop signsto advertise thesevegetables toother students.

Topic Objective Individual Student Group Activity Lunchroom LinkActivity

DearTeacher,TheU.S.DepartmentoAgriculture(USDA)hasdevelopedtheselessonstohelpyouteachchildreningrades3and4aboutMyPyramid.ThelessonseatureagraphicdevelopedspecicallyorelementarystudentstitledMyPyramidforKids.Theyaredesignedtointegratenutritionwithmath,languagearts,music,andart.Physicalactivityisalsoemphasized.Thelessons:

Communicatenutritionconceptsthroughage-appropriate,unactivities

Containhandoutstobeduplicated Maybetaughtwithminimalpreparation Includealinkwiththeschoollunchprogram Provideinormationtosendhometoparents.Alsoincludedintheselessonsare:aMyPyramidforKidsposter,50TipsforFamiliesfyerstosendhometoparents,aCDROMwithaninteractivecomputergame,andaCDROMwithallthelessonmaterialsandsupplementalmaterialsore

ducators.Yourstudentswillhaveunastheylearntoeatwellandbephysicallyactive.

Here is a snapshot

of what the three

lessons cover:


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Lesson 1:MyPyramid for Kids

Getting Started:

Hang the MyPyramid for Kidsposter on the wall so all students can

see it. Pass out the MyPyramid for Kidsblack-and-white handout toeach student.

Activity: A Conversation with Pyramid PalThis activity introduces students to MyPyramid or Kidsconcepts in aun way.

ReadA Conversation with Pyramid Palaloud. During the story, helpstudents answer the questions based on the teachers talking points.

A Conversation with Pyramid PalPyramid Pal: Hi. Im the kid climbing the side o the pyramid on theclassroom wall. Did you notice that Im running up the steps? Thatsbecause Ive got lots o energy rom eating right and exercising a lot.

What do you do or exercise? On the steps (o the black-and-whitehandout), write the ways you stay active.

Pyramid Pal: Lets take a look at the MyPyramid for KidsImclimbing, its called MyPyramid or Kidsbecause its just or you.

Pyramid Pal: Look at the MyPyramid for Kidsposter on the wall.Now wave at me. Come on, wave. I I werent stuck on this poster, Id

wave back. The poster shows how much ood kids our age should eat.

Pyramid Pal: Do you know the food groups? Do you see the orangestripe next to the steps? Thats the grains group! Do you know whatgrains are?Teacher: Who can name the grain group oods illustrated on theposter? Write the word grains in the box under the grain stripe onyour handout.

Pyramid Pal: Do you know what whole grains are?Teacher: Whole wheat products are commonly eaten whole grains.Examples o whole-grain oods include: whole-grain cereal, whole-wheat

bread, and oatmeal. Explain that just because a bread is brown,its not necessarily whole wheat. The only way to tell is to look at theingredient label. The frst ingredient should read whole wheat.

Lesson Highlights

ObjectivesStudents will:

Identiy ood groups andhow to get the rightamount o ood romeach ood group.*

Review MyPyramid orKidsto learn how theyshould eat more rom someood groups than others.

MyPyramid or Kidsposterlustrates an 1,800-calorie diet.ome children may need more orewer calories. To fnd the amountshat are right or an individualhild, go to MyPyramid.gov.

Curriculum Connections:anguage arts, Art

Student Skills Developed:Listening comprehension

Writing

Thinking skills - categorizing

Materials Needed:MyPyramid or Kidsclassroom poster

MyPyramid or Kidsblack-and-whitehandout or each student


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LunchroomLink:

Look at the lunch menu ortoday. Ask students into

which ood groups each othe items on the menu wouft. You may need to explainmixed oods, like hamburgeand pizza, which ft inseveral groups. (Pizza =grain, milk, vegetable, mea

Pyramid Pal: My avorite whole grain is lowat popcorn! Did you know itactually turns itsel inside out when it pops? Its yummy!

Pyramid Pal: The next color stripe is for vegetables. Some kids dontget enough vegetables. Write the word vegetables in the box. It isimportant to eat dark green and orange vegetables. Come on, name a ew.Teacher:Beore reading the examples, let the students name theiravorite dark green and orange vegetables.

Pyramid Pal: I like broccoli, carrots, spinach, collard greens, sweetpotatoes, and pumpkin.

Pyramid Pal: See the red stripe? Thats or ruits! Write the word ruitsin the box. I always put a resh ruit in my backpack, and eat a piece oruit as a snack every day. Dried, rozen, and canned ruits are great, too.

Did you know there is a ruit snack made rom dried grapes? Can youname it?

Teacher:Raisins

Pyramid Pal: The blue stripe is the milk group. Write the word milkin the box. Did you know that oods in this group include more than justthe milk we drink? They are oods made rom milk. Can you name a ew?

Teacher: Yogurt, pudding, cheese. Explain that calcium is important orbuilding strong bones. Students should consume the equivalent o threecups o milk or other calcium-rich oods each day, emphasizing choicesthat are lower in at or at-ree.

Pyramid Pal: The last stripe on the right is meat and beans!Writethose words in the box below the meat and beans group. Meat and beansprovide protein, which is important in building muscles.Teacher:Lean meat, chicken, turkey, fsh, nuts, beans, peanut butter, andeggs are all rom this group.

Pyramid Pal: OK. Were done with the food groups. No, you say?Whats that skinny yellow line up there between the ruits and milk?Those are oils. Write the word oils in the long box. They are not a oodgroup, but everyone needs some. I get mine rom nuts and seeds.

Teacher:Other good sources are fsh and liquid oils such as olive, corn,

soybean, and canola oil.


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Pyramid Pal: Why are some of the food groups bigger than others?The wider color stripes show that you should eat more oods rom thosegroups and less oods rom the groups with the narrower stripes. Put an

X in each o the three widest ood groups. Which groups are the widest?Teacher:Grains, vegetables, milk.

Teacher:Students should learn to eat healthier oods more oten andoods such as candy, potato chips, or French ries less oten. Moderationis represented by the narrowing o each ood group rom the bottom totop. The wider base stands or oods with little or no solid ats or addedsugars. These should be selected more oten. The narrower top areastands or oods containing more added sugars and solid ats.

Pyramid Pal: Now look closer for some MyPyramid for Kidssecrets.See how each o the color stripes is wider at the base o the pyramid and

narrower at the top? Thats to remind you (and me, too) that the healthieroods in each group are at the base o the pyramid. Those are oods lowin at and added sugar. We should eat mostly those oods. Can you namesome?

Teacher:Whole-grain cereal, ruit, vegetables.

Pyramid Pal: See how the colored stripes are narrow at the top?Thats or oods that are high in ats and added sugars. These oods areor eating once in a while.


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Pyramid Pal: Here is a Pyramid Pal example. In the grain group, a sliceo whole-wheat bread is a healthy lowat choice and is at the base oMyPyramid or Kids, while a donut is a high-at and a high-added-sugar

choice. I only eat these on special occasions. Then I run up and down thestairs oMyPyramid or Kidsa bunch o times! Draw a slice o bread at thebottom o the grain group, and a donut at the top.

Pyramid Pal: Heres another Pyramid Pal example. In the vegetablegroup, a baked sweet potato is low in at and added sugar and great oryou any day. But French ries are high in at. You should eat them onlyonce in a while.

Pyramid Pal: Thanks, kids. Hope you enjoyed Pyramid Pals tour oMyPyramid or Kids. I hope your teacher leaves me up here on the wall soyou can see me every day.

Group Activity: Pyramid Pal Cartoons

Have students work in groups to create Pyramid Pal cartoons in whichPyramid Pal gives kids nutrition advice rom MyPyramid or Kids. Studentscan use the poster on the wall as background inormation. Displaycartoons around the room or in the lunchroom.


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Gtting Startd:

Hav studnts look at th MyPyramid for Kidspostr. Point ot that

MyPyramid for Kidstells how mch o each ood grop to eat; MyPyramidfor Kidsgives the amonts or each day in onces and cps. Grains andmeats are weighed in onces. For example, a piece o bread is 1 once,so is a cp o ready-to-eat breakast cereal or one small tortilla. A smallchicken breast hal is 3 onces. Vegetable, rit, and milk amonts aregiven in cps. For example, one small apple, abot 12 baby carrots, andan 8-once glass o milk cont as 1 cp eivalent.

Yo may want to help stdents nderstand what 1 cp o vegetables orrit looks like. Pt ood in a measring cp, then por ot onto a paperplate. Or, mention that a baseball is abot the sie o 1 cp and a smallcompter mose is cp.

Ask stdents to estimate how many rits and vegetables they eat in atypical day. Point ot that most stdents their age shold eat more oodsrom these ood grops. They are high in ntrients.

Activity: Food Math

Hav studnts work in pairs. Hand out th Food Math workshtTell stdents they are going to choose oods they think wold makea healthy men or a day or Jason. Their men shold incldebreakast, lnch, dinner, and a snack.

Th mnu thy crat must includ th right amount of food fromall th food groups. For one day, that wold be: 6 onces o grains,2 cps o vegetables, 1cps o rit, 3 cps o milk, and 5 onceso meat or beans. (This amont o ood is based on 1,800 calories, theestimated energy reirement or a moderately active 9- to 10-year-old.) Beore stdents begin work, review each o the ood grops andthe amonts needed.

Lsson 2:Food Math

Lsson Highlights

Objctivtudnts will:Add and sbtract ractionsas they calclate how mcho varios ood grops theyneed to meet the MyPyramidfor Kidsrecommendations.

Create a daily men basedon the MyPyramid forKidsrecommendations.

Discss the importance oeating rits and vegetables.

Curriculum Connctions:Math, Langage arts, Msic

tudnt Skills Dvlopd:Math skills adding andsbtracting ractions

Creative writing

Song development

Matrials Ndd:Food Math worksheetor each stdent

Paper and pencils to se increating their days men

(Optional) Glass measringcp, ct raw rits or

vegetables to fllmeasring cp to 1- cp line

(Optional) Paper plate orthe rits or vegetables.


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LunchroomLink:

Invite a staff member fromyour school foodserviceprogram to talk about howthey create balanced menusand determine the amount

of each food to serve.(Have the students work

with the lunchroom staffto plan a menu and thenannounce over the PAsystem when the menuis served, recognizing thestudents efforts.)

Hav thm writ thir mnu on a sht of papr inclding theamont o ood or each entry and the totals or each grop along thebottom o the sheet.

Discuss studnts choics and hav thm chck thir math . Alsohave stdents check to see whether hal their choices rom the graingrop are whole grains. Did they choose any dark green or orange

vegetables?

(Note to teacher: Food Math will help prepare students to play theMyPyramid Blast-Off game on the enclosed CD ROM.)

Group Activity: B Hip-Hop Halthy

Divide stdents into grops. Have each grop write a rap (at least eight

lines long) abot the importance o eating rom all the ood grops. Havethe grop come p with movements that go along with their rap. Gropsshold perorm their raps or the entire class. Then post a written copy othe rap on yor blletin board. (To help the stdents get started, yo canse the Power Panther songs on the enclosed CD ROM that have ahip-hop beat.)


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Food Math

Jason is 9 years old. Hes physically active sometimes. Each day, he needs to eat:

Grains Vegetables Fruit Milk Meat and Beans

6 onces 2 cps 1 cps 3 cps 5 onces

Help Jason decide what to eat today. Plan breakast, lnch, dinner, and a snack. Be sre he gets all

the ood he needs rom each grop. (Food items may be selected more than once.)

Grains 6 onces

___ 1 slice whole-wheat toast* (1 Oz Eq.)

___ 5 whole-wheat crackers* (1 Oz Eq.)

___ 1 slice white bread(1 Oz Eq.

)

___ 1 slice whole-wheat bread* (1 Oz Eq.)

___ 1 cp whole-grain ready-to-eat

breakast cereal* (1 Oz Eq.)

___ cp cooked brown rice* (1 Oz Eq.)

___ 1 cp cooked pasta (2 Oz Eq.)

___ 1 hambrger bn (2 Oz Eq.)

___ 3 cps lowat popcorn* (1 Oz Eq.)

Items marked with a * are whole-grain

Vegetables 2 cps___ 6 baby carrots* ( CuP Eq.)

___ 1 large ear o corn (1 CuP Eq.)

___ 1 medim baked potato (1 CuP Eq.)

___ 1 cp cooked greens* (1 CuP Eq.)

___ 1 large baked sweet potato* (1 CuP Eq.)

___ 3 spears broccoli* (1 CuP Eq.)

___ cp tomato jice ( CuP Eq.)

___ 1 cp chopped lettce ( CuP Eq.)

Items marked with a * are dark green or orange vegetables

Fruits 1 cps

___ 1 small apple or large apple (1 CuP Eq.)

___ 1 large orange (1 CuP Eq.)

___ 1 snack-sied container o peaches(

CuP Eq.)

___ 1 large plm ( CuP Eq.)

___ 1 small box raisins ( CuP Eq.)

___ 1 cp 100% orange jice (1 CuP Eq.)

___ 1 medim wedge cantalope ( CuP Eq.)

___ 1 small wedge watermelon (1 CuP Eq.)

Milk 3 cps

___ cp lowat or at-ree

cottage cheese ( CuP Eq.)

___ 1 cp at-ree milk (1 CuP Eq.)

___ 1 snack-sied lowat or at-ree yogrt ( CuP Eq.)

___ 1 hal-pint container 1% or 2% milk (1 CuP Eq.)

___ 2 onces o lowat or at-ree American cheese (1 CuP Eq.)

___ 1 onces o lowat or at-ree cheddar cheese (1 CuP Eq.)

___ 1 cps light ice cream (1 CuP Eq.)

Meat and Beans 5 onces

___ 1 once o nts (2 Oz Eq.)

___ 1 cp split pea sop (2 Oz Eq.)

___ 1 small chicken breast hal(3 Oz Eq.)

___ 1 small lean hambrger (3 Oz Eq.)

___ 1 hard-boiled egg (1 Oz Eq.)

___ 1 tablespoon peant btter (1 Oz Eq.)

___ cp o pinto beans (1 Oz Eq.)

___ 1 slice o trkey (1 Oz Eq.)Key:(1 Oz Eq.) means (euals 1 ounce euivalent)

R e P R O D U C I B L e T e A M N U T R I T I O N . U S D A . G O V

Name:


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Lsson Highlights

Objctiv

Studnts will:Learn more about thenutritional qualities oruits and vegetables.

Brainstorm about ways theycan increase their intakeo ruits and vegetables.

Set a goal o eating more

ruits and vegetables anddevelop specifc stepsto reach their goal.

Curriculum Connctions:Language arts

Studnt Skills Dvlopd:Thinking and analysis

WritingSetting goals

Matrials Ndd:Steps to a Healthier Youworksheet or each student

Activity: Vary Your Vggis and Focus on Fruits

Ask students i they eat ruits and vegetables every day. Ask them to name the ruits and vegetables they usually eat.

Talk to students about the importance o ruits and vegetables.Eating ruits and vegetables can help them be healthy.

Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources o many nutrients,including vitamins A and C, potassium, and dietary fber.

Most ruits and vegetables are naturaly low in at and caloriesand do not contain cholesterol.

Vitamin A keeps eyes and skin healthy and helps to protectagainst inections.

Vitamin C helps heal cuts and wounds and keeps teeth andgums healthy.

Fiber keeps ood moving through the digestive tract.

Dark green and orange vegetables are important to eat. See istudents can name some.

French ries, which make up one-ourth o all vegetables eaten byelementary school students, are an exception. They are high in atand calories. A medium order o ries has 460 calories, more thanone-ourth the total daily calorie intake appropriate or most 8- and9-year olds. A medium baked potato, however, has only about

100 calories.

Now pass out th worksht, Steps to a Healthier You.

Have students review the goal o trying a new ruit and vegetable.

Ask students what vegetables and ruits they already enjoy.Remember that dried, rozen, or canned ruits and vegetablescount, too.

Have students complete the worksheet.

Next, have students brainstorm some other ways they can eat moreruits and vegetables. Add these to their worksheet.

Finally, complete the Where and How box.

Lsson 3:Vary Your Vggis and Focus on Fruits


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LunchroomLink:

Have students review thelunch menu to fnd out

when dark green andorange vegetables are beingserved. Have them develop

signs or the serving line toinorm other students.

Also, coordinate with theoodservice sta to oer a

vegetable/ruit tasting party.

Ask students to look at the worksheet to see which o the steps they couldtake to meet their goal o increasing their intake o ruits and vegetables.Have students circle on the worksheet the steps they plan to take. Point

out that small changes really add up. Once they try a new ood and like it,they can add it to the oods they eat regularly. Thats how they can meettheir goal.

Note to teacher: Students may add additional ideas on the back oftheir worksheet.

As studnts larn about goal-stting, hr ar som pointsto rmmbr:

Success breeds success. Encourage children to set goals they canaccomplish. A child who usually chooses only corn and apple juice

might set a goal o trying one new ruit this week.

Take one step at a time. Children do not need to change overnightwhat they eat. They can start with one new, good thing, and add anew one every day.

Group Activity: Vgtabl Ad Campaign

Have students create an ad campaign or a vegetable. Working in groups,research a dark green or orange vegetable. (They can fnd inormation atMyPyramid.gov.) Why is it a nutritious choice? Have students use theircreativity to create a poster and perhaps a TV ad a jingle, a skit that

they can perorm or the class.


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Stps to a Halthir You

My Fruit and Vegetable Goals

Fruits

Circle the names o the ruits you have eaten:

mango papaya kiwiruit cantaloupe

star ruit pineapple strawberry blueberry

Other ruits I have eaten:

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

Write the name o a ruit you would like to try:

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

How will you eat this ruit? (Perhaps on cereal, as asnack, for dessert, with dinner, or on pancakes.)

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

Vegetables

Circle the names of the vegetables you have eaten:

spinach collard greens sweet potato

broccoli jicama zucchini squash

Other vegetables I have eaten:

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

Write the name of a vegetable you would like to try:

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

How will you eat this vegetable? (Perhaps for asnack, as a salad, with dip, or for lunch.)

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

Where and How

I will try these oods by: asking my parents to purchase them, helping my parents prepare these oods,

choosing them rom a restaurant menu, eating them rom the school lunch menu, or eating them at a

riends house.

____________________________________________________________________ _________________________

Signature Date

Name:

Documents

Nutrition Grades 3 4