Introduction

The unit on Good Health and Nutrition was created as a teaching tool for educators and a learning activity for students. The unit's primary focus is to help educate students about the important relationship between good health and nutrition. The project's foundation was built in alignment with Standard 1 of The New York State Learning Standards for Health, Physical Education, and Home Economics (see below).

Level

Scope

Purpose

The purpose of the Good Health and Nutrition unit is to have students become aware of the nutritional values of their daily diets and begin to develop a better understanding of nutrition and how it relates to healthy living.

Features

The unit on Good Health and Nutrition will begin to teach students the importance of good health and nutrition. Good Health and Nutrition adds an important technology piece to an essential real life unit. The technology allows students to gather and learn information from various health and nutrition web sites. Furthermore, students will have the opportunity to work online to enter, share, and organize their health and nutrition data.

Content

The unit on Good Health and Nutrition consists of four health and nutrition topics with four technology-based activities. Each activity will integrate technology with the teaching and learning of health and nutrition.

Health and Nutrition Topics and Activities:

1. Food Guide Pyramid/ Student's Food Log
   

   In this lesson, students are asked for one week to keep an online food log of their daily diet. The data is collected on the Student's Food Log Worksheet and then entered online in the Student's Food Log Form . After each meal, the students will place all food consumed in their appropriate food group, calculate total number of servings, and then be asked to analyze their diet compared to the USDA's Food Guide Pyramid and Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
   

2. Nutritional Food Labeling/ Studying Food Labels

   In this lesson, students are asked to analyze the Nutritional Food Label of their favorite snack food. The data is collected on the Nutritional Food Labeling Worksheet and then entered online in the Nutritional Food Labeling Form. The students will place all the nutritional label information of their favorite snack food in the Nutritional Food Labeling Form and then be asked to analyze their diet compared to the USDA's Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA),Food Guide Pyramind, and Dietary Guidelines for Americans. In addition, students will go to the USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference and analyze the nutritional value of healthier alternative snack foods.
   

3. Fast Food Nutritional Value/ Student's Fast Food Survey
   

   In this lesson, students are asked to analyze the nutritional value of their favorite fast food restaurant items. Students are placed in a hypothetical situation that allows them to eat only fast food for a whole day. The data is collected on the Fast Food Survey Worksheet and then entered online in the Fast Food Survey Form. After each meal, students will perform a number of steps. First, students will analyze their food choices by placing all food consumed in the appropriate food group, calculate total number of servings, and then be asked to compare their diet to the USDA's Food Guide Pyramid and Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Second, students will go to the CyberDiet's Fast Food Quest and analyze the nutritional value of their fast food meal.
   

4. Food Design/ Fast Food Manager Of The Month
   

   In this lesson, students become The Manager Of The Month of their favorite fast food restaurant. Students will research and analyze the nutritional value of a number of fast food restaurant menu items and then be asked to create and recommend a new healthier food item to the fast food corporation. The data is collected on the Manager Of The Month Worksheet and then entered online in the Manager Of The Month Form. Students will perform a number of steps while researching fast foods. First, the students are asked to analyze their new healthier fast food item by placing all food contents in the appropriate food group, calculate total number of servings, and then be asked to compare their new item to the USDA's Food Guide Pyramid and Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Second, students must analyze and calculate the nutritional value of their new menu item by researching its contents in the USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference

Learning Objectives

Food Guide Pyramid/ Student's Food Log

Students will gain a better understanding of the USDA's Food Guide Pyramid and Dietary Guidelines for Americans and how their daily diets compare to the recommended standards for good health and nutrition.

Nutritional Food Labeling/ Studying Food Labels

Students will gain a better understanding of Nutrition Food Labels and the nutritional contents of items in their daily diets.

Fast Food Nutritional Value/ Student's Fast Food Survey

In order to make healthier choices when eating fast foods, students will learn the nutritional groups and content values of fast food restaurant items in their diet.

Food Design/ Fast Food Manager Of The Month/ Fast Food Survey

Having understood the USDA's Food Guide Pyramid and Dietary Guidelines for Americans, Nutritonal Food Labeling, and Fast Food Nutritional Value, students will then design, analyze, and recommend a new healthier food item to a major fast food corporation.

Assessment

At the end of each lesson, students will have an assessment activity to perform.

Food Guide Pyramind

Nutritional Food Labeling

Fast Food Nutritional Value

Food Design

New York State Learning Standards for Health, Physical Education, and Home Economics Standard 1: Personal Health and Fitness Students will have the necessary knowledge and skills to establish and maintain physical fitness, participate in physical activity, and maintain personal health.

Teaching Good Health and Nutrition Homepage