Nutrition Lesson Plan
Date Submitted:
June 1, 2014
Instructor Name: Shelley Smith
Class Location: Smithville Learning Center
LESSON BASICS
Meaningful Topic:
Nutrition (Science)
Student Types/Group:
☒ABE ☐College Prep ☒ESL
☒SPOKES ☐Computer Lit
☐Other: Click here to enter text.
Standard(s):
M.4.MD.2 Use the four operations to solve word problems
involving masses of objects and money, including problems
involving simple fractions or decimals and problems that
require expressing measurements given in a larger unit in
terms of a smaller unit and represent measurement
quantities using diagrams such as number line diagrams
that feature a measurement scale.
Length of Lesson:
1.5 hours
Depth of Knowledge:
☒1. Recall and Reproduction
☒2. Skills and Concepts
☐3. Short-term Strategic
Thinking
☐4. Extended Thinking
ELA10.R.C2.4 Determine the meaning of words used in
informational text
Essential Question:
Is your lunch killing you?
Objective(s):
Calculate the grams of fat in a meal
Define scientific terms such as arteriosclerosis and heart disease
Explain the impact of a high fat diet on future quality of life
Required Materials/Equipment/Technology/Community Resources:
Index cards, Nutrition charts and menus from at least three fast food restaurants
Document Camera, 2 Mason jars, Water, Red food coloring, Softened margarine
Prior Knowledge/
Connections:
The differences between
healthy and unhealthy
foods
Required Vocabulary:
Circulatory system
Arteries
Arteriosclerosis
Diabetes
Saturated fat
Cholesterol
Heart Attack
Stroke
Instructional Methods:
☒Large Group
☒Small Group
☐Cooperative Learning
☐Project-based
☐Independent Study
☐Computer-assisted
☐One-on-One Tutorial
☐Individualized
☐Guest Speaker
☐Field Trip
☐Other: Click here to enter
text.
ACTIVITY PLAN
1. Warm-up/Review/Connections:
Place class in small groups of three to four students each. Give each group a set of
fast food menus and nutrition charts and some index cards. Have group members
write down several unhealthy foods from their favorite restaurant. Students discuss
why the foods they chose are unhealthy (fat, sugar and cholesterol content). Have
them share their answers with the group. Discuss health risks associated with diets
that are high in fat and cholesterol (heart attack, diabetes, arteriosclerosis, and stroke)
and the accompanying impact on quality of life.
Demonstrate the effect that saturated fat has on a person’s arteries by performing the
following activity: Fill two mason jars with water. Add enough red food coloring to
make the water in each jar resemble blood. Have a student describe a meal he would
like to eat or has just eaten from one of the fast food restaurants. As the student tells
you his choice, add the softened margarine to one of the jars. Explain to the students
that the softened margarine contains saturated fat, much like the meal he has just
described. Shake the jar well. Pour out the colored water from each jar. Allow
students to examine the inside of each jar. Explain that saturated fats coat the walls of
arteries much like the margarine coated the inside of the jar and that this builds up over
time, eventually restricting blood flow in these arteries. This is arteriosclerosis.
2.
Introduction to Content/Explanation: The instructor will give students a list of
meals and ask them to rank the meals in order from lowest fat content to highest fat
content. The instructor will then reveal the answers and students will discuss differences
between their predictions and the answers.
3. Presentation/Model the Learning Process:
Tell students that the average person should consume about 65 grams of fat per day.
Show the students a couple of sample meals that exceed the amount of fat that they
should be consuming and show them how to calculate the number of grams of fat in
that meal. Show the students a couple of lower fat meals that they could choose from
the same restaurant and show them how to calculate the difference in fat grams
between these meals.
4. Scaffolded/Guided Concrete Practice:
The teacher must lead the discussion by using some of the nutritional charts from the
fast food restaurants.
5. Communicative Concrete Practice and Grouping Strategies:
The teacher should circulate around the room to ensure that all students are
participating in the discussion. Students should demonstrate the ability to identify
foods that are not healthy, choose healthy alternatives, and exhibit knowledge of the
consequences of an unhealthy diet.
6. Independent Concrete Practice/Application:
Using nutrition charts from various fast-food restaurants, the students will be asked to
identify two high fat meals that they would usually choose and choose two low fat meals
they could replace the high fat meals with. They will be asked to calculate the grams of
fat of each meal. They will write a reflection about what they have learned about fat
content in meals and indicate whether they will make different choices when choosing
meals in the future.
7. Assessment:
Students should demonstrate the ability to identify foods that are not healthy, choose
healthy alternatives, and exhibit knowledge of the consequences of an unhealthy diet.
The teacher will grade the independent concrete practice and give feedback.
8. Wrap-up/Concluding Activity:
Help students understand that fast-foods generally are high in total fat, saturated fat,
and calories. Eating an occasional fast-food meal is OK, especially if they choose
carefully and eat a healthy, balanced diet most of the time.
9. Instructor Reflection:
What went well?
What did not go as planned?
What should change?
What should be addressed in future lessons?