Knowledge - Action - Change
Engaging Middle School Students to Demand a
Healthier School Community
Community Voices for Health
Community Voices for Health
Kids Take Action
Kids Take Action
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, TEACHING & HEALTH
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY
Authors
Jennifer Adkins Ernst, MS
Anastasia Snelling, PhD, RD
Design
Lindsey Patience
Acknowledgements
Thank you to Lindsey Patience, Emily Schwartz, Kathleen Young, Elizabeth Harrington, and Jessica
Young for their help developing and teaching this program. We would also like to thank the following
teachers and staff working at the District of Columbia and Public Charter Schools for inviting Kids Take
Action into their school and creating healthier school environments for themselves and their students.
Lisa Hedgepeth
Principal Shannon Foster
Langdon Education Campus
Lance Miller
Jodi Ash
Kelly Miller Middle School
Rasheki Kuykendell-Walker
Carlene Burton
Roots PCS
Jody Moten
Johnson Middle School
This program was made possible with generous funding from Aetna Foundation,
Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic Region, United Way and General Mills.
Community Voices for Health is a project of the School of Education, Teaching &
Health at American University, Washington, DC.
Table of Contents
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1
Lesson 1 The Food Environment: Media, Policy, Advocacy, and Nutrition ....................................... 4
Lesson 2 Nutrition Basics: Calories, Nutrients, and Food Selection ..................................................11
Lesson 3 Food Preparation: Understanding Food Labeling, Food Service & Food Safety..................18
Lesson 4 Your Health: Physical Activity and Balanced Nutrition for Personal Wellbeing .................26
Lesson 5 Understanding the Impact: Media, Advertising, and Food Labeling ..................................32
Fitness Break Ideas .........................................................................................................................37
School Needs Assessment ...............................................................................................................38
Group Planning Worksheet .............................................................................................................39
Group Project Worksheets
Music ..................................................................................................................................41
News Broadcast ...................................................................................................................42
Teaching ..............................................................................................................................43
A Play ..................................................................................................................................44
Social Marketing ..................................................................................................................45
Lesson 1 Exit Ticket .........................................................................................................................47
Lesson 2 Exit Ticket ........................................................................................................................48
Lesson 3 Exit Ticket .........................................................................................................................49
Lesson 4 Exit Ticket .........................................................................................................................50
Lesson 5 Exit Ticket ........................................................................................................................51
Participant Certificate ....................................................................................................................52
Community Voices for Health: Kids Take Action © 2013 | American University
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INTRODUCTION
COMMUNITY VOICES FOR HEALTH
KIDS TAKE ACTION
Healthy school environments combine nutritious food, physical activity, health education,
respectful relationships and encouraging talented educators. With the whole child nurtured, academic
success is attainable. Community Voices for Health: Kids Take Action is a curriculum that educators can
use to engage students to build a healthy school environment. During the 6 week program, students learn
practical, actionable information about the food environment, nutrition, physical activity and making
healthy choices. Students also learn about advocacy, media and advertising, food policy, and food
labeling. Simultaneously students are given the opportunity to develop a performance with supporting
visuals, to convey their idea for promoting the availability of healthier food and more physical activity.
Community Voices for Health, developed by American University (AU), engages the entire middle school
community through education and action. Lessons are developed particularly for children in underserved,
high-risk neighborhoods where access to healthy food and safe physical activity opportunities are limited.
One of the objectives of KTA is to advance students’ self-efficacy to make deliberate and informed
decisions about what, when and why they eat, and to increase safe physical activity while addressing
learning standards.
In the following lessons, you will find background information and talking points for each content
Power Point slide. In addition, each lesson has sample core standards, key concepts/vocabulary, and a
resource list that supports the main lesson concepts. Allocate 30 – 40 minutes for teaching/discussion and
the same for group work. This is a child centered activity – it has been amazing to see what they produce.
Visit the AU website for the PP lesson files, worksheets, knowledge survey and short films of children in
action. www.american.edu/cas/seth/cvhealth/
COMMON CORE STANDARDS
Standards taken from Common Core State Standards Initiative
http://www.corestandards.org/
Every lesson lists standards that can be fulfilled.
LESSON OVERVIEW
 Review
 Lesson
o Download PowerPoint Slides. See content.
 Fresh Produce
 Fitness Break
 Group Projects
 Exit Ticket 
 Printable worksheet is included
“Community Voices for Health is a
school-based program that engages
middle school children, teachers,
staff, and families in building a
healthier school community through
advocacy and education with
experiential empowering learning
opportunities.”
Community Voices for Health: Kids Take Action © 2013 | American University
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
Every lesson includes vocabulary and definitions.
• A state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing
and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
Health
PowerPoint Notes
Slide Title
Slide #
Every lesson has Power Point slides for you to use as you
engage the students in the content. You can download them for
free from http://www.american.edu/cas/seth/cvhealth/
This printed curriculum provides background information,
talking points and questions to pose to the children for most of
the content slides to make it a “grab and go” lesson.
Supplemental Activity
HOW MANY CALORIES DO YOU NEED TO
EAT IN A DAY?
Slides #
A variety of activities are suggested to
extend the lesson and practice the
concepts. Some are appropriate as fitness
breaks, or at least can be modified to have
the children move during the activity.
Fitness Break
TAKE A STRETCH BREAK!
Slide #
Each lesson provides fitness break activities. In addition, there is
a list of online resources and ideas in the appendix.
Community Voices for Health: Kids Take Action © 2013 | American University
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Group Projects
GROUP PROJECTS
Slide #
Group projects are an essential component of the
program because they empower the students to advocate
on their own behalf. They will do a “needs assessment” of
their home and school community to assess what the
barriers are to making healthy choices. The final product
will be a performance in which the students explain the
problem, make a request and advance a solution.
Wrapping Up
Key Points:
Each lesson provides a summary of key points that can be used to review at the end or
beginning of the each lesson.
References & Resources
There are excellent websites with reports, research and data for both teachers and students to learn
more about each topic. Use the resources to write research papers, prepare for a debate, support your
Kids Take Action advocacy performance, and more.
Community Voices for Health: Kids Take Action © 2013 | American University
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THE FOOD ENVIRONMENT:
MEDIA, POLICY, ADVOCACY, &
NUTRITION
Lesson 1
At a Glance
The food environment - where we shop, where we dine, how much food
costs, government agricultural policy - all determine our food decisions,
food access and health outcomes. Messages communicated via media
influence our purchasing and behavioral decisions within the food
environment. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, children are
exposed to 6,100 televised food ads each year. Of these ads, 30% are for
candy and snacks, 25% for sugary cereals, 10% for fast food, only 5%
promote healthy food and drinks while none are for fruits and
vegetables. Lesson 1 covers the importance of understanding media,
policy, advertising, and how to advocate for change. The main goal of the
lesson is to teach your students how these concepts effect their healthrelated decisions and choices.
COMMON CORE STANDARDS
Standard 1: Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; provide an accurate summary of the text
distinct from prior knowledge or opinions. (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.2)
Standard 2: Distinguish among facts, reasoned judgment based on research findings and speculation in a
text. (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.8)
Standard 3: Interpret information presented in diverse media formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally)
and explain how it contributes to a topic, text or issue under study. (CCSS.ELA-Litearcy.SL.6.2)
Standard 4: Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims, distinguishing claims that are supported
by reasons and evidence from claims that are not. (CSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.3)
LESSON OVERVIEW
 Administer Student knowledge and Behavior Survey to
identify baseline information
o Student Survey 
 Program Overview of CVH: Kids Take Action
o Expectations
o Group Project
 Lesson: Download PowerPoint Slides
 Fresh Produce – for taste testing and discussion
 Fitness Break
 Group Projects
o Student Needs Assessment 
o Group Project Assignment Sheet 
 Exit Ticket 
 Printable worksheet is included
“In the U.S. and many
parts of the world, the socalled food environment—
the physical and social
surroundings that influence
what we eat—makes it far
too hard to choose healthy
foods, and all too easy to
choose unhealthy foods.”
The Obesity Prevention Source
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
• Messages delivered via media paid for by a sponsor
to persuade audiences to buy products or believe
information or ideas.
Advertising
Advocacy
• A process for arguing in favor of something to
influence people, policies and organizations to
bring about change.
Behavior
• The action or reaction of any material, person or
organism under given circumstances.
• A state of complete physical, mental, and social
wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or
infirmity.
Health
Legislation
• The act of making or enacting laws.
Lobby
• To solicit or try to influence the votes of members
of a legislative body.
Media
• Plural for medium; tools used to deliver
information or data (e.g., websites, newspapers,
billboards).
• To induce (someone) to do something through
reasoning or argument.
Persuade
•A process for organizations and governments to identify
and resolve public issues through local, state or federal
action such as legislation, regulators, and administrative
practices.
Policy
• A law, rule or other order prescribed by an
authority, especially to regulate conduct.
Regulation
Target Audience
• A specific group within the target demographic at
which a product or message is aimed.
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PowerPoint Notes
WHAT IS MEDIA?
Slide 6
Helping students understand the power of media to influence
their decisions is crucial to health behaviors. Discuss that media
are tools used to deliver information or data through television,
the Internet, and print. Developers of media use sophisticated
messages aimed at very specific demographic groups with very
specific goals in mind. It can be used to educate, convey a
message or an idea, and influence behaviors and habits. Media
used to advertise products is seen everywhere, but do the kids
know they are being manipulated? How does media relate to
behavior and health? Kids between the ages of 8 and 18 years
old spend an average of seven and half hours each day using
some form of media!
Research is used to
study how media
affects our choices.
Media is used
to
communicate
the result of
research.
WHAT IS ADVERTISING?
Research is
used to develop
information for
media
messages.
Slide 7
Advertising is content delivered through media to persuade an
audience to act: buy products or services, vote, or believe ideas
or information. It is impersonal, paid for by an identified
sponsor and targets specific audiences. Discuss the logos and
ads of recognizable organizations and businesses. What are
they trying to accomplish with the message? Are they selling
something? Building brand loyalty? Educating? Is the sponsor a
private company or government entity? Who spends more
money on advertising?
Note: This is an introduction to advertising. You will go into
greater detail in lesson 4.
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GUESS HOW MUCH MONEY IS SPENT ON
ADVERTISING USING MEDIA
Slides 8 & 9
Advertising performance metrics include page
views, click-throughs, click-to-conversion ratios,
ad impressions, user ad requests, etc.
Advertisers are very good are parsing
demographics and understanding whether they
are having the intended result. Discuss how
money buys exposure and influence by matching
the name of the organization with the amount of
dollars spent on advertising. Who has more
impact on their target demographic? Do these
ad campaigns influence food choices? How?
Today, food and beverage companies spend between $10 and $15
billion each year to advertise to children. In 2008, teens spent
about $140 billion on food products (there are about 21 million
teens in the US!).
WHAT IS POLICY?
Slide 10
Help students understand that there are policies that affect
them in their household, school and neighborhood. Introduce
them to the federal and state policies regarding their health like
the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act and a new bill introduced- FD
SB 821 - Healthy Food Financing Initiative-that if passed “Would
establish a program to improve access to healthy foods in
underserved areas, to create and preserve quality jobs, and to
revitalize low-income communities by providing loans and
grants to eligible healthy food retailers to overcome the higher
costs and initial barriers to entry in underserved, urban,
suburban, and rural areas.” Are there policies that they would
like to change? How would they go about advocating for that
change?
40.6
•Percent of households with children that reported they were unable
to afford enough food in the last year. (2009)
43
•Percent of all DC school-age children who are obese or overweight.
81
•Percent of children who do not get the USDA-recommended five
servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
30
•Percent of children who do not get the recommended 60 minutes of
physical activity each day.
372
•Dollars (in millions) estimated as the annual health care costs
associated with obesity.
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WHAT IS ADVOCACY?
Slide 11
Kids Take Action is based on the concept of advocating for what
you need. Often children feel like they have limited control in
their lives. Learning to advocate can give them a sense of power
that is very rewarding. Discuss with the students advocacy in
their home first. What policy is in place at home that they don’t
like? How do they normally try to get that policy changed?
What behaviors and strategies work effectively and what don’t?
The process of advocacy can be as easy as debating with a
friend or writing a letter to a member of Congress.
Fitness Break
TAKE A STRETCH BREAK!
Slide 12
Brain Breaks – www.emc.cmich.edu/brainbreaks/TOC.htm
Try the “Knots of People” activity to practice team work.
Divide the students into teams of 6-12 members, depending on
how difficult you would like to make the exercise. Have each
person join right hands with another person in the group, but it has
to be someone who is not standing immediately to the left or right.
Then have each person join left hands with another person in a
group, but it has to be someone who is NOT standing immediately
to the left or right and someone other than before. Now the groups
have to untangle themselves without letting go of hands. They may
have to loosen their grips a little to allow for twisting and turning.
They may also have to step over or under other people. The first
group to untangle their knot is the winner. There are four possible
solutions to the knot.
~ One large circle with people facing either direction.
~ Two interlocking circles
~ A figure eight
~ A circle within a circle
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Group Projects
GROUP PROJECTS
Review the concept of advocacy with the
students and explain that the Needs
Assessment is one way to understand their
school environment. They should fill it out
independently to identify where the school is
weak, strong and needs improvement. How
can the school increase nutrition and physical
activity in the school and community? If time
permits, have students break into small
groups based on their interests, discuss
issues raised by the assessment, and select a
project focus.
NEEDS ASSESSMENT
Slide 14
Students should start by filling out the
School Needs Assessment Worksheet to
identify ways they can help increase
nutrition and physical activity in their
school and communities. If time permits,
have students break into small groups
based on their interests, discuss issues
raised by the assessment, and select a
project focus.
Students will create performance-based media that teaches,
influences and/or informs an audience about nutrition and
physical activity.
Wrapping Up
Key Points: Lesson 1 covered the importance of media, policy and advertising on the
food environment and personal choices. The concept of advocating for something was
introduced stressing developing a logical, clear argument and being respectful. A
needs assessment helps students understand their environment. The group project
was introduced.
Exit Ticket: Use this to gauge what the students learned and enjoyed from the lesson.
Next Week Sneak Peak: Lesson 2: Nutrition Basics: Calories, Nutrients and Food
Selection
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References & Resources
Center on Media and Child Health
www.cmch.tv/default.aspx
Fast Food F.A.C.T.S. (Food Advertising to Children
and Teens Score)
www.fastfoodmarketing.org/
Federal Trade Commission
http://ftc.gov
Food Research & Action Center
www.frac.org
Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Acts
http://fns.usada.gov/cnd/governance/legislation/cnr_2010.htm
Healthy School Act, Washington, DC
http://dchealthyschools.org/
Healthy School Lunches
www.healthyschoollunches.org/
Kaiser Family Foundation
www.kff.org/
The Obesity Prevention Source
“The Toxic Food Environment: How Our Surroundings Influence What We Eat,”
www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-causes/food-environment-and-obesity/
Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity
www.yaleruddcenter.org/what_we_do.aspx?id=272
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NUTRITION BASICS: CALORIES,
NUTRIENTS, AND FOOD
SELECTION
Lesson 2
At a Glance
Adolescents are at a crucial crossroads in relationship to their health.
While experiencing an intense period of accelerated physical growth,
they have an increased need for proper nutrition that can be at odds with
picky taste buds, peer pressure, preoccupation with body image, a
striving for independence and identity. An approach to teaching
nutrition that is developmentally sensitive can offer students ways to
explore how eating healthfully can fit within their developmental
challenges and set them on a healthy path into adulthood. It has never
been more important to educate and help children assess their food
choices and get physically active than today when more than one-third of
children are overweight or obese. Lesson 2 introduces basic concepts
about macronutrients and micronutrients, calories, energy balance and
food selection. The main goal of this lesson is to teach information about
nutrition that can support behavioral changes.
COMMON CORE STANDARDS
Standard 1: Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text. (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.68.8)
Standard 2: Compare and contrast the information gained from experiments, simulations, video, or
multimedia sources with that gained from reading a text on the same topic.(CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.9)
Standard 3: Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as
well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue. (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.7)
LESSON OVERVIEW
 Review
o The Food Environment: Media, Policy, Advocacy, and
Nutrition (Lesson 1)
 Lesson
o Download PowerPoint Slides from AU website
 Fresh Produce to expose students to new foods
 Fitness Break
 Group Projects
o Group Project Planning Worksheet 
o Worksheets for performances
 Exit Ticket 
“The role of nutrition
education is to address
the numerous personal
and environmental
influences on food
choices and dietary
behaviors so as to assist
individuals in practicing
healthy behaviors.”
Dr. Isobel Contento
 Printable worksheet is included
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
Amino Acid
• The building blocks of protein.
Calorie
• Energy produced by food and used by the body.
Carbohydrates
Consume
• Major source of energy for the body.
• To eat or drink.
Empty Calorie
• A calorie whose source has little or no nutritional value.
Energy
• The capacity for vigorous activity; available power.
Health
• A state of complete physical, mental, and social
wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or
infirmity.
Lipids
• The body uses fat as a fuel source. It is the major
storage form of energy in the body.
Minerals
•Any of the inorganic elements, such as calcium, iron, magnesium,
potassium, and sodium, that are essential to the functioning of the
human body and are obtained from foods.
Nutrient
• A chemical substance in food that provides
nourishment for growth and maintenance of life.
Protein
• Helps build, maintain and replace the tissues in your
body.
Sedentary
• Accustomed to sit or rest a great deal or take little
exercise.
Vitamins
•Group of organic substances essential in small quantities to normal
metabolism, found in small amounts in natural foodstuffs or sometimes
produced synthetically.
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PowerPoint Notes
WHAT IS A CALORIE?
Slide 4
One of the major concepts in nutrition is of energy balance.
That our output and input of calories needs to be adjusted to
optimize our weight. The word calorie is familiar to everyone
because it is used in the media and on food labels, but not
understood. We know that calories are in most food and drinks.
A food that has 200 calories would be able to supply your body
with 200 calories of energy. The energy from calories is
required for body development and growth, muscle and tissue
repair, and physical activity. However, eating too many calories
is very easy to do and burning off the excess energy is very
challenging and will lead to weight gain.
Did you know that...?
The calories in 1 piece of cherry cheesecake could light a
60W bulb for 1.5 hours.
WHAT ARE NUTRIENTS?
Slide 5
The term nutrient is the basis for a study of nutrition. Two
categories of nutrients include macronutrients and
micronutrients. “Macro,” from the Greek word makros for
large, refers to the energy yielding nutrients that are needed in
large quantities in the body and measured in grams. “Micro”
nutrients are needed in small quantities and measured in
micrograms, and milligrams. Eating the proper balance of
nutrients is a challenge in many communities, but a diet low in
processed foods, high in fresh fruits and vegetables can provide
you with all of the macro and micronutrients.
WHAT ARE LIPIDS?
Slide 6
Lipids are an essential component of our diet, but should be
eaten wisely. They are similar to protein and carbohydrate in
they are made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, but the
chemical arrangement, proportions and ratios make lipids
insoluble in water. In addition, they have more carbon and
hydrogen in proportion to oxygen so provide more calories per
gram. Discuss with your students how oil separates from water,
how fats are solid at room temperature and oils are liquid at
room temperature. There are many different kinds of lipids, and
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some are better than others. Unsaturated, mono and poly
unsaturated oils are better for your heart and are found in
plant-based foods and fish. Olive oil is a favorite. Saturated fats
are found in animal products and should be eaten in
moderation. Triglycerides, the major storage form of fat in the
body, increase as calorie intake is greater than calorie output.
WHAT IS PROTEIN?
Slide 7
Protein provides both structural and working substances
throughout the body. It is composed of amino acids that are
linked together like letters making words or bricks making walls.
Due to the presence of nitrogen in addition to carbon, hydrogen
and oxygen, amino acids can be assembled to make thousands
of different and versatile proteins. A balanced diet should
include about 50 grams of protein from low fat animal and
vegetable sources. Vegetarians need to understand how to eat
complementary proteins to ensure adequate intake. Unlike the
other macronutrients, protein is not used for energy very much,
only if carbohydrate is unavailable in the diet.
Calories out
(physical
activity)
Calories in
(food & drinks)
WHAT ARE CARBOHYDRATES?
Slide 8
Carbohydrates have one role in the human body – to supply
glucose for the brain, muscles and all tissue. Glucose, or blood
sugar, is metabolized from carbohydrate for immediate energy
needs and stored as glycogen. Not all carbohydrate is equally
valuable. Simple carbohydrates, or simple sugars, are found in
nutrient rich fruits and honey. However, many foods like soda,
candy and desserts are high in simple sugars and have no
additional nutrients. People find it very easy to consume too
many total calories which can contribute to weight gain.
Complex carbs can be found in many foods including whole
grains, legumes, tubers and vegetables. These carbs are full of
nutrients and fiber. Like protein, there are 4 calories per gram
of carbohydrate.
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COMPOSITION OF FOOD
Slides 9
It is important to understand the amount of macronutrients in
the food you eat in order the get the optimal proportion. See
the 2 examples on the Power Point slide. The pizza is typical of
highly processed foods with a high portion of the calories
coming from fat. See how an unprocessed, uncooked food like
chicken breast is mostly protein with only 10% coming from fat.
An additional activity is to ask the students to compare these
proportions to pizza with sausage and fried chicken. The
following slide shows the optimal proportions we should eat.
DAILY MACRONUTRIENT INTAKE
Slides 10
So how much carbohydrate, fat and protein do you need to eat in
a day to provide the body with adequate calories and
micronutrients? See the chart on the slide. Remember from the
previous slides that the quality of the macronutrients matters here
also. Reinforce that in general carbohydrates should be from
whole foods, not high sugar products; protein should be from
lower fat foods like skinless chicken and legumes; fats should be
selected from non-meat sources. People living in communities
with fewer shopping options (food desserts), may have a more
challenging time selecting the recommended foods and avoiding
fast foods. Keep this in mind as you brainstorm how to make
healthy choices. This is a good time to bring up the benefits of
school and community gardens-so popular and well-funded now
by many local and national organizations.
HOW MANY CALORIES DO YOU NEED IN
A DAY?
Slides 11-16
You have just discussed the proportions of macronutrients. How
many calories do the students need to eat in a day? Since people
come in all shapes and sizes and have different energy needs, the
number of calories needed in a day depends on age, gender,
weight, and physical activity level. School-aged children need to
eat between 1,600 and 2,500 calories in a day. To make the
discussion easier, you can generalize to 2000 calories which is also
the number used on the Nutrition Facts panel of food packages.
Discuss what it means to be sedentary versus active. It is
consistent for people to overestimate their activity level and
underestimate their consumption. If your weight is consistent then
your intake is balanced.
Interesting Point! One pound of fat has 3500 calories. That means, if you want to lose one pound of
fat in a week you need to reduce your intake and increase your output by 500 calories a day. For
example, eat 250 calories less and exercise 250 calories more.
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Supplemental Activity
WHAT DOES 2000 CALORIES LOOK
LIKE?
Have students look at the image. Ask students how many
food companies they recognize just from looking at one
letter from their logos. Which companies were most easily
identifiable? Why or why not? How does this activity
relate to Lesson 1?
Then watch the video showing the quantity of different
foods that equals 2000 calories.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgaqwFPU7cc
DAILY HEALTHY CHOICES
Slide 17
Not all foods have the nutrients your body needs to perform at
its best abilities. The Go!, Slow!, Whoa! chart helps you
recognize foods that are the healthiest choices. Go! foods can
be eaten most often because they are the lowest in calories,
fat, and/or added sugar. Slow! foods can be eaten sometimes
because they are moderately high in calories, fat, and/or added
sugar. Whoa! foods should be eaten rarely because they are
very high in calories, fat, and/or added sugar.
Go!
• Fruits
• Vegtables
• Whole grains
• Lean meats
• Fat-free or low-fat milk
products
• Baked chips or pretzels
Slow!
Whoa!
• Refined grains
• Fruits in sugar and syrups
• Peanut butter
• Avocado
• White bread and rice
• 2% low-fat milk products
• Fruit juice
TAKE A STRETCH BREAK!
• Fried foods
• Cakes and doughnuts
• Whole milk products
• Soda and sugary fruit
drinks
• Cheese
• Potate chips
• Hotdogs
Slide 18
Fitness BREAK: True or False! (see Power Point slides)
Teacher calls out a series of statements such as:
a. Your heart is a muscle. (True)
b. White bread is more nutritious than whole wheat bread. (False)
c. Exercise makes your heart stronger. (True)
d. The main function of the heart is to supply oxygen to your
body. (True)
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Group Projects
GROUP PROJECTS
Slide 19 and 20
Focus on filling out the Group Project Planning Worksheet. Students
should determine the focus of their projects, identify their target
audiences (i.e., teachers, parents, food service workers, local
representatives), and determine project types (i.e., poster
presentation, song, skit, speech, etc.). If time permits, start doing
research that will back up their argument. For example, why do
students need more exercise during the school day? What kinds of
food appeal to the teenage appetite? What does local school policy
say about snacks in school? See additional ideas slide 20.
Wrapping Up
Key Points: Lesson 2 introduced the macronutrients and micronutrients, provided
examples of healthy and unhealthy food sources, helped students determine how
many calories they need to consume each day according to their ages, genders, and
activity levels and identified ways that children can make healthier eating choices.
Exit Ticket: The purpose of an Exit Ticket is to gauge which and how much information
the students retained from the lesson.
Next Week Sneak Peak: Food Preparation: Understanding Food Labeling, Service, and
Safety (Lesson 3)
References & Resources
National Institute of Health Go, Slow, and Whoa! Flashcards
www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/downloads/gswflashcards.pdf
Nutrition.gov
www.nutrition.gov
Food and Nutrition Information Center
http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/
MedlinePlus
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/
Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion
www.cnpp.usda.gov/
MyPlate
www.choosemyplate.gov/
Center for Science in the Public Interest
www.cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy/index.html
Harvard School of Public Health
www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
www.eatright.org/
Community Voices for Health: Kids Take Action © 2013 | American University
17
UNDERSTANDING FOOD
LABELING, FOOD SERVICE &
FOOD SAFETY
Lesson 3
At a Glance
The quantity and quality of food children have access to depends
tremendously on their socio economic status. Variables include the types
of neighborhood stores, parental level of education and employment
status, number of siblings, health status, and access to school food
service. What tools does a child need to navigate this food landscape
regardless of SES to increase quantity and quality? How do you know
what a “healthy” food is and how much it costs in comparison to another
tempting treat? Is the food in your refrigerator safe to eat? How is food
prepared either at home, school or a restaurant to ensure people don’t
get sick? These life skills will enable students to choose wisely, safely and
economically.
COMMON CORE STANDARDS
Standard 1: Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other
information in print and digital texts. (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6-8.7)
Standard 3: Distinguish among facts, reasoned judgment based on research findings, and speculation in a
text. (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.8)
Standard 4: Compare and contrast the information gained from experiments, simulations, video or
multimedia sources with that gained from reading a text on the same topic. (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.9 )
LESSON OVERVIEW
 Review
o Nutrition Basics: Calories, Nutrients, and





Food Selection (Lesson 2)
Lesson
o PowerPoint Slides from AU website
Fresh Produce
Fitness Break
Group Projects
Exit Ticket 
 Printable worksheet is included
“Education for
empowerment also means
teaching students how to
advocate effectively
for themselves as
individuals as well as
collectively.”
Christine Sleeter
Community Voices for Health: Kids Take Action © 2013 | American University
18
Key Concepts & Vocabulary
Calories From Fat
• The number of calories that are from fat in one
serving size of food.
Calorie Listing
• The number of calories in a serving of food.
CrossContamination
• Transfer of pathogens of a contaminated food or
surface to another.
E.Coli
• A bacteria that lives in the intestines and is caused by
consuming undercooked or raw beef.
Food Poisoning
• Illness caused by eating contaminated food. Food
contamination includes pathogens, toxins, and other
bacteria. Also known as food borne illness.
Nutrition Facts
• A lacel that is required on most packaged foods and
provides nutritional information about the food or
drink.
Pathogen
• A germ that causes disease.
Percent Daily Value
• The percentage of the daily value for each nutrient
that one serving of a food provides.
Salmonella
• A bacteria that lives in the intestines and is usually
caused by consuming contaminated raw eggs or
undercooked poultry or beef.
Serving Size
• The amount of food or drink that is considered one
serving.
Toxin
• A poisonous substance.
Community Voices for Health: Kids Take Action © 2013 | American University
19
PowerPoint Notes
FOOD LABELING BASICS
Slide 5
One of the most important skills needed when purchasing or
selecting food, is how to read a food label. Most food products
are required by law to have food labels on the package. Now
that you have reviewed the nutrition terminology and why
nutrients are important, the students are ready for a very
practical application. Take a look at the Food Labeling Basics
slide and start by identifying the important serving size, in this
case 1. This number is a suggested amount of that item you
should eat in one sitting. If it were a larger bag with say 5
servings, the students would need to multiple each listed item
by number of servings they ate. Note that the Daily Value is the
percent of that nutrient that a serving of the food provides
based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Slides 6, 7, 8, 9
COMPARING NUTRIENTS AND
INGREDIENTS
Take a look at the pizza products shown on the following 4
slides to compare nutrients and ingredients. Which nutrients
are high in Rising Crust Spinach, Mushroom & Garlic pizza?
Saturate fat accounts for 20% of the Daily Value and sodium is
33% of the DV. If you ate 2 slices, you would double those
numbers. That is a lot of sodium and saturate fat in one meal.
In terms of total percentage of macronutrients, the proportions
are similar to our target for the day. The next step is to look at
the ingredients information to get a better sense of the quality
and quantity of the ingredients in the food. The ingredients are
required to be listed in order by WEIGHT. The first item is in the
greatest quantity. In this case, whole wheat flour was used
which is good. The list is long, but not too bad.
Compare this pizza with the Stuffed Crust Bacon, Sausage, &
Pepperoni on slides 9 and 10. What ingredients greatly
increased the fat and salt in the meal? What are all the
chemicals for that are added to the food? Are they good for us?
See how the proportions of macronutrients changed? Pull out
your calculators and multiply by 2 and then compare to the
Recommended Daily Allowance and the students will see how
easy it is to eat too much in one meal.
Community Voices for Health: Kids Take Action © 2013 | American University
20
ACTIVITY: UNDERSTANDING FOOD
LABELS
Slide 10
Show students the Food and Drug
Administration film on food labels. Then
facilitate a discussion about the film’s main
ideas including the definition of a serving
size and the relationship between serving
size and calories. (5:22 minutes)
NUTRITION LABEL COMPARISON
Slides 11-15
Comparing food labels is the best way to become a savvy
consumer. In these comparisons pizza, cereal, and juice are
compared and different label and food characteristics are
highlights. Select which to discuss based on the time you have
available.
Points to note include:
Serving size: It isn’t always easy to compare serving sizes.
The slide 11 pizza s are in grams 29 vs 100. Students need to
use math)
Sugar: from the Nutrition Facts label you can’t tell how
much of the carbohydrate is added sugar as opposed to
naturally occurring. You must look at the ingredients list.
See the list for Lucky Charms. Sugar is listed in many forms
(Sugar, Modified Corn Starch, Corn Syrup, Dextrose)
multiple times. If they manufacturer was required to lump
them together, sugar would be listed before oats on the
ingredients list.
Long chemical names: some of the long unpronounceable
names are added nutrients that have been sprayed onto the
food. Some are fillers, conditioners, colors, preservatives,
etc. Encourage your students to do some addition research
or their group project on one of these ingredients like
Sodium Hexametaphosphate or Red dye 40. In general,
avoid foods with lots of these ingredients.
Drinks: Sunny Delight and other juice drinks are frequently
bought by low-income shoppers in lieu of 100% real juice.
By the food label you can see that there is no nutritional
value to juice drinks and in fact they are liquid candy, full of
sugar and calories and supplant higher value drinks like
milk, water and real juice. If you consider cost per nutrient,
it is a better value to buy real juice of drink tap water.
Community Voices for Health: Kids Take Action © 2013 | American University
21
FOOD LABELING ACTIVITY
Slide 16
Scavenger Hunt Activity
Download the PDF from the American
University website for the detailed
instructions
www.american.edu/cas/seth/cvhealth/ind
ex.cfm
Did you know that...?
Most school lunches are too high in saturated
fat and cholesterol and too low in fiber- and
nutrient-rich foods. The Healthy School Lunch
Campaign works to improve the food served
to children in schools.
UNDERSTANDING SCHOOL FOOD
SERVICE
Slides 17-18
When you ask a typical middle school student how they like the
school food they say “its nasty.” They don’t like to look, the
texture, the choice. It isn’t like home cooking - what mom
makes. However, the quality of the food has started shifting
dramatically since passing of the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act
of 2010. In the District of Columbia, the City Council passed the
Healthy Schools Act to further strengthen the influence of HHFK
and is a model of where the country needs to go.
The next step is bringing the kids along. Discuss how food
service policy is written and passed. Look at the Rules and
Regulations that were written to protect them and promote
their health. Have a group discussion with your food service
director so they can ask questions. Have taste tests with fresh
produce being served in the cafeteria.
Use this opportunity to advocate for change in the group
project.
Community Voices for Health: Kids Take Action © 2013 | American University
22
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
FOOD SAFETY
Slides 19
Middle schoolers generally aren’t too concerned with food
safety, but should be to understand the food service operations
they frequent. School food palatability is greatly influenced by
food safety measures. They should be aware of measures that
should be taken in restaurants and grocery stores so they select
safe foods. The unpleasant symptoms of food borne illness
resemble the flu and the cause may be repeated in their homes
causing frequent outbreaks.
In addition, food safety procedures are regulated by the
government and provide another example of policy in action
and a potential target of the advocacy campaign.
FOOD HANDLING, PREPARATION,
ILLNESS
Slides 20-22
Some reasons we need to practice basic food safety.
“The need to improve our nation’s food safety laws is being
heightened by a series of high-profile food safety incidents. The
following index catalogues some of the most notable public
health, economic, food import, and polling statistics that
underscore the need for improvement in our food safety
system.” Democratic Policy Committee
www.dpc.senate.gov/dpcdoc.cfm?doc_name=fs-111-2-55
Amount that food-borne illnesses cost the
United States each year
$152 Billion or
$1,850 per
person
Percentage increase in the incidence of
salmonella infections since 1997
20
Number of salmonella safety import violations
reported between 1998 and 2004
4,445
Community Voices for Health: Kids Take Action © 2013 | American University
23
TAKE A STRETCH BREAK!
Slide 12
5-4-3-2-1
Students stand up and the teacher (or leader) asks them to do
five different movements in descending order. For example the
teacher would say: "Do five jumping jacks, spin around four times,
hop on one foot three times, walk all the way around the
classroom two times, give your neighbor one high-five (pause in
between each task)
Group Projects
GROUP PROJECTS
Slide
By the end of lesson 3 students should
have a well-developed plan and be writing
and practicing their performance. Visuals
should be in process also.
Wrapping Up
Key Points: Reading food labels enables us to purchase the healthiest food for the best
price. Pay close attention to the serving size and how many sizes you actually eat. Is
there more fat, salt and sugar than you thought? Don’t waste money on empty
calories. Be a food safe consumer by storing, handling and thawing foods properly.
Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.
Exit Ticket: The purpose of an Exit Ticket is to gauge which and how much information
the students retained from the lesson.
Next Week Sneak Peak: The Balancing Act: Physical Activity and Nutrition (Lesson 4)
Community Voices for Health: Kids Take Action © 2013 | American University
24
References & Resources
Child Nutrition (CN) Labeling Program, USDA
www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/cnlabeling/default.htm
Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010, Resource Library
http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/Resources/2010dga.html
Empowerment Through Multicultural Education.
Edited by Christine E. Sleeter. SUNY Press, 1991.
Fact Sheets for Healthier School Meals, USDA
http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/Resources/dgfactsheet_hsm.html
Food and Nutrition Service, USDA
http://www.fns.usda.gov/
Foodborne Illness and Disease
www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Foodborne_Illness_&_Disease_Fact_Sheets/index.asp
FSIS Fact Sheets
www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/index.asp
National Food Service Management Institute (NFSMI)
www.nfsmi.org
National School Lunch Program
www.fns.usda.gov/slp
School Breakfast Program
www.fns.usda.gov/sbp
School Nutrition Association
www.schoolnutrition.org/
The Healthy School Lunch Campaign
www.healthyschoollunches.org/
Community Voices for Health: Kids Take Action © 2013 | American University
25
THE BALANCING ACT:
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND
NUTRITION
Lesson 4
At a Glance
We have learned about the impact of healthy eating; now let’s learn
about healthy physical activity for teachers as great role-models, healthy
employees and advocates for students. You are able to positively
influence your students. Physical activity is the other side of the
equation for making our bodies and organs strong, resistant to disease, a
healthy weight, and fully functioning through the life cycle. 2011 BRFSS
data shows that 26.2% of US citizens did not participate in any physical
activity in a month. 20.9% did not do enough aerobic or strength training
exercise to meet the guidelines. Americans need to get moving to stop
the rise in obesity and related conditions.
COMMON CORE STANDARDS
Standard 1: Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and
generating additional related, focused questions for further research and investigation. (CCSS.ELA.7.W)
Standard 2: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts. (CCSS.ELALiteracy.RST.6-8.1)
Standard 3: Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources; assess the credibility of
each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and
providing basic bibliographic information for sources. (CCSS.6.W)
LESSON OVERVIEW
 Review
o Food Preparation: Understanding Food Labels,





Service and Safety (Lesson 3)
Lesson
o PowerPoint Slides from AU website
Fresh Produce
Fitness Break
Group Projects
Exit Ticket 
 Printable worksheet is included
Active students do better.
Up to 40% higher test
scores.
Increased concentration
and attention.
Improved attendance and
discipline.
Let’s Move Schools
Community Voices for Health: Kids Take Action © 2013 | American University
26
Key Concepts & Vocabulary
Agility
• Ability to move and change directions.
Balance
• Ability to control your body weight and position.
Body Composition
• How much fat versus muscle.
Cardiorespirartory
Fitness
• Ability of the heart and lungs to provide oxygenrich blood to muscles.
Coordination
• Ability to use body parts and senses together.
Flexibility
• Range of motion of your joints.
Muscular
Endurance
• How long muscles work before tiring (especially
important in sports that last a long time like cross
country).
Muscular Strength
• Amount of force a muscle can produce (especially
important in short bursts of activity like weight
training and sprinting).
Power
• Ability to use strength and speed.
Reaction Time
• Ability to move quickly to a signal.
Speed
• Ability to move quickly.
Community Voices for Health: Kids Take Action © 2013 | American University
27
PowerPoint Notes
WHAT IS PHYSICAL ACTIVITY &
FITNESS?
Slides 4 & 5
Physical fitness is being in good shape or condition and can be
achieved through correct nutrition, exercise, hygiene, and rest.
When your body is physically fit, your body has the ability to
complete tasks successfully and your heart, lungs, blood
vessels, muscles, and joints have the ability to perform well. The
physiological elements of physical fitness include healthy body
composition, cardiorespiratory endurance, flexibility, muscular
strength, and muscular endurance. Body composition is a
comparison of the amount of fat and muscle a person has.
Cardiorespiratory fitness is the ability of the heart and lungs to
provide oxygen-rich blood to muscles. Flexibility is the range of
motion of your joints. Muscular endurance describes how long
your muscles can work before tiring. Finally, muscular strength
is the amount of force a muscle can produce (especially in
activities, like sprinting and weight training, that require short
bursts of energy).
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY?
Slides 6
The best way to influence your students is to demonstrate you
value physical activity and have seen benefits. Engaging in
regular, safe and appropriate physical activity will have lifelong
benefits, regardless of your age, gender, or physical ability.
Improvements include controlled body weight and composition,
strengthened immune system, bones, and muscles, decreased
anxiety and depression, and reduced risk for conditions and
diseases like high blood pressure, stroke, type 2 diabetes,
arthritis, and certain types of cancer.
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28
KEY GUIDELINES
Slides 7 & 8
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
recommends that children and adolescents engage in 60
minutes or more of physical activity daily to achieve physical
fitness. Weeks should be divided into days dedicated to aerobic
activities, muscle-strengthening, and bone-strengthening
activities. See slide 8 for different levels and types of activities
that strengthen the body.
MEASURING FITNESS
Slides 9
Can you measure a person’s fitness level by looking at him or
her? No! For example, American Idol contestant, Michael
Lynche, is 6’1” and weighs 300 pounds. He may not appear
physically fit, but he can actually bench 505 pounds! His fitness
level allows him to simultaneously sing and dance without
tiring. There are a number of tools that are designed to
measure physical fitness. The FitnessGram tests a person’s
aerobic capacity, body composition, muscular strength and
endurance, and flexibility. To improve these skills it is important
to practice agility, balance, coordination, power, reaction time,
and speed. The Presidents Challenge Program is a great way to
engage students.
ACTIVITY: PRACTICING FITNESS
SKILLS
Slides 10
Designate one word to groups of two or
three students. Have students read the
fitness skills terms out loud and
demonstrates the term with physical
activities. The rest of the class will mimic
the motion. OR Stand in a circle and invite
a student to step into the circle to
demonstrate a meaning and lead the
group. This activity can be lots of fun, but
your need space.
Community Voices for Health: Kids Take Action © 2013 | American University
29
NUTRITION, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, &
HEALTH
Slides 11 & 12
The following 2 slides are for discussing openly with students
why they should care about health and what choices can they
make. Compare decisions that can be made on the nutrition
side and the physical activity side. After all, achieving physical
fitness is not just obtained through physical activity; it is just as
important to eat balanced, nutritious meals. Give each student
a chance to offer what part of the balancing act they are willing
and interested in tipping.
Physical activity requires energy, so consume calories that will
provide you with the most energy for the fewest number of
calories, fat, cholesterol, sodium, and sugar. Reduce added
sugar and corn syrup, eat fruits and vegetables, and avoid junk
food. To use the energy consumed from food, exercise so your
heart rate increases and you break a sweat. The more often you
spend doing activities like walking to school, playing outside,
taking the stairs, and gardening, the more physically fit your
body will become.
TAKE A STRETCH BREAK!
Slide 13
Preparation: Write the moves where children can see them.
➢ Move backwards - back stroke (swimming motion)
➢ Move forward - march in place
➢ Move to either side - side stretch in the direction of the hot
tamale
➢ Up higher - climbing ladder motion
➢ Down lower - squats
➢ Within one foot of the tamale (can be any object) - students
pretend they are stepping on hot coals (in place).
Follow directions on Power Point slide.
Community Voices for Health: Kids Take Action © 2013 | American University
30
Group Projects
GROUP PROJECTS
Slide 14
Now is the time to make sure the children
are on task if you want them to perform on
a specific day. You can arrange a
performance in front of the parent teacher
organization; the principal, students
and/or video tape the performances to
share with outside audiences.
Wrapping Up
Key Points: Lesson 4 explained components, benefits, and guidelines for physical
activity and fitness. Students learned the definitions of the components of fitness and
should be able to demonstrate each word. The main goal of the lesson was to
introduce students to ways they can increase the activity in their lives.
Exit Ticket: The purpose of an Exit Ticket is to gauge which and how much information
the students retained from the lesson.
Next Week Sneak Peak: Understanding the Impact: Marketing and Advertising (Lesson
5). Finish and practice group performances
References & Resources
2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans
www.health.gov/paguidelines/guidelines/default.aspx
Balancing Calories to Manage Weight, Dietary Guidelines for Americans
http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/Resources/DGA/Chapter2.pdf
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) www.cdc.gov/brfss/index.htm
Educating the Study Body: Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School
www.iom.edu/Reports/2013/Educating-the-Student-Body-Taking-Physical-Activity-and-PhysicalEducation-to-School.aspx
How much physical activity do children need?
www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/children.html
The Fitness Gram www.cooperinstitute.org/fitnessgram
That Nation’s Physical Activity, Fitness, and Nutrition Program
www.presidentschallenge.org/about/index.shtml
Let’s Move Schools www.letsmoveschools.org/
Community Voices for Health: Kids Take Action © 2013 | American University
31
UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT:
MARKETING AND ADVERTISING
Lesson 5
At a Glance
At this point in the Kids Take Action curriculum, students have learned
the essentials about food, nutrition and physical activity. They have been
introduced to ideas about policy, marketing and advertising. They have
more knowledge and skills to facilitate better decisions about their
health behaviors. With this base knowledge, take a closer look at how
ads work on your decision mechanisms. What are those ads trying to
consciously and subliminally make us think, feel and do? Using the newly
acquired knowledge about nutrition and physical activity, help the
students analyze the information being presented in the marketing
campaigns and how to decipher them. Our hope is that the students will
become savvy consumers, make healthier choices and better care of
themselves.
COMMON CORE STANDARDS
Standard 1: Analyze the author’s purpose in providing an explanation, describing a procedure, or
discussing an experiment in a text. (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.6 )
Standard 2: Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts. (CCSS.ELALiteracy.RST.6-8.1)
Standard 3: Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections
contribute to the whole and to an understanding of the topic. (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.5)
LESSON OVERVIEW
 Review
o Your Health: Physical Activity and Balanced





Nutrition (Lesson 4)
Lesson
o PowerPoint Slides
Fresh Produce
Fitness Break
Group Projects
Exit Ticket 
 Printable worksheet is included
“Teenagers ages 13–17 see an
average of 17 food
ads a day on TV. Over the
course of a year, this
translates into an average of
more than 6,000 food
ads—over 40 hours of food
advertising.”
Kaiser Family Foundation
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32
Key Concepts & Vocabulary
Bandwagon
Advertising
• Involves convincing the customers to join the group
of people.
• Persuading customers to do something by giving
them something extra, like a gift or money.
Bribe
Child-Directed
Advertising
• Advertising during TV programs for which children
make up 35% or more of the viewing audience.
Complimenting the
Customers
Emotional Appeal
Facts and Statistics
• “Because you are worth it.”
• Appeal to needs of consumers and fear factor.
• Use of numbers, proofs, and real examples to show
how good a product works.
Food Advertising
• The use of TV commercials, print advertisements,
and other media to persuade customers to buy
food products.
“Ideal Family” or
“Ideal Kids”
• A technique that advertisers use to show that the
families or kids using their product are a happy-golucky family.
Patriotic
Advertisements
• Support the country while using their product or
service.
Promotional
Advertising
• Involves giving away samples of the product for
free to consumers.
Weasel Words
• Words or statements that are intentionally
misleading. Advertisers do not say that they are the
best from the rest, but they also do not deny it.
Community Voices for Health: Kids Take Action © 2013 | American University
33
PowerPoint Notes
MARKETING FACTS
Slides 4 & 5
There is an abundance of facts about how much money is spend
advertising to children and the impact it has on their purchasing
habits and behaviors. Being aware of the techniques they use
will help the kids see the difference between what is true and
false in the advertising. Give them an opportunity to discuss ads
and do background research to figure out the truth.
ADVERTISING TECHNIQUES
Slide 6
Become familiar with the techniques used by advertising
executives to influence consumers then discuss the Sunny
Delight advertisement.
ADVERTISTING ACTIVITY
.
Slide 7
As you discuss each question on the Sunny
Delight advertising slide, be sure to point
out the technique being used. Emotional
appeal and ideal family/ kids in the
photograph (multiracial, happy boys,
strong, idyllic scene); facts about vitamin d
and calcium; promotional ad/bribe with
coupon. Is Sunny Delight healthy? No.
Community Voices for Health: Kids Take Action © 2013 | American University
34
FRONT OF THE PACKAGE LABELS
Slide 8
The front of the package labeling is an unreliable resource for
determining the health quality of a particular food. Pictures of
fruit and claims about nutrients such as fiber are meant to trick
the consumer into thinking the food is healthy There are rules
about what can be on the front label, as outlined by the FDA (the
regulating agency), however, they don’t do enough. The small
green section on the front of the package is intended to give
consumers quick access to nutrition facts, such as calories per
serving, grams of sugar and fat, and vitamin and mineral
content. This too is meant to convey an image that the product is
healthy - the green color implies it is good for you, and often
consumers look no further than this quick reference, skipping the
detail of the Nutrition Facts label.
MAKING HEALTHIER DECISIONS
ABOUT FOOD
Slide 9
Discuss with your children what changes they can make in their
lives. What can you do to improve your nutrition and food
habits? Can you avoid buying salty or sweet junk foods? Where
can you shop that has better selection? Can you eat a fruit
instead of candy? Try a health contract with the class.
Tips to Create a Great Plate
Balance calories
Eat smaller portions
Load up on fruits and vegetables
Choose 1% or fat-free dairy
Eat whole grains
Reduce foods high in added sugars, fat, and salt
Drink lots of water
TAKE A STRETCH BREAK!
Slide 12
Jammin’ Minutes! There are 55 one minute videos to choose
from! Have students enjoy 3-4 videos.
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9CC7E232FA1A90CD
www.jamschoolprogram.com
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35
GROUP PROJECTS
Put on the finishing touches and practice for the
performances. To see what some students have
done in previous Kids Take Action programs visit
http://www.american.edu/cas/seth/cvhealth/kid
s-take-action.cfm
Wrapping Up
Key Points: Students learned about the impact marketing has on their purchasing habits
and behaviors. Recognizing the techniques being used will help to be a wise consumer.
Exit Ticket: The purpose of an Exit Ticket is to gauge which and how much information
the students retained from the lesson.
Next Week Sneak Peak: Group Project Performances
References & Additional Resources
Choose MyPlate 10 Tips to a Great Plate
www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/downloads/TenTips/DGTipsheet1ChooseMyPlate.pdf
Fast Food f.a.c.t.s. Food Advertising to Children and Teens Score
www.fastfoodmarketing.org/
Food for Thought: Television Food Advertising to Children in the United States. Kaiser Family
Foundation.
http://kaiserfamilyfoundation.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/7618es.pdf
Leanwashing Index. Help Keep Advertising Honest www.leanwashingindex.com/
The Grocery Gap: Who Has Access to Healthy Food and Why it Matters
www.policylink.org/atf/cf/%7B97C6D565-BB43-406D-A6D5-ECA3BBF35AF0%7D/FINALGroceryGap.pdf
Food and Drug Administration
www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/LabelingNutrition/ucm111447.htm
GMA Facts Up Front
www.gmaonline.org/issues-policy/health-nutrition/facts-up-front-front-of-pack-labeling-initiative/
New England Journal of Medicine Criticism of Front Pack Labeling
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1101033
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FITNESS BREAK IDEAS
Below are websites that can be used as resources for physical
activity breaks. To use one of the links, copy and paste it into
your Internet browser.
Brain Breaks –
http://www.emc.cmich.edu/brainbreaks/TOC.htm
“Eat Smart, Move More” Energizers for Middle Schools –
http://www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/Energizers/Middle.html
Dance Breaks – Use music often; transition breaks; dancing; music during lunch; intercom
activities; weekly or monthly dance parties as reward system; use somebody new, interesting,
“cool” to come in and dance with the kids; e.g. Cha-Cha-Slide
Beyonce “Move Your Body” – www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc_PizWNp6k
Standing/Stretching Breaks – Have kids stand up, do stretches. Lean to your left, and then
your right, touch your toes, hands reaching to the sky, roll your neck, etc. Could put on
soothing music or energetic music and make it more dance-like
Jammin’ Minutes! – www.jamschoolprogram.com
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9CC7E232FA1A90CD
www.healthetips.com/archive.php
Three-Minute Brain Breaks – www.minds-in-bloom.com/2012/04/20-three-minute-brainbreaks.html
Move to Learn – www.movetolearnms.org
Active and Healthy Schools program
www.activeandhealthyschools.com
.
Community Voices for Health: Kids Take Action © 2013 | American University
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SCHOOL NEEDS ASSESSMENT
School Name: ________________________________________ Date: _________________________
Directions: Think about how your school promotes good nutrition and physical activity. Are there ways
that the school can promote them better? Answer the questions below and think about how the
problem could be improved. Which issues are most important to you and your group?
Problem
Yes/No/Sometimes
How can it be improved?
Do the water fountains works?
Do you like the fruit served in
the cafeteria?
Do you like the vegetables
served in the cafeteria?
Do you like the lunch at school?
Do you like the breakfast at
school?
Do you have recess?
Do you feel hungry during the
day?
Do you have a school garden?
Are there extracurricular sports
you can join?
Do you feel safe at school?
Does your school have a good
learning environment?
Can you buy healthy food in
your neighborhood?
Other?
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Group Planning Worksheet
Group Name: _____________________________________________________________________
School Name: __________________________________________ Date: _______________________
Group Roles:
Team Leader: _______________________________________________________________________
Lead researcher: ______________________________________________________________________
Group Organizer: _____________________________________________________________________
Writer: _______________________________________________________________________
Other: ______________________________________________________________________________
What changes in your school or community would increase your ability to make
healthy choices?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
What is your opinion on the subject?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
What information will support your argument?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
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What are the 3 main points you want to make?
Point 1: _____________________________________________________________________________
Point 2: _____________________________________________________________________________
Point 3: _____________________________________________________________________________
Where will you/did you collect the information? (interviews, research)
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
What media format will you use to advocate for the change (i.e., poster, brochure,
skit, song, dance, fitness routine, etc.)?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Need room for extra brainstorming? A picture perhaps?
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Song Worksheet
Key concepts – what key words about nutrition, fitness and wellness are you going to include in
your song. Here are some suggestions. Circle the ones you like.
Healthy nutritious fitness food
fruit
vegetables calorie protein carbohydrate
fat
Lyric preparation
What is your story line? All songs tell a story or have a message. What is yours?
Beginning
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Middle
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
End
____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
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News Broadcast Directions
1. Who is the audience you are targeting?________________________________________________
2. What is your goal?_____________________________________________________
3. Define group roles:
News Anchor(a person who presents the news during a news program): ___________________
News Reporter (a person who finds a news worthy issue, collects information and presents that
information to the public by writing, speaking or interviewing people in the media):
___________________________________________________________________________
Interviewee (the person being interviewed – this could be someone in the community, a coach,
a teacher, an expert on the topic, etc.): ______________________________________________
Other:______________________________________________________________________
4. Write your scrip.
Example:
News Anchor: “Good afternoon, and welcome to school name Middle School News. Tonight’s news
story focuses on the new healthy lunches served at school name. Under the Healthy Schools Act,
students at school name have been receiving healthier lunches that contain less fat and sugar. Let’s go
to our field reporter, Mrs. Smith, who is reporting in from the school name Cafeteria.”
News Reporter: “Good afternoon, I am reporting from the cafeteria at school name where students
have been receiving healthier lunches. I am standing with Chef, manager of food service who is
responsible for organizing healthier lunches for the students here at school. Chef, how have the meals
changed at school name?”
Interviewee: “The new meals are much healthier because they contain less fat and sugar. The kids are
also eating a variety of fruits and vegetables with their lunches.”
News Reporter: “Why are these meals considered better and how has this affected the students?”
Interviewee: “Kids are eating more nutritious meals that increase their daily intake of fruits and
vegetables and they are no longer eating meals high in calories and fat. The kids now have more
energy and do better in school after eating healthier meals.”
News Reporter: “Thanks, Chef Ed. Clearly the school name students here are feeling better after
eating nutritious meals. Back to you, Mrs. ABC.”
News Anchor: “Thanks Mrs. XYZ and Chef. It’s a good thing the Healthy Schools Act was passed in
2010. Because of this law, kids throughout DC will not only be eating healthier, but getting more
exercise as well.”
Community Voices for Health: Kids Take Action © 2013 | American University
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News Broadcast Script Worksheet
News Anchor:
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
News Reporter:
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Interviewee:
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
News Reporter:
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Interviewee:
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
News Reporter:
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
News Anchor:
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
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Teaching Worksheet
WHAT ARE YOU TEACHING ?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
WHAT ARE THREE FACTS YOU WILL TEACH THE STUDENTS?
1.__________________________________________________________________________________
2.__________________________________________________________________________________
3.__________________________________________________________________________________
WHAT ARE THREE QUESTIONS STUDENTS WILL ASK? PREPARE ANSWERS FOR EACH QUESTION .
Question 1:_________________________________________________________________________
Answer:____________________________________________________________________________
Question 2:__________________________________________________________________________
Answer:_____________________________________________________________________________
Question 3:__________________________________________________________________________
Answer:_____________________________________________________________________________
Closing comments of teacher:
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
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Writing a Play or Skit
What is to the topic? ______________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Who is the audience? ______________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Actor 1:____________________________________________________________________________
Actor 2:____________________________________________________________________________
Actor 3:____________________________________________________________________________
Actor 4:____________________________________________________________________________
Skit:
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
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Social Marketing Worksheet
What is social marketing?
Social marketing is a practice of using commercial marketing techniques to positively influence the
behavior of a target audience.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Who is the audience you are targeting?______________________________________________
What is the behavior you want to influence?__________________________________________
What are the benefits to changing the behavior?______________________________________
What format do you want to use?
Poster, brochure, audio visual
What strategy do you want to try?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Make the behavior change attractive?
Decrease the costs of the behavior change?
Improve the customer's ability to adopt the behavior change?
Decrease the attractiveness of the competing behaviors?
6. Design visual
7. Write text
Community Voices for Health: Kids Take Action © 2013 | American University
46
LESSON 1 EXIT TICKET
Name: _____________________________________________ Date: _________________________
1. List one interesting fact about media, policy, advocacy, or nutrition that you learned today.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
2. How can media influence our food choices?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
3. List one thing that you would like to see changed in your neighborhood or school.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
4. How can you voice your opinion about what you would like to see changed in your neighborhood
or school?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
LESSON 1 EXIT TICKET
Name: _____________________________________________ Date: _________________________
1. List one interesting fact about media, policy, advocacy, or nutrition that you learned today.
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
2. How can media influence our food choices?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
3. List one thing that you would like to see changed in your neighborhood or school.
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
4. How can you voice your opinion about what you would like to see changed in your neighborhood
or school?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
Community Voices for Health: Kids Take Action © 2013 | American University
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LESSON 2 EXIT TICKET
Name: ___________________________________________Date: _________________________
1. List the 3 macronutrients.
_________________________________________________________________________________
2. How many calories does YOUR body need daily?
_________________________________________________________________________________
3. What high fat foods should you avoid eating?
_________________________________________________________________________________
4. What healthier food choices can YOU make today?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
5. What was the most interesting nutrition fact you learned today?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
LESSON 2 EXIT TICKET
Name: ___________________________________________Date: _________________________
1. List the 3 macronutrients.
_________________________________________________________________________________
2. How many calories does YOUR body need daily?
_________________________________________________________________________________
3. What high fat foods should you avoid eating?
_________________________________________________________________________________
4. What healthier food choices can YOU make today?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
5. What was the most interesting nutrition fact you learned today?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
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LESSON 3 EXIT TICKET
Name: ___________________________________________Date: _________________________
1. What information can you learn from the food label ingredient list that helps you understand
whether the item is a healthy choice?
_________________________________________________________________________________
2. What is the relationship between serving size and calories?
_________________________________________________________________________________
3. What are two food safety tips?
_________________________________________________________________________________
4. What is one food borne illness, and how can you prevent it?
_________________________________________________________________________________
LESSON 3 EXIT TICKET
Name: ___________________________________________Date: _________________________
1. What information can you learn from the food label ingredient list that helps you understand
whether the item is a healthy choice?
_________________________________________________________________________________
2. What is the relationship between serving size and calories?
_________________________________________________________________________________
3. What are two food safety tips?
_________________________________________________________________________________
4. What is one food borne illness, and how can you prevent it?
_________________________________________________________________________________
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LESSON 4 EXIT TICKET
Name: ___________________________________________Date: _________________________
1. Name 2 benefits of being physically fit.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Give an example of a vigorous aerobic exercise.
______________________________________________________________________________
3. What does body composition mean?
_______________________________________________________________________________
4. What is a good way to balance your calorie intake and your calorie output?
_____________________________________________________________________________
5. What healthy food choice will you make today?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
LESSON 4 EXIT TICKET
Name: ___________________________________________Date: _________________________
1. Name 2 benefits of being physically fit.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Give an example of a vigorous aerobic exercise.
______________________________________________________________________________
3. What does body composition mean?
_______________________________________________________________________________
4. What is a good way to balance your calorie intake and your calorie output?
_____________________________________________________________________________
5. What healthy food choice will you make today?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Community Voices for Health: Kids Take Action © 2013 | American University
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LESSON 5 EXIT TICKET
Name: ___________________________________________Date: _________________________
1. What are some techniques used by marketing companies to entice you to buy their product?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. What are some of the front of package techniques companies use to convince parents and
children that the food is healthy?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. How can you use nutrition information to make healthier decisions?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
4. What was the most useful idea you learned today?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
LESSON 5 EXIT TICKET
Name: ___________________________________________Date: _________________________
1. What are some techniques used by marketing companies to entice you to buy their product?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. What are some of the front of package techniques companies use to convince parents and
children that the food is healthy?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. How can you use nutrition information to make healthier decisions?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
4. What was the most useful idea you learned today?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Community Voices for Health: Kids Take Action © 2013 | American University
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Community Voices for Health: Kids Take Action
Thanks for participating!
You are a Kids Take Action Champion.
School
Date
To download a copy of this curriculum and accompanying Power Point
slides visit www.american.edu/cas/seth/cvhealth/