Background

Two main concepts are being introduced and learned in this lesson: Nutrition based on reading food labels and the digestive system.  Once students understand how to decipher healthy foods from non-healthy foods, they can then go on to explore what happens to the food when they eat it.  This is a great way to start a unit on the human body! 

 

Vocabulary

Digestion:  removing nutrients and water from the foods and liquids we eat.
Digestive System: The group of organs that takes in food, digests it to extract energy and nutrients, and expels the remaining matter.
Carbohydrates:  foods such as sugars and starches; that are a major source of energy.  (Note:  plants make their own carbohydrates.)  
Calories: A unit to measure the amount of energy in food.
Fat: Fats are an important part of our diet, in moderation. They help us absorb some important vitamins, A, D, E, and K, are important for healthy hair and skin, and also are a very rich source of energy.
Fiber: Fiber can be found in fruit and vegetables. It is an important part of our diet because it helps our food pass through the small intestines and large intestines more easily.
 

Attention Grabber

In these next few lessons, we’ll be discussing one of my favorite topics- FOOD! We’ll start with creating a snack from things growing in the garden. Then, we’ll learn about how to look at food information labels and what some foods are made of. After, we’ll learn how our body can digest food that we eat. Let’s start with our garden snack!
  
After students eat their garden snack, ask them to be reporters for the class. Their job to get us started, is to ask at least 3 different people what their favorite fruit and favorite vegetable is. Ask students to record the information for the class list.
 

Garden Activity

Part 1 – Food labels

•    Have students create a snack using the plants grown in the garden.  This could be a simple snack such as snap peas, carrots, broccoli, etc. 
•    Divide the students into groups. While they are enjoying their snacks from the garden, have students sort the ingredients of hot cheetos into 2 groups. One sorting group can be labeled “sounds like food” and the other group will be “doesn’t sound like you can eat this”.
•    Have groups come up and help sort the ingredients into two groups on the board. Discuss their findings. Add the ingredients from the snacks they ate to their word sort.
•    Have students compare the nutrition facts on these packages. Focus on fat, calories, sugar, and carbohydrates. Explain what the percentages mean.
•    Have students compare the nutrition facts of the packaged food to the garden food. 
•    Have a class discussion about healthy eating.  This could include sorting the labels into different groups “healthy”, “not healthy”, etc.  
Note:  Be sure to mention that the students are not “bad” if they like certain “un-healthy foods”.  These foods can still be eaten in moderation. 

 

Part 2 – The Digestive System

•    Using a the diagram (see attached), create a large poster (or draw on the board) of the digestive system, track a garden food through the digestive system, including mouth/teeth, esophagus/throat, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, colon.
•    Refer to the chart below to find the function, prop with interesting fact, and dance move for each organ.  For each organ, discuss the function, use the prop, and teach the dance move.  (You can also have students come up with the dance move!) 
•    Then have the students dance!  Each time they learn the new move and then add it to the moves they have already learned.  Students should say the name of the organ with each move.
•    Move the garden food down the digestive track, as each organ is being discussed and danced. 
•    After they have learned all of the organs and the appropriate dance moves, test them by doing a move and they say the organ (and vice versa).  Have them do the moves in sequential order, without talking.       

Wrap Up & Assessment

•    Provide each student with a cut out of a vegetable, fruit, or other object relating to healthy eating.  Have the students write down one new thing they learned in class.  Hang these on the string that represented to length of the small intestine. 
•    Compile a list of favorite fruits and vegetables. Keep adding to the list throughout the year. Adding pictures could help make the list look more appetizing!
•    Have students fill out the “Digestive System” Worksheet included in the appendix.
•    Have students edit a paragraph about the digestive process included in the appendix.

 

What’s Next?

•    Continue to explore the human body!  Dances can be made for each system!
•    Have students keep a journal of all the foods they eat in a day, recording various information including sugar, fat, amount, taste, etc. 
Visit a farmer’s market.

Download Materials

Student Worksheet

Hot Cheeto Nutrition Facts