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Action Schools! BC Classroom Healthy Eating Action Resource � 2

Thanks!Action Schools! BC gratefully acknowledges the contributions of all those involved in

the Grades K to 3 and 4 to 7 Healthy Eating pilots. The time provided by the administrators

and more than 40 teachers who completed paperwork, attended meetings, tracked their

activities, and provided feedback was invaluable. Action Schools! BC is indebted to the Action

Teams of the following schools who made the initiative so successful:

Braefoot Elementary, Victoria, SD #61 Roy Wilcox Elementary, Kitimat, SD #82

Brooksbank Elementary, North Vancouver, SD #44 Selkirk Montessori School, Victoria, IND #61

Eagle View Elementary, Victoria, SD #61 Walter Moberly Elementary, Vancouver, SD #39

Roosevelt Park Elementary, Prince Rupert, SD #52 Willway Elementary, Victoria, SD #62

Action Schools! BC also wishes to thank the individual stakeholders, teachers, students,

and school districts who provided their valuable input, feedback, and direction in the

development of this updated and expanded edition of the Classroom Healthy Eating

Action Resource:

Central Okanagan, SD #23

Greater Victoria, SD #61

Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows, SD #42

Copyright © 2008-2011, Province of British Columbia.

This document is owned by the Government of the Province of British Columbia

(the “Province”) and is protected by copyright law. It may not be reproduced

without the prior written permission of the Province.

Second Edition

September 2011

ISBN 978-0-7726-6029-9

For further information or additional copies please contact:

Action Schools! BC Support Team #360–3820 Cessna Drive, Richmond BC V7B 0A2 p 604.738.2468 or 1.800.565.7727 � f 604.333.3579 www.actionschoolsbc.ca � [email protected]


classroom Healthy EatingAction Resource (CHEAR)

Introduction � 6

Getting Started & Keeping it Going � 9

Action Pack Content Checklist � 10

Overview: Healthy Eating Priorities � 11

Tracking Activities � 17

Curriculum Connections � 18

Vegetables and Fruit Diary � 23

Vegetables and Fruit Sticker Competition � 28

Bracelet Fun: Tracking Your Vegetables and Fruit � 29

Tracking Your Colours � 30

Vegetables and Fruit Class Challenge � 34

Placemat Activity � 35

Drink Diary � 36

Food and Drink Advertisement Diary � 38

Tasting Activities � 41


Tasting Parties � 44

Food Safety in the Classroom � 47

Salad Patch � 48

Snacking Activities � 53


Healthy T Days � 56

Crunch & Sip™ � 58

Count the Cubes! � 59

How to Read a Nutrition Label � 62


Learning Activities - K to 3 � 63

Overview: Healthy Eating in Kindergarten to Grade 3 � 64

Kindergarten – Curriculum Connections � 67

What is a Vegetable or Fruit? (Veg & Fruit) � 68

Which Runner Wins the Race? (Sugary Drinks) � 69

Invisible Salt (Sodium) � 71

I Spy Advertising (Media) � 72

Grade 1 – Curriculum Connections � 73

Pumpkins, Pumpkins (Veg & Fruit) � 74

Getting to Know the Runners in the Race (Sugary Drinks) � 77

What Salt Does to Our Bodies (Sodium) � 79

Be an Ad Detective (Media) � 81


Edible Plant Parts (Veg & Fruit) � 84

What’s in Your Runner? (Sugary Drinks) � 86

Which is the Better Choice? (Sodium) � 87

Have I Got Your Attention? (Media) � 90


5 a Day the Colour Way (Veg & Fruit) � 93

Choose Your Drinks Wisely (Sugary Drinks) � 95

Go for Low (Sodium) � 97

What are You Advertising? (Media) � 100

Learning Activities - Grades 4 to 7 � 101

Overview: Healthy Eating in Grades 4 to 7 � 102


How Much is a Food Guide Serving? (Veg & Fruit) � 107

Food Safety in the Classroom � 109

Sugar Shocker (Sugary Drinks) � 110

Making Fast Food Healthier (Sodium) � 111

Have a Blast! (Media) � 113


BC Grown (Veg & Fruit) � 117

Drink Check (Sugary Drinks) � 121

Shake the Salt Habit (Sodium) � 122

Advertising Healthy Choices (Media) � 125



Know Your Nutrients (Veg & Fruit) � 127

Chart Your Nutrients (Veg & Fruit) � 128

Caffeine Check (Sugary Drinks) � 132

Me and My Sodium Intake (Sodium) � 137

What is Real? (Media) � 142


Food Customs (Veg & Fruit) � 145

What’s in it for Me? (Sugary Drinks) � 148

Is it a Little or a Lot? (Sodium) � 153

Food Advertising (Media) � 155

Field Trips � 157


Supermarket Tour � 160

Farm Visit � 161

Pumpkin Patch � 162

Supplementary Resources � 163

Family Healthy Living Kit � 164

Eat Smart Celebrations � 165

Memo Home � 167


Introduction

Action Schools! BC is a best practices model designed to assist schools in

creating individualized action plans to promote healthy living while achieving

academic outcomes. The initiative is a source for practical and relevant professional

development, curriculum-linked resources and support for teachers in daily physical

activity, physical education, and healthy eating, and physical activity and healthy

eating leadership training and resources for students.

Classroom Action is one of six Action Zones within the Action Schools! BC framework

for action. The Classroom Healthy Eating Action Resource (CHEAR) and Action

Pack have been developed to assist teachers in bringing healthy eating alive in

the classroom, focusing on increasing vegetable and fruit consumption, reducing

intake of sugary drinks, reducing sodium intake, and enhancing media awareness.

The CHEAR supports the Ministry of Education prescribed learning outcomes

across the curriculum.

Each of the healthy eating lessons has been designed to be easily implemented

in 20 minutes. Learning outcomes, teacher backgrounders, implementation ideas

and resources have been provided – everything you need to get started!

“I think this revised CHEAR is excellent. I love the consistency

of topics across the curriculum including vegetables

and fruit, sugary drinks, sodium, and media.”

EDUCATOR

Reference: www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/plo


Activate Your School With Action Schools! BC

. . . providing more opportunities for more children to make healthy choices more often.

Classroom Action is one of many ways to influence the health of children in your school.

Action Schools! BC is a school-wide initiative to integrate daily physical activity, physical

education and healthy eating into the fabric of BC’s school communities. The Action Schools!

BC framework for action provides tools to create individualized action plans that contribute to

the health of children, as well as the overall health and well-being of the school community.

The creation of a school action plan integrates the efforts of teachers, school administrators,

families, and community practitioners to achieve goals in six Action Zones – helping to advance

comprehensive school health.

Action ZonesAction Schools! BC supports action in six Action Zones to create a balanced portfolio of

activities that promote healthy living.

Makes healthy choices the easy choices by creating

healthy living policy supporting safe and inclusive

school environments.

Provides an annual physical education calendar of ideas and best

practice resources that support the Ministry of Education prescribed

learning outcomes for scheduled physical education.

Provides innovative daily physical activity and healthy eating activities

for the classroom that complement physical and health education,

and build healthy bodies and minds.

Fosters the development of partnerships with families and community

practitioners to benefit from the resources available to promote and

encourage healthy living.

Supports a variety of opportunities for students, staff and families

to engage in healthy living before and after school, and during

lunch and recess.

Cultivates school spirit by encouraging physical activity, supporting

healthy eating choices, and celebrating the benefits of healthy living

for the whole school.


Targeting the Benefits of Healthy EatingThe Action Schools! BC – Healthy Eating resources were developed to improve healthy eating

practices and attitudes in children. Activities in this resource have been designed to take

about 20 minutes to make them easy to integrate into existing lesson plans.

The activities are designed to increase understanding of the benefits of vegetable and fruit

consumption, the negative health effects of sugary drinks and too much sodium, and media

awareness. Providing strongly worded, simple messages focused on changing a specific

behaviour has been documented to be a more effective health promotion strategy than the

delivery of broader nutrition messages. With this in mind, the activities within the Healthy

Eating component focus on four key areas.

Tracking Activities – Tracking aspects of healthy eating increases

awareness of where changes are necessary and provides a foundation

for setting goals to move toward healthier practices.

Tasting Activities – Repeated exposure to food, including preparation

and tasting, is the most effective way to influence a child’s eating

behaviours. Some children require 10 to 15 exposures to a new food

before they decide to try it, or to like it!

Snacking Activities – Healthy snacking throughout the day maintains

energy for growing, learning and playing. Snacking activities expose

children to the benefits of choosing healthy snacks, providing them with

opportunities to make their own snack choices, and encouraging them

to bring healthy snacks to school.

Learning Activities – Eating practices and attitudes are established in

childhood and adolescence, and childhood eating practices are predictive

of eating patterns in adulthood. Diverse and creative classroom activities

and discussions expose children to healthy eating choices and provide the

necessary knowledge, skills and experiences to build the foundation for

life-long healthy eating.

Register Your School Today!Registered schools receive assistance from the Action Schools! BC Support Team, and are

eligible for complimentary in-services and Action Packs filled with valuable teaching

resources, tools, supplies and funding for tasting and snacking activities.

Action Schools! BC Support Team p 604.738.2468 or 1.800.565.7727

www.actionschoolsbc.ca [email protected]

Reference: Healthy Eating – Pilot Evaluation, March 2009, www.actionschoolsbc.ca


Getting Started & Keeping it Going

Classroom Healthy Eating Action Tips

SNACK ON IT! Encourage healthy snacking choices throughout the day. An easy way to

get started is to implement a healthy snacking activity.

INTEGRATE IT! Integrate healthy eating activities into your weekly plan and into other

curricular areas building a culture of healthy eating in your classroom.

LEAD IT! Incorporate student leadership opportunities by assigning responsibility for

assisting with healthy eating activities in your classroom. Book leadership training

through Action Schools! BC for a group of selected leaders.

ADAPT IT! A wide variety of activities has been provided. Choose activities that will

work for you and your students.

SEE IT! Display healthy eating posters, cards or words in your classroom to provide

reminders for healthy eating. Try one of the tracking activities involving a class

challenge.

LEARN IT! Use the learning activities to teach about vegetables and fruit, sugary drinks,

sodium, and media awareness. Use the tracking, tasting and snacking activities for

practice and reinforcement.

PARTNER IT! Join another class for large group activities and/or little buddy activities

to double the fun of tasting and tracking activities. Share healthy eating displays

by posting them in common areas in the school.

CELEBRATE IT! Incorporate tasting activities into your school-wide,

family, and cultural celebrations.


Grades K to 3Resources (in Box):� Action Pages!� Action Schools! BC Classroom Healthy Eating Action Resource –

Grades K to 7� Action Schools! BC Colourful Choices Poster (F) � Action Schools! BC Edible Plant Parts Poster (F) � Action Schools! BC Fruit Poster (F) � Action Schools! BC Poster (F) � Action Schools! BC Vegetable and Fruit Challenge Chart (F)� Action Schools! BC Vegetable and Fruit Food Guide Serving

Sizes for Canada Poster (F) � Action Schools! BC Vegetables Poster (F)� BC Dairy Foundation Nutrition Education Brochure � BC School Fruit and Vegetable Nutritional Program Brochure

� Being Me: Promoting Positive Body Image (provided at workshop)� Canada’s Food Guide (F) � Canada’s Food Guide (First Nations, Inuit and Métis) � Canada’s Food Guide: A Resource for Educators and Communicators (F)� DASH BC Card � Dietitian Services at HealthLink BC Card, call 811 � Fruit Facts Book � Growing Vegetable Soup Book � It’s a Fruit, It’s a Vegetable, It’s a Pumpkin Book � Sip Smart! BC Drink Cut-outs (photocopied) (provided at workshop)� Smart Fruit & Veggie Songs CD � Vegetables and How They Grow Book � Veggie & Fruit Fun! Activity Booklet

(F) Available in French � Request a French or an Aboriginal Healthy Eating Package

Tools and Supplies (in Red Pack):� Action Schools! BC Placemats –

Vegetable and Fruit Food Guide Serving Sizes for Canada/FourFood Groups (30) (F)

� Fruit & Veggie Bingo Game (F)

Family Healthy Living Kit:� Action Schools! BC Family

Healthy Living Kit Booklet � 3 Bean Bags� 1 Chinese Jump Rope � 3 Scarves

Classroom Healthy EatingAction Pack

CONTENT CHECKLIST

Grades 4 to 7Resources (in Box):� Action Pages!� Action Schools! BC Classroom Healthy Eating Action Resource –

Grades K to 7 � Action Schools! BC Colourful Choices Poster (F) � Action Schools! BC Edible Plant Parts Poster (F) � Action Schools! BC Fruit Poster (F) � Action Schools! BC Poster (F) � Action Schools! BC Vegetable and Fruit Challenge Chart (F) � Action Schools! BC Vegetable and Fruit Food Guide

Serving Sizes for Canada Poster (F) � Action Schools! BC Vegetables Poster (F)

� BC Dairy Foundation Nutrition Education Brochure � BC School Fruit and Vegetable Nutritional Program Brochure � Being Me: Promoting Positive Body Image (provided at workshop)� Canada’s Food Guide (F) � Canada’s Food Guide (First Nations, Inuit and Métis) � Canada’s Food Guide: A Resource for Educators and Communicators (F)� DASH BC Card � Dietitian Services at HealthLink BC Card, call 811 � Sip Smart! BC What Size is Your Drink? Poster� Sip Smart! BC Binder, including Laminated Drink Cut-outs� Sip Smart! BC How Much Sugar is in Your Drink? Poster

Tools and Supplies (in Red Pack):� Action Schools! BC Placemats – Vegetable

and Fruit Food Guide Serving Sizes for Canada/ Four Food Groups (30) (F)

� Bracelets (144) � Cutting Board

� Bracelets (144) � Cutting Board� Measuring Cups� Measuring Spoons� Peeler

� Plastic Cubes (provided at workshop)

� Root Viewer � Scrub Brush � Who am I? Flashcards

� 1 Skip Rope � Fruit & Veggie Bingo Game (F) � Canada’s Food Guide (F) � Canada’s Food Guide (First

Nations, Inuit and Métis)

� Canadian Physical ActivityGuidelines (F)

� Kids In Motion CD � Sip Smart! BC Booklet for Families � Who am I? Flashcards

� Measuring Cups� Measuring Spoons� Peeler � Scrub Brush� Who am I? Flashcards

PROVIDED AT WORKSHOP:� Baseball (sponge)� Egg (sponge)� Plastic Cubes� Tennis Ball (sponge)


Key Messages

OverviewHealthy Eating Priorities

The Classroom Healthy Eating Action Resource (2nd Ed.) has expanded from vegetables and fruit to include lesson plans and resources to help students make healthier drink choices, limithigh sodium food and drinks, and develop critical thinking skills with which to analyze foodand/or drink advertising. These areas were prioritized to further support the health, learning,and development of students and help build healthy lifestyle habits.

Why Vegetables and Fruit?

• Eat 5 food guide servings of vegetables and fruit each day (kids aged 4 to 8).

• Eat 6 food guide servings of vegetables and fruit each day (kids aged 9 to 13).

• Eat one dark green and orange vegetable each day.

• Eat vegetables and fruit prepared with little or no added fat, sugar, or salt.

• Choose vegetables and fruit more often than juice.

• Limit juice to 125 ml (1/2 cup) of 100% juice each day.

• In Canada, only 23.3% of children and youth aged 2 to 17 eat vegetables andfruit 5 or more times per day.

The Vegetables and Fruit food group is the largest arc in the rainbow on Canada’s Food Guide,emphasizing the key role these foods play in a healthy eating pattern.

What is a Vegetable?Vegetable is not a botanical term, but rather a culinary term which generally refers to any ediblepart of a plant that is not regarded as a fruit, nut, herb, spice, or grain. Vegetables can includeleaves (lettuce), stems (asparagus), roots (carrots), tubers (potatoes), flowers (broccoli), bulbs(garlic), and seeds (peas and beans). Some botanical fruit such as cucumbers, squash, pumpkins,tomatoes, and sweet peppers are usually referred to as vegetables.

What is a Fruit?In botany, a fruit is the ripened seed-bearing part of a flowering plant. In cuisine when discussing fruit as food, the term usually refers to just those plant fruits that are sweet andfleshy (e.g. plums, apples, and oranges). Many foods are botanically fruit but are treated asvegetables in cooking. These include cucurbits (e.g. squash, pumpkins, and cucumbers),tomatoes, peas, beans, corn, eggplants, and peppers.


A diet that includes the recommended servings of a wide variety of vegetables and fruit helpschildren to grow, learn and play. Additionally, they may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular orheart disease and some types of cancer, as well as help to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.The recommended number of servings is different for people at different stages of life and isdifferent for males and females. Canada’s Food Guide recommends vegetable and fruit intakesof 5 per day for children aged 4 to 8 years and 6 per day for children aged 9 to 13 years.

A variety of forms including fresh, frozen, canned, dried and unsweetened 100% juices areincluded in this group. Some products with “vegetable” or “fruit” in their names or on theirpackaging are high in fat, sugar or sodium. Fruit candies, some vegetable or fruit chips, fruit jams or spreads, ketchup, as well as vegetable or fruit drinks/punches/cocktails/beverages/lemonades do not belong in the Vegetables and Fruit food group.

Reference: Canada’s Food Guide, 2007;Canadian Paediatric Society; Dietitians of Canada

Nutrients and Health Benefits Found in Vegetables and Fruit

NUTRIENT HEALTH BENEFITS VEGETABLES/FRUIT

Provides energy to fuel the body and

Carbohydratebrain; there are 3 different types of

all vegetables and fruitcarbohydrates found in food – starches, fibre, and sugar

FibrePromotes a healthy digestive system apple, beans, Brussels sprouts, oranges,and soluble fibre is “heart friendly” peas, potatoes, pumpkin, strawberries

Helps the body heal, fight infection, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cantaloupe,Vitamin C and fight disease including cancer, kiwi fruit, oranges, papayas, strawberries,

heart disease, and stroke sweet peppers

Vitamin Aapricots, beans, broccoli, cantaloupe,

(the body converts Promotes healthy skin, helps carrots, kale, lettuce, mangoes, pumpkins,

carotenoids found with vision and helps to prevent spinach, sweet potatoes, tomatoes,

in orange vegetables diseaseswinter squash

to vitamin A)

Helps the body use protein and beans, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts,Folate make red blood cells, and lowers cantaloupe, cauliflower, kale, oranges, peas,

the risk of some diseases romaine lettuce, spinach, tomatoes

Important for normal brain and nerve avocado, bananas, broccoli, Brussels

Vitamin B6 function, helps the body break down sprouts, pineapples, potatoes

protein and make red blood cells

Helps the body use protein and apricots, bananas, beets, broccoli,

Magnesiumvitamins, keep the muscles and

currants, peas, okra, pineapples, spinach,nervous system working well, and

strawberries, zucchinikeep bones strong

Helps with the muscles and nervous bananas, broccoli, dried fruit,

Potassiumsystem functioning and helps

melon, oranges, potatoes, rutabagas,maintain the balance of water

tomatoes, winter squashin the blood and body tissues


Key Messages

Recommended Resources:1. Health Canada – Canada’s Food Guide, 2007 (available in 12 languages and for First Nations, Inuit and Métis;

free class sets available) (in Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!) 2. Health Canada – Canada’s Food Guide: A Resource for Educators and Communicators (F) (refer to Action Pages!)3. Health Canada – Eat Well and Be Active Educational Toolkit (F) (refer to Action Pages!)4. HealthLink BC: Call 811 and speak to a dietitian (refer to Action Pages!)5. Caring for Kids (refer to Action Pages!)

Why Sugary Drinks?

• Sugar is a major ingredient in many popular drinks.

• Sugary drinks include energy drinks, fruit drinks, pop, sports drinks,specialty coffee and tea drinks.

• Less is best! The number and size of servings of drinks affect the amount of sugar consumed.

• Choose water – a great choice!

• Drinking sugary drinks “bumps out” nutritious drinks creating a higher risk of deficiencies in essential nutrients.

• Food labels help make healthy drink choices.

• Some ingredients in sugary drinks other than sugar, such as acid and caffeine,may negatively affect health (e.g. tooth decay or trouble sleeping).

• Drink choices can be influenced by various factors, including family, friends,and the media – but we can choose to make healthy drink choices.

• Children should limit fruit juice to 125 ml (1/2 cup) daily.

When Choosing Juice: Look for the words “100% juice” and limit drinks that are labelled “fruitbeverage”, “fruit cocktail”, “fruit drink”, “fruit punch”, “fruit blend”, “fruit splash” or end in the word“ade” such as “lemonade”. Look for the words on the ingredient list that mean “added sugar”:agave syrup, brown sugar, cane sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, dextrose, sucrose, fructose,fruit juice concentrates, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, invert sugar, maltose, maltsyrup, maple syrup, molasses, raw sugar, sugar, sucrose, and syrup.

Sugary drinks are heavily marketed, available in many locations, and often displayed at children’s eye level. These drinks can contribute to unhealthy weight, which in turn puts a child at increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and other health problems.

Adapted from: Sip Smart! BCReference: Canadian Paediatric Society

Recommended Resources:1. Sip Smart! BC (in Grades 4 to 7 Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!) 2. BC Ministry of Education – Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools, Revised August 2010 (F)

(refer to Action Pages!)3. Caring for Kids (refer to Action Pages!)


Key Messages

Key Messages

Why Sodium?

• Sodium is a mineral found in salt.

• All types of salt are high in sodium.

• Most of us eat too much sodium; more than double the amount we need.

• Healthy children only need 1000-1500 mg of sodium per day;healthy adults only need 1500 mg of sodium per day.

• Almost everyone can benefit from eating less sodium.

• Eating less sodium will help you stay healthy and feel your best!

• Food labels can help you make healthy food choices.

• Over 75% of sodium we eat comes from processed foods such as cheese, deli meat, pizza, sauces and soups.

• Pre-packaged foods, ready-to-eat foods, fast foods, and restaurant meals are often high in sodium.

When children consume too much sodium, they develop a preference for high sodiumfoods, which results in less healthy choices throughout their life. Teaching children aboutsalt or sodium and creating an environment where lower salt choices are readily availablesupports their health and learning.

Sodium is found in salt (sodium chloride) and other products like baking soda (sodiumbicarbonate), monosodium glutamate (MSG), and sodium nitrite/nitrate, which is used forcuring meat. It is the sodium in salt which can be harmful to our health. Learning aboutlabel reading and identifying sodium on Nutrition Facts tables and ingredient lists, can help you make healthy choices.

The Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools include sodium as one of thecriteria for classifying foods into groups that determine whether the food or beverages can be sold to students at school.

In the case of sodium, less is best!

Adapted from: Health Canada – Sodium 101

Recommended Resources:1. Lower Sodium (refer to Action Pages!) 2. Sodium 101 (refer to Action Pages!)

Why Media Awareness?

• Marketers spend billions of dollars creating advertisements targeted towards children.

• Advertising for products high in fat, sugar, and salt such as candy (34%),cereal (28%), and fast food (10%) is promoted to children most often.

• Advertising for healthier foods such as dairy products (4%), 100% juice(1%), and vegetables and fruit (0%) is limited.


Key Messages

• Media awareness helps students develop critical thinking skills and the ability to make informed choices in all areas of their lives.

• Children under 8 years of age may not understand that advertisements are not always based on reality or may not have the skills or knowledge todistinguish between reality and fantasy.

• Children influence their parents’ spending, have their own money tospend, and will eventually become adult consumers.

We are all exposed to a myriad of media experiences, so much so that it has become part of daily life – and largely goes unnoticed, except subconsciously. Statistics Canada reported that TV use by children aged 2 to 11 years was about 14 hours per week and teens aged 12 to 17 yearswas about 12 hours per week in British Columbia (2004).The time spent watching TV is decreasingbut the time spent on the internet has risen substantially. As new forms of mobile media areintroduced, the potential to have both positive and negative effects on the health of children and youth expands.The opportunities for media to have a positive impact on health include access to new information, improving education for more people especially in remote areas, andproviding a platform for more people to communicate with each other on important topics.

Advertising influences children’s food and beverage choices and preferences, and therefore theirhealth and development. Media directed at children is everywhere: TV, magazines, sponsorships,product placements (e.g. food in movies, candy at grocery store checkouts), clothing, games forchildren on company websites, cartoon characters, celebrity endorsements, contests, free toysand clubs.

Teaching media awareness to children is one method for helping them understand and evaluate the techniques used by advertisers to influence their food and beverage choices.This is a recommended prevention strategy for disordered eating and for improving self-esteem.The development of these critical thinking skills is the starting point to empowering children with the knowledge they need to make informed choices that support positive mental andphysical health.

Reference: Statistics Canada 2004; The Kaiser Family Foundation, Generation M2: Media inthe Lives of 8- to 18-Year-Olds www.kff.org; Gantz W, Schwartz N, Angelini JR, Rideout V. Food for thought:

Television Food Advertising to Children in the United States. A Kaiser Family Foundation Report, 2007Adapted from: Media Awareness Network

Recommended Resources:1. Dietitians of Canada – Advertising of Food and Beverages to Children: Position of

Dietitians of Canada. December 2010 (refer to Action Pages!)2. Long Live Kids (refer to Action Pages!)3. Media Awareness Network (refer to Action Pages!)


Key Messages

Special NoteBeing Me: Promoting Positive Body Image is a new resource being piloted and shared at the Classroom Healthy Eating Action Workshops. Through this module, students are exposedto lessons and activities designed to support the development of positive body image and self-esteem, along with messaging which serves to help prevent disordered eating.

• Consider your values, beliefs, and choice of language about body weight and health.

• Promote healthy activities for every body size.

• Role model positive body image and a healthy lifestyle.

• When you discuss bullying in your classroom, include the topic of teasing individuals for their body weight, shape, or size.

• Teach students how to look at the media and information in it more critically.Often, unrealistic images of beauty are linked with happiness, love, popularityand acceptance.

• Avoid using weight tables or charts and calorie counting in classroomactivities. Relying on the number of calories rather than on internal cues of hunger and fullness can lead to over or under eating.

• It is normal for many children to gain weight in advance of a period of rapid growth during puberty. Girls usually have their major growth spurt at12.5 to 13 years, while boys have theirs at 14 to 14.5 years. Note that these are averages; the rapid growth period varies greatly based on genetics andenvironmental factors.

• Each person’s body is different and we should respect, accept and celebratethese differences.


TrackingActivities

Grades K to 7

Tracking aspects of healthy eating, including the number of vegetables andfruit consumed, drinks consumed, and media messages exposed to, increases

awareness of where changes are necessary and provides a foundation for settinggoals toward maximizing good health and healthy development.

Tracking activities help students to increase their awareness of the choices they aremaking, and to compare their choices to goals, recommendations or guidelines.

Curriculum Connections

� Vegetables and Fruit Diary

� Vegetables and Fruit Sticker Competition

� Bracelet Fun: Tracking Your Vegetables and Fruit

� Tracking Your Colours

� Vegetables and Fruit Class Challenge

� Placemat Activity

� Drink Diary

� Food and Drink Advertisement Diary


Curriculum Connections Tracking Activities

GRADES K TO 7

CURRICULUM AREA CURRICULUM ORGANIZERS GR RELATED LEARNING OUTCOMES

ENGLISH LANGUAGE Features of Writing K C7 – Print most of the letters of the alphabet, own name, and ARTS and Representing • a few simple words, and record a prominent sound in a word

HEALTH AND CAREER Goals and Decisions K A1 – Identify opportunities to make choicesEDUCATION 2 A2 – Identify opportunities to make decisions

4 A1 – Identify the steps in a decision-making model6 A1 – Describe planning techniques that can help to support

goal attainment7 A1 – Design a plan to achieve a specific goal

Health (Healthy Living) K C1 – Identify practices that contribute to health, including healthyeating, regular physical activity, emotional health practices, anddisease prevention practices

1 C1 – Identify practices that contribute to health, including healthyeating, regular physical activity, and emotional health practices

3 C1 – Describe practices that contribute to physical and emotionalhealth

3 C2 – Describe the importance of healthy eating and regularphysical activity for a healthy lifestyle

4 C1 – Describe the choices an individual can make to attainand maintain physical and emotional health

4 C2 – Describe choices they can make for healthy eating, based onCanada’s Food Guide

5 C2 – Describe strategies for contributing to a healthy, balancedlifestyle

7 C2 – Describe strategies for attaining and maintaining physical,emotional, and social health during puberty and adolescence

MATHEMATICS Number 1 A4 – Represent and describe numbers to 20 concretely, pictorially,and symbolically

Statistics and Probability 2 D2 – Construct and interpret concrete graphs and pictographs (Data Analysis) to solve problems

3 D2 – Construct, label, and interpret bar graphs to solve problems

LESSON – VEGETABLES AND FRUIT DIARY




1 C1 –Identify practices that contribute to health, including healthyeating, regular physical activity, and emotional health practices



LESSON – VEGETABLES AND FRUIT STICKER COMPETITION



HEALTH AND CAREER Health (Healthy Living) 4 C1 – Describe the choices an individual can make to attainEDUCATION and maintain physical and emotional health



MATHEMATICS Number K A5 – Compare quantities, 1 to 10, using one-to-one correspondence1 A4 – Represent and describe numbers to 20 concretely, pictorially,

and symbolically2 A4 – Represent and describe numbers to 100, concretely, pictorially,

and symbolically2 A6 – Estimate quantities to 100 using referents

Shape and Space K C1 – Use direct comparison to compare two objects based(Measurement) on a single attribute

Patterns and Relations 2 B1 – Demonstrate an understanding of repeating patterns(Patterns) 6 B2 – Represent and describe patterns and relationships using

graphs and tables

Statistics and Probability 2 D2 – Construct and interpret concrete graphs and pictographs(Data Analysis) to solve problems

3 D1 – Collect first-hand data and organize it using tally marks,line plots, charts, lists to answer questions

3 D2 – Construct, label, and interpret bar graphs to solve problems4 D2 – Construct and interpret pictographs and bar graphs

involving many to one correspondence to draw conclusions5 D2 – Construct and interpret double bar graphs to draw conclusions

SOCIAL STUDIES Skills and Processes 2 A4 – Present information using oral, written, or visual representationsof Social Studies 7 A2 – Use various types of graphs, tables, timelines, and

maps to obtain or communicate information

LESSON – VEGETABLES AND FRUIT STICKER COMPETITION


HEALTH AND CAREER Goals and Decisions K A1 – Identify opportunities to make choicesEDUCATION 1 A1 – Identify reasons for setting goals

2 A2 – Identify opportunities to make decisions



2 C2 – Identify healthy eating practices as described in Canada’s FoodGuide



4 C1 – Describe the choices an individual can make to attain andmaintain physical and emotional health

4 C2 – Describe the importance of healthy eating and regular physical 5 C2 – Describe strategies for contributing to a healthy, balanced

lifestyle7 C2 – Describe strategies for attaining and maintaining physical,

emotional, and social health during puberty and adolescence

LESSON – BRACELET FUN: TRACKING YOUR VEGETABLES AND FRUIT



MATHEMATICS Number K A5 – Compare quantities, 1 to 10, using one-to-one correspondence

1 A4 – Represent and describe numbers to 20 concretely, pictorially,and symbolically

1 A6 – Estimate quantities to 20 by using referents

Shape and Space K C1 – Use direct comparison to compare two objects based(Measurement) on a single attribute

Patterns and Relations (Patterns) 1 B1 – Demonstrate an understanding of repeating patterns

PHYSICAL EDUCATION Active Living (Knowledge) 6 A3 – Analyse nutritional considerations for physical activity

SOCIAL STUDIES Skills and Processes 2 A4 – Present information using oral, written, or visual of Social Studies representations

LESSON – BRACELET FUN: TRACKING YOUR VEGETABLES AND FRUIT



2 A2 – Identify opportunities to make decisions3 A1 – Apply a goal-setting model to a short-term goal


1 C1 – Identify practices that contribute to health, including healthy eating, regular physical activity, and emotional healthpractices






ENGLISH LANGUAGE Thinking (Oral Language) 1 A9 – Use speaking and listening in group activities to ARTS develop thinking by identifying relationships and

acquiring new ideas

Oral Language (Purposes) 2 A1 – Use speaking and listening to interact with others3 A1 – Use speaking and listening to interact with others

PHYSICAL EDUCATION Active Living (Knowledge) 6 A3 Analyse nutritional considerations for physical activity

SOCIAL STUDIES Skills and Processes 2 A4 – Present information using oral, written, or visualof Social Studies representations

LESSON – TRACKING YOUR COLOURS




2 A2 – Identify opportunities to make decisions3 A1 – Apply a goal-setting model to a short-term goal


1 C1 – Identify practices that contribute to health, including healthy eating, regular physical activity, and emotional healthpractices





7 C2 – Describe strategies for attaining and maintaining physical, emotional, and social health during puberty andadolescence

MATHEMATICS Number K A5 – Compare quantities, 1 to 10, using one-to-onecorrespondence

2 A4 – Represent and describe numbers to 100, concretely,pictorially, and symbolically

2 A6 – Estimate quantities to 100 using referents

Patterns and Relations 2 B1 – Demonstrate an understanding of repeating patterns(Patterns) 6 B2 – Represent and describe patterns and relationships using

graphs and tables

Shape and Space K C1 – Use direct comparison to compare two objects based (Measurement) on a single attribute

Statistics and Probability 2 D2 – Construct and interpret concrete graphs and pictographs(Data Analysis) to solve problems

3 D1 – Collect first-hand data and organize it using tally marks, lineplots, charts, lists to answer questions

3 D2 – Construct, label, and interpret bar graphs to solve problems4 D2 – Construct and interpret pictographs and bar graphs involving

many to one correspondence to draw conclusions5 D2 – Construct and interpret double bar graphs to draw

conclusions6 D1 – Create, label, and interpret line graphs to draw conclusions6 D3 – Graph collected data and analyze the graph to solve

problems


4 A1 – Apply critical thinking skills – including comparing, imagining,inferring, identifying patterns, and summarizing – to selectedproblems and issues

6 A2 – Use various types of graphs, tables, timelines, and maps toobtain or communicate information

LESSON – VEGETABLE AND FRUIT CLASS CHALLENGE






2 C2 – Identify healthy eating practices as described in Canada’s Food Guide




4 C2 – Describe choices they can make for healthy eating, based onCanada’s Food Guide




LESSON – PLACEMAT ACTIVITY


HEALTH AND CAREER Health (Healthy Living) 4 C1 – Describe the choices an individual can make to attain EDUCATION and maintain physical and emotional health




LESSON – DRINK DIARY


HEALTH AND CAREER Goals and Decisions 4 A1 – Identify the steps in a decision-making modelEDUCATION 5 A1 – Describe how various factors affect decision making

6 A2 – Identify influences on goal setting and decision making,including family, peer, and media influences

Health (Healthy Living) 4 C1 – Describe the choices an individual can make to attain and maintain physical and emotional health

4 C2 – Describe choices they can make for healthy eating,based on Canada’s Food Guide

5 C1 – Identify factors that influence attitudes and decisionsregarding healthy lifestyles


7 C1 – Analyse factors (including media and peer) that influencepersonal health decisions


SOCIAL STUDIES Skills and Processes 4 A1 – Apply critical thinking skills – including comparing,of Social Studies imagining, inferring, identifying patterns, and summarizing –

to selected problems and issues6 A1 – Apply critical thinking skills to a range of problems and issues6 A3 – Evaluate the credibility and reliability of selected sources

LESSON – FOOD AND DRINK ADVERTISEMENT DIARY



Tracking

Implementation Ideas:

GRADES K TO 3 • Students each receive a My Vegetables and Fruit Diary.• Grade K and 1 students can draw the vegetables and fruit and write

the first letter of the word beside the drawing for each vegetable orfruit they eat in a day.

• Grade 2 and 3 students can write out the word for the vegetables and fruit.

• As a class, graph the results of how many vegetables and fruit wereeaten by the class.

GRADES 4 TO 7• Students each receive a Tracking My Vegetables and Fruit Chart.• Review the Vegetable and Fruit Food Guide Serving Sizes for Canada

(Poster or Placemat) with students.• Students track the number of servings of vegetables and fruit they

consume each day or for one week on the Tracking My Vegetables and Fruit Chart.

• At the end of a week, students compare the number of daily servingsthey have consumed to Canada’s Food Guide recommendation of sixFood Guide Servings per day.

• Did they meet the key messages from Canada’s Food Guide?– Eat one dark green and one orange vegetable each day.– Eat vegetables and fruit prepared with little or no added fat, sugar,

or salt.– Choose vegetables and fruit more often than juice.

• Ask students to complete the Vegetables and Fruit SMART GoalsHandout.

• Encourage students to try vegetables and fruit served in differentways to increase variety (e.g. fresh red peppers, roasted red peppers,peppers added to pizza and pasta sauces).

RELATED ACTIVITIES • Learning – How Much is a Food Guide Serving? p. 107

Recommended Resources:1. Health Canada – Canada’s Food Guide, 2007 (available in 12 languages and for First

Nations, Inuit and Métis; free class sets available) (in Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!) 2. Action Schools! BC Healthy Eating Poster Pack – Vegetables and Fruit Posters (F) and/or

Placemat (in Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!) 3. Health Canada – Canada’s Food Guide: A Resource for Educators and Communicators (F)

(refer to Action Pages!)

Vegetables and Fruit Diary

Suggested GradeLevel: K to 7

Description:Students will create a diary and use it to recordtheir vegetable and fruitintake for one week.

Preparation:GRADES K TO 3� Photocopy one page of the

My Vegetables and Fruit Diaryper student (see followingpage).

GRADES 4 TO 7� Photocopy Tracking My

Vegetables and Fruit Chart and Vegetables and FruitSMART Goals, use ActionSchools! BC Healthy EatingPlacemat and Vegetable andFruit Food Guide ServingSizes for Canada Poster orPlacemat and Vegetables andFruit Posters (in Action Pack).

� Review Overview – HealthyEating Priorities (p. 11).


Curriculum Connections:

This activity meets several Prescribed Learning Outcomes in the BC Integrated Resource Packages,K to 7. Refer to Curriculum Connections – TRACKING Activities (p. 18).

Goal setting has been shown to be an effective method of enhancing dietary behaviour change. It can direct attention to a particular task or new behaviour, and is a learning techniquecombining information transfer, application, and new health behaviour adoption.

For best results, ensure goals follow the SMART guidelines:

pecific – outline in detail the specific goals (what? how? why?)

easurable – decide how progress will be assessed

ttainable – set goals that are within reach

ealistic – set goals that are challenging, yet possible

imely – establish a deadline for goal completion

S

M

A

R

T

Teacher Backgrounder


Monday

VEGETABLES FRUIT

Tuesday

VEGETABLES FRUIT

Wednesday

VEGETABLES FRUIT

Thursday

VEGETABLES FRUIT

Friday

VEGETABLES FRUIT

My Vegetables and Fruit Diary

NAME __________________________________

Eat 5 a day for kids aged 4 to 8!


Tracking My Vegetables and Fruit

NAME __________________________________

- Remember what you had for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack -

DAY OFWEEK

Example:Monday

TYPE OF VEGETABLE OR FRUIT (including 100% juice)

Edamame beans

AMOUNT

125 ml

(1/2 cup)

# OF FOODGUIDE

SERVINGS

1

ORANGENO FAT,SUGAR,

SALT

✔

DARKGREEN

✔


S

M

A

R

T

#1

#2

Vegetables and Fruit SMART Goals

NAME __________________________________

S

M

A

R

T

Review your Tracking My Vegetables and Fruit Chart to make one or two SMART goals that will help you meet Canada’s Food Guide

recommendations of 6 servings a day for 9 to 13 year olds.

EXAMPLE:

I will pack 125 ml raw (1/2 cup) carrots in my lunch bag for school to help me eat one orange vegetable each day.

My SMART goals (identify the specific goal and how it meets each of the SMARTcriteria: Specific (What will you do? How will you do it?), Measurable, Attainable,Realistic, Timely

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

COMPLETE THE TABLE BELOW:

PEOPLE OR THINGS THAT MAY GET IN THE WAY OF ME REACHING MY GOAL

Example:

Not enough time to pack lunch in the morning

WHAT I CAN DO TO HELP OVERCOME THESE THINGS

Example:

Pack lunch in the evening or get up earlier



• Students collect the stickers from the vegetables and fruit theyeat throughout the school day and keep a tally by sticking theirproduce stickers on the Challenge Chart.

• Expand this activity to vegetables and fruit that do not have stickersby having students create their own stickers or use an erasable pen on the chart.

• Graph the results of how many vegetables and fruit were eaten by the class.

• Graph the results of how many vegetables and fruit were from BC.• The competition can last for one week, a month, or be ongoing.• Organize a class or school-wide tasting party upon completion

of the competition (see Tasting Parties, p. 44).

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY EXTENSIONS• Try this activity as a whole school. Place one or two charts in a

common area and see how many produce stickers students cancollect as a school. Students can determine the average dailyvegetables and fruit consumption for different groups, (e.g. class,school, gender) and graph the results.

Recommended Resources:1. Vegetable and Fruit Challenge Chart (in Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!)2. Action Schools! BC Healthy Eating Poster Pack – Vegetables and Fruit Posters (F)

(in Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!)

Curriculum Connections:This activity meets several Prescribed Learning Outcomes in the BC Integrated ResourcePackages K to 7. Refer to Curriculum Connections – TRACKING Activities (p. 18).

Vegetables and FruitSticker Competition


Description:Students track intake by collecting the stickersfrom the vegetables andfruit they eat.

Preparation:� Track students’

vegetables and fruitintake on the Vegetableand Fruit Challenge Chart (in Action Pack).

� Display Vegetables and Fruit Posters.


Tracking



• Provide each student with 5 or 6 bracelets, representing the numberof recommended daily servings of vegetables and fruit. Canada’s FoodGuide recommends 5 servings of vegetables and fruit per day forchildren aged 4 to 8 years and 6 servings of vegetables and fruit perday for children aged 9 to 13 years.

• Students wear the bracelets on their left wrist. As they eat a vegetableor fruit, they will switch one bracelet to their right wrist. A good way toremember this is to say the following:“I did the RIGHT thing by eatinga vegetable or fruit. I have this many LEFT to eat today.” Alternatively,the bracelets can be kept in one container and as students eat avegetable or fruit they take a bracelet. It does not have to be a fullserving size for the students to move or collect their bracelets.

• Students can include vegetables and fruit they ate before coming to school.

• Students must return bracelets at the end of the day.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY EXTENSIONS• Students record the number of servings of vegetables and fruit they

consumed in their agendas.

RELATED ACTIVITIES • Learning – What is a Vegetable or Fruit? p. 68; How Much is a Food

Guide Serving? p. 107

Recommended Resources:1. Action Schools! BC Healthy Eating Poster Pack – Vegetables and Fruit Posters (F)

(in Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!) 2. Health Canada – Canada’s Food Guide, 2007 (available in 12 languages and for First

Nations, Inuit and Métis; free class sets available) (in Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!) 3. Health Canada – Canada’s Food Guide: A Resource for Educators and Communicators (F)

(refer to Action Pages!)4. Health Canada – My Food Guide Servings Tracker (F) (refer to Action Pages!)


Bracelet Fun: Tracking Your Vegetables and Fruit


Description:An innovative activitythat uses colourful ropebracelets to track students’intake of vegetables andfruit over one school day.

Preparation:� Count out 5 (for Grades

K to 3) or 6 (for Grades 4 to 7)coloured bracelets for everystudent (in Action Pack).

� Display Action Schools! BCVegetables and Fruit Posters(in Action Pack).


Tracking



• Assign a colour group to a small group of students and give them twominutes to come up with as many vegetables and fruit in their colourgroup as possible. Share lists as a class and have students add to othergroups’ lists.

• Review Canada’s Food Guide Servings with Grades 4 to 7 students.• Distribute the Veggies and Fruit the Colour Way Tracking Chart and

Veggies and Fruit by Colour Category Chart for use in class.• Distribute Memo Home and the Veggies and Fruit by Colour Category Chart.• Students track their daily vegetable and fruit intake for one week,

using the Tracking Chart.• For every type of vegetable or fruit students eat, they record the name

of it under the appropriate colour. Students in Grades K to 3 can drawthe vegetables and fruit they eat. The most important message for thisactivity is number of exposures. It does not have to be a full servingsize.

• Use the Who am I? Flashcards to demonstrate other choices in the5 colour groups. Divide the class into colour groups and provide eachgroup with cards that match their colour and ask them to guess thetype of vegetable or fruit for each card.

• Use the Smart Fruit and Veggies Song CD to reinforce messagese.g. play track 3,“I Lost My Basket” and then play track 12,“I Lost My Basket” (instrumental) and ask students to give examples ofvegetables and fruit that fit into each colour group.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY EXTENSIONS • Use the Fruit & Veggie Colour Champions Bingo! Game as a fun

way to further explore vegetables, fruit, and their colours. Based on the traditional game, this version teaches students about the benefitsof colourful vegetables and fruit.

• Play a memory game where students take turns adding a vegetableand fruit when it is their turn after repeating previous list. Start at ‘A’ atthe beginning of game and go all the way to ‘Z’ucchini.

RELATED ACTIVITIES • Tasting – Tasting Parties: Eat Your Colours p. 45 • Learning – 5 a Day the Colour Way p. 93; How Much is a Food Guide

Serving? p. 107

Tracking Your Colours


Description:Students track the colours ofvegetables and fruit they eateach day to increase awarenessof their personal choices.

Preparation:� Photocopy one Veggies and

Fruit the Colour Way TrackingChart and one Veggies andFruit by Colour Category Chartper student (see followingpages).

� Photocopy one Memo Home –Action Schools! BC HealthyEating (SupplementaryResources, p. 163) and onemore Veggies and Fruit byColour Category Chart perstudent (see following pages).

� Review Who am I? Flashcards(in Action Pack).

� Locate Smart Fruit and Veggie Songs CD (in Action Pack).


� Optional – Review the Fruit & Veggie Colour ChampionsBingo! game (in Action Pack).

Tracking


Recommended Resources:1. Smart Fruit and Veggie Songs CD – Eat the Color Way; I Lost My Basket; Can You Find the Fruit?

(in Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!) 2. Who am I? Flashcards (in Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!)3. Fruit & Veggie Colour Champions Bingo! Game (F) (in Action Pack)4. 5 to 10 A Day For Better Health: Mix it up! (F) (refer to Action Pages!) 5. Health Canada – Eat Well and Be Active Educational Toolkit (F) (refer to Action Pages!)6. Health Canada – My Food Guide Servings Tracker (F) (refer to Action Pages!)

Curriculum Connections:This activity meets several Prescribed Learning Outcomes in the BC Integrated Resource Packages K to 7.Refer to Curriculum Connections – TRACKING Activities (p. 18).


See how many colours you can eat. Fill in the vegetables and fruit you eat each day.Aim for at least one in each of the five colour categories each day.

Eat one dark green and one orange vegetable each day!

Veggies and Fruit the Colour

Way Tracking Chart

NAME __________________________________

GREEN YELLOW/ORANGE BLUE/PURPLE RED WHITE/BROWN

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Eat 5 a day for kids aged 4 to 8 � Eat 6 a day for kids aged 9 to 13


Veggies and Fruit by Colour

Category Chart

GREEN YELLOW/ORANGE BLUE/PURPLE RED WHITE/BROWN

Artichokes

Arugula

Asparagus

Avocados

Beet greens

Bok choy

Broccoli

Broccolirabe

Brusselssprouts

Celeriac

Celery

Chard

Chayotesquash

Chicory

Chinesecabbage

Cilantro

Collards

Cucumbers

Dandeliongreens

Edamamebeans

Endive

Fiddleheads

Gai Lan

Green apples

Green beans

Greencabbage

Green grapes

Green onion

Green pears

Green peas

Greenpeppers

Honeydewmelon

Hornedmelon

Iceberglettuce

Kale

Kiwi fruit

Kohlrabi

Leafy greens

Leeks

Limes

Mustardgreens

Okra

Parsley

Peas

Romainelettuce

Scallions

Seaweed

Snap peas

Snow Peas

Spinach

Sprouts

Sugar peas

Turnipgreens

Watercress

Wax beans

Zucchini

Acorn squash

Apricots

Butternut squash

Cantaloupe melon

Carrots

Clementines

Corn

Golden kiwi fruit

Grapefruit

Guava

Jackfruit

Kumquats

Lemons

Mangoes

Nectarines

Oranges

Papayas

Passion fruit

Peaches

Persimmons

Pineapples

Pumpkin

Quince

Rutabaga

Spaghetti squash

Star fruit

Sweet potatoes

Tamarillos

Tangerines

Yellow apples

Yellow figs

Yellow pears

Yellow peppers

Yellow potatoes

Yellow squash

Yellow tomatoes

Yellow watermelon

Yams

Black currants

Black salsify

Blackberries

Blueberries

Boysenberries

Bunch berries

Eggplant

Elderberries

Gooseberries

Juniper berries

Kohlrabi

Plums

Purple asparagus

Purple Belgianendive

Purple cabbage

Purple figs

Purple grapes

Purple huckleberries

Purple peppers

Purple potatoes

Salal berries

Saskatoon berries

Beets

Blood oranges

Cherries

Chili peppers

Cranberries

Dragon fruit

Juniper berries

Loganberries

Marionberries

Pink grapefruit

Red apples

Red currants

Red grapefruit

Red grapes

Red huckleberries

Red peppers

Pomegranates

Pomellos

Radicchio

Radishes

Raspberries

Red cabbage

Red potatoes

Rhubarb

Salmonberries

Saskatoon berries

Sopalali berries

Strawberries

Tayberries

Thimbleberries

Tomatoes

Ugli fruit

Watermelon

Xigua

Bamboo shoots

Bananas

Bean sprouts

Brown pears

Cassava

Cauliflower

Daikon

Dates

Durians

Garlic

Ginger

Jicama

Lychees

Mushrooms

Onions

Parsnips

Shallots

Turnips

White grapefruit

White nectarines

White peaches

White potatoes

Yukon gold potatoes

Eat one dark green and one orange vegetable each day!Aim for at least one in each of the five colour categories each day.

Dark green and orange vegetables are shown in bold lettering.



• Distribute Memo Home.• Set a classroom goal by calculating:

# school days in the month x # students in the class x # ofservings of vegetables and fruit the class will aim to eatduring lunchtime in the month of ________________.

• Keep a daily tally of vegetables and fruit eaten on the Vegetable andFruit Challenge Chart – this can be done easily by having students addtheir information to the chart as they enter the classroom after lunch.It does not need to be a full Canada’s Food Guide Serving for youngerstudents.

• Recording can be done in numerous ways: stick produce stickers tothe chart for each piece eaten (when possible); write a ‘v’ for everyvegetable or a ‘f’ for every fruit eaten at lunch; or use two differenttypes of stickers – one to represent vegetables and the other for fruit.

• Use a green pen for dark green vegetables and an orange pen fororange vegetables in order to capture information about these twopriority colours.

• At the end of one week, graph the daily tallies. Look for any patternsthat emerge, such as: Was more fruit eaten than vegetables? Weremore vegetables and fruit eaten on Mondays compared to Fridays?How many dark green vegetables and orange vegetables were eateneach day?

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY EXTENSIONS• Challenge another class to eat an agreed upon number of

vegetables and fruit at lunch over one month.• Plan a tasting party for after the goal is reached (see Tasting

Parties, p. 44).

Recommended Resources:1. Vegetable and Fruit Challenge Chart (F) (in Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!) 2. Health Canada – Canada’s Food Guide, 2007 (available in 12 languages and for First

Nations, Inuit and Métis; free class sets available) (in Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!)


Vegetables and Fruit Class Challenge


Description:Students work together as a class to reach a specificgroup goal around eatingvegetables and fruit. They will count the number ofvegetables and fruit eatenat lunchtime, and will recordtheir progress on a classroomchart.

Preparation:� Display the Action Schools!

BC Vegetable and FruitChallenge Chart(in Action Pack).

� Gather dry-erase markersor stickers.

� Photocopy one Memo Home – Action Schools! BCHealthy Eating per student(Supplementary Resources,p. 163).


Tracking



• Students classify their lunch items according to food group byplacing them on the appropriate food group on their placemat.Mixed foods (e.g. sandwich) can be placed in the middle of theplacemat.

• Students discuss or think about what foods they can replaceor add to their lunches so that each of the four food groupsis represented.

• Collect placemats and wipe them so they are ready to be used again.

Recommended Resources:1. Health Canada – Canada’s Food Guide, 2007 (available in 12 languages and

for First Nations, Inuit and Métis; free class sets available) (in Action Packor refer to Action Pages!)

2. Action Schools! BC Healthy Eating Placemats – Vegetable and Fruit Food Guide Serving Sizes for Canada/Four Food Groups (F) (in Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!)


Placemat Activity


Description:An easy and effective activity that exposes students to how differentfoods are classified withinthe four food groups of Canada’s Food Guide.Try this activity just beforelunch regularly throughoutthe school year.

Preparation:� Review Canada’s Food Guide

(in Action Pack).

� Hand out laminated ActionSchools! BC Healthy EatingPlacemats – Vegetable andFruit Food Guide ServingSizes for Canada and the FourFood Groups (in Action Pack).


Tracking



• Have students make note of their typical drink consumptionpattern on the What Did You Drink Today? Handout, and as agroup review their findings:

Q: What do they typically drink at breakfast, lunch, dinner,and in between meals?

Q: When drinking juice, how much (e.g. a full cup, half cup,a full juice box) are they usually drinking?

Q: How many times per day are they choosing water or milk?juice? pop? other?

• Discuss drink sizes with students, providing them with examples of various drink sizes using real containers, or Sip Smart! BC Drink Cut-outs.

• As a follow up to this activity, download the Sip Smart! BC Drink Diary Calculator (excel spreadsheet) and enter students’ types andsizes of drinks. Once results are entered, summary information isautomatically calculated. Reporting and discussing these results with students will help to increase their awareness of their owndrinking patterns.

• Consider setting related goals as a class and repeating the activitylater in the school year. The same calculator can be used to track anychanges that result from the lesson activities.

Adapted from: Sip Smart! BC

Recommended Resources:1. Sip Smart! BC Drink Diary Calculator – www.bcpeds.ca/sipsmart/teachers/

on-line-resources.dot (refer to Action Pages!)2. Sip Smart! BC Laminated Drink Cut-outs (in 4 to 7 Action Pack or refer to

Action Pages!) 3. BC Ministry of Education – How Sweet it Is! (refer to Action Pages!)4. BC Ministry of Education – Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools,

Revised August 2010 (F) (refer to Action Pages!)5. HealthLink BC: Call 811 and speak to a dietitian (refer to Action Pages!)


Drink Diary

Suggested GradeLevel: 4 to 7

Description:Students will begin to trackthe drink choices they make,increasing awareness of theirown beverage consumption.

Preparation:� Photocopy one What Did

You Drink Today? Handout(see following page) perstudent.


� Review the Sip Smart! BCDrink Diary Calculator,available at www.bcpeds.ca/sipsmart/teachers/on-line-resources.dot.

� Optional: Collect samplebeverage containers todemonstrate differentbeverage sizes to students(Small = 250 ml or less;Medium = 251-591 ml;Large = 592 ml-1 litre;Extra Large = more than1 litre), or use Sip Smart! BCDrink Cut-outs for the samepurpose.

Tracking


DRINK SIZES:

What Did You Drink Today?

NAME __________________________________

Example:Breakfast water

Breakfast

Recess/Break

Lunch

After Lunch

Dinner

After Dinner

TYPE OF DRINK CIRCLE THE SIZE OF YOUR DRINK HOW MANYWHEN

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

1

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S

SMALL250 ml or less

M

MEDIUM251-591 ml

L

LARGE592 ml-1 litre

XL

EXTRA LARGEmore than 1 litre


Sugary drinks - less is best!



• Review Canada’s Food Guide as a class and note the drinks that fit Canada’s Food Guide Recommendations.

• Ask students to fill in the Food and Drink Advertisement Diary withadvertisements they see for food or drink from a variety of sourcesincluding television, internet, clothing, buses, billboards,radio, video games, etc.

• Have a class discussion using the results from the diary:– How many different locations were found for food and

drink advertisements?• – What types of food and drinks were advertised the most often

(e.g. cereal, snack food, pop)?• – What brands were advertised most often?• – Were there more ads for food and drinks that fit into Canada’s

Food Guide or high calorie, low nutrient food or drinks? Studentsmay use Canada’s Food Guide to help them determine whetherit is a healthier choice. Discuss food or drinks that students had trouble classifying.

• – Why do you think there were more ads for food and drinks that do not fit into Canada’s Food Guide?



(refer to Action Pages!)3. HealthLink BC: Call 811 and speak to a dietitian (refer to Action Pages!)


Food and Drink Advertisement Diary


Description:Students will use a diary to track the food or drinkadvertisements that they see for one day from a variety of sources. Results from thediary will be discussed as a class to increase their awarenessof ad locations, types of food or drink promoted, brands thatare advertised most often, andwhether advertised products fitinto Canada’s Food Guide.

Preparation:� Photocopy one Food

and Drink Advertisement Diary for each student(see following page).

� Locate Canada’s Food Guide(in Action Pack).


� Review Canada’s Food Guide:A Resource for Educators and Communicators (provided at workshop).

Tracking


STEP 1: Track food or drink advertisements for one day.

STEP 2: Every time you see a food or drink advertisement, record it on the chart below with the location of the ad, type of food

or drink advertised, and brand name of the product.

STEP 3: Determine whether the food or drink fits into the “Canada’s Food Guide Food or Drink” or “High Calorie, Low Nutrient

Food or Drink” column and place a check mark in this column.

Food and Drink Advertisement DiaryNAME __________________________________

LOCATION OFADVERTISEMENT(e.g. TV, internet,

clothing)

TYPE OF FOOD OR DRINK

BRAND NAMEOF PRODUCT

DOES THIS FOOD OR DRINK

FIT INTO CANADA’SFOOD GUIDE?

IS THIS A HIGHCALORIE, LOW

NUTRIENT FOOD OR DRINK?


TastingActivities

Grades K to 7

Repeated exposure to food, including preparation and tasting,is the most effective way to influence a child’s eating behaviours.

Some children require 10 to 15 exposures to a new foodbefore they decide to try it, or to like it!


� Tasting Parties

� Food Safety in the Classroom

� Salad Patch


Curriculum Connections Tasting Activities

GRADES K TO 7


ENGLISH LANGUAGE Oral Language Learning K A1 – Use speaking and listening when engaging in exploratory ARTS and Extending Thinking and imaginative play

Purposes (Oral Language) 1 A2 – Use speaking to explore, express, and present ideas,information, and feelings

2 A2 – Use speaking to explore, express, and present ideas,information, and feelings

3 A1 – Use speaking and listening to interact with others4 A1 – Use speaking and listening to interact with others5 A1 – Use speaking and listening to interact with others6 A1 – Use speaking and listening to interact with others7 A1 – Use speaking and listening to interact with others


Health (Healthy Living) K C1 – Identify practices that contribute to health, includinghealthy eating, regular physical activity, emotional healthpractices, and disease prevention practices

2 C1 – Describe practices that contribute to physical andemotional health




5 C2 – Describe strategies for contributing to a healthy, balancedlifestyle including healthy eating, integrating regular physicalactivity, and maintaining emotional health

6 C1 – Describe the benefits of attaining and maintaining abalanced, healthy lifestyle

7 C2 – Describe strategies for attaining and maintainingphysical, emotional, and social health during puberty andadolescence

SCIENCE Processes of Science K – Use the five senses to make observations2 – Use their senses to interpret observations

LESSON – TASTING PARTIES



ENGLISH LANGUAGE Purposes (Oral Language) 1 A2 – Use speaking to explore, express, and present ideas,ARTS information, and feelings

2 A2 – Use speaking to explore, express, and present ideas,information, and feelings

3 A1 – Use speaking and listening to interact with others4 A1 – Use speaking and listening to interact with others5 A1 – Use speaking and listening to interact with others6 A1 – Use speaking and listening to interact with others7 A1 – Use speaking and listening to interact with others

Purposes 3 C2 – Create a variety of clear, easy-to-follow informational (Writing and Representing) writing and representations

4 C2 – Write a variety of clear informational writing for a rangeof purposes and audiences

5 C2 – Write a variety of clear, focused informational writing for a range of purposes and audiences

6 C2 – Write a variety of effective informational writing for a range of purposes and audiences that communicate ideas toinform or persuade

7 C2 – Write a variety of effective informational writing for a range of purposes and audiences that communicate ideas toinform or persuade



1 C1 – Identify practices that contribute to health, includinghealthy eating, regular physical activity, and emotional healthpractices


2 C2 – Identify healthy eating practices as described in theCanada’s Food Guide



4 C1 – Describe the choices an individual can make to attain and maintain physical and emotional health

4 C2 – Describe choices they can make for healthy eating, basedon Canada’s Food Guide

5 C2 – Describe strategies for contributing to a healthy, balancedlifestyle including healthy eating, integrating regular physicalactivity, and maintaining emotional health



SCIENCE Processes of Science K – Use the five senses to make observations

SOCIAL STUDIES Skills and Processes K A2 – Gather information from personal experiences, oralof Social Studies sources, and visual representations

LESSON – SALAD PATCH




• Distribute Memo Home.• Students play the role of food tasters and describe the flavours of the

vegetables and fruit. Encourage them to use descriptive words such as “sweet”, “tangy”, or “spicy” rather than “yucky”, “okay”, or “awesome”.Forcing children to try new foods may only make them resistant totasting anything new or unusual. Instruct children to say “no thankyou” if they are not interested in trying a food, rather than sayingnegative comments about the food. If they do not like the taste, theymay place it in the garbage. Older students can try brainstormingdescriptive words as a class before doing the tasting. See below forexample of a food tasting chart.

• Provide students with a healthy drink, e.g. water or white (cow or soy)milk to drink during this activity.

FOOD Tasting ChartNAME OF VEGETABLE OR FRUIT: _________________________

Tasting Parties


Description:Increasing students’ exposureto a variety of vegetables andfruit is essential to enhancingtheir preference for vegetablesand fruit. Tasting parties andactivities provide students with the opportunity to prepare and taste a varietyof vegetables and fruit.

Preparation:� Purchase or ask students

to provide the vegetablesand fruit for the particulartasting activity.

� Gather the necessaryvegetable and fruitpreparation supplies,including cutting board,measuring cups, peeler,scrub brush (in Action Pack).

� Photocopy one Memo Home – Action Schools! BCHealthy Eating per student(Supplementary Resources,p. 163).

� Review Food Safety in theClassroom (see followingpage).

� Review Eat Smart Celebrations(Supplementary Resources,p. 163).

� Review Overview – HealthyEating Priorities (p. 11) andTeacher Backgrounder.

DescriptionFirst time I havetried this food

Appearance

Texture

Taste

Tasting


TASTING PARTY IDEAS • Celebrations – add vegetables and fruit tasting parties to classroom and school

celebrations (e.g. multicultural, First Nations traditional foods, or holiday tastings).• Plant Parts – prepare a tasting party with produce from different parts of the plant.• Eat Your Colours – prepare a tasting party trying vegetables and fruit of one colour or

incorporating as many different colours as you can. You can use a glass bowl and layervegetables and/or fruit in the colours of the rainbow.

• BC Grown – prepare a tasting party with locally grown vegetables and fruit. Refer to Availability Chart of BC Grown Vegetables and Fruit p. 119.

• Varieties – prepare a tasting party with different varieties of apples, squash, berries, etc.Use Who am I? Flashcards for further discussion of vegetables and fruit of the same colour,plant part, or “family” varieties.

• Friendship Fruit Salad – ask students to bring a fruit to class, cut up and prepare a fruit salad for everyone to share.

• Fruit Smoothies – use a blender to prepare smoothies. Try different fruit combinations.

Adapted from: Dietitians of Canada, Tips and Recipes for Quantity Cooking

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY EXTENSIONS• Find an elder or other person who can lead a short nature walk with students,

identifying local, edible plants.

RELATED ACTIVITIES• Tracking – Tracking Your Colours p. 30• Learning – Edible Plant Parts p. 84; 5 a Day the Colour Way p. 93

INGREDIENTS: MATERIALS:

1/3 fresh, frozen or canned Cutting board(packed in juice or light Knifesyrup) fruit Blender

1/3 unsweetened fruit juice Measuring cups1/3 plain yogurt SpoonIce (optional)

Fruit Smoothie

PREPARATION: • Wash hands• Wash and cut fruit into pieces• Place ingredients in blender• Blend until smooth

This recipe fits into the “Choose Most” category for the Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools.


• Research shows that repeated exposure to food, including preparation and tasting,is the most effective way to influence a child’s eating behaviours.

• Some children require 10 to 15 exposures to a new food before they decide to try it,or to like it!

• Encourage children to eat healthy foods when hungry and to stop when full.

• Parents and caregivers are responsible for what children eat and children are responsiblefor how much they eat.

• The objective of the tasting party is to have students sample a vegetable or fruit – notto provide a full serving to each student.

• Fresh vegetables and fruit work best for tasting activities. Choose local vegetables andfruit that are in season when possible. If fresh vegetables and fruit are not available, trydried fruit with no added sugar, frozen vegetables and fruit with no added salt or sugar,or canned vegetables and fruit in water, juice, or light syrup (has added sugar).

• Review Food Safety in the Classroom following.


Recommended Resources:1. Tips and Recipes for Quantity Cooking: Nourishing Minds and Bodies – www.healthyeatingatschool.ca

(refer to Action Pages!)2. Action Schools! BC Healthy Eating School Food Grant – www.actionschoolsbc.ca for the Application Form

(refer to Action Pages!)3. Eat Smart Celebrations (see Supplementary Resources) – www.actionschoolsbc.ca (refer to Action Pages!)4. Fruits et Légumes (available in French only) (Healthy Eating Booklist – www.actionschoolsbc.ca)



Food Safety in the ClassroomGrades K to 7

There are steps to take to prevent illness and make fresh vegetables and fruit safe to eat.

Adapted from: HealthLink BC – Food Safety for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables and Ten Easy Steps to Make Food Safe

Recommended Resources:1. Do Bugs Need Drugs? (refer to Action Pages!)2. HealthLink BC: Call 811 and speak to a dietitian (refer to Action Pages!)

• When buying and storing vegetables andfruit, always keep them separate from rawfoods such as meat, poultry and seafood.Juices from raw foods can be contaminatedwith germs that cause illness.

• Always wash hands with soap and warmrunning water before preparing any food,including vegetables and fruit.

• Any person who is sick and has symptomsof diarrhea or vomiting, or who has infectedcuts or sores, should not be allowed tohandle food in any way.

• Always wash and sanitize* surfaces wherefoods are prepared and placed.

• Dishcloths must be washed well andsanitized regularly.

• Take extra care to thoroughly clean vegetablesand fruit, especially dirty produce. Wash themin a dilute dish soap solution and then rinsein clean running water.

• When washing vegetables and fruit, cut awayany damaged or bruised areas since harmfulgerms can grow there. Throw away any rottenvegetables and fruit.

• Always wash vegetables and fruit that have arind, before peeling or preparing them, such

as pineapples, cantaloupe, oranges, melonand squash. Although the skin and outersurfaces protect them, germs can grow if thesurface gets broken, pierced or cut, especiallyin melons and tomatoes.

• Always discard the outer leaves of leafyvegetables grown in or near the ground, suchas lettuce and cabbage. The outer leaves aremore likely to be contaminated with germs.

• Refrigerate fresh vegetables and fruit afterpeeling, cutting, or cooking. Discard them ifleft at room temperature for two hours ormore.

• Raw sprouted seed products, such as beansprouts, radish sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, mungbeans and others, may carry germs that causeillness. Always cook these before eatingbecause it is difficult to wash sprouted seeds.

• Contaminated foods may not look or smellbad so if in doubt, throw it out!

* YOU CAN MAKE A SANITIZING SOLUTION:• Mix 15 ml (1 tablespoon) of household bleach

into 4 L (1 gallon) of water; or,* • Mix 5 ml (1 teaspoon) of household bleach

into 1 litre (4 cups) of water.



• Create a visual display by listing the colours green, yellow/orange,blue/purple, red, and white/brown, for all to view.

• Ask students to list some of the ingredients that may be found in asalad and identify the colour of each food item. Record the food itemunder the appropriate colour.

• Tell students that:– Vegetables and fruit are important for health. This is why they are

listed first in Canada’s Food Guide.• – Vegetables and fruit contain many nutrients or building blocks that

our bodies need to grow, learn, and play. It is important to eat avariety of vegetables and fruit because each one has differentnutrients or building blocks needed to stay healthy. Refer to theAction Schools! BC Colourful Choices Poster.

• – According to Canada’s Food Guide, eat one dark green and oneorange vegetable each day. Choose a variety of colourful vegetablesand fruits to get the mix of nutrients your body needs. See theVeggies and Fruit by Colour Category Chart (p. 33).

• Assign each student a colour and ask them to bring a vegetableor fruit from that colour group to class to create a rainbow saladfor tasting.

• Put students into groups of 3 or 4.• Tell students that the head chef at a trendy new restaurant called

“Salad Patch” needs a variety of salad recipes that appeal to children.Each salad must contain the following:– a variety of colourful vegetables and/or fruit – aim for 5 per salad,

• – one dark green vegetable and one orange vegetable.• Optional: Display and discuss the Sample Rainbow Salad Recipe

Overhead or display on Smart Board, drawing attention to the waya recipe is constructed.

• Distribute the Salad Patch – Recipes for Kids Handout.• Have each group contribute a recipe that uses a variety of coloured

vegetables and fruit. Students may create a unique recipe or draw on a salad they have eaten at home.

• Optional: Compile the completed recipes into a booklet called “Salad Patch – Recipes for Kids”. This could be duplicated anddistributed to the class.

Adapted from: BC Ministry of Education – Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Learning Resource, Grade 3, Lesson 2

(www.bced.gov.bc.ca/health/healthy_eating_physical_act_gr3.pdf)

Salad Patch


Description:The colour of vegetables and fruit offers important clues around the nutrientsthey contain. Students willlearn to recognize that by eating a variety of colouredvegetables and fruit, they willreceive a variety of nutrientsthat their bodies need to grow, learn, and play.

Preparation:� Refer to Canada’s Food

Guide (in Action Pack).

� Copy Salad Patch Recipe forKids Handout for each group(see following pages).

� Display Action Schools! BCColourful Choices, Vegetablesand Fruit Posters (in Action Pack).


� Optional: prepare the SampleRainbow Salad RecipeOverhead.

� Optional: prepare saladdressing (see TeacherBackgrounder for recipe).

Tasting


OPTIONAL ACTIVITY EXTENSIONS• You may want to extend the activity by assigning homework. Students copy a favourite

family salad recipe that contains a variety of coloured vegetables and fruit.• Have students create their own “still life” vegetables and fruit display and colour it.

Recommended Resources:1. Health Canada – Canada’s Food Guide, 2007 (available in 12 languages and for First Nations, Inuit and Métis;

free class sets available) (in Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!) 2. Action Schools! BC Healthy Eating Poster Pack – Vegetables and Fruit Posters (F) (in Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!)3. BC Ministry of Education – Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Learning Resource (refer to Action Pages!)4. 5 to 10 A Day For Better Health – Unlock Your Colours (F) (refer to Action Pages!)


Colourful vegetables and fruit are generally highest in nutrients and antioxidants. Dark green and orange vegetables are rich in specific nutrients (folate and vitamin A). Choosing a wide variety of colourful vegetables and fruit helps to ensure students get all of the nutrients they need.

Canada’s Food Guide recommends including a small amount, 30 to 45 ml (2 to 3 Tbsp),of unsaturated fat each day. This includes salad dressings.

Adapted from: Dietitians of Canada, Cook Great Food

(6 servings)

INGREDIENTS:

30 ml (2 Tbsp) balsamic vinegar15 ml (1 Tbsp) orange juice15 ml (1 Tbsp) olive oil

Salad Dressing



INGREDIENTS:

1 head of lettuce (choose dark green) 1 yellow pepper (cut into bite-sized pieces)1 carrot (grated)1/2 cucumber (sliced)1 tomato (cut in wedges)250 ml (1 cup) cauliflower flowerets125 ml (1/2 cup) purple grapes (cut in half )125 ml (1/2 cup) orange segments

Rainbow Salad

PREPARATION: Thoroughly wash the lettuce and dry itusing a salad spinner or paper towel. Wash and cut allthe vegetables and grapes. Place the vegetables andfruit in colour layers in a glass bowl. Toss before serving.

Serves: 6

Sample Rainbow Salad Recipe

Before you begin, wash your hands andclean the preparation surface.




INGREDIENTS: __________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

PREPARATION: __________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

SERVES: _________

Adapted from: BC Ministry of Education – Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Learning Resource,Grade 3, Lesson 2 (www.bced.gov.bc.ca/health/healthy_eating_physical_act_gr3.pdf)

It is important to eat colourful vegetables and fruit each day because:

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

Salad Patch Recipes for Kids

NAME __________________________

_______________________________________(NAME OF SALAD)

CREATED BY: ____________________ ____________________ ____________________

CREATED BY: ____________________ ____________________ ____________________


SnackingActivities

Grades K to 7

Healthy snacking throughout the day maintains energy for growing, learning andplaying. Snacking activities expose children to the benefits of choosing healthy

snacks, providing them with the opportunity to make their own snack choices, andencouraging them to bring healthy snacks to school.


� Healthy T Days

� Crunch & Sip™

� Count the Cubes!

� How to Read a Nutrition Label


Curriculum Connections Snacking Activities

GRADES K TO 7



6 A1 – Describe planning techniques that can help to supportgoal attainment


1 C1 – Identify practices that contribute to health, includinghealthy eating, regular physical activity, and emotional health practices


2 C2 – Identify healthy eating practices as described in Canada’sFood Guide




4 C2 – Describe the importance of healthy eating, based onCanada’s Food Guide

5 C2 – Describe strategies for contributing to a healthy, balancedlifestyle, including healthy eating, integrating regular physicalactivity, and maintaining emotional health

6 C1 – Describe the benefits of attaining and maintaining a balanced, healthy lifestyle


LESSON – HEALTHY T DAYS




6 A1 – Describe planning techniques that can help to supportgoal attainment


1 C1 – Identify practices that contribute to health, includinghealthy eating, regular physical activity, and emotional healthpractices








LESSON – CRUNCH & SIP™


HEALTH AND CAREER Goals and Decisions 6 A1 – Describe planning techniques that can help to supportEDUCATION goal attainment

Health (Healthy Living) 4 C1 – Describe the choices an individual can make to attain andmaintain physical and emotional health



LESSON – COUNT THE CUBES!




• Distribute one Super Snacks Handout and one Memo Home toeach student.

• Consider having students create colourful posters for school walls topromote Healthy T Days within the school.

• Remind students of the chosen day to start Healthy T Days.• Consider having students share a favourite healthy snack idea with

the class. Collect snack ideas and create a Super Snacks Booklet to take home.

• Continue to remind and encourage students to bring healthy snackson Tuesdays and Thursdays (or mardi and mercredi).

Recommended Resources:1. Action Schools! BC Healthy Eating School Food Grant – www.actionschoolsbc.ca for

the Application Form (refer to Action Pages!)

Curriculum Connections:This activity meets several Prescribed Learning Outcomes in the BC Integrated Resource

Packages K to 7. Refer to Curriculum Connections – SNACKING Activities (p. 54).

Why is healthy snacking important? • Supports healthy growth and development • Provides the energy required to stay focused at school • Provides the energy required for children to be active at play • Is important for young children’s small appetites and stomachs

What is a healthy snack? The goal of a healthy snack is to combine at least two different foodgroups from Canada’s Food Guide – including one from the vegetablesand fruit food group. Combination snacks add more nutrients tochildren’s diets and are more filling. It is also important to choosesnacks high in fibre and low in saturated fats, trans fats, added sugarand sodium. Most fresh vegetables and fruit meet these criteria.Read the % Daily Value on the Nutrition Facts table to help you choosehealthy packaged snacks based on the fat, sugar and sodium content.5% Daily Value or less is a little and 15% Daily Value or more is a lot.Choosing healthy foods will help prevent health problems in the future.

Adapted from: Action Schools! BC Educator

Healthy T Days


Description:This activity encouragesstudents to choose healthysnacks. Students will bring ahealthy snack to school forrecess on Tuesdays andThursdays. Try it in Frenchwith mardi and mercredi –journées “m” en santé.

Preparation:� Photocopy one

Super Snacks Handout (see following page) and one Memo Home – Action Schools! BC HealthyEating (Supplementary Resources, p. 163) per student.

� Review Overview – HealthyEating Priorities (p. 11). Teacher Backgrounder

Snacking


Super SnacksA healthy snack includes at least 2 different

food groups from Canada’s Food Guide – aim for one fromthe vegetables and fruit food group

– NUT AWARE –

Little Dipperscelery, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli,

peppers, cucumbers, mushrooms, snow peas,zucchini, cherry tomatoes with

tzatziki or hummus dip

Fruity Kabobsbite-sized pieces of apples, oranges,

bananas, peaches, blueberries, melon,pears, plums, strawberries, mangoes

with yogurt for dipping

Sushi Rolls on the Gokappa-maki (cucumber) rolls

Applesauce Swirlsswirl or lightly stir yogurt and

granola into applesauce

Wrap ’n Rollwhole wheat tortilla spread with cream

cheese , sprinkled with grated carrot andsunflower seeds, rolled and cut into

2 cm (1 inch) pieces

Crazy Coneswaffle cones filled with fruit pieces

Fantastic Fishbaked bannock or whole grain crackerstopped with (canned) salmon or shrimp

on a piece of lettuce

Ole Tacosoft taco with bean dip and

diced tomato

Crunch & Munchcheese chunks and apples or applesauce

Power-Packed Snackhard-boiled egg and sliced avocado,

tomato or cucumber

Crunchy Yogurtyogurt or kefir and granola and berries

Banana Dogswhole wheat hot dog bun with

sesame or pea butter and peeled banana

Pita Pointstoasted with hummus, salsa,

or tzatziki

Chunky Chapscooked sweet potato chunks

and chapatti

Mini-Sandwicheswhole grain crackers for the top

and bottom filled with cheese andsliced cucumber

Breakfast Anytimewhole grain cereal and dried,

unsweetened fruit mix

Mix it Uptoasted unsalted soybeans,

unsalted popcorn, chickpeas, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, edamame beans

and dried seaweed

Rollin ’ Rotidipped in dal



• Distribute Memo Home.• Review Crunch & Sip™ Guidelines below.• Discuss amount of vegetables and fruit students currently eat and

amount of water students currently drink (see Tracking Activities, p. 17).• Remind students to keep a bottle of water on their desks or on

the countertop.• Remind parents/caregivers to provide fresh, unsweetened,

unsalted vegetables or fruit.• Encourage students to “crunch” on their vegetables or fruit and

“sip” from their water bottles throughout the day.• Provide students with regular opportunities to refill their water

bottles and wash their hands.• Remind students at the end of each school day to take their water

bottles home to wash before bringing them back to school the next day.

CRUNCH & SIP™ GUIDELINES:• Crunch: washed, unsweetened, unsalted vegetables and fruit.• Wash vegetables and fruit before eating (at home is okay).• Sip only plain water in water bottles.• Wash water bottles daily.• Wash hands regularly.

Adapted from: Crunch & Sip™

Recommended Resources:1. Crunch & Sip™ – www.crunchandsip.com.au (refer to Action Pages!)

Curriculum Connections:This activity meets several Prescribed Learning Outcomes in the BC Integrated Resource

Packages K to 7. Refer to Curriculum Connections – SNACKING Activities (p. 54).

Providing an opportunity to “crunch and sip”throughout the day helps students learn to

listen to their bodies and to respond to their hunger signals. Offeringsnacks at the same time each day provides a routine of regular eating.Children crunching on vegetables and fruit throughout the day are more likely to meet their daily energy and nutrient requirements whilealso ensuring they are still hungry for mealtimes. Sipping on waterthroughout the day prevents dehydration, which helps the brain tofunction properly. It also encourages students to drink water rather thansugary drinks (e.g. pop, iced tea, fruit beverage, fruit cocktail, fruit drink,fruit punch, fruit blend, fruit splash or drinks that end in the word “ade”such as lemonade and sports drinks).

Crunch & Sip™


Description:Snacking regularly throughout the day helpsmaintain energy needed for learning and playing.Each day, students bringunsweetened, unsaltedvegetables or fruit to school to eat in the classroom and a small bottle of water to drink. Crunch & Sip™ can beimplemented as part of thedaily classroom routine, or at certain times during theschool day (e.g. during quietwork periods students can“crunch” and “sip”).

Preparation:� Photocopy one Memo Home –

Action Schools! BC HealthyEating (SupplementaryResources, p. 163).



Snacking



CUBES OF SUGAR • Divide the class into 9 groups.• Assign one of the nine drinks, a bag of sugar cubes, and a plastic

cup to each group.• Optional: use teaspoons of sugar, 5 ml or 1 tsp = 1 sugar cube.• Have students guess the number of sugar cubes in their designated

drink and fill the plastic cup with that number of cubes.• Have each group hold up their drink container (or Sip Smart! BC

Drink Cut-out) and report their guess to the class.• Explain the concept of label reading with the help of the How To

Read a Nutrition Label Overhead or display on Smart Board.• Explain that 5 ml or 1 tsp = 1 cube sugar = 4 g sugar.• Ask students to do the math for the sugar provided on the

Nutrition Facts table and determine if their answer was correct.(e.g. 12 g sugar = 3 sugar cubes)

• Ask students if they had to change their answer for their drink.• Answers to amount of sugar in common drinks can be found on the

back of the Sip Smart! BC Drink Cut-outs, or on the Sip Smart! BC HowMuch Sugar is in Your Drink? Poster.

• Explain to students that sugary drinks and too much 100% juice“bumps”other nutritious beverages (especially milk), and contributesto a higher caffeine intake and a higher risk of dental cavities.Whenchildren fill up on sugary drinks, they consume fewer nutritious foodsand beverages, and risk deficiencies in essential nutrients.

BUMP OUT SUGARY DRINKS CHALLENGE • Announce the challenge. Students are encouraged not to drink any

sugary drinks and to limit themselves to 100% juice – no more than 125 ml (1/2 cup) per day (in or out of school) for 1 school week.

• Students keep a daily record of their sugary drinks and 100% juiceintake for 5 school days. Students earn 1 point for each day thatthey do not drink sugary drinks and limit their 100% juice intake to125 ml (1/2 cup) per day.Take a class poll after 5 days to determinehow many students bumped out sugary drinks during the schoolweek.

Count the Cubes!


Description:Drinks are a common snackchoice. Learning to understandnutrition labels to figure out theamount of sugar contained invarious drinks will help studentsto make healthier drink choices.

Preparation:� 200 sugar cubes or plastic

cubes (provided at workshop)divided into 9 re-sealablesandwich bags

� 9 different empty drinkcontainers: e.g. water,plain milk, chocolate milk,chocolate soy beverage,orange juice, iced tea, sportsdrink, cola, slushie and/or uselaminated Sip Smart! BC DrinkCut-outs (in Grades 4 to 7Action Pack).

� 9 clear plastic cups

� Make transparency of How To Read a Nutrition LabelOverhead (see followingpage, or downloadable fromwww.actionschoolsbc.ca).

� Review and display the SipSmart! BC How Much Sugar is in Your Drink? Poster (inGrades 4 to 7 Action Pack).


Snacking


Amount of Sugar in Popular Drinks

Recommended Resources:1. Sip Smart! BC Laminated Drink Cut-outs (in Grades 4 to 7 Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!) 2. Sip Smart! BC What Size is Your Drink? Poster (in Grades 4 to 7 Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!)3. Drop the Pop Northwest Territories (refer to Action Pages!)4. Yukon Drop the Pop (refer to Action Pages!)5. Brand Name Food List (refer to Action Pages!)6. BC Ministry of Education – Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools, Revised August 2010 (F)

(refer to Action Pages!)7. BC Ministry of Education – How Sweet it Is! (refer to Action Pages!)

Curriculum Connections:This activity meets several Prescribed Learning Outcomes in the BC Integrated Resource Packages K to 7.Refer to Curriculum Connections – SNACKING Activities (p. 54).

It is recommended that 4 to 8 year old children consume fewer than 10 (females) or 11 (males) cubes or teaspoons (50 to 55 ml), and that 9 to 13 year olds consume fewer than 13 cubes or teaspoons (65 ml) of added sugar per day. This recommendation is forsugar added to drinks and foods (e.g. muffins, cookies, candies, etc.). One 355 ml can of pop contains 10-12 teaspoons (50-60 ml) of sugar.

DRINK # CUBES OR TEASPOONS OF SUGAR

water (250 ml) 0

plain milk (250 ml) 3

chocolate milk (250 ml) 5

chocolate soy beverage (250 ml) 5

100% orange juice (200 ml) 5

iced tea (355 ml) 10

sports drink (700 ml) 10

cola (591 ml) 17

Lime Blast slushie (1000 ml) 24




Make a Healthy Drink Choice

Adapted from: Crunch & Sip™; Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools, 2010

CHOOSE MOST OFTEN CHOOSE SOMETIMES NOT RECOMMENDED

Water – great for keeping hydrated and

sipping all day

Milk/Fortified Soy Beverage – has naturally occurring sugar, but also contains

protein, calcium and vitamins A and D

Sports Drink – has high sugarand salt content and is not

recommended for this age group

Fruit Drink – contains only a smallamount of real juice; most of theflavour comes from added sugar

Pop – is high in sugar, has nonutritional value and can contain

caffeine which is addictive and can cause sleeplessness

Diet Pop – has no sugar, and has no nutrients and contains acid which is harmful to teeth, and

sometimes caffeine

Energy Drink – has caffeine andoften has added sugar; is not

recommended for this age group

Designer Drink (e.g. vitamin water) –often has added sugar and may also have added caffeine, othermedicinal and non-medicinal

ingredients, botanical extracts orherbs; is not recommended for

this age group

100% Juice – has naturallyoccurring sugar, but mayalso contain vitamins C

and A, folate, potassium,and antioxidants

Flavoured Milk/Fortified Soy Beverage –

has more sugar than white milk, but has

just as much nutritional value


How to Read a Nutrition LabelThe Nutrition Facts table gives you information

on calories and 13 core nutrients. Use the amount of food and% Daily Value (DV) to choose healthier food products.

You can use the %Daily Value (%DV) onthe label to compareproducts and to see ifthe food has a little ora lot of a nutrient.

Here is a good guide:

5% DV or less is a little

15% DV or moreis a lot

Sugars: Look for these words on the ingredient list thatmean “added sugar”: agave syrup, brown sugar, canesugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, dextrose, sucrose,

fructose, fruit juice concentrates, glucose, high-fructosecorn syrup, honey, invert sugar, maltose, malt syrup,

maple syrup, molasses, raw sugar, sugar, sucrose, syrup.

Reference: Interactive Nutrition Label and Quiz, Using the Nutrition Facts Table: % Daily Value, 2010 (hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/label-etiquet/nutrition/cons/fact-fiche-eng.php)

Look at the servingsize listed in the

Nutrition Facts tableand compare it to

how much youactually consume.The serving size is

not based onCanada’s Food

Guide Servings.

Nutrition FactsValeur nutritiveServing Size 250 ml / Portion 250 ml

Amount % Daily ValueTeneur % valeur quotidienne

Calories / Calories 120

Fat / Lipides 0.3 g 1%

Saturated / saturés 0 g0%

+ Trans / trans 0 g

Cholesterol / Cholestérol 0 mg

Sodium / Sodium 10 mg 1%

Carbohydrate / Glucides 29 g 10%

Fibre / Fibres 0 g 0%

Sugars / Sucres 28 g

Protein / Protéines 0.2 g

Vitamin A / Vitamine A 0%

Vitamin C / Vitamine C 170%

Calcium / Calcium 2%

Iron / Fer 6%

SAMPLE OF A 100% APPLE JUICEWITH ADDED VITAMIN C

Core Nutrients:Get more of these: Fibre, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron

Get less of these: Fat, Saturated Fat, Trans Fat, Cholesterol, Sodium, Sugars

Ingredients: There is an ingredient list on packagedfood and beverage products. The ingredients are

listed in order of weight, from most to least.This means the food contains more of the

ingredients at the beginning of the list and lessof the ingredients at the end of the list.

(within Nutrition Facts table above,“Sugars 28 g”refers to naturally occurring fruit sugars)

Check the food labels often because product ingredients may change.


LearningActivities

Grades K to 3

Overview – Healthy Eating in Kindergarten to Grade 3

KINDERGARTEN


� What is a Vegetable or Fruit?

� Which Runner Wins the Race?

� Invisible Salt

� I Spy Advertising

GRADE 1


� Pumpkins, Pumpkins

� Getting to Know the Runners in the Race

� What Salt Does to Our Bodies

� Be an Ad Detective

GRADE 2


� Edible Plant Parts

� What’s in Your Runner?

� Which is the Better Choice?

� Have I Got Your Attention?

GRADE 3


� 5 a Day the Colour Way

� Choose Your Drinks Wisely

� Go for Low

� What are You Advertising?


Overview - Healthy Eating inKindergarten to Grade 3

Vegetables and Fruit?The Vegetables and Fruit food group is the largest arc in the rainbow on Canada’s Food Guide,emphasizing the key role these foods play in a healthy eating pattern. Vegetables and fruitinclude important nutrients such as carbohydrates (including fibre), vitamins (A, C, B6, andfolate), minerals (potassium and magnesium), and antioxidants. Dark green, orange and colourfulvegetables and fruit are generally highest in nutrients and antioxidants. Choosing a wide varietyof colourful vegetables and fruit helps to ensure we get all of the nutrients we need.

A diet that includes the recommended serving sizes of a wide variety of vegetables and fruithelps children to grow, learn and play. Additionally, vegetables and fruit may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular or heart disease and some types of cancer, as well as help to achieve andmaintain a healthy weight. The recommended number of serving sizes is different for people atdifferent stages of life and is different for males and females. Canada’s Food Guide recommendsvegetable and fruit intakes of 5 per day for children aged 4 to 8 years and 6 per day for childrenaged 9 to 13 years.

In Canada, only 23.3% of children and youth aged 2 to 17 eat vegetables and fruit five or moretimes per day.

WHAT IS A VEGETABLE? Vegetable is not a botanical term, but rather a culinary term which generally refers to any ediblepart of a plant that is not regarded as a fruit, nut, herb, spice or grain. Vegetables can includeleaves (lettuce), stems (asparagus), roots (carrots), tubers (potatoes), flowers (broccoli), bulbs(garlic), and seeds (peas and beans). Some botanical fruit such as cucumbers, squash, pumpkins,tomatoes, and sweet peppers are usually referred to as vegetables.

WHAT IS A FRUIT? In botany, a fruit is the ripened seed-bearing part of a flowering plant. In cuisine when discussingfruit as food, the term usually refers to just those plant fruits that are sweet and fleshy (e.g. plums,apples, and oranges). Many foods are botanically fruit but are treated as vegetables in cooking.These include cucurbits (e.g. squash, pumpkins, and cucumbers), tomatoes, peas, beans, corn,eggplants (aubergine), and peppers.

A variety of forms including fresh, frozen, canned, dried and unsweetened 100% juices are includedin this group. Some products with “vegetable” or “fruit” in their names or on their packaging arehigh in fat, sugar or sodium. Fruit candies, some vegetable or fruit chips, fruit jams or spreads,ketchup, as well as vegetable or fruit drinks, punches, cocktails, beverages, or those that end inthe word “ade”, such as lemonade, do not belong in the Vegetables and Fruit food group.

Reference: Canada’s Food Guide, 2007


Sugary DrinksSugary drinks and too much 100% juice “bump” other nutritious drinks (especially milk),and can contribute to a higher caffeine intake and cause dental cavities. When children fillup on sugary drinks, they consume fewer nutritious food and drinks, and risk deficienciesin essential nutrients.

NUTRIENT CONTENT:Drinks such as white milk and 100% fruit juice contain natural sugar. For example, 250 ml (1 cup) of milk contains the equivalent 13 g or about 15 ml (3 tsp) of naturally occurringsugar and 250 ml (1 cup) of 100% fruit juice contains the equivalent of about 28 g or 35 ml(7 tsp) of naturally occurring sugar. All sugar is the same to your body whether it is addedor natural. However, drinks with added sugar tend to be higher in calories and lack thenutrients that white milk, fortified soy beverages, and 100% fruit juice contain. 100% fruitjuice contains vitamins and antioxidants and milk contains nutrients including protein,calcium, vitamin D, and riboflavin.

It is recommended that children from 4 to 8 years of age get a maximum of 10% of their calories from added sugar in foods and drinks. This is approximately 10 cubes or 40 g of addedsugar for girls and 11 cubes or 44 g of added sugar for boys.

5 ml (1 tsp) sugar = 1 sugar cube = 4 g sugar

For sugary drinks, less is best!


SodiumMost of us consume too much sodium; more than double the amount of sodium we need.Healthy children only need 1000 to 1500 mg of sodium per day. When children consume toomuch sodium, they develop a preference for high sodium foods, which results in less healthychoices throughout their life. Children are starting to be diagnosed with high blood pressurebecause they are consuming too much sodium. These children may be at increased risk for highblood pressure as adults. Eating too much sodium can also increase the risk for stroke, heartdisease, and kidney disease.

Teaching children about sodium or salt and creating an environment where lower sodium or salt choices are readily available supports their health and learning.


Sodium is found in salt (sodium chloride) and other products like baking soda (sodiumbicarbonate), monosodium glutamate (MSG), and sodium nitrite/nitrate, which is used for curingmeat. Over 75% of sodium most of us eat comes from processed foods such as cheese, delimeats, pizza, sauces and soups. Learning about label reading and identifying sodium onNutrition Facts tables and ingredient lists, can help students make healthy choices.

The Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools include sodium as one of the criteriafor classifying food into groups that determine whether the food or drinks can be sold tostudents at school.

Salty food . . . less is best!

Adapted from: Health Canada – Sodium 101

Media AwarenessWe are all exposed to a myriad of media experiences, so much so that it has become partof daily life – and largely goes unnoticed, except subconsciously. Marketers spend billions of dollars to create advertising targeted towards children because they influence their parents’ spending, have their own money to spend, and will eventually become adult consumers. Advertising influences children’s food and beverage choices and preferences, andtherefore their health and development. Media directed at children is everywhere: TV, magazines,sponsorships, product placements (e.g. foods used in movies, candy at grocery store checkouts),clothing, games for children on company websites, cartoon characters, celebrity endorsements,contests, free toys, and clubs.

According to the Media Awareness Network, children under 8 years of age may have troubleunderstanding that advertisements are not always based on reality. Given that marketers areaiming to capitalize on children’s influence on their own food and drink decisions, it is importantthat children are given the tools to begin to understand the role of advertising, along withrecognition of daily examples of advertising in their own lives.

Teaching media awareness to children is one method for helping them understand and evaluatethe techniques used by advertisers to influence their food and drink choices and to developcritical skills when viewing media. This is a recommended prevention strategy for disorderedeating and for improving self-esteem. The development of these critical thinking skills is thestarting point to empowering children with the knowledge they need to make informed choicesthat support positive mental and physical health and development.

Adapted from: Media Awareness Network

Special NoteBeing Me: Promoting Positive Body Image is a new resource being piloted and shared at the Classroom Healthy Eating Action Workshops. Through this module, students are exposedto lessons and activities designed to support the development of positive body image and self-esteem, along with messaging which serves to help prevent disordered eating.


Curriculum Connections Learning Activities

KINDERGARTEN


MATHEMATICS Patterns and Relations K B1 – Demonstrate an understanding of repeating patterns

SOCIAL STUDIES Skills and Processes K A2 – Gather information from personal experiences, oral of Social Studies sources, and visual representations

LESSON – WHAT IS A VEGETABLE OR FRUIT


ENGLISH LANGUAGE Learning Writing K C1 – Create simple messages using a combination of pictures,ARTS (and Representing) symbols, letters, and words to convey meaning

and Extending Thinking

HEALTH AND Goals and Decisions K A1 – Identify opportunities to make choicesCAREER EDUCATION

PHYSICAL Active Living K A3 – Identify the importance of food as fuel for physical activityEDUCATION

ARTS EDUCATION Visual Arts K A1 – Use imagination, observation, and stories to create images(Creative Processes)

LESSON – WHICH RUNNER WINS THE RACE?



MATHEMATICS Shape and Space K C1 – Use direct comparison to compare two objects based(Measurement) on a single attribute

PHYSICAL Active Living K A3 – Identify the importance of food as fuel for physical activityEDUCATION

SOCIAL STUDIES Skills and Processes K A3 – Present information using oral or visual representationof Social Studies

LESSON – INVISIBLE SALT


ENGLISH Oral Language Learning K A6 – Use oral language to explain, inquire, and compareLANGUAGE ARTS and Extending Thinking


LESSON – I SPY ADVERTISING



Learning


• Display the Vegetables and Fruit Posters, and discuss with studentsthe vegetables and fruit pictured on the poster.

• Show vegetables and fruit, or use Who am I? Flashcards and havestudents identify and group them according to patterns of colour,family, where they grow, etc.

• Have students complete Veggies & Fruit . . . what are they? (pp. 1-2)in Veggie & Fruit Fun! Activity Booklet.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY EXTENSIONS • Use the Fruit & Veggie Colour Champions Bingo! Game as a fun way

to further explore vegetables, fruit, and their colours.

Recommended Resources:1. Action Schools! BC Healthy Eating Poster Pack – Vegetables and Fruit Posters (F)

(in Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!) 2. Who am I? Flashcards (in Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!)3. Veggie & Fruit Fun! Activity Booklet (in Action Pack) 4. Smart Fruit and Veggie Songs CD (in Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!)5. Fruit & Veggie Colour Champions Bingo! Game (in Action Pack)6. Health Canada – Canada’s Food Guide, 2007 (available in 12 languages and for

First Nations, Inuit and Métis; free class sets available) (in Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!)

7. Health Canada – Canada’s Food Guide: A Resource for Educators and Communicators (F)(refer to Action Pages!)

8. Health Canada – Eat Well and Be Active Educational Toolkit (F) (refer to Action Pages!)9. HealthLink BC: Call 811 and speak to a dietitian (refer to Action Pages!)

10. BC Dairy Foundation – Food Mosaic (refer to Action Pages!) 11. Eating the Alphabet (Healthy Eating Booklist – www.actionschoolsbc.ca)

Curriculum Connections:This activity meets several Prescribed Learning Outcomes in the BC Integrated ResourcePackages K to 7. Refer to Curriculum Connections – Kindergarten (p. 67).

What is a Vegetable or Fruit?

Suggested GradeLevel: K

Description:This activity introduces students to vegetables and fruit. They will becomefamiliar with differentvegetables and fruit throughexposure and creativity.

Preparation:� Display the Action Schools!

BC Vegetables and FruitPosters (in Action Pack).

� Use Who am I? Flashcards(in Action Pack), or bring in a variety of vegetablesand fruit.

� Photocopy one Veggies &Fruit . . . what are they?(pp. 1-2) per student in Veggie & Fruit Fun! ActivityBooklet (in Action Pack).

� Review Overview – HealthyEating in Kindergarten toGrade 3 (p. 64).


Learning


• Choose nine students to be the runners in the race and provide each of them with a different Sip Smart! BC Drink Cut-out. Line themup at the front of the class.

• Explain to students the drinks that are the best fuel for our bodieswill cross the finish line before the other drinks.

• Ask students to guess Which Runner Wins the Race? • Ask the students who will come in second, third, fourth, etc.?• Line the nine students at the front of the class in the order the class

thinks they will finish the race.• Let the students know the “winners” are water and plain milk. Fortified

chocolate milk, fortified chocolate soy beverage, and 100% orangejuice finish the race behind these first two, but ahead of other sugarydrinks, including iced tea, sports drink, cola, and lime blast slushie.

• Line up the students at the front of the class in the following orderfrom first to last:

Water (250 ml) 0 cubes FIRST

Plain Milk (250 ml) 3 cubes FIRST

Chocolate Milk (250 ml) 5 cubes SECOND

Chocolate Soy Beverage (250 ml) 5 cubes SECOND

100% Orange Juice (200 ml) 5 cubes SECOND

Iced Tea (355 ml) 10 cubes LAST

Sports Drink (700 ml) 10 cubes LAST

Cola (591 ml) 17 cubes LAST

Lime Blast Slushie (1000 ml) 24 cubes LAST

• Have students cut out, decorate and label the characters in the race,from the drink cut-outs (provided at workshop).

• Create a classroom display showing which drinks finish in front,and last.

• Alternative idea: Without providing Sip Smart! BC Drink Cut-outs,simply have students create a drawing based on the “Which RunnerWins the Race?” story. Afterward, have students discuss the similaritiesand differences among their project and those of their peers.

• As follow up to this activity, discuss with students the real lifeapplication of this new understanding. Which drinks should theychoose most, sometimes, and least? Will this mean that they will makeany changes to the drinks they currently consume on a regular basis?


Which Runner Wins the Race?


Description:By looking at a variety of drinks as “runners in a race”,students will begin to developan understanding of whichdrinks provide their bodies withthe best fuel to help them grow,go, and win the race. The drinksthat are the slow runners shouldbe limited or avoided.

Preparation:� Photocopy Sip Smart! BC

Drink Cut-outs (providedat workshop) for eachstudent. Depending on time, photocopy one of each drink per child, orprovide each child with just one drink shape todecorate.

� Provide each student withthe materials to create an art project depicting theirdrinks in a race: includingscissors, pencil crayons,crayons, and/or markers.

� Review Overview – HealthyEating in Kindergarten toGrade 3 (p. 64) and TeacherBackgrounder.


Recommended Resources:1. Sip Smart! BC Drink Cut-outs (provided at workshop) 2. BC Ministry of Education – Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools, Revised August 2010 (F)

(refer to Action Pages!) 3. HealthLink BC: Call 811 and speak to a dietitian (refer to Action Pages!)

Curriculum Connections:This activity meets several Prescribed Learning Outcomes in the BC Integrated Resource Packages K to 7.Refer to Curriculum Connections – Kindergarten (p. 67).


IN FIRST PLACE, A TIE BETWEEN:• Wonderful Water: Always a great choice! Quenches a thirst and always good to sip

throughout the day.• Marvellous Milk: A healthy drink choice! Contains naturally occurring sugar, but

also contains nutrients such as protein, calcium, and vitamins A and D.

FINISHING AFTER THESE TWO ARE:• Chocolate Milk/other flavoured milk: Flavoured milk has just as much nutritional

value as white milk (calcium, vitamin D, and protein), however, it does have more sugar.• Fortified Chocolate Soy Beverage: Flavoured soy beverage has as much nutritional

value as unflavoured varieties, but contains more sugar. Better yet, choose fortified,unsweetened varieties, which contain similar nutrients to cow’s milk.

• 100% Juice: The healthiest juice choice! Contains naturally occurring sugar, but may alsocontain nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin A, folate, potassium, antioxidants, and more.

IN LAST PLACE:• Sports Drinks, Fruit Drinks, Chocolate Bar Milkshakes, Pops, Diet Pops, Iced Teas,

Lemonades, Energy Drinks, etc. These drinks are high in sugar, and generally containfew nutrients.

Sugary drinks . . . less is best!



Learning

Invisible Salt


Description:The majority of the salt we consume is hidden inprocessed foods. By discussingsalt, along with how it can be “hidden” in the foods weeat, students will be introducedto the concept of salt in foods.A related discussion will begin to introduce the concept ofchoosing healthy, less saltyfoods that are best for ourbodies.

Preparation:� Box of salt

� Measuring spoons(in Action Pack)

� Spoon

� 3 clear cups

� Cold, room temperature,and warm water

� Permanent marker



• Label (or colour code) the clear cups: 1) “cold water”, 2) “roomtemperature water”, and 3) “warm water”.

• Add about 250 ml (1 cup) of the appropriate temperature of waterto each cup, filling about 1/2 full to allow for stirring – the greater thetemperature difference, the more noticeable the results will be.

• Ask students to guess what will happen when 5 ml (1 tsp) of salt is added to each of the cups and stirred. Will it disappear or dissolve?Will it settle to the bottom so that you can still see salt crystals?

• Add additional salt to each container using 5 ml (1 tsp) each time andask students to continue guessing what will happen when the salt isadded to each cup. NOTE: At about 25 ml (5 tsp) of salt, differencesbecome quite noticeable, with more salt settling at the bottom of thecup with colder water, but still dissolving into the warmest water.

• Lead a discussion around what happened to the salt in the differenttemperatures (dissolves more easily in warm water than in cold; thesalt disappears into the water entirely up to a point, but then settlesin the cup). Sometimes you can see the salt on food but most of thetime it is hidden, especially for warm or hot foods.

• Connect the activity to “real-life” by explaining that salt is often added to the foods we eat and some beverages we drink, even thoughwe cannot see it and often do not even taste it. Choosing low salt food and drinks is a great way to help our bodies to work as well asthey can.

• Ask students if they can guess which foods have a lot of salt and which foods have small amounts of salt. Write a list of food and drinkchoices on the board and ask students to guess which have salt inthem (e.g. soy sauce, ketchup, peanut butter, vegetable juice, etc.).

Eat less salt . . . less is best!

Recommended Resources:1. HealthLink BC: Call 811 and speak to a dietitian (refer to Action Pages!)2. HealthLink BC – Low Sodium (Salt) Food Choices, Low Sodium (Salt) Eating Out, and

Reading Food Labels for Sodium (Salt) (refer to Action Pages!)3. Lower Sodium (refer to Action Pages!) 4. Sodium 101 (refer to Action Pages!)



Learning


• Explain that advertising and marketing are ways in which companiestry to get people to buy their products.

• Provide some relevant examples of advertising (i.e. magazine ads,cereal boxes, books), including a discussion of how advertising mightimpact children’s food choices. A real-life example is the use of cartooncharacters on cereal boxes meant to get young people’s attention andmake them want the food or free gifts in packages or mail in offers.

• Ask students to play,“I spy with my little eye, something that isadvertising” by looking around their classroom (or around theirschool) for advertising/marketing examples – things that might makethem want something. Examples may include characters on lunchboxes, on clothing, on backpacks, on school supplies, on the side oftrucks and buses, etc. Ask them to raise their hand when they havespied an example of advertising. Ask these students to share whatthey have found.

• Keep a tally on the board for each type of advertising the studentsfind, where they found the ad, which ads are for food, and which arefor drinks.

• Ask students if they have ever asked anyone to buy them somethingbecause of an advertisement they saw.

RELATED ACTIVITIES:• Field Trips – Supermarket Tour, p. 160

Recommended Resources:1. Media Awareness Network (refer to Action Pages!)


I Spy Advertising


Description:This activity introduces young students to the concept of advertising and how it can affect theirfood choices. Children willlook around their classroom(or school) for examples ofadvertising in action.

Preparation:� Collect magazine ads, cereal

boxes targeted to children,books, etc. that advertisersuse to market food products.


TYPE OF ADVERTISING(cereal, sport

company, etc.)

FOUND THE AD(backpack, shirt,

books, etc.)FOOD DRINKS



GRADE 1


ENGLISH LANGUAGE Strategies 1 C5 – Use strategies during writing and representing to ARTS (Writing and Representing) express thoughts in written and visual form

HEALTH AND Health (Healthy Living) 1 C1 – Identify practices that contribute to health, includingCAREER EDUCATION healthy eating, regular physical activity, and emotional

health practices

LESSON – PUMPKINS, PUMPKINS


HEALTH AND Health (Healthy Living) 1 C1 – Identify practices that contribute to health, including CAREER EDUCATION healthy eating, regular physical activity, and emotional

health practices

PHYSICAL Active Living 1 A4 – Describe the importance of choosing healthy foodEDUCATION as fuel for physical activity

LESSON – GETTING TO KNOW THE RUNNERS IN THE RACE


HEALTH AND Health (Healthy Living) 1 C1 – Identify practices that contribute to health, including CAREER EDUCATION healthy eating, regular physical activity, and emotional

health practices

PHYSICAL Active Living 1 A4 – Describe the importance of choosing healthy food asEDUCATION fuel for physical activity

LESSON – WHAT SALT DOES TO OUR BODIES


ENGLISH Purposes (Oral Language) 1 A2 – Use speaking to explore, express, and present ideas,LANGUAGE ARTS information, and feelings

Strategies (Oral Language) 1 A4 – Use strategies when interacting with others, including:making and sharing connections; asking questions forclarification and understanding, taking turns as speaker andlistener

ARTS EDUCATION Visual Arts (Creative Processes) 1 A1 – Use a variety of image sources to create images

Visual Arts (Context) 1 C1 – Describe various purposes of visual arts

LESSON – BE AN AD DETECTIVE



Learning


• Read It’s a Fruit, It’s a Vegetable, It’s a Pumpkin Book.• Brainstorm with the class words to describe a pumpkin and

words associated with pumpkins.• Write a collaborative class poem about pumpkins on

pumpkin-shaped paper.• Make pumpkin muffins, soup, or smoothie.

Pumpkins, Pumpkins

Suggested GradeLevel: 1

Description:Students will enjoy followingthe festive pumpkin from seedto table. Try this theme-basedactivity with other vegetablesand fruit (e.g. apples, tomatoes,strawberries, and zucchini).

Preparation:� Read It’s a Fruit, It’s a

Vegetable, It’s a PumpkinBook (in Action Pack).

� Prepare a large pumpkinshaped paper on which towrite a collaborative classpoem.

� Bring ingredients for pumpkinsoup, pumpkin muffins,and/or pumpkin smoothies(see recipes that follow).


INGREDIENTS:

500 ml (2 cups) whole wheat flour 10 ml (2 tsp) baking powder5 ml (1 tsp) baking soda2 ml (1/2 tsp) salt2 ml (1/2 tsp) cinnamon1 ml (1/4 tsp) nutmeg300 ml (1 1/3 cup) canned,

100% pumpkin

1 egg, lightly beaten250 ml (1 cup) unsweetened

applesauce125 ml (1/2 cup) granulated sugar60 ml (1/4 cup) vegetable oil

Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins

DIRECTIONS:

• In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt,cinnamon and nutmeg.

• In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin, egg, applesauce, sugar, and oil.Stir into flour mixture until just combined.

• Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups or lightly greasedmuffin pan.

• Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until tops are firm to thetouch and a tester inserted in the centre of a muffin comes out clean.

• Let cool in tin for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to coolcompletely.

This recipe fits into the “Choose Most” category for the Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools.

Makes 12 large muffins

PREPARATION TIME: 10 minutesCOOKING TIME: 15 to 20 minutes

• Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C)• 12-cup muffin tin, lightly greased or lined with paper cups

Adapted from: Dietitians of Canada, Bake Better Bites


INGREDIENTS:

30 ml (2 tbsp) vegetable oil1 L (4 cups) pumpkin or squash, peeled

and cubed 175 ml (3/4 cup) carrot, chopped175 ml (3/4 cup) onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced1 L (4 cups) low sodium vegetable or chicken

broth (or reconstituted, powdered stock)pepper, to taste30 ml (2 tbsp) chopped, fresh parsley (optional)

Pumpkin Soup

PREPARATION:

• Add oil to a large saucepan and heat overmedium-low heat.

• Add pumpkin, carrot, onion, and garlic andcook, stirring often, until onion is softened,about 5 minutes.

• Add broth and bring to a boil.

• Reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirringoccasionally, until vegetables are very tender, about 45 minutes.

• In a food processor or blender, blend the soup in batches until pureed.

• Add pepper to taste.

• Heat before serving. Garnish with choppedparsley if desired.

Makes 6 – 250 ml (1 cup) servings

This recipe fits into the “Choose Most” category for the

Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools.

INGREDIENTS:

250 ml (1 cup) unseasoned pumpkin puree 250 ml (1 cup) plain yogurt 1 ripe banana 250 ml (1 cup) 1% milk

250 ml (1 cup) ice 5 ml (1 tsp) cinnamon dash nutmeg, cloves and/or allspice 15 ml (1 tbsp) honey (optional)

Pumpkin Smoothie (Pumpkin Pie in a Glass)

PREPARATION:

• Add ingredients to a blender and mix until smooth.

Makes 4 – 250 ml (1 cup) servings

This recipe fits into the “Choose Most” category for the

Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools.


RELATED ACTIVITIES:• Field Trips – Pumpkin Patch p. 162

Recommended Resources:1. It’s a Fruit, It’s a Vegetable, It’s a Pumpkin Book (in Action Pack or Healthy Eating Booklist – www.actionschoolsbc.ca) 2. Les Citrouilles (available in French only) (in Action Pack or Healthy Eating Booklist – www.actionschoolsbc.ca)3. Health Canada – Canada’s Food Guide, 2007 (available in 12 languages and for First Nations, Inuit and Métis;

free class sets available) (in Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!) 4. Health Canada – Canada’s Food Guide: A Resource for Educators and Communicators (F) (refer to Action Pages!)5. HealthLink BC: Call 811 and speak to a dietitian (refer to Action Pages!)6. BC Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation – Pumpkin Time (refer to Action Pages!)7. Pumpkin Soup; The Pumpkin Book (Healthy Eating Booklist – www.actionschoolsbc.ca) 8. Tips and Recipes for Quantity Cooking: Nourishing Minds and Bodies (refer to Action Pages! or www.actionschoolsbc.ca)

Curriculum Connections:This activity meets several Prescribed Learning Outcomes in the BC Integrated Resource Packages K to 7.Refer to Curriculum Connections – Grade 1 (p. 73).


Learning


• Provide each student with one drink cut-out (front side only), todecorate and label as one of the characters in the race.

• Group students so each group has a variety of drinks. Ask each groupto put their drinks in the order that they will cross the finish line,e.g. first, second, third.

• Tell students about “The Runners”: A variety of drinks line up at thestarting line, then set out in a running race. Some, the best fuel for our bodies, are able to get ahead, run the whole race, and finish in the lead. These “winners” are water and plain milk. Fortified chocolatemilk, fortified chocolate soy beverage, and 100% orange juice finishthe race behind these first two, but ahead of other sugary drinks,including iced tea, sports drink, cola, and lime blast slushie.

• Actual order of finishers:Water (250 ml) 0 cubes FIRST

Plain Milk (250 ml) 3 cubes FIRST

Chocolate Milk (250 ml) 5 cubes SECOND

Chocolate Soy Beverage (250 ml) 5 cubes SECOND

100% Orange Juice (200 ml) 5 cubes SECOND

Iced Tea (355 ml) 10 cubes LAST

Sports Drink (700 ml) 10 cubes LAST

Cola (591 ml) 17 cubes LAST

Lime Blast Slushie (1000 ml) 24 cubes LAST

• Ask if any of the groups had the runners in the correct order.Were the students surprised by any of the results?

• Ask the students if they have any ideas on how to make healthierdrink choices to help fuel their bodies (e.g. choosing smaller drinkcontainers, using a small amount of chocolate syrup to add to plainmilk or mixing half plain milk and half chocolate milk, having pop less often, etc.).


Getting to Know the Runners in the Race


Description:Students will develop theirunderstanding of which drinksprovide their bodies with thebest fuel, which should beconsumed occasionally, andwhich should be limited oravoided. By looking at variousdrinks as the “runners in a race”,students will learn about someof the characteristics thatdetermine whether their drinkchoices will help them grow,learn, and play.

Preparation:� Photocopy Sip Smart! BC

Drink Cut-outs (provided atworkshop) for each student.

� Provide each student withthe materials to create an art project depicting theirdrinks in a race: scissors,pencil crayons, crayons,and/or markers.



Recommended Resources:1. Sip Smart! BC Drink Cut-outs (provided at workshop) 2. BC Ministry of Education – Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools, Revised August 2010 (F)

(refer to Action Pages!) 3. HealthLink BC: Call 811 and speak to a dietitian (refer to Action Pages!)



IN FIRST PLACE, A TIE BETWEEN:• Wonderful Water: Always a great choice! Quenches a thirst and always good to sip

throughout the day.• Marvellous Milk: A healthy drink choice! Contains naturally occurring sugar, but

also contains nutrients such as protein, calcium, and vitamins A and D.

FINISHING AFTER THESE TWO ARE:• Chocolate Milk/other flavoured milk: Flavoured milk has just as much nutritional

value as white milk (calcium, vitamin D, and protein), however, it does have more sugar.• Fortified Chocolate Soy Beverage: Flavoured soy beverage has as much nutritional

value as unflavoured varieties, but contains more sugar. Better yet, choose fortified,unsweetened varieties, which contain similar nutrients to cow’s milk.

• 100% Juice: The healthiest juice choice! Contains naturally occurring sugar, but may alsocontain nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin A, folate, potassium, antioxidants, and more.

IN LAST PLACE:• Sports Drinks, Fruit Drinks, Chocolate Bar Milkshakes, Pops, Diet Pops, Iced Teas,

Lemonades, Energy Drinks, etc. These drinks are high in sugar, and generally containfew nutrients.

Sugary drinks . . . less is best!



Learning


• Explain to students that salt is a product found in many of the foods we eat. Some salt is added to our foods in our own homes(while cooking or at the table), but most is hidden in processed,pre-packaged, ready-to-eat, or fast foods and restaurant meals.

• Most of us eat more than double the amount of salt that we need.• Ask students to name some foods that may be high in salt and list

these on the board.• Foods high in salt include: processed foods such as cheese, deli

meats, pizza, hot dogs, chips, sauces and soups; pre-packaged foodsfast foods and restaurant meals.

• The reason it is important to think about the salt we eat is that eating too much salt can negatively impact our bodies and our health.One of the most serious health problems associated with eating highsalt foods is that it can make our blood pressure go up. If our bloodpressure is high, it can damage our heart and other important parts of our bodies.

• In brief, too much salt can make our arteries and veins stiffen up.Arteries and veins are like the road system of our bodies: they carryfood and nutrients to different parts of the body, pick up wastethroughout the body, and help us to get rid of that waste. A few waysa teacher can demonstrate this concept in class include:– By using a long balloon filled with water, students can get a visual of

blood pressure. A vein/artery that carries blood through our bodiesis represented by the balloon, and the water inside the balloon is the blood. When the balloon gets too full, it’s like having high bloodpressure, which makes it hard for the heart to pump blood andnutrients (food) throughout the body.

– By using a long balloon filled with air, teachers can demonstrate thatwhen the balloon is not overfilled, it is flexible, pliable, and easy totwist and bend. When the balloon is too full, it is much the same ashaving high blood pressure. The balloon becomes less flexible, moredifficult to bend, and could even pop if the pressure of the air insideis too great. In this demonstration, the balloon again represents thevein/artery, and the air inside is the blood. Too much air is similar tothe effect of blood pressure that is too high.

What Salt Doesto Our Bodies


Description:Most of us eat too much saltor sodium that can harm ourhealth. Students will begin toexplore the negative healthconsequences that can comefrom eating too much salt –specifically, in terms of highblood pressure.

Preparation:� Consider the implementation

ideas to determine whetherto explain blood pressureto students verbally, or withone (or more) of the simpledemonstrations described.

� Ask students if anyone isallergic to balloons.

� Bring several long balloons,and fill with either air orwater.

� Bring spaghetti noodlesinto the classroom – someuncooked and hard/brittle,and some cooked, so flexibleand soft.



– For the spaghetti demonstration, uncooked noodles are hard and brittle, while cookednoodles are malleable and flexible. In this case, cooked noodles represent healthy veins/arteries, while hard, uncooked noodles are like the veins/arteries in a body with high bloodpressure. They are less flexible, and can easily be damaged, in turn causing serious damageto the body.

In the case of salt . . . less is best!

Recommended Resources:1. HealthLink BC: Call 811 and speak to a dietitian (refer to Action Pages!)2. HealthLink BC – Low Sodium (Salt) Food Choices and Low Sodium (Salt) Eating Out, Reading Food

Labels for Sodium (Salt) (refer to Action Pages!)3. Lower Sodium (refer to Action Pages!)4. Sodium 101 (refer to Action Pages!)



Learning


• Explain that advertising and marketing are ways companies try to get people to buy their products.

• Provide some examples of food advertising, including a discussionof how advertising might make them want to buy the food beingadvertised.

Q: Where are some places they might see or hear food ads? A: e.g. TV, internet, movie theatre, magazines, radio, bus

shelters, sides of trucks and buses, etc.

Q: What techniques do advertisers use to make people wantto buy their products?

A: e.g. animation or cartoons, filming or camera tricks, music,bright colours, famous people, songs or jingles, etc.

Q: Are the people or characters used to sell the producthappy or sad?

A: Usually happy

Q: Does the ad make students think that they will havethe same feelings if they buy the food?

Q: How do these techniques make students feel aboutthe food?

Q: Does the advertisement make them want to buythe food?

Q: Have they ever asked their parents or others to buy acertain food after watching a food advertisement?

Q: Did they get the food they asked for?

Q: Have they seen companies sponsor or help to pay forspecial events to help market their product?

A: e.g. sports event, festival, Olympics, theatre production etc.

Q: Why do they think advertisers want them to buy theirproduct?

A: To make money or a profit for the company

Be an Ad Detective


Description:This activity introduces students to the concept of how advertising can affecttheir food choices. Usingsamples of food advertising,students begin to investigatethe ways advertisers try toconvince them to try or buyfood and drink products andthe effect advertising has ontheir food choices.

Preparation:� Collect magazine ads, cereal

boxes targeted to children,T-shirts, books, etc. thatadvertisers use to marketfood products.

� Ask students to bringexamples of food advertisingto share with the class.



Q: Ask the students to give you examples of characters used to advertise foods.A: e.g. Ronald McDonald, Toucan Sam, Tony the Tiger, Captain Crunch, etc.

Q: Why do companies create these characters? A: To make their product seem fun and exciting and get children to want to try

their products because they like the character.

Q: What do they like best about each character?

Q: Ask children to vote on their favourite character.

Q: How many of these characters advertise healthy foods that help studentsto grow, learn, and play?

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY EXTENSIONS• Ask students to create their own character to advertise their favourite healthy food or drink.

They can name and draw their character and describe some things about the character that may help to advertise this food or drink. This activity can also be done as a class or in groups of students.

Recommended Resources:1. Being Me: Promoting Positive Body Image (provided at workshop) 2. Media Awareness Network (refer to Action Pages!)




GRADE 2



LESSON – EDIBLE PLANT PARTS


MATHEMATICS Number 2 A6 – Estimate quantities to 100 using referents2 A9 – Demonstrate an understanding of addition with answers

to 100 and the corresponding subtraction

PHYSICAL Active Living 2 A3 – Describe the importance of food, water, and sleepEDUCATION as fuel for physical activity

LESSON – WHAT’S IN YOUR RUNNER?


HEALTH AND Goals and Decisions 2 A1 – Identify the steps needed to achieve a goal (e.g. identifyCAREER EDUCATION a goal, identify actions needed to reach the goal, identify what

successful goal achievement would look like)2 A2 – Identify opportunities to make decisions (e.g. healthy

eating choices, recess activities)

PHYSICAL Active Living 2 A3 – Describe the importance of food, water, and sleep asEDUCATION fuel for physical activity

LESSON – WHICH IS THE BETTER CHOICE?


ARTS EDUCATION Drama 2 A2 – Use imagination and exploration to create drama(Exploring and Creating) 2 A4 – Reflect on classroom drama experiences

Drama (Drama Forms, 2 B2 – Use movement and their bodies to express a range ofStrategies, and Skills) ideas and feelings while working in role

HEALTH AND Goals and Decisions 2 A2 – Identify opportunities to make decisionsCAREER EDUCATION

LESSON – HAVE I GOT YOUR ATTENTION?



Learning


• Explain that vegetables and fruit can be grown on plants, bushes,trees, or underground.

• Identify the different parts of a plant referring to the Edible PlantParts Poster and brainstorm examples of different edible plant parts.

• Have students complete Veggies & Fruit . . . what parts do we eat?(p. 12) in Veggie & Fruit Fun! Activity Booklet.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY EXTENSIONS• Provide a tasting party with different plant parts (see Tasting

Parties, p. 44).• Use the Who am I? Flashcards and ask students to guess which

part of the plant that the food on the card comes from. Keep trackof the results on the board to find out which we eat more of(e.g. roots, stems, leaves). Ask students to graph the results.

• Use the Root Viewer to demonstrate how seeds grow into edible plants.

RELATED ACTIVITIES • Tasting – Tasting Parties p. 44

Recommended Resources:1. Action Schools! BC Healthy Eating Poster Pack – Edible Plant Parts Poster (F)

(in Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!) 2. Veggie & Fruit Fun! Activity Booklet (in Action Pack) 3. Health Canada – Canada’s Food Guide, 2007 (available in 12 languages and for



5. Health Canada – Eat Well and Be Active Educational Toolkit (F) (refer to Action Pages!)6. HealthLink BC: Call 811 and speak to a dietitian (refer to Action Pages!)7. Fruit Facts Book (in Action Pack or Healthy Eating Booklist – www.actionschoolsbc.ca) 8. Vegetables and How They Grow Book (in Action Pack or Healthy Eating Booklist –

www.actionschoolsbc.ca) 9. The Victory Garden Vegetable Alphabet Book; Tops and Bottoms (Healthy Eating

Booklist – www.actionschoolsbc.ca) 10. Fruits et Légumes (available in French only) (Healthy Eating Booklist –

www.actionschoolsbc.ca)

Curriculum Connections:This activity meets several Prescribed Learning Outcomes in the BC Integrated ResourcePackages K to 7. Refer to Curriculum Connections – Grade 2 (p. 83).

Edible Plant Parts


Description:We eat different plant parts,including roots, stems, andleaves. What we commonly call a vegetable may actually be the fruit of a plant!

Preparation:� Display the Edible Plant

Parts Poster (in Action Pack).

� Photocopy one Veggies &Fruit . . . what parts do we eat? (p. 12) per student inVeggie & Fruit Fun! ActivityBooklet (in Action Pack).


� Optional: Root Viewer(in Grades K to 3 Action Pack).


A plant has many different edible parts:

ROOTS AND TUBERS keep the plant in the ground and absorb and store water and minerals from the soil. The tuber is the enlarged tip of an underground stem,which the plant uses to store food.

STEMS hold the plant up and carry water throughout the plant.

LEAVES grow from stems and make most of the plant’s food.

FRUIT is the edible part that develops from a flower.

SEEDS found inside the fruit produce new plants.

PODS often encase the seeds.


Artichokes

Beets

Carrots

Jicama

Leeks

Onions

Parsnips

Radishes

Rutabagas

Scallions

Turnips

ROOTSWE EAT

Cassava

Potatoes

Sweetpotatoes

Yams

TUBERSWE EAT

Asparagus

Celery

Bambooshoots

Rhubarb

Broccoli

STEMSWE EAT

Beetgreens

Bok choy

Brusselssprouts

Cabbage,all kinds

Chard

Cilantro

Kale

Lettuce,all kinds

Mustardgreens

Parsley

Spinach

Turnipgreens

Watercress

LEAVESWE EAT

Apples

Apricots

Artichokes

Avocados

Bananas

Bell peppers

Berries,all kinds

Corn

Cranberries

Cucumbers

Dates

Eggplant

Figs

Grapefruit

Kiwis

Kumquats

Lemons

Mangoes

Melons,all kinds

Oranges

Papayas

Peaches

Pears

Persimmons

Pineapples

Plums

Pomegranates

Pumpkins

Strawberries

Squash

Tangerines/tangelos

Tomatoes

“FRUIT”WE EAT

Beans

Edamamebeans

Peas

Pumpkinseeds

Sunflowerseeds

SEEDSWE EAT

Chilipeppers

Greenbeans

Okra

Peas

Snowpeas

Wax beans

PODSWE EAT


Learning


• Tell students about “The Runners”: A variety of drinks line up atthe starting line, then set out in a running race. Some, the best fuelfor our bodies, are able to get ahead, run the whole race, and finish inthe lead. These “winners” are water and plain milk. Fortified chocolatemilk, fortified chocolate soy beverage, and 100% orange juice finishthe race behind these first two, but ahead of other sugary drinks,including iced tea, sports drink, cola, and lime blast slushie.

• As a math activity to complement this story, build and explore asugary drink display with your class.– Assign each of the drink characters from the story (using the

photocopied Sip Smart! BC Drink Cut-outs) to a group of students.– Provide each group with a bag of sugar cubes or plastic cubes

and a plastic cup.• – Have students guess the number of sugar cubes in their drink

and fill the labelled cup with that number.• – Optional: use teaspoons of granulated sugar, 5 ml or 1 tsp = 1 cube

sugar.• – Have each group report their guess to the class.• – Show students how much sugar each beverage actually contains,

in terms of sugar cubes. Answers can be found on the back of the SipSmart! BC Drink Cut-outs.

• – To create a classroom display, attach each drink cut-out withits corresponding bag of sugar to a bulletin board.

• – Discuss the high sugar content of some of the examples. Havestudents explore how quickly they could exceed the recommendedlimit of 10 (females) to 11 (males) (total) sugar cubes in a day for this age group if they consume several sugary drinks in a day andsweetened foods.


Recommended Resources:1. Sip Smart! BC Drink Cut-outs (photocopied) (provided at workshop)2. Sip Smart! BC How Much Sugar is in Your Drink? Poster (provided at workshop)3. BC Ministry of Education – How Sweet it Is! (refer to Action Pages!)4. BC Ministry of Education – Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools,



What’s in Your Runner?


Description:By looking at various drinks as the “runners in a race”,students will begin to developan understanding of whichdrinks provide their bodies with the best fuel, and whichones should be avoided.Students will learn to determineand report how much sugar is in various drinks usingnutrition labels on foodpackages. This will help them to make informed decisionsabout their choice of drinks.

Preparation:� Box of sugar cubes or plastic

cubes (in Action Pack).

� Clear plastic cups

� Sip Smart! BC Drink Cut-outs(photocopied) (provided atworkshop).

� Review and display the SipSmart! BC What Size is YourDrink? Poster (provided atworkshop).



Learning


• Explain to students that most of us eat too much salt; more thandouble the amount we need.

• Provide each student with the Which is the Better Choice? Worksheet.Have them go through it, first circling every food they like to eat.

• Now have students go through and for each pair of foods, havestudents put a check mark beside the one they think is the betterchoice.

• Talk to students about the healthier or better choices. Indicate why thefoods that are less healthy are ones that should be limited.

Which is the Better Choice? (Answers italicized):

The italicized selections above are the healthier, lower-salt choicesrelative to the other in each pair. In general, fresh vegetables and fruit,and less processed or pre-packaged, ready-to-eat foods are the bestchoices for snacks and meals.

• Ask students to correct their sheets.• Return to the worksheet and have students compare their circled

choices (what they like to eat) with the checked (healthier) choices.Students should identify the foods they’ve circled that are NOT checked.

• Ask students to choose one of the circled foods that isn’t checked(higher salt) that they will replace with a “Better Choice” food over thenext week, and indicate their goal at the bottom of the worksheet.

• Facilitate a classroom discussion around what goals students have setfor themselves, how they will work to attain their goal (e.g. not addingsalt at the table).

Recommended Resources:1. HealthLink BC: Call 811 and speak to a dietitian (refer to Action Pages!)2. HealthLink BC – Low Sodium (Salt) Food Choices, Low Sodium (Salt) Eating Out, and

Reading Food Labels for Sodium (Salt) (refer to Action Pages!)3. Lower Sodium (refer to Action Pages!) 4. Sodium 101 (refer to Action Pages!)


Which is the Better Choice?


Description:Students will learn that some of the foods we choose to eat are high in salt. Choosing these foods too often can make our bodies less healthy overtime. It is important to learnto recognize which foods are high in salt, and shouldbe limited.

Preparation:� Photocopy Which is the

Better Choice? Worksheet (see following page) for each student.


ROW 1: Baked Potato or French FriesROW 2: Instant Ramen Noodle Soup

or Low Sodium/Salt ChickenNoodle Soup

ROW 3: Chocolate Milk Shake or Chocolate Milk

ROW 4: Roasted Chicken Sandwich orHot Dog, Bun, and Ketchup

ROW 5: Deli Roast Beef or HomemadeRoast Beef *

ROW 6: Cheese and Bean Quesadilla * orPackaged Frozen Lasagna

ROW 7: Potato Chips or Unsalted Mixed Nuts

* if a small amount or no salt is addedduring cooking or at the table


Which is the Better Choice?

NAME __________________________________

Baked Potato French Fries

Low Sodium/SaltChicken Noodle Soup

Chocolate Milk Shake Chocolate Milk

STEP 1: Circle every food you like to eat.

STEP 2: Place a check mark beside the food in each rowthat is the better (healthier) choice.

ROW 1

ROW 3

ROW 2

Instant Ramen Noodle Soup


STEP 3: Choose one or more of the checked foods as foods that you will choose more often(than the less healthy option beside it) in the next week. For example, if you normally

order a chocolate milk shake when you are eating out, choose chocolate milk.

In the next week, I will choose to eat ____________________ instead of ____________________.

Deli Roast Beef Homemade Roast Beef

Potato Chips Unsalted Mixed Nuts

Hot Dog, Bun, and Ketchup

Cheese and Bean Quesadilla Packaged Frozen Lasagna

ROW 4

ROW 5

ROW 6

ROW 7

Roasted Chicken Sandwich


Learning


• Discuss that in addition to the advertising they see on TV, on theinternet, in magazines, and in other types of media, companies alsouse packaging, product placement (e.g. paying for their products to be placed in stores where people will see them more easily, paying forcharacters in movies, videos, or TV shows to use their product), andfree samples to help sell their products.

• Explain that companies design packages that attract people’sattention because they want them to recognize their product when they see it in stores.

• Ask students how they recognize the packages of some of theirfavourite foods.

• Ask students to think of ways that they could make people choose a product they were selling:– Would they use a famous person or cartoon character on their

package? What colour would they use for their package?• – Would they include something free inside their package?• – Would they have a contest to win a prize?• – Where would their package be within the grocery store

(e.g. at the eye level of children, at the end of the aisle, by thecheckout stand)?

• With a partner, ask students to act out a package at a grocery storetrying to get the attention of customers (e.g.“I’m a bright red package with a Canadian athlete on the front. I’m at the front of the grocery store in a big, colourful display area. Pick me!”).

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY EXTENSIONS• Taste test activity – bring in a few types of similar foods including a

popular brand (with incentives on packaging), a no name or storebrand, and a similar bulk food item; place them in separate containersand hide the original packaging. Ask students to taste each of thesamples and vote for their favourite choice. Show the originalcontainers and let them know which package was the favourite.Ask them if they are surprised with their choice and whether theywould have chosen differently if they had seen the package with the food. Cereals provide a good example.

Have I Got Your Attention?


Description:This activity introduces students to the techniquesthat advertisers use to getpeople’s attention. The designof packaging, promotions,free samples, and where theproduct is placed in the storewill be discussed.

Preparation:� Have students bring in

food packages or save themfrom the lunch or snack theybrought to school (e.g. cereal,snack foods, drink containers).



• Field trip to a grocery store – look at how products for children are placed throughout the store (e.g. candy at checkout stand, sugar-sweetened cereals at children’s eye level,refrigerated pop and energy drinks at the front of the store, etc.). Ask students to vote fortheir favourite package for a type of food (e.g. cereals) and ask them why they chose thatpackage.

RELATED ACTIVITIES • Field Trips – Supermarket Tour p. 160

Recommended Resources:1. Media Awareness Network (refer to Action Pages!)2. Don’t Buy It: Get Media Smart (refer to Action Pages!)




GRADE 3


HEALTH AND Health (Healthy Living) 3 C2 – Describe the importance of healthy eating and regularCAREER EDUCATION physical activity for a healthy lifestyle (e.g. to obtain the

required nutrients needed for growth, to help prevent diseases).

LESSON – 5 A DAY THE COLOUR WAY


HEALTH AND Goals and Decisions 3 A1 – Apply a goal-setting model to a short-term goalCAREER EDUCATION 3 A2 – Identify sources of support for children in a variety of

situations

Health (Healthy Living) 3 C2 – Describe the importance of healthy eating and regularphysical activity for a healthy lifestyle

LESSON – CHOOSE YOUR DRINKS WISELY


ENGLISH Oral Language 3 A1 – Use speaking and listening to interact with others for theLANGUAGE ARTS (Purposes) purposes of: contributing to a class goal; sharing and explaining

ideas, viewpoints, and opinions; making connections; solvingproblems; completing tasks

HEALTH AND Health (Healthy Living) 3 C1 – Describe practices that contribute to physical andCAREER EDUCATION emotional health (e.g. regular physical activity, healthy eating,

talking to a trusted friend or adult when feeling sad or confused)

LESSON – GO FOR LOW


ENGLISH Oral Language 3 A1 – Use speaking and listening to interact with others for theLANGUAGE ARTS (Purposes) purposes of: contributing to a class goal; sharing and explaining

ideas, viewpoints, and opinions; making connections; solvingproblems; completing tasks

Oral Language 3 A9 – Use speaking and listening to extend thinking by:(Thinking) acquiring new ideas, making connections, inquiring, comparing

and contrasting, summarizing

SOCIAL STUDIES Skills and Processes 3 A1 – Apply critical thinking skills – including questioning,of Social Studies predicting, imagining, comparing, classifying, and identifying

patterns – to selected problems or issues

LESSON – WHAT ARE YOU ADVERTISING?



Learning


• Use the Action Schools! BC Colourful Choices Poster to guidediscussion on the following topics:

• – Vegetables and fruit can be divided into 5 colour groups and each colour group has a variety of different health benefits.

• – Because the vegetables and fruit in each colour group are healthyfor different reasons and provide different key nutrients, it is important to eat vegetables and fruit of all different colours.

• – Dark green and orange-coloured vegetables and fruit often havethe most nutrients. Canada’s Food Guide recommends you eat onedark green and one orange vegetable each day.

• Ask students to give examples of vegetables and fruit from eachcolour group.

• Students complete Veggies & Fruit . . . what colour are they? (pp. 13-14)and Veggies & Fruit . . . why are they important? (pp. 15-16) in Veggie &Fruit Fun! Activity Booklet.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY EXTENSIONS• Students create a rainbow poster which gives examples of

vegetables and fruit contained within that colour group.• Students track the colourful vegetables and fruit they eat by using

the Veggies and Fruit the Colour Way Tracking Chart (p. 32). Students can put a check mark or write in the name under the appropriatecolour column as they eat a variety of colours throughout the day.

• As a class, brainstorm how to incorporate more colours into snacksand meals. For example:

• – add sliced strawberries to your cereal at breakfast • – snack on blueberries and yogurt• – add dried apricots to baking• – blend spinach into a smoothie• – add a side of carrots, bell peppers, and dip to lunch or dinner • Provide a tasting party with vegetables and fruit from the different

colour groups (see Tasting Parties, p. 44).• Use the Fruit & Veggie Colour Champions Bingo! Game as a fun way

to further explore vegetables, fruit, and their colours.

RELATED ACTIVITIES • Tracking – Tracking your Colours p. 30• Tasting – Tasting Parties: Eat Your Colours p. 45

5 a Day the Colour Way


Description:Vegetables and fruit canbe categorized into five colour groups – Green,Yellow/Orange, Blue/Purple,Red, and White/Brown – eachproviding different healthbenefits. It is important tochoose vegetables and fruitof a variety of colours to helpget all the nutrients we need.This activity encouragesstudents to choose vegetablesand fruit from a variety ofcolours.

Preparation:� Review and display the Action

Schools! BC Colourful ChoicesPoster (in Action Pack).

� Photocopy one Veggies & Fruit . . . what colour arethey? (pp. 13-14) and oneVeggies & Fruit . . . why arethey important? (pp. 15-16)per student in Veggie & Fruit Fun! Activity Booklet(in Action Pack).


� Locate Fruit & Veggie Colour Champions Bingo!Game (in Action Pack).


Recommended Resources:1. Action Schools! BC Healthy Eating Poster Pack – Colourful Choices Poster (F) (in Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!) 2. Veggie & Fruit Fun! Activity Booklet (in Action Pack) 3. Fruit & Veggie Colour Champions Bingo! Game (in Action Pack)4. Smart Fruit and Veggie Songs CD – Eat the Color Way; I Lost My Basket; Can You Find the Fruit?

(in Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!) 5. Health Canada – Canada’s Food Guide, 2007 (available in 12 languages and for First Nations, Inuit and Métis;

free class sets available) (in Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!) 6. Health Canada – Canada’s Food Guide: A Resource for Educators and Communicators (F) (refer to Action Pages!)7. Health Canada – Eat Well and Be Active Educational Toolkit (F) (refer to Action Pages!)8. HealthLink BC: Call 811 and speak to a dietitian (refer to Action Pages!)9. 5 to 10 A Day For Better Health (F) (refer to Action Pages!)

10. Growing Colors; Lunch (Healthy Eating Booklist – www.actionschoolsbc.ca)



Learning


• Discuss with students the benefits and drawbacks of various drinks.Sugar is a major ingredient in many popular drinks. Just one drink mayuse up their age group’s 10 to 11 cube sugar “limit” for the day – andthat does not include sugar from muffins, cookies, candies, and othersweet foods.

• Have students complete the What Did You Drink Today? Handout.• As a class, discuss: What do they typically drink at breakfast, lunch and

dinner? When they drink juice, how much (a full cup, half cup, a fulljuice box) do they usually drink? How many times per day are theychoosing water and milk? juice? pop? other?

• As a follow up to this activity, assist students in setting a personal goalrelated to the consumption of sugary drinks. Could they choose todrink only water or milk for school lunches? For a full day each week?Could they aim to consume no more than X servings of sugary drinksin a day? Could they choose smaller servings of sugary drinks (forexample, a small “junior-size” juice box (125 ml) instead of a 200 mljuice box)? Discuss drink sizes with students, providing them withexamples of various drink sizes using real containers, or Sip Smart! BCDrink Cut-outs.

• What supportive adults could help them achieve their goal? How will they go about doing this (e.g. helping to pack their own lunch;requesting water or milk to drink with dinner; asking that the fridge at home be stocked with cold water, milk, and 100% juice; asking that only water, milk, or 100% juice be served as drinks at schoolfunctions)?


Recommended Resources:1. Sip Smart! BC Drink Cut-outs (photocopied) (provided at workshop) 2. BC Ministry of Education – How Sweet it Is! (refer to Action Pages!)3. BC Ministry of Education – Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools,



Choose Your Drinks Wisely


Description:Learning about sugary drinks, making healthy drink choices, and setting goals helps students to buildand maintain a healthy body.Students will develop a greaterunderstanding of the drinksthey choose, and will createindividual goals to improve their choices.

Preparation:� Photocopy one What Did

You Drink Today? Handout(see following pages) per student.


� Optional: Collect samplebeverage containers todemonstrate differentbeverage sizes to students(Small = 250 ml or less;Medium = 251-591 ml;Large = 592 ml-1 litre;Extra Large = more than1 litre), or use Sip Smart! BCDrink Cut-outs (photocopied)(provided at workshop) forthe same purpose.


My Goal for Choosing Healthier Drinks:

I’m going to choose healthier drinks more often by:

________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________ in the next/for the next ________________ days.

DRINK SIZES:

What Did You Drink Today?

NAME ________________________

Breakfast

Recess/Break

Lunch

After Lunch

Dinner

After Dinner

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S M L XL

S

SMALL250 ml or less

M

MEDIUM251-591 ml

L

LARGE592 ml-1 litre

XL

EXTRA LARGEmore than 1 litre


Example:Breakfast

water

TYPE OF DRINK CIRCLE THE SIZE OF YOUR DRINK HOW MANYWHEN

1


Learning


• Explain to students that most of us eat too much salt; more thandouble the amount that we need. Eating less salt will help you stay healthy.

• Lead a guided discussion about salty foods and lower salt choices:

Q: What are examples of foods that are high in salt? A: e.g. pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, soy sauce, ketchup,

processed foods, deli meats, salty snacks, canned or driedsoups, etc.

Q: What are examples of foods that are low in salt? A: e.g. fresh vegetables and fruit, unsalted nuts, roasted

or grilled meats, fish or poultry without added salt during cooking or at the table, etc.

Q: What are some ways that people can lower the amount of salt they consume?

A: e.g. choose low salt products, don’t add salt to foods atthe table, etc.

• Provide each student with a Go for Low Worksheet. Have studentscircle the high salt food in each row.

GO FOR LOW ANSWER KEY:

ROW 1: Deep Fried Fish & Chips Most deep fried food is are high in salt. Lower salt meats,fish and meat alternatives, including the others listed, arebetter choices.

ROW 2: French FriesA high salt (and high fat) option. Any of the others are better choices.

ROW 3: Deli Ham and Cheese on White BagelMany deli meat and cheeses are high salt choices.Any of the others are better choices.

ROW 4: Potato ChipsPotato chips are a classic high salt snack. Any of the others are a better choice for a snack.

Go for Low


Description:Many children and adultsconsume unhealthy levels of salt on a regular basis.Awareness of excessive saltin some of the foods we eat is an important step in enablingstudents to make informed and healthier decisions aroundwhat they eat.

Preparation:� Photocopy Go for Low

Worksheet (see followingpages) for each student.



ROW 5: Frozen PizzaMany packaged, processed foods, including frozen pizzas, are high salt choices.Any of the others are better choices.

ROW 6: Vegetable JuiceVegetable juice is often high in salt, but lower salt choices are available. Reducedor lower sodium products must have at least 25% less salt than the regular product,but they may still contain too much salt. Instead, choose whole pieces of vegetables or fruit instead of juice, and drink water or milk to satisfy their thirst.

ROW 7: Hot Dog, Bun, and KetchupHot dogs and ketchup are high in salt. Roasted or grilled meats, fish, and foods preparedwith spices and herbs are examples of lower salt choices.

ROW 8: Fast Food BurgerChoices in fast food restaurants are often high in salt and are one of the main sources of sodium in the Canadian diet. Ask for grilled burgers without the sauces in order toreduce the amount of salt.

ROW 9: Instant Ramen Noodle SoupPackaged and canned soups are often high in salt. Lower or reduced sodium products are available but they may still be high in salt. Look for food choices that do not have sodium listed in the ingredient list. Homemade soups, chilis and stews are better choices, so long as they are made with little or no added salt.

ROW 10: Processed Cheese SlicesProcessed cheese has more salt than other types of cheeses, and many other proteinoptions. The other options are better choices.

• Ask students to take their worksheet home to share the lessons they have learned with someone else.

Recommended Resources:1. HealthLink BC: Call 811 and speak to a dietitian (refer to Action Pages!)2. HealthLink BC – Low Sodium (Salt) Food Choices and Low Sodium (Salt) Eating Out, Reading

Food Labels for Sodium (Salt) (refer to Action Pages!)3. Lower Sodium (refer to Action Pages!) 4. Sodium 101 (refer to Action Pages!)



Most of the salt or sodium we eat comes from processed food such as cheese slices,deli meats, pizza, sauces and soups. Pre-packaged foods, ready-to-eat foods, fast foods, and

restaurant meals are often high in sodium. Read the ingredient list to see if sodium is added to the food. If food is made at home, add less or no salt or soy sauce during cooking and

use herbs and spices to add extra flavour. If salt is not added at the table, the salt content is even lower, which helps you stay healthy.

STEP 1: Check the high salt choice in each row.

STEP 2: What changes will you make to your food choices? ______________________________

STEP 3: Bring this sheet home and share what you have learned about salt today with someone else.

Go For LowNAME ________________________

* if soy sauce is used, this meal can be high in salt

✓

Homemade Roast Beef

Deep Fried Fish & Chips

Tofu Hummus Grilled FishROW1

ROW2

Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges

Baked Potato French FriesCorn on the Cob

Green Salad

ROW3

Garden Salad with Grilled Chicken andMandarin Oranges

Deli Ham and Cheese on White Bagel

Yogurt with Granola

and Fruit

Vegetable Omelette

Peanut Butter andBanana Sandwich

ROW4

Low SaltChips

Dried Fruit andCereal Mix

StrawberriesUnsalted

Mixed NutsPotato Chips

ROW5

Homemade Spaghetti with Homemade

Tomato Sauce

Homemade Pastawith Vegetables

and Chicken

Homemade Chicken, Rice,and Broccoli

Frozen Pizza

Homemade Pork,Vegetable and

Noodle Stir Fry*

ROW6

Soy MilkLow Salt

Vegetable JuiceMilk Water Vegetable Juice

ROW7

Vermicelli Noodle Rice Wrap

Pancakes with Fruit Sauce

Hot Dog, Bun,and Ketchup

Homemade CurriedVegetables and Rice

Roasted ChickenSandwich

ROW8

Grilled Chicken Burgerwithout the Sauces

Fast FoodBurger

Fresh Vegetables,Whole Grain Bun and

Yogurt Parfait

Shrimp withNoodles

Scrambled Eggs on an English Muffin

ROW9

Grilled Kabobsand Rice

HomemadeChili

Instant RamenNoodle Soup

HomemadeVegetable Stew

Homemade ChickenNoodle Soup

ROW10

Processed Cheese Slices

Hard-Boiled Egg Cheddar Cheese Peanut ButterUnsalted Mixed

Nuts


Learning


• Lead a guided discussion to explore whether students have beenhelping companies to advertise their products.

• Students can also be asked to write their answers to the questionsbefore the class discussion begins.

Q: Have you ever had any clothing (e.g. T shirts, hats, shoes) thathad a logo, picture or saying for a product, idea or service(e.g. consider products like pop, energy drinks, Save Our Salmon, Telus)?

Q: Have you ever bought other things that have a logo, picture orsaying for a product, idea or service (e.g. lunch kits, notebooks,backpacks, etc.)?

Q: Did you know that you were helping the company to advertisetheir product?

Q: Did the company pay you to advertise their product?

Q: Do you think that the advertising that companies use on clothing and other things help them to sell more of their products and make more money?

Q: Are most of the advertisements for food and drinks that help you to grow, learn, and play (e.g. foods that fit into Canada’s Food Guide)?

Q: Can you think of any logos, pictures, or jingles that could be used to advertise foods that help you grow, learn, and play (e.g. healthy products)?

RELATED ACTIVITY • Have students create an advertisement for a healthy food that could

be used on clothing or other products. This could be a logo, pictureand/or jingle for this food.

Recommended Resources:1. Media Awareness Network (refer to Action Pages!)2. Don’t Buy It: Get Media Smart (refer to Action Pages!)


What are You Advertising?


Description:Companies use clothing,school supplies, stickers,and other items with their logos or messages to helpadvertise their products.Students will identify some of the items they use that help to advertise products forcompanies, helping them tobecome critical viewers of media messages.

Preparation:� Review Overview – Healthy

Eating in Kindergarten toGrade 3 (p. 64).


LearningActivities

Grades 4 to 7

Overview – Healthy Eating in Grades 4 to 7

GRADE 4


� How Much is a Food Guide Serving?

� Food Safety in the Classroom

� Sugar Shocker

� Making Fast Food Healthier

� Have a Blast!

GRADE 5


� BC Grown

� Drink Check

� Shake the Salt Habit

� Advertising Healthy Choices

GRADE 6


� Know Your Nutrients

� Chart Your Nutrients

� Caffeine Check

� Me and My Sodium Intake

� What is Real?

GRADE 7


� Food Customs

� What’s in it for Me?

� Is it a Little or a Lot?

� Food Advertising


Overview - Healthy Eating in Grades 4 to 7

Vegetables and Fruit?The Vegetables and Fruit food group is the largest arc in the rainbow on Canada’s Food Guide,emphasizing the key role these foods play in a healthy eating pattern. Vegetables and fruitinclude important nutrients such as carbohydrates (including fibre), vitamins (A, C, B6 and folate),minerals (potassium and magnesium), and antioxidants. Dark green, orange, and colourfulvegetables and fruit are generally highest in nutrients and antioxidants. Choosing a wide varietyof colourful vegetables and fruit helps to ensure we get all of the nutrients we need.

A diet that includes the recommended servings of a wide variety of vegetables and fruit helpschildren to grow, learn and play. Additionally, they may help reduce the risk of cardiovascularor heart disease and some types of cancer, as well as help to achieve and maintain a healthyweight. The recommended number of servings is different for people at different stages of lifeand is different for males and females. Canada’s Food Guide recommends vegetable and fruitintakes of 5 per day for children aged 4 to 8 years and 6 per day for children aged 9 to 13 years.

In Canada, only 23.3% of children and youth aged 2 to 17 eat vegetables and fruit five or moretimes per day.

A variety of forms including fresh, frozen, canned, dried and unsweetened 100% juices areincluded in this group. Some products with “vegetable” or “fruit” in their names or on theirpackaging are high in fat, sugar or sodium. Fruit candies, some vegetable or fruit chips, fruit jams or spreads, ketchup, as well as vegetable or fruit drinks, punches, cocktails, beverages, orthose that end in the word “ade”, such as lemonade, do not belong in the Vegetables and Fruitfood group.

Reference: Canada’s Food Guide, 2007

Sugary DrinksSugary drinks are drinks that contain added sugars. Added sugars are sugars and syrups that are added to drinks or food during processing (e.g. sugars added to pop by the manufacturer) orpreparation (e.g. sugars added to a cappuccino after it was bought at the coffee shop). Sugarydrinks often have little nutritional value other than extra calories. These drinks “bump out” thenutritious drinks and food our bodies need to be healthy. For example, children and adolescentswho drink pop regularly are more likely to have lower intakes of calcium and other nutrients.Sugary drinks are heavily marketed, available in many locations, and often displayed at the eyelevel of children. These drinks can contribute to unhealthy weight, which in turn puts a child atincreased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and other healthproblems.


Drinks with naturally occurring sugars, like lactose in milk and fructose in 100% fruit juice, usuallycontain vitamins and minerals. Naturally occurring sugar is no different from added sugar interms of its effects on the body. However, because drinks with naturally occurring sugars oftencontain important nutrients, they can be consumed in moderation as part of healthy eating.

Hidden sugars are other names for added sugars that might not sound or look like sugar.These include: sucrose, dextrose, dextrin, maltose, galactose, liquid glucose-fructose, invert sugar, raw cane sugar, brown sugar, corn sweetener, high-fructose corn syrup, rice syrup, fruitjuice concentrates, honey, malt syrup, and molasses.

JUICE & FRUITY DRINKSThe difference between 100% fruit juices and “fruity drinks” can be a difficult concept forstudents to grasp, but it is a very important teaching point. The majority of added sugarconsumed by grades 4 to 7 students often comes from these drinks – but they and their parents may not know the difference between 100% fruit juice and fruity drinks.

100% fruit juice is a healthier choice than other sweet drinks because it contains some of thenatural vitamins (such as vitamin C) found in fruit. However, fruit juice still contains a lot ofconcentrated sugar, and has the same effect on teeth as other sugary drinks. For this reason,children should aim for a maximum of 125ml (1/2 cup) of 100% fruit juice daily. A healthieralternative to 100% fruit juice would be a glass of water and a piece of fresh fruit, which providesall the vitamins, minerals, and fibre naturally present, but with much less sugar.

Daily Added SugarThe upper limit for students in grades 4 to 6 is no more than 13 teaspoons of added sugar, or 13 sugar cubes, per day (about 52 grams of sugar). This includes sugar added to drinks and food such as chocolate bars, muffins, etc. Sip Smart! BC calls this upper limit the Daily AddedSugar Total or DAST and it is to be used as a guideline, noting that the number would changeslightly based on student’s body composition, activity level, and stage of development.

Included in the DAST (13 teaspoons/cubes of sugar) is:• sugar added to flavoured milk and flavoured soy beverages• naturally occurring sugar in 100% fruit juice. This is included because we do not actually need

to drink juice to be healthy. It is easy to get the same nutrients (and more) from whole fruit• all sugar in fruit beverages, drinks, cocktails, etc.• all added sugar in food• sugar in honey and syrups

Not included in the DAST is:• naturally occurring sugar in milk (lactose)• naturally occurring sugar from whole pieces of vegetables or fruit • sugar in plain soy beverages

If a child consumes one 355 ml can of pop, which contains 10 to 12 cubes or teaspoons of sugar,s/he has nearly reached her/his DAST for that day.


What About Artificial Sweeteners?In keeping with the Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools, drinks sweetenedwith artificial sweeteners such as aspartame are not considered healthy alternatives to sugarydrinks for elementary school-aged children. Just like sugary drinks, artificially sweetened drinksget children used to sweet-tasting, non-nutritious items. They provide none of the nutrients thata child’s growing body needs to be healthy and strong, and can bump out healthy foods anddrinks.

The Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools do not allow the sale of energy drinksor vitamin waters fortified with vitamins other than vitamin C, minerals other than calcium, orwith ingredients such as creatine, taurine, etc. Also, they cannot list a combination of medicinaland non-medicinal ingredients, botanical extracts, or herbs.


Reference: Health Canada; HealthLink BC;BC Ministry of Education – How Sweet it Is! Factsheet

SodiumMost of us eat too much sodium; more than double the amount of sodium we need. Healthychildren only need 1000 to 1500 mg of sodium per day. When children consume too muchsodium, they develop a preference for high sodium foods, which results in less healthy choicesthroughout their life. Children are starting to be diagnosed with high blood pressure becausethey are consuming too much sodium. These children may be at increased risk for high bloodpressure as adults. Eating too much sodium can also increase the risk for stroke, heart disease,and kidney disease.

Teaching children about salt or sodium and creating an environment where lower sodiumchoices are readily available supports their health and learning.

Sodium is found in salt (sodium chloride) and other products like baking soda (sodiumbicarbonate), monosodium glutamate (MSG), and sodium nitrite/nitrate, which is used for curing meat. Over 75% of the sodium we eat comes from processed foods such as cheese,deli meats, pizza, sauces and soups. Learning about label reading and identifying sodium on Nutrition Facts tables and ingredient lists, can help students make healthy choices.

The Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools include sodium as one of the criteriafor classifying foods into groups that determine whether the food or beverages can be sold tostudents at school.

Reference: Health Canada – Sodium 101

In the case of sodium . . . less is best!


Media AwarenessWe are all exposed to a myriad of media experiences, so much so that it has become part of dailylife – and largely goes unnoticed, except subconsciously. Statistics Canada reported that TV useby children aged 2 to 11 years was about 14 hours per week and teens aged 12 to 17 years wasabout 12 hours per week in British Columbia (2004). The time spent watching TV is decreasingbut the time spent on the internet has risen substantially. As new forms of mobile media areintroduced, the potential to have both positive and negative effects on the health of childrenand youth expands. The opportunities for media to have a positive impact on health includeaccess to new information, improving education for more people especially in remote areas, andproviding a platform for more people to communicate with each other on important topics.

Marketers spend billions of dollars to create advertising targeted towards children because theyinfluence their parents’ spending, have their own money to spend, and will eventually becomeadult consumers. Advertising influences children’s food and beverage choices and preferences,and therefore their health and development. Media directed at children is everywhere: TV,magazines, sponsorships, product placements (e.g. food used in movies, candy at grocery storecheckouts), clothing, games for children on company websites, cartoon characters, celebrityendorsements, contests, free toys and clubs.

Many factors influence food choices, including taste, price, availability, family meal patterns,peers, nutrition, and food advertising. Most of the advertised foods and beverages are forproducts high in fat, sugar and salt, which include candy, pop, fast foods, and salty snacks.

Teaching media awareness to children is one method for helping them understand and evaluate the techniques used by advertisers to influence their food and beverage choices.This is a recommended prevention strategy for disordered eating and for improving self-esteem.The development of these critical thinking skills is the starting point to empowering childrenwith the knowledge they need to make informed choices that support positive mental andphysical health.

Reference: Statistics Canada, 2004

Special NoteBeing Me: Promoting Positive Body Image is a new resource being piloted and sharedat the Classroom Healthy Eating Action Workshops. Through this module, students are exposedto lessons and activities designed to support the development of positive body image and self-esteem, along with messaging which serves to help prevent disordered eating.


Curriculum ConnectionsGRADE 4


HEALTH AND CAREER Health (Healthy Living) 4 C2 – Describe choices they can make for healthy eating,EDUCATION based on Canada’s Food Guide

SCIENCE Processes of Science 4 – Make predictions, supported by reasons and relevant to thecontent

4 – Use data from investigations to recognize patterns andrelationships and reach conclusions



SCIENCE Processes of Science 4 – Make predictions, supported by reasons and relevant tothe context


HEALTH AND CAREER Goals and Decisions 4 A1 – Identify the steps in a decision-making model EDUCATION (e.g. identifying the decision, listing alternatives, selecting

a course of action, assessing the results)

MATHEMATICS Number 4 A3 – Demonstrate an understanding of addition of numberswith answers to 10 000 and their corresponding subtractions

SOCIAL STUDIES Skills and Processes 4 A1 – Apply critical thinking skills – including comparing,of Social Studies imagining, inferring, identifying patterns, and summarizing –

to selected problems and issues


ENGLISH LANGUAGE Reading and Viewing 4 B4 – View and demonstrate comprehension of visualARTS (Purposes) texts (e.g. cartoons, illustrations, diagrams, posters, photographs,

advertising)

Reading and Viewing 4 B6 – Select and use strategies during reading and viewing (Strategies) to construct, monitor, and confirm meaning

Reading and Viewing 4 B9 – Read and view to improve and extend thinking, by:(Thinking) predicting and explaining, visualizing, distinguishing between

fact and opinion, analysing texts to consider alternatives,drawing conclusions, recognizing alternative viewpoints,summarizing and synthesizing


LESSON – HOW MUCH IS A FOOD GUIDE SERVING?

LESSON – SUGAR SHOCKER

LESSON – MAKING FAST FOOD HEALTHIER

LESSON – HAVE A BLAST!



Learning


• Use the poster to discuss vegetables and fruit food groupserving sizes.

• With students prepare:– Fresh vegetables and fruit, whole and chopped – Frozen vegetables and fruit – 100% vegetable (low sodium) or fruit juice

(no added sugar) – read ingredient list– Fruit canned in water, juice, or light syrup (no added sugar) –

read ingredient list– Dried fruit, no added sugar. These include most raisins, prunes,

dates, apricots, apple rings. Some apple chips and most driedcranberries have added sugar – read ingredients list.

• Set up a circuit of measuring stations. Set up each station withsamples of vegetable and fruit products, measuring cups, bowls,plates, glasses, and the visuals (sponge tennis ball, baseball,and egg) outlined below.

Station 1 – Measuring one serving of fresh, frozen, or cannedvegetables or fruit. 125 ml (1/2 cup) is one serving, and is aboutthe size of a tennis ball for a whole piece of vegetable or fruit.

Station 2 – Measuring one serving of dried vegetables or fruit,60 ml (1/4 cup), about the size of a large egg.

Station 3 – Measuring one serving of vegetables or fruit juice,125 ml (1/2 cup).

Station 4 – Tearing whole leaves from lettuce or spinach into bite-sized pieces and measuring 250 ml (1 cup). This is slightlymore than the size of a baseball. How many leaves does it take to make one serving?

Station 5 – A “guess table” with a variety of measured produce.The objective is to guess how many servings each food item really provides (e.g. 250 ml (1 cup) of canned fruit equals 2servings; 1 medium orange equals 1 serving; 500 ml (2 cups) of mixed greens in a bowl equals 2 servings).

• Have students move through the stations to see what differentservings look like and record their guesses at the “guess table”.

How Much is a Food Guide Serving?


Description:A Food Guide Serving ofvegetables and fruit variesdepending on whether they are whole, chopped, dried,or juiced. It is important forstudents to understand servingsizes when attempting to reach their goal of six FoodGuide Servings every day. Thisactivity provides students withhands-on experience measuringreal vegetables and fruit.

Preparation:� Review Food Safety in the

Classroom (see followingpage).

� Gather the necessaryvegetable and fruitpreparation supplies,including cutting board,measuring cups, peeler,scrub brush, and the spongebaseball, egg, and tennis ball(in Action Pack).

� Display and review the Action Schools! BC Vegetableand Fruit Food Guide ServingSizes for Canada Poster (in Action Pack).

� Bring in an assortment ofvegetables and fruit, or askstudents to bring some fromhome.

� Review Overview – HealthyEating in Grades 4 to 7 (p. 102).


• Discuss the amount of food that a person eats in a meal or snack in comparison to a FoodGuide Serving. The serving amounts can be used as a consistent measure to compare howmuch people eat to what is recommended in Canada’s Food Guide. Portion sizes do not haveto be limited to one Food Guide Serving.NOTE: It is important to consider the serving size indicated on the Nutrition Facts table ofpackaged products. This serving size is not based on recommended portion sizes.

RELATED ACTIVITIES • Tracking – Bracelet Fun:Tracking Your Vegetables and Fruit p. 29

Recommended Resources:1. Action Schools! BC Healthy Eating Poster Pack – Vegetable and Fruit Food Guide Serving Sizes Poster (F)

(in Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!)2. Action Schools! BC Healthy Eating School Food Grant – www.actionschoolsbc.ca for Application Form

(refer to Action Pages!)3. Health Canada – Canada’s Food Guide, 2007 (available in 12 languages and for First Nations, Inuit and Métis;

free class sets available) (in Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!) 4. Health Canada – Canada’s Food Guide: A Resource for Educators and Communicators (F)

(refer to Action Pages!)5. Health Canada – Eat Well and Be Active Educational Toolkit (F) (refer to Action Pages!)6. HealthLink BC: Call 811 and speak to a dietitian (refer to Action Pages!)7. BC Dairy Foundation – Food Sense (refer to Action Pages!)



Food Safety in the ClassroomGrades K to 7

There are steps to take to prevent illness and make fresh vegetables and fruit safe to eat.

Adapted from: HealthLink BC – Food Safety for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables and Ten Easy Steps to Make Food Safe

Recommended Resources:1. Do Bugs Need Drugs? (refer to Action Pages!)2. HealthLink BC: Call 811 and speak to a dietitian (refer to Action Pages!)

• When buying and storing vegetables andfruit, always keep them separate from rawfoods such as meat, poultry and seafood.Juices from raw foods can be contaminatedwith germs that cause illness.

• Always wash hands with soap and warmrunning water before preparing any food,including vegetables and fruit.

• Any person who is sick and has symptomsof diarrhea or vomiting, or who has infectedcuts or sores, should not be allowed tohandle food in any way.

• Always wash and sanitize* surfaces wherefoods are prepared and placed.

• Dishcloths must be washed well andsanitized regularly.

• Take extra care to thoroughly clean vegetablesand fruit, especially dirty produce. Wash themin a dilute dish soap solution and then rinsein clean running water.

• When washing vegetables and fruit, cut awayany damaged or bruised areas since harmfulgerms can grow there. Throw away any rottenvegetables and fruit.

• Always wash vegetables and fruit that have arind, before peeling or preparing them, such

as pineapples, cantaloupe, oranges, melonand squash. Although the skin and outersurfaces protect them, germs can grow if thesurface gets broken, pierced or cut, especiallyin melons and tomatoes.

• Always discard the outer leaves of leafyvegetables grown in or near the ground, suchas lettuce and cabbage. The outer leaves aremore likely to be contaminated with germs.

• Refrigerate fresh vegetables and fruit afterpeeling, cutting, or cooking. Discard them ifleft at room temperature for two hours ormore.

• Raw sprouted seed products, such as beansprouts, radish sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, mungbeans and others, may carry germs that causeillness. Always cook these before eatingbecause it is difficult to wash sprouted seeds.

• Contaminated foods may not look or smellbad so if in doubt, throw it out!

* YOU CAN MAKE A SANITIZING SOLUTION:• Mix 15 ml (1 tablespoon) of household bleach

into 4 L (1 gallon) of water; or,* • Mix 5 ml (1 teaspoon) of household bleach

into 1 litre (4 cups) of water.


Learning


• Show students 1.2 kg of real sugarQ: How many cans of pop do you have to drink to add up

to 1.2 kg of sugar? Let them guess.A: 30 cans

• Show students one regular size can of pop (355 ml)Q: What if you drink 1 can of pop each day for one month?

(Work with the students on the calculation.)A: 1 can of pop = 10 cubes of sugar

1 can/day x 1 month (30 days) = 300 cubes of sugar1 sugar cube = 4 g300 cubes of sugar x 4 g = 1.2 kg real sugar

• Show students an empty cup or glass (250 ml)Q: How many cups of fluid should we drink each day to

stay healthy? Let them guess.A: At least 2 L (8 cups) of fluid

• Show students a sugar cube and/or teaspoon of sugarQ: What is the maximum amount of Daily Added Sugar (in terms

of sugar cubes or teaspoons) a student your age should eat or drink in a day, including drinks and food? Let them guess.

A: No more than 13 sugar cubes/13 teaspoons of sugar

• The Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools do not allowpop, sports drinks, energy drinks, vitamin waters, or fruit drinks to besold to students at school because of their high sugar content and thenegative effect they have on students’ health. 100% unsweetened andlow sodium vegetable and fruit juices that are 125 ml or less, andflavoured milks and fortified soy beverages are a “Choose Sometimes”choice and can be sold to students.

Q: Ask students if they can explain why some drinks are notallowed to be sold to students and why there is a limit on the size of juices that can be sold to students.


Recommended Resources:1. Sip Smart! BC (in Grades 4 to 7 Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!) 2. BC Ministry of Education – How Sweet it Is! Factsheet (refer to Action Pages!)3. BC Ministry of Education – Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools, Revised

August 2010 (F) (refer to Action Pages!)4. HealthLink BC call 811 and ask to speak to a dietitian (refer to Action Pages!)


Sugar Shocker


Description:Knowing what is in drinks helps us to make healthychoices. This activity will engage students in thinkingabout sugary drinks, enablingthem to make more informeddecisions about the drinksthey consume.

Preparation:� Bring 1.2 kg sugar, 355 ml

pop can, 250 ml cup/glass,sugar cubes.

� Locate plastic cubes (provided at workshop).



Learning


• Ask students what fast food means to them. What is their favourite fast food? Discuss.

• Ask students to identify a fast food meal that they think is particularlyunhealthy (e.g. double or triple burger with cheese and bacon, largefries and a large pop). How would their body feel if they ate that kindof meal before playing soccer or before some other activity? Remindstudents that healthy food fuels the body so that they can grow, learn,and be active.

• Lead a brief discussion as to why these meals can be unhealthy. Fastfood meals are often:– High in fat, sugar, and sodium, and low in the nutrients and fibre

that a body needs to be healthy.• – Large portion sizes, often more than a body needs in one meal.• – Low in vegetables and fruit.• Explain to students that most of us eat too much sodium; more than

double the amount we need.• Ask students how they could make fast food healthier (record student

responses for all to see).• Add any suggestions that the students may not have covered

(refer to list provided in the Teacher Backgrounder).• Put students into pairs and distribute poster-making supplies to each pair.• Explain to students they will visually represent an unhealthy fast food

meal that is high in sodium on one side of the poster and a healthieralternative meal that is lower in sodium on the other side (cut-outpictures or drawings may be used). Have students identify and label why the alternative meal is healthier.

Recommended Resources:1. HealthLink BC: Call 811 and speak to a dietitian (refer to Action Pages!)2. HealthLink BC – Low Sodium (Salt) Food Choices, Low Sodium (Salt)

Eating Out, and Reading Food Labels for Sodium (Salt) (refer to Action Pages!)3. BC Ministry of Education – Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Learning Resource

(refer to Action Pages!)4. Lower Sodium (refer to Action Pages!) 5. Sodium 101 (refer to Action Pages!)


Making Fast Food Healthier


Description:Students will learn aboutmaking healthier choices when eating fast food andhow healthy eating fuels thebody so they can grow, learn,and be active. The lesson willfocus on strategies to decreasehigh sodium choices.

Preparation:� Gather poster-making

supplies (paper, magazines,scissors, markers, glue, etc.).

� Review Overview – HealthyEating in Grades 4 to 7 (p. 102)and Teacher Backgrounder.


Making Fast Foods Healthier

Favourite fast food meals can be healthier if food choices, cooking methods, and portionsizes are considered. The following list includes ideas for making fast food meals healthier.

✓ Ask for your meal to be cooked with no salt and no MSG if possible.

✓ Omit cheese if meats are included.

✓ Ask for gravy, sauces and salad dressings “on the side” and use only small amounts.

✓ Ask for grilled instead of fried.

✓ Choose smaller portions; share the portion served with a friend, or take leftovers home.

✓ Ask for extra vegetables to be added to burgers and sandwiches (e.g. tomatoes, lettuce,onion, peppers, cucumber, etc.).

✓ Choose a single meat patty rather than two or three patties.

✓ Ask for no butter or other sauces.

✓ Instead of fries, choose baked potato wedges, salad, or veggie sticks.

✓ Drink water or milk instead of sugary drinks like pop or iced tea.

✓ Skip the milkshake or ice cream for dessert.

✓ For fast food breakfasts, choose eggs and whole wheat toast and ask to substitute thebacon, sausages, or ham with a side of fresh fruit.





Learning


• Show Sip Smart! BC Have a Blast! Overhead or display on Smart Board.• Prompt students to answer the following questions:

Q: What is done to make the product look attractive to you?A: Examples of ways to increase attractiveness:

– Labelling appeal: logos, happy people– Colouring added to drinks and foods– Shape of the bottle

Q: How does the ad try to sell the drink?A: Examples of techniques used to sell drinks:

– Attractive model drinking the beverage and smiling,having fun

– Surrounded by active, healthy, good looking friends– Container shows picture of fruit, implying good nutrition

Q: How can you find out the real facts about the drink?A: Ways to check accuracy of information about drinks include:

– Check the ingredient list– Check the Nutrition Facts table (refer to Me and My Sodium

Intake, p. 137 and Count the Cubes!, p. 59)– Check the logic of claims made– HealthLink BC: Call 811 and speak to a dietitian

• Distribute Check the Label First! Handout and have students complete it.• Compare results. Cue students by using questions such as:

– Are what I know and what the message is telling me the same thing?– Is the message leading me to a healthy choice?

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY EXTENSIONS • Plan a “Commercial Free Day” – Ask students not to wear any clothing

or bring anything to school that displays logos or brand names,including the foods and drinks they bring for the day. Have a classdiscussion after the event.

Adapted from: Sip Smart! BC;Media Awareness Network

Recommended Resources:1. Sip Smart! BC (in Grades 4 to 7 Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!)2. Media Awareness Network (refer to Action Pages!)3. HealthLink BC: Call 811 and speak to a dietitian4. Brand Name Food List (refer to Action Pages!)5. HeartSmart Kids – Ad Busters (refer to Action Pages!)6. Long Live Kids (refer to Action Pages!)


Have a Blast!


Description:Drink choices are ofteninfluenced by various factors, including family,friends, and the media.Students will learn to analyzemedia messages to see howthey influence choices, and tocompare advertising messageswith a drink’s ingredients list.With these skills and knowledge,they can decide for themselvesto make healthy drink choices.

Preparation:� Copy Check the Label First!

Handout for each student.

� Make transparency of SipSmart! BC Have a Blast!Overhead (in Binder).




Colour copy downloadable from www.bcpeds.ca/sipsmart/teachers/on-line-resources.dot


Which ingredients did you not expect in a refreshing and fruity drink?

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________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Does the message of the ad match the ingredient list?

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Check the Label FirstNAME ________________________

ORANGE BLAST LABEL

INGREDIENTS:• filtered water• sugar/glucose-fructose• concentrated fruit juice

(orange, lime)• citric acid• vegetable oil• ascorbic acid (vitamin C)• artificial flavour• colour• caffeine



Curriculum ConnectionsGRADE 5


SCIENCE Earth and Space Science 5 – Analyse how BC’s living and non-living resources are used(Renewable and Non-Renewable Resources)

SOCIAL STUDIES Skills and Processes 5 A3 – Gather a body of information from a variety of primaryof Social Studies and secondary sources


HEALTH AND CAREER Goals and Decisions 5 A1 – Describe how various factors (e.g. access to accurate EDUCATION and relevant information, media and social influences) affect

decision making

Health (Healthy Living) 5 C1 – Identify factors that influence attitudes and decisionsregarding healthy lifestyles (e.g. family, peer, media)


MATHEMATICS Shape and Space 5 C4 – Demonstrate an understanding of capacity by: describing(Measurement) the relationship between ml and L, selecting and justifying

referents for ml or L units, estimating capacity by using referentsfor ml or L, measuring and recording capacity (ml or L)


ARTS EDUCATION Visual Arts 5 D3 – Collaborate to develop a group display for the school(Exhibition and Response) or community

MATHEMATICS Statistics and Probability 5 D2 – Construct and interpret double bar graphs to (Data Analysis) draw conclusions


HEALTH AND CAREER Goals and Decisions 5 A1 – Describe how various factors (e.g. access to accurate andEDUCATION relevant information, media, and social influences) affect

decision making

Health (Healthy Living) 5 C1 – Identify factors that influence attitudes and decisionsregarding healthy lifestyles (e.g. family, peer, media)


LESSON – BC GROWN

LESSON – DRINK CHECK

LESSON – SHAKE THE SALT HABIT

LESSON – ADVERTISING HEALTHY CHOICES



Learning


• Brainstorm the effects of buying locally grown food on theeconomy, the environment, nutrition, cost and other benefits,(e.g. it helps support local farmers, which helps our economy;the food travels fewer miles, which helps the environment; thefood is fresher and often tastes better, etc.).

• How would you know if a product is grown in BC? • Interview 3 adults with the following questions: Is it a good idea

to eat BC grown products? Why? (A one sentence answer to eachis enough.)

• Divide the students into groups and ask them to share theanswers to their interviews. Ask each group to share one answerfor each of the questions with the rest of the class.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY EXTENSIONS• Each vegetable and fruit has its own unique story about where

and how it is grown, and how it arrives in our homes. Studentswill research a vegetable or fruit grown in BC and write creativestories about how it grows, how it is harvested, and differentmethods of processing or preparing it.– Have each student choose a vegetable or fruit, assign it a name

and a personality.• – Students will research their chosen vegetable or fruit to learn

how and where it grows, how it is harvested, and methods ofpreparing it.

• – Students will then use what they have learned by including it in a creative story about their vegetable or fruit.

• – Display the stories on a bulletin board and/or share with theschool at an assembly.

• – Alternatively, students may choose to write poems or short stories, or create a skit about vegetables and fruit.

RELATED ACTIVITIES • Tasting – Tasting Parties: BC Grown p. 45

BC Grown


Description:Many people are not aware of where their food comes from or of the benefits of buying locally grown foods.This activity will increaseawareness of vegetables andfruit grown in British Columbiaas well as the benefits of eatinglocally grown in terms of theeconomy, the environment,and freshness.

Preparation:� Review Availability Chart

of BC Grown Vegetables and Fruit, p. 119 and Grow BC (in school library) ordownload from BCAgriculture in the Classroom Foundation.


� Optional: Display a map of British Columbia in theclassroom or an Agriculturalmap from Grow BC.


Recommended Resources:1. Health Canada – Canada’s Food Guide, 2007 (available in 12 languages and for First Nations,

Inuit and Métis; free class sets available) (in Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!) 2. Health Canada – Canada’s Food Guide: A Resource for Educators and Communicators (F)

(refer to Action Pages!)3. Health Canada – Eat Well and Be Active Educational Toolkit (F) (refer to Action Pages!)4. HealthLink BC call 811 and ask to speak to a dietitian (refer to Action Pages!)5. BC Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation – 10 Reasons to Buy Local Food (refer to Action Pages!) 6. Grow BC (refer to Action Pages!) 7. Where in the World Does Your Food Come From? (refer to Action Pages!) 8. BC Ministry of Agriculture – BC Farm Products A-Z (refer to Action Pages!) 9. FoodShare Toronto (refer to Action Pages!)


Buying locally grown food from local farmers has many advantages:

BUYING LOCALLY IS GOOD FOR THE ECONOMYDollars spent on locally grown food are reinvested back into the community, whichcontributes to the growth of small businesses, generates local jobs, raises property values,and leads to strong health care, education, and recreation sectors.

BUYING LOCALLY IS GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENTFood produced and consumed locally has a smaller carbon footprint. It uses less fossil fuel for transportation and requires less material for packaging compared to mainstream foodproduction. In addition, small farmers rotate a diverse set of crops, which replenishes the soil.

BUYING LOCALLY IS GOOD FOR YOUR FAMILY’S BUDGETLocally produced food does not include the transportation, packaging, and marketing costsincluded in the price of imported food, which can result in lower prices for local food.

EATING FOOD FROM A NEARBY FARM OR FARMER’S MARKET IS GOOD FOR YOUVegetables and fruit start losing nutritive value right after harvest, meaning local produce isbetter for us. The longer produce has to travel from the farm to our plate, the more nutrientsare lost along the way.

Currently, much of the food consumed in North America originates and travels within afood system that is global, not local. This means that for every dollar spent on food, only 20cents (on average) goes back to the farmer. The rest of the money pays for labour, packaging,transportation, retail, and other costs associated with food production and distribution.This system of food production creates an economically difficult situation for local farmers.FoodShare Toronto reported that imported produce and lamb travelled more than 5,300km compared to an average of approximately 100 km for similar locally produced itemssold at a farmer’s market.

References: Fighting Global Warming at the Farmer’s Market: A FoodShare Research in Action Report, Second Edition, April 2005; ThinkLocal.ca; BC Agriculture in the Classroom



SepJulMayMarFebJan Apr Jun Aug Oct DecNov

ArtichokesAsparagus

BeansBeets

Belgian Endive Broccoli

Brussels SproutsCabbage

CarrotsCauliflower

CeleryChives

*Chinese Vegetables Corn

CucumbersEggplant

Fennel Fiddleheads

GarlicGreen Onions

KaleKohlrabi

LeeksLettuce

MushroomsOnions

ParsnipsPeas

PeppersPotatoes

Pumpkins RadishesRhubarb

RutabagasShallotsSpinach

Summer Squash Swiss Chard

TomatoesTurnips

Winter SquashZucchini

Availability Chart of BC Grown Vegetables

* (e.g. bok choy, choy sum, gai chong, sui choy, gai lan, daikon, lotus root)


SepJulMayMarFebJan Apr Jun Aug Oct DecNov

ApplesApricots

BlackberriesBlueberries

BoysenberriesCherries

CranberriesCurrants

GooseberriesFigs

GrapesHuckleberries

Juniper BerriesKiwi

LoganberriesMarionberries

MelonsNectarines

PeachesPears

PlumsQuince

RaspberriesRhubarb

Salal BerriesSaskatoon Berries

StrawberriesTayberries

Thimbleberries

Availability Chart of BC Grown Fruit

Reference: BC Association of Farmers’ Markets (www.bcfarmersmarket.org); Grow BC;BC Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation (www.aitc.ca/bc); www.getlocalbc.org


Learning


• Organize students into 6 groups and assign each group to one ofthe following situations:

1 Breakfast, lunch, or dinner at home2 After sports or physical activity3 At the movies4 At recess or lunch at school5 At a restaurant6 While watching TV or playing video games

• Ask the students to brainstorm drinks they typically have in theirdesignated situation.

• Have them present their result after 3 minutes.• Introduce Sip Smart! BC What Size is Your Drink? Poster.• Show empty drink containers or Sip Smart! BC Drink Cut-outs to

explain the sizes XS (125 ml), S (200-250 ml), M (251-591 ml), L(592-1,000 ml) and XL (>1 L).

• Hand out drink cut-outs or different sized containers to teamsand ask students to write sizes XS, S, M, L or XL on the containerswith markers/stickies, or verbally report to the class. Have eachteam present their sizes in both millilitres and litres.

• Discuss how drink sizes have changed through history. Theaverage pop container used to be 184 ml – compare that withtoday’s standard of 355 ml, basically twice as big!

• Ask students to describe how the number and size of servingsthey drink affects the amount of sugar they consume, e.g. moreservings (frequency) and larger sizes (quantity) increases theamount of sugar they consume.

• Ask them to help create a list of sugary drinks and then provide alist of choices they can choose instead of the sugary drinks.


Recommended Resources:1. Sip Smart! BC What Size is Your Drink? Poster (in Grades 4 to 7 Action Pack or refer to

Action Pages!) 2. Sip Smart! BC Laminated Drink Cut-outs (in Grades 4 to 7 Action Pack or

refer to Action Pages!) 3. BC Ministry of Education – How Sweet it Is! Factsheet (refer to Action Pages!)4. BC Ministry of Education – Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools, Revised

August 2010 (F) (refer to Action Pages!)


Drink Check


Description:Students will learn that thenumber and size of servingsthey drink affects the amount of sugar they consume. Knowingwhat is in drinks helps them to make healthier choices. Bythinking about what they drink,and where and when theyconsume it, they will buildawareness around drink choices.

Preparation:� Sip Smart! BC What Size

Is Your Drink? Poster (in Grades 4 to 7 Action Pack).

� Sip Smart! BC LaminatedDrink Cut-outs (in Grades 4 to 7 Action Pack).

� Gather sticky note paper.

� Collect different empty drinkcontainers (suggestion: checkrecycling box at school) touse in addition to Sip Smart!BC Drink Cut-outs.



Learning


• Explain to students that most of us eat too much sodium, morethan double the amount of sodium we need. Almost everyonecan benefit from eating less sodium.

• Divide students into groups and assign each group one of the nine pairs to create a display to go on the Shake the Salt Habitclassroom display.

• Provide each group with the materials to make up theircomponent of the display, including the pairing of foods (with sodium content) that they will present.

• Students build the display for their pair of foods, creating namelabels for each food (and/or drawing their foods). Groups shouldshow the difference in sodium content between their two foods,demonstrating the amount of sodium (mg) in each with a doublebar graph. Have students create a double bar graph, with sodium(mg) on the y axis, and their two foods each represented by a baron the x axis.

• Have students calculate the % Daily Value of sodium (as usedon Nutrition Facts tables) that their foods contain. To do this,calculate: X mg sodium (from the Nutrition Facts table) ÷ 2,400mg = ___% Daily Value. 15% Daily Value or more is a lot. AnAnswer Key is provided on p. 123.

• NOTE: 2,400 mg is used to determine the % Daily Value forNutrition Facts tables. This number is actually higher than theUpper Limit for sodium for all age groups.

Recommended Resources:1. HealthLink BC: Call 811 and speak to a dietitian (refer to Action Pages!)2. HealthLink BC – Low Sodium (Salt) Food Choices and Low Sodium (Salt) Eating Out,

Reading Food Labels for Sodium (Salt) (refer to Action Pages!) 3. Lower Sodium (refer to Action Pages!) 4. Sodium 101 (refer to Action Pages!)5. Guide To Food Labelling and Advertising (refer to Action Pages!)


Shake the Salt Habit


Description:By making informed choices,we can significantly cut back on the amount of sodium weconsume, often while eatingsimilar foods. Students will worktogether to create a classroomdisplay showing the sodiumcontent of a variety of commonfoods, and will develop anunderstanding of the lowersodium food alternatives tochoose from.

Preparation:� Photocopy one Shake the

Salt Habit Handout for each group of students (see following page).

� Provide display-makingmaterials (paper, ruler,markers, scissors, glue, etc.)for each group.



ANSWER KEY – SHAKE THE SALT:

Vegetable Juice Cocktail14% Daily Value

vs

Low Sodium Vegetable Juice Cocktail

4% Daily Value

1

2 Processed Cheese Slices25% Daily Value

vs

Cheddar Cheese13% Daily Value

2

Dill Pickle35% Daily Value

vs

Cucumber0% Daily Value

3

Potato Chips14% Daily Value

vs

Unsalted MixedNuts

<1% Daily Value

4

Hawaiian Pizza49% Daily Value

vs

Homemade Pizza 19% Daily Value

5

Cheeseburger38% Daily Value

vs

Grilled Chicken Burger with Lettuce and Tomato,

without Sauce10% Daily Value

6

Instant RamenNoodle Soup33% Daily Value

vs

Homemade VegetableNoodle Soup4% Daily Value

7

Tomato Sauce28% Daily Value

vs

Tomato 0% Daily Value

8Fast Food Hot

Dog OR Veggie Dog34% Daily Value

vs


with Low Fat Caesar Dressing

18% Daily Value

9


Shake the Salt Habit

Vegetable Juice Cocktail

(125 ml)345 mg sodium

vs

Low Sodium Vegetable Juice Cocktail


12 Processed

Cheese Slices(42 g)

610 mg sodium

vs

Cheddar Cheese(50 g)

311 mg sodium

2

Dill Pickle(65 g)

833 mg sodium

vs

Cucumber(65 g)

2 mg sodium

3

Potato Chips(50 g)

330 mg sodium

vs

Unsalted MixedNuts

(35 g / 60 ml)4 mg sodium

4Hawaiian Pizza

(271 g) (15 cm)1180 mg sodium

vs

Homemade Pizza (whole wheat pita, unsalted

tomato sauce, veggies, cheese)(189 g) 467 mg sodium

5Cheeseburger

(228 g) (double patty,vegetables, condiments)

921 mg sodium

vs

Grilled Chicken Burger with Lettuce and Tomato,

without Sauce(75 g) (chicken, bun, lettuce,

tomato) 250 mg sodium

6

Instant RamenNoodle Soup


vs

Homemade VegetableNoodle Soup


7

Tomato Sauce(125 ml)

678 mg sodium

vs

Tomato (123 g) (fresh)6 mg sodium

8 Fast Food Hot Dog OR Veggie Dog

(45 g) Bun, Ketchup (15 ml)820 mg sodium

vs


with Low Fat CaesarDressing (15 ml)430 mg sodium

9


Learning


• Lead a discussion about the power of media and how it influences us.Discuss the following common strategies employed by advertisers toget our attention. Advertisements use animation, music, bright colours,celebrities, characters, humour, popular youth lingo, and testimonialsin an attempt to appeal to your:– Health and happiness (e.g. it makes you healthier and happier);– Senses (e.g. it tastes good, looks good, smells good, or feels good);– Pocketbook (e.g. it saves you money);– Desire to be “like everyone else” (e.g. bandwagon principle);– Desire to be like celebrities (e.g. a famous person says s/he likes it);– Desire to succeed and make good choices (e.g. it is the best choice).

• Ask students how these techniques make them feel about theproduct. Do these techniques make them want to buy it?

• Review how media can influence eating patterns:– Increase the number of foods you choose that are high in fat,

sugar, and salt– Encourage you to eat bigger portion sizes– Increase the amount of processed foods you eat

• Divide the class into groups and ask each group to create a short skit,poem, song, or other type of advertisement promoting healthy foodchoices (e.g. drinking water, eating fruit and vegetables, choosinglower sodium options, etc.).

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY EXTENSIONS• Plan a “Commercial Free Day” – Ask students not to wear any clothing

or bring anything to school that displays logos or brand names,including the food and drinks they bring for the day. Students canhelp to remove anything in the classroom that includes advertising.Have a class discussion after the event.

Adapted from: BC Ministry of Education – Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Learning Resource,Grade 5, Lesson 3 (www.bced.gov.bc.ca/health/healthy_eating_physical_act_gr5.pdf);

Media Awareness Network


Nations, Inuit and Métis; free class sets available) (in Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!) 2. Being Me: Promoting Positive Body Image (provided at workshop) 3. BC Ministry of Education – Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Learning Resource

(refer to Action Pages!)4. Long Live Kids (refer to Action Pages!)5. Media Awareness Network (refer to Action Pages!)6. Sip Smart! BC (in Grades 4 to 7 Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!)


Advertising Healthy Choices


Description:Students will describe how media can influence their eating patterns and habits. They will learn to observe and explain how media can influence food and drink choices, describestrategies for making healthyfood choices, and applyadvertising strategies to present messages about healthy eating.


Eating in Grades 4 to 7 (p. 102).



GRADE 6


HEALTH AND Health (Healthy Living) 6 C1 – Describe the benefits of attaining and maintaining a balanced,CAREER EDUCATION healthy lifestyle, including the benefits of: being physically active,

healthy eating practices, an emotionally healthy lifestyle


LESSON – KNOW YOUR NUTRIENTS





LESSON – CHART YOUR NUTRIENTS




LESSON – CAFFEINE CHECK


HEALTH AND Goals and Decisions 6 A1 – Describe planning techniques that can help to support goalCAREER EDUCATION attainment (e.g. time management, setting priorities, considering

costs and resources)6 A2 – Identify influences on goal setting and decision making,

including family, peer, and media influences

Health (Healthy Living) 6 C1 – Describe the benefits of attaining and maintaining a balanced,healthy lifestyle, including the benefits of: being physically active,healthy eating practices, an emotionally healthy lifestyle

LESSON – ME AND MY SODIUM INTAKE



ENGLISH Writing and Representing 6 C8 – Use writing and representing to express personal responsesLANGUAGE ARTS (Thinking) and relevant opinions about experiences and texts

HEALTH AND Health (Healthy Living) 6 C3 – Demonstrate an understanding of the importance ofCAREER EDUCATION respecting own and others’ development rates during puberty

and adolescence

Health (Healthy Relationships) 6 C5 – Assess the influence that peers have on individuals’attitudes and behaviourC6 – Demonstrate an understanding of the harmful effectsof stereotyping and discrimination

LESSON – WHAT IS REAL?


Learning


• Write the word nutrients on the board – ask the class to explain what the term means to them. Explain that there are six categoriesof nutrients provided by the food we eat and the fluids we drink:carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, and water.

• Ask the class what categories of nutrients vegetables and fruit provide us with (e.g. carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and water).– Some important nutrients from the vegetables and fruit group

are carbohydrates, fibre, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, folate,magnesium, and potassium.

• Ask students why it is important to:

Q: Eat a variety of vegetables and fruit.A: No single food has all the nutrients we require.

Q: Eat one dark green and orange vegetable each day.A: To help people get enough vitamin A and folate.

Q: Eat vegetables and fruit prepared with little or no addedfat, sugar, or salt.

A: To limit calories, sugar, and sodium.

Q: Choose vegetables and fruit more often than juice.A: To help meet fibre recommendations. Most Canadians

do not get enough fibre.

Recommended Resources:1. Health Canada – Canada’s Food Guide, 2007 (available in 12 languages and for




Know Your Nutrients


Description:This activity reinforces Canada’s Food Guide tipsfor choosing foods from theVegetables and Fruit food group, and helps students tounderstand the importance of eating a variety of vegetablesand fruit to help them get all the nutrients they need.


Eating in Grades 4 to 7 (p. 102).


Learning


• Discuss the importance of these nutrients and examples of vegetables and fruit that contain them:– Fibre: promotes a healthy digestive system and a healthy heart– Sugar: try to limit added sugar; the sugar listed in Nutrition Facts

tables includes both natural and added sugar, read the ingredientslist to find out if sugar has been added

– Sodium: try to limit because most people get too much sodium;read the ingredients list to find out if sodium has been added

– Vitamin A: promotes healthy skin, helps with vision, and helps toprevent diseases

– Vitamin C: helps the body heal and fight infection and fight diseaseincluding cancer, heart disease, and stroke

• Explain to students it is important to eat a variety of foods to ensurewe get all the nutrients we need to grow, learn, play, avoid getting sick,and be physically active.

• Explain to the students that the % DV (Daily Value) can be found on Nutrition Facts tables on food packages, including packagedvegetable and fruit products. It helps to determine whether there is alittle (5% or less) or a lot (15% or more) of a nutrient in the food orbeverage.

• Distribute photocopied charts to students. Have the students fill in the Comparison of Nutrients Found in Vegetable and Fruit Products Chart(p. 130) by referring to the Nutrients in Vegetable and Fruit ProductsChart (p. 129). An apple is used as an example for this activity. Refer toAnswer Key (following handout).

Recommended Resources:1. Health Canada – Canada’s Food Guide, 2007 (available in 12 languages and for

First Nations, Inuit and Métis; free class sets available) (in Action Pack or refer toAction Pages!)

2. Health Canada – Canada’s Food Guide: A Resource for Educators andCommunicators (F) (refer to Action Pages!)

3. Health Canada – Nutrition Labelling (refer to Action Pages!)


Chart Your Nutrients


Description:This activity reinforces Canada’s Food Guide tipsfor choosing foods from theVegetables and Fruit food group, and helps studentsto understand the importance of eating a variety of vegetablesand fruit. Students will chartvegetables and fruit that arehigh in certain nutrients,discuss why these nutrients are important, and theimportance of choosing avariety of vegetables and fruit.

Preparation:� Photocopy Nutrients in

Vegetable and Fruit ProductsChart and Comparison ofNutrients in Vegetable and Fruit Products Chart (onfollowing pages). Provide one copy of each per studentor per group of 2 to 3students.

� Review Answer Key: Nutrientsin Vegetable and Fruit Products.



Nutrients in Vegetableand Fruit Products

Item AmountFibre Sugar Sodium Vit. A Vit. C

(g) (g) % DV % DV % DV

Apple with skin 1 medium 2.6 14.0 0 0 10138 g

Apple Juice with added vitamin C 125 ml 0.1 14.3 0 0 90

Dried apple 60 ml 1.9 12.5 0 0 2

Apricots 3 2.1 9.7 0 25 15105 g

Bananas 1 medium 2.1 14.4 0 0 15118 g

Blueberries 125 ml 2.0 7.6 0 0 10

Broccoli, raw 125 ml 1.1 0.8 0 8 70

Brussels sprouts, boiled 125 ml 2.9 1.4 0 6 90

Cabbage, raw 125 ml 0.7 1.3 0 0 20

Cantaloupe 125 ml 0.6 6.5 0 25 50

Carrots, raw 1 medium 1.5 2.8 0 170 661 g

Cauliflower, raw 125 ml 0.9 1.3 0 0 40

Celery 1 stalk 0.6 0.7 0 0 240 g

Fruit punch 125 ml 0 15.7 0 0 2

Iceberg lettuce 250 ml 0.7 1.0 0 2 2

Jam 15 ml 0.2 9.8 0 0 2

Ketchup 15 ml 0.3 3.5 7 2 4

Kiwi fruit 1 medium 2.3 6.8 0 2 12076 g

Orange 1 medium 2.3 12.0 0 2 120131 g

Peas, boiled 125 ml 5.6 5.0 0 6 20

Peas, canned, boiled, drained 125 ml 4.0 3.7 9.4 6 15

Peppers, green, raw 125 ml 1.1 1.9 0 4 100

Peppers, red, raw 125 ml 1.1 3.3 0 45 250

Potato, baked, with skin 1 medium 3.8 2.0 0 0 30173 g

Pumpkin, canned 125 ml 3.8 4.3 0 290 10

Romaine lettuce 250 ml 1.2 0.7 0 15 25

Spinach, chopped, raw 250 ml 0.7 0.1 0 20 15

Strawberries 125 ml 1.8 3.9 0 0 80

Strawberries, frozen, sweetened 125 ml 2.6 32.3 0 0 90

Sweet potato, baked, flesh only 1 medium 3.8 9.6 0 250 35114 g

Tomato, raw 1 medium 1.5 3.2 0 8 25123 g

Winter squash, cubed, baked 125 ml 1.9 3.6 0 40 15

Source: Health Canada, Nutrient Value of Some Common Foods, 2008


STEP 1: Choose 3 of your favourite vegetables and 3 of your favourite fruitfrom the Nutrients in Vegetable and Fruit Products Chart.

STEP 2: Put the names of the vegetables or fruit in the chart below, in each of the columns where it meets the criteria outlined at the top of the chart.

• Many vegetables and fruits are sources of fibre.

• Some vegetables and fruits have naturally occurring sugar butalso provide a variety of nutrients. Sugar may be added tovegetables and fruits during processing.

• Vegetables and fruits are low in sodium unless they have sodiumadded during processing.

• Some vegetables and fruits are high in vitamin A and some arehigh in vitamin C, which are two key nutrients provided by theVegetables and Fruit food group.

• It is important to include a wide variety of vegetables and fruitto help get all of the nutrients you need to grow, learn, play,avoid getting sick, and be physically active.

Comparison of Nutrients Found in

Vegetable and Fruit Products

NAME ________________________

Example: An apple has 2.6 g fibre and 0% DV (Daily Value) for sodium,but it doesn’t meet the criteria for sugar, vitamin A, or vitamin C.

Eat 6 servings each day!

Eat vegetables and fruit with little or no added fat, sugar or salt!

Eat one dark green and one orange vegetable each day!

apple apple

FIBRE SUGAR SODIUM VIT. A VIT. C2 g or more 8 g or less 5% DV or less 15% DV or more 15% DV or more


Nutrients in Vegetable and Fruit Products

ANSWER KEY

Fibre Sugar Sodium Vit. A Vit. C2 g or more 8 g or less 5% DV or less 15% DV or more 15% DV or more

Apples Apples

Apple Juice Apple Juice with Vit. C with Vit. C

Dried apple

Apricots Apricots Apricots Apricots

Bananas Bananas Bananas

Blueberries Blueberries Blueberries

Broccoli Broccoli Broccoli

Brussels sprouts Brussels sprouts Brussels sprouts Brussels sprouts

Cabbage Cabbage Cabbage

Cantaloupe Cantaloupe Cantaloupe Cantaloupe

Carrots Carrots Carrots

Cauliflower Cauliflower Cauliflower

Celery Celery

Fruit punch

Iceberg lettuce Iceberg lettuce

Jam

Ketchup Ketchup

Kiwi fruit Kiwi fruit Kiwi fruit Kiwi fruit

Oranges Oranges Oranges

Peas, boiled Peas, boiled Peas, boiled Peas, boiled

Peas, canned Peas, canned Peas, canned

Peppers, green Peppers, green Peppers, green

Peppers, red Peppers, red Peppers, red Peppers, red

Potato, baked Potato, baked Potato, baked Potato, baked

Pumpkin Pumpkin Pumpkin Pumpkin

Romaine lettuce Romaine lettuce Romaine lettuce Romaine lettuce

Spinach Spinach Spinach Spinach

Strawberries Strawberries Strawberries

Strawberries, Strawberries, Strawberries,sweetened sweetened sweetened

Sweet potato Sweet potato Sweet potato

Tomato Tomato Tomato

Winter squash Winter squash Winter squash Winter squash


Learning


• Hand out Caffeine Symptoms Cards to different students. Ask thosestudents to listen carefully to the story and “act out” the symptomwhen it comes up in the story.

• Read the Caffeine Scenario (in Teacher Backgrounder) to the class.• Prompt a discussion using questions such as:

– How did Tom feel?– What drinks did he have?– Have you ever had similar experiences?

Q: What would have been better choices for Tom?A: Health professionals suggest students aged 7 to 12

consume no more than 65-85 mg of caffeine each day.

• Explain to students how caffeine affects the body.• Distribute Check the Caffeine! Handout and have students complete it.

Q: What is the maximum amount of caffeine that studentscan have in one day?

A: 65-85 mg

Q: How much did Tom drink?A: 369 mg

Q: Ask students if they can explain why some drinks are notallowed to be sold to students and why there is a limit onthe size of juices that can be sold to students.

A: The Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools donot allow pop, sports drinks, energy drinks, vitamin waters,and fruit drinks to be sold to students at school. This is due to the high sugar and/or caffeine content, and/orthe addition of medicinal or non-medicinal ingredients(herbs, creatine, taurine, etc.) present in these drinks, andthe negative effect they have on students’ health.

A: Artificially sweetened items cannot be sold in elementary or middle schools because there is a desire to minimizechildren’s consumption of these products outside of parentalsupervision. Drinks sold at school cannot be fortified withvitamins other than vitamin C, or with minerals other thancalcium. Some non-medicinal ingredients and herbs in somedrinks may not be acceptable for children.

RELATED ACTIVITIES• Tracking – Drink Diary p. 36

Caffeine Check


Description:Some ingredients in sugarydrinks (other than sugar), candamage our health. Caffeinemay be one of them. Studentswill report how much caffeineis in drinks, and consider theeffects of caffeine on their body.

Preparation:� Prepare Caffeine Symptoms

Cards, copy and cut into cards(see following page).

� Review Caffeine Scenario(in Teacher Backgrounder).

� Copy Check the Caffeine!Handout for each student(see following page).



Recommended Resources:1. BC Ministry of Education – Caffeine and the Student Body Factsheet (refer to Action Pages!)2. BC Ministry of Education – Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools, Revised August 2010 (F)

(refer to Action Pages!)3. HealthLink BC: Call 811 and speak to a dietitian (refer to Action Pages!)4. HealthLink BC – Energy Drinks (refer to Action Pages!)5. Sip Smart! BC (in Grades 4 to 7 Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!)


Caffeine Scenario(TO BE READ TO CLASS)

It is a hot and sunny day at the beach.Tom is thirsty and goes to the concession stand and buys a can of ICED TEA.

It’s delicious and refreshing.

He feels fit to play beach volleyball for another hour!

After an awesome game, he craves something to pick him up while coolinghim down, so he buys a medium ICED COFFEE for the walk home.

Once at home, he remembers that he has a test in school tomorrow.He sits at his desk and starts reading. He notices his mind wandering and

his heart beating too fast. He is getting a headache. He also has to go to the bathroom way more often than usual.

An hour later he feels tired, but he still has to study for the test.In the fridge he finds an ENERGY DRINK. He remembers that the commercial

for this drink says that it wakes you up and gives you energy immediately.Exactly what he needs to focus on his studies!

Later, feeling sick, he decides to go to bed early. He feels fidgety and restless. The next morning he is irritable with his friends

and anxious about just about everything.

What happened?



Caffeine

Caffeine is a mildly addictive stimulant drug that stimulates the central nervoussystem and can cause side effects including: irritability and restlessness, difficultyconcentrating, and an increased need to urinate.

Caffeine occurs naturally in some drinks (coffee, tea and hot chocolate) and is added to others (cola and energy drinks).

Nutrition Fact tables rarely include the amount of caffeine contained in a foodproduct. Some of the ingredients indicating the presence of caffeine in a food or drink include: coffee or coffee beans, green or black tea leaves, guarana, yerba/yerbamate, and cocoa beans.

Health professionals suggest that children aged 7-12 get no more than 65-85 mg ofcaffeine each day, as even low levels of caffeine can affect most children’s behaviour.Withdrawal symptoms may be felt by children consuming even small amounts ofcaffeine. Children are more likely than adults to have caffeine symptoms includinga wandering mind, accelerated heart rate, headache, more trips to the bathroom,fatigue, trouble sleeping, feeling sick, feeling fidgety and restless, irritability, andanxiety.



Caffeine Symptoms✁

✁

Mind wandering

Headache

Tired / trouble sleeping

Fidgety and restless

More trips to the bathroom

Feeling sick

Irritable and anxious

Heart beating too fast



Check the Caffeine

NAME ________________________

DRINK SERVING SIZE (ML) CAFFEINE (MG)

Hot Chocolate 300 ml 8 mg

Cola 355 ml 40 mg

Iced Tea 355 ml 25 mg

Root Beer 355 ml 40 mg

Energy Drink 250 ml 130 mg

Coffee (regular) 350 ml 186 mg

Coffee (decaf ) 350 ml 4 mg

Iced Coffee 500 ml 214 mg

Black or Green Tea 250 ml 30 mg

Tea (decaf ) 240 ml 1 mg

How much caffeine did Tom drink?

Iced Tea _________ mg

Iced Coffee + _________ mg

Energy Drink + _________ mg

TOTAL = _________ mg

What is the maximum amount of caffeine

that students can safely have in one day?

(ages 7 to 12 years) ___________ mg



Learning


• As a class, review the information on the Me and My Sodium IntakeHandout.

• Begin with a discussion of the high sodium foods listed, and thenmove into conversation about the Nutrition Facts tables provided.– Walk students through how to read the Nutrition Facts tables

(information about reading sodium content is included at the topof the handout).

– Discuss the food examples provided. Any surprises? Any favouritefoods listed?

– Have students brainstorm other examples of high sodium foods,and list them in a spot visible to the class. (Additional examples canbe found in the sodium lessons for other grades.)

• Based on these activities, have students set a personal goal aroundsodium intake. What could they change in their own eating patterns to cut back on sodium? For ideas, they can refer to the examplesprovided on the handout, the additional ideas generated by the class,or others. Additional questions that can be discussed:

Q: Do they frequently eat any of the high sodium foods thathave been covered?

If yes, are they interested in making any changes to lower their sodium?

Q: What kinds of snacks might they plan to eat instead ofreaching for high sodium foods?

Q: How might they look to further inform themselves of thesodium content of foods they are considering?

A: e.g. reading the nutrition information on packages beforebuying, visiting fast food restaurant websites to find outwhich choices are high and low in sodium, saying “nothanks” to those foods containing more than 15% DailyValue of sodium per serving.

ANSWER KEY: Me and My Sodium Intake Nutrition Facts tables

Fast Food Hot Dog 34% DV Ramen Noodle Soup 31% DV Large (double patty) Fast Food Hamburger 43% DVFast Food Hawaiian Pizza 49% DV Fast Food Chicken Sandwich 50% DV Cheese Tortellini Pasta with Tomato Sauce 73% DV

NOTE: that all of these food examples far exceed the guideline of “15% is a lot”.

Me and My Sodium Intake


Description:Being aware of the presence and amount of sodiumcontained in various foods is a critical step to makinginformed food choices.Students will continue to gain an understanding of which foods to limit in terms of sodium content, and setpersonal sodium-reductiongoals for themselves.

Preparation:� Photocopy Me and My

Sodium Intake Handout for each student (see following pages).

� Review Overview – HealthyEating in Grades 4 to 7 (p. 102)and Me and My Sodium Intake Handout.


Recommended Resources:1. HealthLink BC: Call 811 and speak to a dietitian (refer to Action Pages!)2. HealthLink BC – Low Sodium (Salt) Food Choices and Low Sodium (Salt) Eating Out, Reading Food Labels

for Sodium (Salt) (refer to Action Pages!)3. Lower Sodium (refer to Action Pages!) 4. Sodium 101 (refer to Action Pages!)



Me and My Sodium IntakeNAME ________________________

Nutrition Facts tables are found on most food and drink packages and contain important nutrition information. To help you make better choices:

✓ Look for the “Sodium” information on the Nutrition Facts table that is listed both inmilligrams (mg) and % Daily Value. Both refer to the amounts present in a specificserving size (shown at the top of the Nutrition Facts table).

✓ Use the serving size information to ensure that you are comparing the sameamount of foods when you’re choosing between products.

✓ Compare this serving size to the amount that you actually eat to determine theactual amount of sodium you are consuming. You can also use the ingredient liston food packages to find out whether sodium has been added to the food.

% Daily Value: 5% or less is a little; 15% or more is a lot

SODIUMFOOD AMOUNT% DAILY VALUE

Ramen Noodles (chicken flavoured, dry) 85 g 73%

Chicken Chow Mein 250 ml 41%

Chicken Noodle Soup (chunky, ready-to-serve) 250 ml 37%

Dill Pickle 1 medium, 65 g 35%

Boxed Macaroni & Cheese 250 ml 33%

Samosa, vegetarian 2, 100 g 33%

Smoked Lox Salmon 40 g 33%

Ham Deli Meat (extra lean) 56 g 26%

Processed Cheese Food 2 slices, 42 g 26%

Burrito with Beans and Cheese 93 g 24%

Feta Cheese 50 g 23%

Waffles (plain, frozen, ready-to-heat) 2 waffles, 66 g 22%

Blueberry Muffin (commercial) 113 g 21%

Pizza with Cheese 1/6 of a 12 inch or 30 cm pizza 21%

Fish Sticks, Frozen, Heated 3 sticks, 83 g 20%

Meatless Ground Beef 75 g 17%

Canned Peas and Carrots, Not Drained 125 ml 15%

Source: Health Canada: Nutrient Value of Some Common Foods, 2008

Some examples of high sodium foods:


Nutrition FactsValeur nutritiveServing Size 45 g wiener, bun, 15 ml ketchupPortion 45 g hot-dog, pain, 15 ml ketchup



Fat / Lipides 12 g 18%

Saturated / saturés 4.5 g23%

+ Trans / trans 0 g





Sugars / Sucres 7 g

Protein / Protéines 10 g




Iron / Fer 15%

FAST FOOD HOT DOG

Nutrition FactsValeur nutritiveServing Size 250 ml (244 g)Portion 250 ml (244 g)




Saturated / saturés 3.5 g18%

+ Trans / trans – g





Sugars / Sucres – g


Vitamin A / Vitamine A –%


Calcium / Calcium –%

Iron / Fer 8%

RAMEN NOODLE SOUP

Nutrition FactsValeur nutritiveServing Size 1 sandwich (209 g)Portion 1 sandwich (209 g)





+ Trans / trans 0.5 g





Sugars / Sucres 9 g





Iron / Fer 35%

FAST FOOD HAMBURGERLARGE (DOUBLE PATTY)

Nutrition FactsValeur nutritiveServing Size 15 cm (271 g)Portion 15 cm (271 g)





+ Trans / trans 0.5 g





Sugars / Sucres 8 g





Iron / Fer 30%

FAST FOOD HAWAIIAN PIZZA

Check out these sample Nutrition Facts tables to find out how much sodium is in these common foods:


Nutrition FactsValeur nutritiveServing Size 1 sandwich (204 g)Portion 1 sandwich (204 g)





+ Trans / trans 2 g





Sugars / Sucres 6 g


Vitamin A / Vitamine A –%



Iron / Fer 30%

FAST FOOD CHICKEN SANDWICH

Nutrition FactsValeur nutritiveServing Size 500 ml (373 g)Portion 500 ml (373 g)





+ Trans / trans – g










Iron / Fer 30%

CHEESE TORTELLINI PASTA WITH TOMATO SAUCE

What % DV of sodium do the Nutrition Facts Tablesindicate for these foods?

Fast Food Hot Dog _________ %DV

Ramen Noodle Soup _________ %DV

Fast Food Hamburger Large (double patty) _________ %DV

Fast Food Hawaiian Pizza _________ %DV

Fast Food Chicken Sandwich _________ %DV

Cheese Tortellini Pasta with Tomato Sauce _________ %DV

My Sodium Intake Goal

In order to reduce my sodium intake, I will:

________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________ next/for the next ________________ days.

I will reach my goal by (doing what): __________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________


Learning


• Have a guided discussion with students.

Q: What is the “ideal” female body promoted by the media? A: e.g. thin, unblemished skin, no body hair, white teeth

Q: What is the “ideal” male body promoted by the media? A: e.g. muscular, strong, unblemished skin, no body hair,

white teeth

Q: Are these images realistic? A: In most cases a team of people work on the model to

prepare them for the photo, and then the photo isenhanced or changed with a computer to create thefinal (unrealistic) image.

Q: How do these images influence how students feel aboutthemselves (their self-esteem)?

A: e.g. lowers self-esteem, decreases confidence, bodydissatisfaction

• One study found that looking at a fashion magazine for 3 minuteslowered the self-esteem of 80% of women.

• Reinforce that each person is unique and that 50-80% of their bodyshape and size is determined by their genes, which are inherited fromtheir family. We inherit our height, eye, skin, and hair colour from ourparents and ancestors. The same is true of our body shape. Provide theexample of breeds of dogs, and the genes that determine thatGreyhounds are thin and Saint Bernards are large.

Q: Where do you see media messages about these “ideal”body images or how to achieve these “ideal” bodyimages?

A: e.g. Facebook advertising, magazines, videos, billboards,YouTube

Q: What kinds of companies benefit from these unrealisticbody images?

A: e.g. diet industry, beauty salons, make-up companies,pharmaceutical companies, plastic surgeons

Q: How would the images in magazines differ if they showed“real people”?

A: e.g. variety of larger and smaller body shapes, moles orfreckles, blemishes, some without makeup, more variety inteeth colour, etc.

What is Real?


Description:Media images and advertisinginfluence how we define the“ideal” body, and this has astrong effect on our self-esteemand body image. Students willgain media awareness through a discussion of how mediaportrays the ideal body formales and females, how thisimpacts self-esteem, and stepsthey can take to reduce theimpact of the media on howthey feel about themselves and others.


Eating in Grades 4 to 7 (p. 102)and Teacher Backgrounder.


Q: What are your plans to regain the power over your self-esteem that these imagestake away?

A: e.g. recognize that these images are not real, choose to create your own definition ofbeauty; do not make negative comments about anyone’s body size or shape;recognize your strengths; accept yourself; compliment people on inner beautyqualities like their ability to make you smile or laugh; read fashion or body buildingmagazines with a critical eye – remember that not all you see represents reality.

• Ask students to write a letter or email message to a magazine editor, TV station, retail store,or other company expressing their concern about the unrealistic body images they are using.They could ask the company to use more “real people.”

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY EXTENSIONS• Watch the Onslaught or Evolution videos that can be found on Dove’s Campaign for Real

Beauty website (refer to Action Pages!) and have a class discussion about the videos.

Reference: Campaign for Real Beauty: Dove – Real Beauty School Program;The Student Body – Promoting Health at Any Size

Recommended Resources:1. Being Me: Promoting Positive Body Image (provided at workshop) 2. The Student Body – Promoting Health at Any Size (refer to Action Pages!)3. Campaign for Real Beauty: Dove – Real Beauty School Program (refer to Action Pages!)4. Jessie’s Legacy (refer to Action Pages!)5. Healthy Choices (refer to Action Pages!) 6. Long Live Kids (refer to Action Pages!) 7. Media Awareness Network (refer to Action Pages!)


Advertising directed at children is everywhere. Many of these messages focus on the “ideal body shape” for both males and females.

Unrealistic body shapes portrayed in the media and pressure to live up to these images hascontributed to fear of being overweight, poor self-esteem and negative body image found inchildren and adults of all ages. Natural increases in weight occur during puberty when the bodyis preparing for an increase in height. Genetics determine when children will enter puberty andhow their bodies will change during this time. Peers and the pressure to conform along with anincreasing interest in fashion and fitness magazines during puberty also influences children’sself-esteem. Many of the photos show unrealistic bodies that have been enhanced through theuse of computer imaging. Female models are frequently 15-25% below the average weight fortheir height and age. More than 50% of body shape and size is determined by genes, whichmakes it impossible for most people to conform to these media images.

DEFINITIONS: Self-esteem: Your mental picture or opinion of yourself, e.g. how you value yourself and how worthwhile you feel.

DEFINITIONS: Body image: A person’s thoughts, opinions and feelings about their body and how they think others see their body.




GRADE 7


ENGLISH Oral Language (Purposes) 7 A1 – Use speaking and listening to interact with others for theLANGUAGE ARTS purposes of: contributing to group success, discussing and analysing

ideas and opinions, improving and deepening comprehension,discussing concerns and resolving problems, negotiatingconsensus or agreeing to differ, completing a variety of tasks

Oral Language (Strategies) 7 A4 – Select and use various strategies when interacting with others,including: accessing prior knowledge, making and sharing connec-tions, asking questions for clarification and understanding, takingturns as speaker and listener, paraphrasing to clarify meaning

LESSON – FOOD CUSTOMS


ENGLISH Oral Language (Purposes) 7 A3 – Listen critically to understand and analyse ideas and informationLANGUAGE ARTS by: summarizing and synthesizing; generating questions, visualizing,

and sharing; making inferences and drawing conclusions;interpreting the speaker’s verbal and nonverbal messages,purposes, and perspectives; analysing; ignoring distractions

HEALTH AND Health (Healthy Living) 7 C1 – Analyse factors (including media and peer) that influenceCAREER EDUCATION personal health decisions

LESSON – WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?


ENGLISH Oral Language (Purposes) 7 A1 – Use speaking and listening to interact with others for theLANGUAGE ARTS purposes of: contributing to group success, discussing and analysing

ideas and opinions, improving and deepening comprehension,discussing concerns and resolving problems, negotiatingconsensus or agreeing to differ, completing a variety of tasks

Reading and Viewing 7 B2 – Read fluently and demonstrate comprehension of grade-(Purposes) appropriate information texts, with some specialized language

and some complex ideas

Reading and Viewing 7 B6 – Select and use various strategies during reading and viewing(Strategies) to construct, monitor, and confirm meaning

LESSON – IS IT A LITTLE OR A LOT?



HEALTH AND Health (Healthy Living) 7 C1 – Analyse factors (including media and peer) that influenceCAREER EDUCATION personal health decisions

ARTS EDUCATION Visual Arts 7 D2 – Develop group and individual exhibitions for particular (Exhibition and Response) audiences and purposes

LESSON – FOOD ADVERTISING


Learning


• Each student completes the Identifying My Food Customs Questionnaire,which can go home for feedback from family members.

• Pair the students and have them take turns questioning each other,using the questionnaire as a guide.

• Each pair should discuss how their families’ food traditions are similarand different.

• Share the results with the rest of the class. Ask the class what they have discovered or what generalizations they can make about food, cooking, and culture.

• Have students share their results in a creative way (e.g. writing andillustrating stories about their families’ meals, performing skits orcreating artwork).

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY EXTENSIONS• Assemble a cultural family cookbook made up of vegetable and/or

fruit recipes contributed from each family (this could also be used as a fundraising item).

• Host a family cultural potluck at the school. (Ensure that at least oneperson from the organizing committee has a Food Safe certificate.Encourage all parents to complete the online food safety course,“Caring About Food Safety”, available in English, French, traditionalChinese and Punjabi.)

RELATED ACTIVITIES• Tasting – Celebrations p. 45

Reference: Canada’s Food Guide, 2007Adapted from: Liakos Evers C: How to Teach Nutrition to Kids, 2003



(refer to Action Pages!)3. HealthLink BC: Call 811 and speak to a dietitian (refer to Action Pages!)4. BC Dairy Foundation Food Mosaic (refer to Action Pages!) 5. BC Ministry of Education – Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Learning Resource

(refer to Action Pages!)6. Health Canada – Caring About Food Safety (www.health.gov.bc.ca/protect/food-

safety-module/files/home.htm)7. How to Teach Nutrition to Kids (Healthy Eating Booklist – www.actionschoolsbc.ca)8. Caring About Food Safety (refer to Action Pages!)


Food Customs


Description:People from different places and of different backgroundsexperience different cultures,which are often reflected indiverse family traditions andfood customs. This activity will examine vegetables andfruit from different cultures and will encourage students toexplore family food traditions.

Preparation:� Photocopy one

Identifying My Food Customs Questionnaire per student (p. 147).



Family traditions and cultural backgrounds influence the types of food customs includingthe foods that are used for special events or holidays and choices that are available every day.

Canada’s Food Guide has been translated into 12 different languages. There is also a FoodGuide for First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The “My Food Guide” tool on the Health Canadawebsite allows people to create a personalized food guide using the foods that are part oftheir eating pattern. In addition to English or French, you can choose to print this tool in thefollowing languages: Arabic, Chinese (traditional or simplified), Farsi, Korean, Russian, Punjabi,Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil or Urdu.



Identifying My FoodCustoms Questionnaire

NAME ________________________

Everyone grows up with different food customs. With the help of your family,answer the following questions to identify your family’s unique food customs.

Record responses in your agenda or another notebook.

1 Does your family eat together? How often? Which meals? _____________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

2 Who decides what your family eats? Who shops? Who cooks? Who washes dishes? _________

____________________________________________________________________________

3 Are there foods that your family especially likes to eat? Name and describe them. __________

____________________________________________________________________________

4 What is your favourite meal? How often is it made? ___________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

5 Are there special foods that your family eats on holidays or during celebrations? Why do they

eat these foods? _______________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

6 Does your family sometimes eat foods that originated in another country? Name and

describe them. ________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

7 Describe a meal or celebration with food that was especially fun or meaningful (e.g. national

or religious holidays, celebrations). _______________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

8 Share a favourite family recipe that includes vegetables and/or fruit. ____________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Adapted from: Liakos Evers C: How to Teach Nutrition to Kids, 2003


Learning


• Show What’s in it For Me? Overhead or display on Smart Board (or provide students with same as handout).

• Have a guided discussion about these sample drink products, or have students answer the questions on the handout. Examples ofmarketing techniques that can be provided to students:– Refrigerated coolers by the checkout stands at grocery stores,

convenience stores, coffee shops, cafeterias, fast food outlets, andgas stations.

– Companies sponsor or give money to fun events and partner withcommunity groups, but these agreements often include having thecompany’s logo on event banners and advertisements, along withlinks to the company website on all internet postings for the event.

– Athletes who win big sporting events are seen wearing clothing withthe logo of their sponsoring company, drinking their products, andhanding out free samples.

– Beverage containers sometimes include a web link for the freedownload of popular songs.

– Product websites often include games, contests, rewards programsfor products, and trips if you collect points from their products. Youare encouraged to provide information about yourself in exchangefor bonus points. This information helps companies further adaptmarketing techniques to target their audience.

– Companies pay to have actors use their product in movies, videos,or on TV.

– Companies have vehicles painted with their logos and visit popularevents to hand out free samples and prizes with their logos on them.Contest winners become walking free advertisers for their products.

• What’s in it For Me? Handout:Q: How many grams of sugar are in each product? (Hint: for

Cool Cola the container is 591 ml and the Nutrition Facts table serving size is 250 ml.)

A: Blast Off!: The information for sugar often isn’t included on labels; this information may be found on the internet (e.g. Energy Drink 27 g/250 ml or the equivalent of 63 g/591 ml, which is more sugar per ml than the Cool Cola).Cool Cola: 54 g or 13.5 cubes of sugar/591 ml

Q: Why do companies use a 250 ml serving size when the container is 591 ml?

A: Companies want their products to appear as having less calories and sugar.

What’s In It for Me?


Description:Teens and young adults are a key target market foradvertisers of energy drinksand pop. In order to becomeinformed consumers, studentswill identify and critically analysethe nutrition informationcommonly displayed on labelsfor energy drinks and pop,along with the marketingtechniques used by companiesto sell these products.

Preparation:� Prepare What’s in it For Me?

Overhead (follows thisactivity), or copy the same foreach student as a Handout.

� Review Overview – HealthyEating in Grades 4 to 7 (p. 102),Teacher Backgrounder, and“What’s in it For Me?” Handout.


Q: Do you think that most people drink the whole 591 ml bottle?A: Most people drink the whole bottle.

NOTE: Canada’s labelling rules state that the entire package is considered to be the serving size if it could reasonably be consumed by one person at a single sitting.

Q: How much caffeine is in each product?A: Caffeine is included in the list of ingredients, but the label doesn’t always indicate

how much. A number of ingredients that are part of these drinks have caffeine in them,including:“yerba mate”, “guarana”, and “black tea”. Caffeine from these natural sources is not always included in the amount listed on the label or company website. Generally,caffeine content can be found on the internet. The maximum recommended amount ofcaffeine for children 7 to 9 years is 62.5 mg per day; for 10 to 12 year olds this maximumamount is 85 mg per day. Caffeine guidelines haven’t been set for teens, but some sources suggest a maximum of 2 mg per kg body weight.

Q: What nutrients does each product provide?A: Blast Off! carbohydrate and B vitamins – Cool Cola: carbohydrate and sodium.

“Designer drinks”, which include energy drinks and vitamin waters, may look healthybecause of the nutrients that have been added, but those same nutrients can often be found in a few bites of a healthy meal. You can actually get too much of a vitamin or mineral if you are using these products, taking a multivitamin or other supplement,and eating or drinking other nutritional supplements.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY EXTENSIONS• Have a guided discussion about the marketing techniques used by companies.

Ask students if they can provide examples of advertising used by food or drink companies.

Q: What effect did those advertisements have on their behaviour?– Did it make them want to buy the product?– Do they think that spending money on advertising and marketing is effective?

Q: Do they think that the claims on vitamin and energy drinks are true (e.g. that they “boost physical and mental energy”, “improve your immune system”, etc.)?

A: There is not enough research to know if these claims are true.

• Energy drinks are often sold in grocery stores, convenience stores, coffee shops, gas stations, etc.

Q: Does this make people think they are safe for anyone/everyone to drink? A: Seizures and heart problems have been reported in Canada by people who have

consumed energy drinks. Some states in the United States are considering banning the sale of energy drinks to minors under the age of 19.

Q: Have they heard about anyone having problems from consuming energy drinks?

Recommended Resources:1. Sip Smart! BC (in Grades 4 to 7 Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!) 2. BC Ministry of Education – Caffeine and the Student Body (refer to Action Pages!)3. Health Canada – Safe Use of Energy Drinks (refer to Action Pages!)4. HealthLink BC: Call 811 and speak to a dietitian (refer to Action Pages!)5. HealthLink BC – Energy Drinks (refer to Action Pages!)6. Guide to Food Labelling and Advertising (refer to Action Pages!)



Caffeine

Caffeine is a mildly addictive stimulant drug that stimulates the central nervous system andcan cause side effects including: irritability and restlessness, difficulty concentrating, and anincreased need to urinate.

Caffeine occurs naturally in some drinks (coffee, tea and hot chocolate) and is added to others(cola and energy drinks).

Nutrition Facts tables rarely include the amount of caffeine contained in a food product.Some of the ingredients indicating the presence of caffeine in a food or drink include: coffeeor coffee beans, green or black tea leaves, guarana, yerba/yerba mate, and cocoa beans.

Health professionals suggest that children aged 7-12 get no more than 65-85 mg of caffeineeach day, as even low levels of caffeine can affect most children’s behaviour. Withdrawalsymptoms may be felt by children consuming even small amounts of caffeine. Children are more likely than adults to have caffeine symptoms including a wandering mind, acceleratedheart rate, headache, more trips to the bathroom, fatigue, trouble sleeping, feeling sick, feelingfidgety and restless, irritability, and anxiety.


DRINK SIZE (ml) CAFFEINE (mg) SUGAR (g) CALORIES (kcal/)

Cola 355 36-46 40 143

Coffee240 119-181

0 2355 177-268

Red Bull 355 113.6 39 156

Monster Energy 473 164 53 197

Rockstar Energy Drink Shot 75 200 0 10

Nos 650 343 74 296

CAFFEINE AND SUGAR CONTENT OF SELECT DRINKS

Source: www.healthlinkbc.ca – Energy Drinks

The number of “designer drinks” (including energy drinks and vitamin waters) is increasing. Theymay sound healthy but most are sugary drinks that are often high in caffeine with some addedingredients. There is not enough research to show whether claims made by manufacturers thatare made are true. In most cases, the amount of caffeine in the drink is not included on theNutrition Facts table. Children should not drink energy drinks.

Adapted from: Sip Smart! BCReference: HealthLink BC


What’s In It For Me?

NAME ________________________

Consider the two examples, and then answer the questions.

1 “Blast Off!” Energy Drink, 250 ml Container

“Blast Off!” is an example of a Natural Health Product, because of the ingredients itcontains. Labelling rules are different for Natural Health Products, which includeenergy drinks, vitamin waters, and other “designer drinks”. The name, "NaturalHealth Product" may sound like it is a healthy choice but this is not always the case.

Recommended dose (adults): Drink 1 can (250 ml) 1 to 2times a day as needed

Caution: Contains caffeine. Not recommended for children,pregnant or breastfeeding women, caffeine sensitive personsor to be mixed with alcohol. Do not consume more than 500 ml per day.

Medicinal Ingredients: taurine 1000 mg, glucoronolactone600 mg, caffeine 80 mg, niacin (niacinamide) 18 mg,pantothenic acid (calcium d-pantothenate) 6 mg, vitamin B6(pyridoxine HCl) 2 mg, riboflavin 1.6 mg , vitamin B12(cyanocobalamine) 1 mg.

Non-medicinal Ingredients: carbonated water, sucrose,glucose, citric acid, Inosotol, flavours, caramel

BLAST OFF! LABEL

Note that this label also uses many words that makeBlast Off! sound like a healthy drink, for example:

“energy”, “boosts physical and mental energy”,“immune system”.


QUESTIONS:

1 How many grams of sugar are in each product? (HINT: for Cool Cola the container is 591 ml and

the Nutrition Facts table serving size is 250 ml) ______________________________________

2 Why do companies use a 250 ml serving size when the container is 591 ml? _______________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

3 Do you think that most people drink the whole 591 ml container? NOTE: Canada’s labelling

rules state that the entire package is considered to be the serving size if it could reasonably

3 be consumed by one person at a single sitting. _____________________________________

3 ____________________________________________________________________________

4 How much caffeine is in each product? ____________________________________________

5 What nutrients does each product provide? ________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Adapted from: Liakos Evers C: How to Teach Nutrition to Kids, 2003

Nutrition FactsValeur nutritiveServing Size 250 mlPortion 250 ml





+ Trans / trans 0 g






Protein / Protéines 0.1 g




Iron / Fer 0%

2 “Cool Cola” Pop, 591 ml Container

Ingredients: carbonated water,sugar/glucose-fructose, caramelcolour, phosphoric acid, naturalflavours, caffeine

COOL COLA LABEL


Learning


• Facilitate a discussion around the sources of sodium in food and drinks. Ask students for examples of food or drinks high insodium. Me and My Sodium Intake Handout (p. 139) providessome examples of common foods that have a lot of sodium.

• Have students bring empty food packages (including boxes,clean jars or bottles) from home. Alternatively, the sodiumcontent of foods listed in the Me and My Sodium Intake Handout(p. 139) can be used for this activity. In groups, have them take alook at the % Daily Value for sodium on the Nutrition Facts table,and determine whether they have a little (5% Daily Value or less)or a lot (15% Daily Value or more).

• Ask students to hold up products that have a little sodium andthen ask them to hold up samples that have a lot of sodium forthe class to see.

• NOTE: Nutrition Facts tables on food packaging give the amountof sodium in milligrams (mg) and the % Daily Value based on thestated serving size. If you eat more than that serving size, you willget more sodium. The Nutrition Facts serving size is not basedon Canada’s Food Guide Serving.

Sodium per Serving

5 ml salt = 1 tsp = 2,300 mg sodium = 2.3 g sodium

• Ask students to present their findings to the class, includingwhether any of their results were surprising.

• Have students refer to any of the packages brought into theclassroom, and examine how easily they could consume morethan the recommended daily maximum for sodium.

Is it a Little or a Lot?


Description:Most people eat too much sodium. Awareness ofexcessive sodium in some of the foods we eat is animportant step in enablingstudents to make informed and healthier decisions abouttheir food choices. Students willanalyze some of the foods theyregularly eat and determinewhether they have a little or a lot of sodium.

Preparation:� Provide, or have students

bring in, a variety of emptyfood packages.


A Lot15% Daily Value(360 mg or more)

A Little5% Daily Value(120 mg or more)


OPTIONAL ACTIVITY EXTENSIONS

• Build a classroom display demonstrating which foods that have a little sodium that can beused instead of foods that have a lot of sodium.

• Check the nutrition information of menu items for a restaurant and find foods that have alittle or a lot of sodium. Check the sugar content of the drinks to determine the number ofsugar cubes in each drink. Find out how they advertise their restaurant to customers, e.g.TV, website, Twitter, Facebook, etc., and which foods they highlight in their advertisements.Share your results with the class as an oral or written report or display.

Recommended Resources:1. HealthLink BC: Call 811 and speak to a dietitian (refer to Action Pages!)2. HealthLink BC – Low Sodium (Salt) Food Choices, Low Sodium (Salt) Eating Out, and Reading

Food Labels for Sodium (Salt) (refer to Action Pages!) 3. Health Canada – Using the Nutrition Facts Table: % Daily Value (refer to Action Pages!)4. Lower Sodium (refer to Action Pages!) 5. Sodium 101 (refer to Action Pages!)



Learning


• Have a guided discussion about how advertisements caninfluence food choices. Use ads from magazines, newspapers,and TV for visual awareness.

ADVERTISEMENTS Q: What are some of the locations/venues where you encounter

advertisements?A: e.g. clothing, sport events, magazines, billboards, etc.

Q: What are some of the newer forms of advertisements? A: e.g. text messages, Twitter, Facebook, Flash Mob, etc.

Q: What are some different techniques you can spot inadvertisements?

A: e.g. animation, music, bright colours, celebrities, characters

Q: How do these techniques make you feel about the product?A: e.g. happy, excited, etc.

Q: Do they make you want to have it?

Q: Why is it good for the manufacturers if their advertisements makeyou want to buy their product?

A: e.g. increased sales and money

• Brainstorm key advertising techniques:– Appeal to health and happiness (e.g. it makes you healthier

and happier) – Appeal to your senses (e.g. it tastes good, looks good,

smells good, or feels good)– Appeal to your pocketbook (e.g. it saves you money) – Bandwagon (e.g. everybody loves it and wants it) – Testimonial (e.g. a famous person says s/he likes it)– Comparison (e.g. it is the better choice)

• In small groups, create food packaging, advertisements and/ordisplays to encourage other kids and their families to eat at least six servings of vegetables and fruit every day. Students sharetheir creations with the class and discuss the advertisingtechniques used. Display the students’ work duringparent/teacher interviews.

Food Advertising


Description:Food advertising has a strong influence on the food purchasing patternsof youth. This activity willenhance awareness of the ways in which advertising canaffect food choices. Studentswill produce creative ads toencourage their peers andfamilies to eat at least six FoodGuide Servings of vegetablesand fruit each day.

Preparation:� Collect food ads from

magazines, newspapers,websites, clothing, or TVrecordings and bring to class.



OPTIONAL ACTIVITY EXTENSIONS• Have students observe commercials or look for magazine and newspaper ads for different

foods at home. Students record the ads observed and bring the results to class and discuss.• Plan a “Commercial Free Day” – Ask students not to wear any clothing or bring anything to

school that displays logos or brand names, including the foods and drinks they bring for the day. Students can help to remove anything in the classroom that includes advertising.Have a class discussion after the event.

• Plan a “Buy Nothing Day” – Ask students not to spend any money for a day. Have a classdiscussion after the event.

Adapted from: Media Awareness Network

Recommended Resources:1. Being Me: Promoting Positive Body Image (provided at workshop) 2. Sip Smart! BC (in Grades 4 to 7 Action Pack or refer to Action Pages!) 3. HeartSmart Kids – Ad Busters (refer to Action Pages!) 4. Long Live Kids (refer to Action Pages!) 5. Media Awareness Network (refer to Action Pages!)



Field TripsGrades K to 7


� Supermarket Tour

� Farm Visit

� Pumpkin Patch



FIELD TRIPS


DAILY PHYSICAL Participate in a range of K-7 – Participate in physical activities for a minimum of 30 minutesACTIVITY endurance, strength and during each school day

flexibility activities K – Half-Day K – Participate in physical activities for a minimum of 15 minutes during each school day

HEALTH AND Health (Healthy Living) K C1 – Identify practices that contribute to health, including healthyCAREER EDUCATION eating, regular physical activity, emotional health practices, and

disease prevention practices1 C1 – Identify practices that contribute to health, including healthy

eating, regular physical activity, emotional health practices2 C1 – Describe practices that contribute to physical and emotional

health (e.g., regular physical activity, healthy eating, healthy relationships)

3 C1 – Describe practices that contribute to physical and emotionalhealth (e.g., regular physical activity, healthy eating, talking to atrusted friend or adult when feeling sad or confused)


5 C2 – Describe strategies for contributing to a healthy, balanced lifestyle, including healthy eating, integrating regular physicalactivity, and maintaining emotional health

6 C1 – Describe the benefits of attaining and maintaining a balanced,healthy lifestyle, including the benefits of: being physically active,healthy eating practices, an emotionally healthy lifestyle


PHYSICAL Active Living K A4 – Participate daily (e.g., five times a week) in moderate toEDUCATION (Participation) vigorous physical activities

1 A6 – Participate daily (e.g., five times a week) in moderate tovigorous physical activities



4 A6 – Participate daily (e.g., five times a week) in a variety of moderate to vigorous physical activities

5 A5 – Participate daily (e.g., five times a week) in a variety of moderateto vigorous physical activities that develop muscular strength and endurance, cardiovascular endurance, and/or flexibility


7 A5 – Participate daily (e.g., five times a week) in a variety of moderateto vigorous physical activities that support their personal physical activity goals

LESSON – SUPERMARKET TOUR



DAILY PHYSICAL Participate in a range of K-7 – Participate in physical activities for a minimum of 30 minutesACTIVITY endurance, strength and during each school day

flexibility activities K – Half-Day K – Participate in physical activities for a minimum of 15 minutes during each school day

HEALTH AND Health (Healthy Living) K C1 – Identify practices that contribute to health, including healthyCAREER EDUCATION eating, regular physical activity, emotional health practices, and

disease prevention practices1 C1 – Identify practices that contribute to health, including healthy

eating, regular physical activity, emotional health practices2 C1 – Describe practices that contribute to physical and emotional

health (e.g., regular physical activity, healthy eating, healthy relationships)

3 C1 – Describe practices that contribute to physical and emotionalhealth (e.g., regular physical activity, healthy eating, talking to atrusted friend or adult when feeling sad or confused)


5 C2 – Describe strategies for contributing to a healthy, balanced lifestyle, including healthy eating, integrating regular physicalactivity, and maintaining emotional health

6 C1 – Describe the benefits of attaining and maintaining a balanced,healthy lifestyle, including the benefits of: being physically active,healthy eating practices, an emotionally healthy lifestyle


PHYSICAL Active Living K A4 – Participate daily (e.g., five times a week) in moderate toEDUCATION (Participation) vigorous physical activities




4 A6 – Participate daily (e.g., five times a week) in a variety of moderate to vigorous physical activities



7 A5 – Participate daily (e.g., five times a week) in a variety of moderateto vigorous physical activities that support their personal physical activity goals

SCIENCE Life Science: Characteristics K – Describe features of local plants and animals (e.g., colour,of Living Things shape, size, texture)

K – Compare local plants

Life Science: 1 – Classify living and non-living thingsNeeds of Living Things 1 – Describe the basic needs of local plans and animals

Life Science: 2 – Describe how plants are harvested and used throughoutPlant Growth and Changes the seasons

Earth and Space Science: 4 – Analyse impacts of weather on living and non-living thingsWeather

LESSON – FARM VISIT & PUMPKIN PATCH



Field Trips


• Before the tour ask students to identify the areas in the storewhere they can find vegetables and fruit (fresh/raw, cooked,frozen, canned, dried, juiced).

• Take students on a field trip to the supermarket.• Students write a letter home explaining what they saw at the

grocery store and a new vegetable or fruit they would like to try.

Recommended Resources:1. Supermarket Tours (refer to Action Pages!)

Curriculum Connections:This activity meets several Prescribed Learning Outcomes in the BC Integrated Resource Packages K to 7. Refer to Curriculum Connections – FIELD TRIPS (p. 158).

Supermarket Tour


Description:In this hands-on supermarkettour, students will learn aboutthe wide variety of vegetablesand fruit available to consumers,the different forms they can takeand where to find them in thesupermarket.

Preparation:� Book a tour with your local

supermarket.

� Aim to make your field tripto a location students canwalk to, or consider splittingthe distance between bussing and walking.


Field Trips


• Before the visit, discuss what is grown on the farm. Talk aboutwhat students might see (crops, watering systems, harvestingsystems, etc.) and what the vegetables or fruit will be used forafter the harvest (e.g. where will they go, how they will beconsumed and will they be processed into cut or frozenproducts).

• Take the students on a field trip to a local farm.

Recommended Resources:1. BC Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation – Farm Tours (refer to Action Pages!)

Curriculum Connections:This activity meets several Prescribed Learning Outcomes in the BC Integrated Resource Packages K to 7. Refer to Curriculum Connections – FIELD TRIPS (p. 158).

Farm Visit


Description:Students will visit a farmto learn about how vegetablesand fruit are grown locally.

Preparation:� Book a visit to a local

vegetable or fruit farm,or greenhouse.

� Aim to make your field tripto a location students canwalk to, or consider splittingthe distance between bussing and walking.


Field Trips


• Before the visit, discuss what is grown on the farm. Talk aboutwhat students might see (crops, watering systems, harvestingsystems, etc.) and what the vegetables or fruit will be usedfor after the harvest (e.g. where will they go and how thepumpkins will be consumed).

• Take the students on a field trip to a pumpkin patch.

RELATED ACTIVITIES • Learning – Pumpkins, Pumpkins p. 74

Recommended Resources:1. It’s a Fruit, It’s a Vegetable, It’s a Pumpkin Book (in Action Pack or Healthy

Eating Booklist – www.actionschoolsbc.ca)2. Les Citrouilles (available in French only) (in Action Pack or Healthy Eating

Booklist – www.actionschoolsbc.ca)3. BC Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation – Farm Tours, Pumpkin Time

(refer to Action Pages!)4. Pumpkin Soup; The Pumpkin Book (Healthy Eating Booklist –

www.actionschoolsbc.ca)

Curriculum Connections:This activity meets several Prescribed Learning Outcomes in the BC IntegratedResource Packages K to 7. Refer to Curriculum Connections – FIELD TRIPS (p. 158).

Pumpkin Patch


Description:Students will visit a localpumpkin patch to see pumpkins growing in the field.

Preparation:� Book a visit to a local

pumpkin patch.

� Aim to make your field trip to a location students canwalk to, or consider splittingthe distance between bussing and walking.


SupplementaryResources

� Family Healthy Living Kit

� Eat Smart Celebrations

� Memo Home

Resources Available Online atwww.actionschoolsbc.ca

Sip Smart! BC Resources Available Online atwww.bcpeds.ca/sipsmart/teachers/on-line-resources.dot

How Much Sugar is in Your Drink?

What Size is Your Drink?

Drink Cut-outs

Drink Diary Calculator

POSTERS:

Action Schools! BC Fruit (F)

Action Schools! BC Vegetables (F)

Action Schools! BC Edible Plant Parts (F)

Action Schools! BC Colourful Choices (F)

Action Schools! BC Vegetable and Fruit Food

Guide Serving Sizes for Canada (F)

PLACEMATS:

Action Schools! BC Healthy Eating Placemat –

Vegetable and Fruit Food Guide Serving Sizes

for Canada/Four Food Groups (F)



• Each student in the class will have the opportunity to take theFamily Healthy Living Kit home to share with her/his family for3 to 4 nights.

• The student will then return the Family Healthy Living Kit tothe class and pass it on to a fellow student.

• Please check to make sure that every item is returned! Contact Action Schools! BC for replacement items.

FAMILY HEALTHY LIVING KIT CHECKLIST

� Action Schools! BC Family Healthy Living Booklet

� 1 Chinese Jump Rope

� 1 Skip Rope

� 3 Bean Bags

� 3 Scarves

� Canada’s Food Guide

� Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines

� Fruit & Veggie Colour Champions Bingo!

� Kids In Motion CD

� Sip Smart! BC Booklet for Families

� Who am I? Flashcards

Family Healthy Living Kit


Description:The Family Healthy LivingKit supports the Action Schools!BC Family and Community Zone by engaging students’families. The kit providesstudents with an opportunityto share what they are doing inthe classroom regarding healthyeating priorities and physicalactivity with their family. It alsoprovides families with healthyeating information and physicalactivity ideas that will be usefulin the home.

Preparation:� Review the contents of the

kit, including the FamilyHealthy Living Booklet.

� Devise a class rotationschedule so each student can take the Family HealthyLiving Kit home for 3 to 4nights (e.g. Friday-Monday,Monday-Thursday).

� Optional: Work with thelibrarian to create a loanschedule so that each family at the school has an opportunity to borrowthe kit.

� Prepare a note homeregarding your expectationsfor return of the kit.




Memo Home

To: Parent/Caregiver

Re: Action Schools! BC Healthy Eating

Our school is involved in a school-based healthy living initiative called Action Schools! BC.Action Schools! BC is a best practices model designed to assist schools in creating individualizedaction plans to promote healthy living while achieving academic outcomes.

Goals of the initiative include increasing students’ knowledge of healthy eating, encouraginghealthy eating behaviours related to increasing consumption of vegetables and fruit, limitingsodium (salt) and sugary drink intake, and understanding the role that media plays ininfluencing eating and drinking habits.

Throughout the year students will have the opportunity to be involved in classroom and school-wide healthy eating activities. We invite you to support your child in participating in the activities by asking them to share with you what they have learned and how you canhelp them.

Information about the provincial initiative and ideas for healthy snacks can be found atwww.actionschoolsbc.ca.

Food AllergiesSome activities related to this initiative may include food sampling (primarily vegetables andfruit). To ensure every child’s health and safety during tasting activities, please fill in the bottomhalf of this form and return it to your child’s classroom teacher.

Child’s Name: _____________________________ Does your child have any food allergies?

� No, my child does not have any food allergies that would prevent him/her from participatingin classroom tasting activities.

� Yes, my child does have a food allergy that might prevent him/her from participating inclassroom tasting activities. S/he is allergic to the following foods:

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

Parent/Caregiver Signature: _____________________________ Date: ________________________