“Youth Obesity: Schools Fight Back”
Science Lesson Plan
is a feature of
A daily news broadcast for High School and Middle School students
now under development by MacNeil/Lehrer Productions Youth Obesity: Schools Fight Back
Science Curriculum
Table of Contents
Letter to the Educator ...................................................................................... 1
“Youth Obesity: Schools Fight Back”
Science Curriculum ......................................................................................... 2
Spring, 2012
Dear Educator,
the.News online video reports for the.Sci and the.Gov provide middle and high school students with a valuable exercise in
social studies and language arts with this 6:22 segment on “Youth Obesity: Schools Fight Back” at
www.pbs.org/newshour/thenews/thesci and www.pbs.org/newshour/thenews/thegov. Mitch Mattern investigates a
national youth obesity problem and how a school community in Omaha Nebraska addresses this challenge. You can view
this report in the “For Educators” section of the website. All videos and curricula have been informed by the.News
instructional design that can be found on the website www.pbs.org/newshour/thenews/foreducators . The curriculum
includes content-based standards, discussion questions, student activities, vocabulary and primary reference sources. A
complete transcript of each video report includes time codes to assist in isolating specific segments of the video and to
augment the instruction of media literacy and multimedia production. All of this material is presented as options to fit
teachers’ instructional needs.
References to Larry Bell’s “The 12 Powerful Words” are highlighted in bold in the lesson plans and in the “thought
starter” questions on the home page and educator’s page, and in the transcript (to denote where they are used in the video
segment).
We have also added a section called general topics to correlate to the lessons and video as well as concept based standards
with conceptual lens and enduring understanding.
We welcome our partners at the Omaha Public Schools who have joined the.News in the third year of a special pilot
project. We have also developed a special authoring tool for students called YOU.edit which gives students an online tool
to remix the content of the.News reports, so they can create their own multimedia presentations. This editing tool can be
found by clicking on the YOU.edit button on the home page of the website. Currently used with our OPS teacher
consultants it is password protected so that it can serve as a viable educational asset that allows classroom teachers to
assign multimedia projects within the security and content safety of the.News website.
Answers to student “thought starter” questions listed below the video.
1. According to a recent report from the CDC more than 12 million children are considered obese in the US.
1 of every 6 US children and teens are considered obese.
2. U.S. Department of Agricultue’s Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program.
3. See transcript on page 3 (shot #14) for examples.
Sincerely,
Karen W. Jaffe
Manager, Education Projects, the.News
MacNeil/Lehrer Productions
27 00 S. Quincy Street, Suite 250
Arlington, VA 22206
kjaffe@newshour.org
www.pbs.org/newshour/thenews
©
1
Youth Obesity: Schools Fight Back
This lesson was designed to support the.News video “Youth Obesity: Schools Fight Back.” The video can be found online at
www.pbs.org/newshour/thenews/thesci
Omaha Public Schools Standards :
http://bit.ly/wgAPad
OPS Human Growth & Development
Standards Grade 7
Standard 5, Concept 11: Health care is the
responsibility of each individual.
Grade Level: Grades 7-12
Content Areas: Science,
Health, Math
Key Concepts:
OPS Mathematics Standards
Grades 7–8
Standard 6 Geometry/Measurement:
Demonstrate an understanding of coordinate
geometry.
Standard 13 Data analysis and probability:
Accurately display and analyze data.
OPS Mathematics Standards
Grades 7–12
Pre-Algebra
Standard 13 Data analysis and probability:
Accurately display and analyze data.
Algebra 1–2
Standard 10 Data analysis and probability:
Accurately display and analyze data.
Standard 11 Data analysis and probability:
Use data to make predictions and inferences.
Algebra 3–4
Standard 8 Data analysis and probability:
Use data to make predictions and inferences.
Omaha Public Schools Science Standards
Grade 7
Standard 05: Develop an understanding of
the structure and function of the human
body.
Omaha Public Schools Science Standards
Grades 9–12
Biology 1–2, AP Biology
Standard 04: Investigate the molecular basis
of genetics and the influence of genetics on
health
Conceptual Lens: System/Interaction
Enduring Understanding: Genetic and
environmental influences lead to diversity
of populations
Students will learn the
difference between healthy and
unhealthy snacks. They will
examine why people like unhealthy snacks and conduct an
investigation to find healthy replacements for them.
Objectives:
Students will
• Be able to identify unhealthy snacks and explain
why they are unhealthy.
• Work in groups to find alternatives to unhealthy
snacks.
• Offer a “taste test” for the class to evaluate
alternatives to unhealthy snacks.
• Graph the results of the test and make
recommendations about swapping healthier snacks
for unhealthy ones based on an evaluation of the
results.
Key Vocabulary:
•
Calorie: unit of measurement that expresses the
energy value of food
•
Junk Food: food that has little nutritional value and
is often high in fat, sugar, sodium, and calories
•
Nutrition: nourishment for the body
•
Obesity: seriously fat or overweight
•
Sodium: salt found in many prepackaged foods
Sources: All my own definitions derived from CDC, New Oxford American Dictionary, and
TeensHealth
Time Frame:
Three class periods, one for identifying unhealthy snacks
and researching healthier alternatives, a second for
conducting the taste test, and a third to graph the test
results and discuss them.
Lesson Topics:
• Obesity
• Health and Fitness
• Nutrition
Materials:
• “Youth Obesity: Schools Fight Back” from the.Gov and the.Sci
www.pbs.org/newshour/thenews/thesci
•
•
•
Internet access
paper and pens
various healthy snack alternatives for a classroom taste test
Common Core Science and Technical Subjects
Grades 6–8
• RST.6-8.1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts.
• RST.6-8.7. Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with
a version of that information expressed visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph,
or table).
• RST.6-8.8. Distinguish among facts, reasoned judgment based on research findings, and
speculation in a text.
• RST.6-8.9. Compare and contrast the information gained from experiments, simulations,
video, or multimedia sources with that gained from reading a text on the same topic.
Grades 9–10
• RST.9-10.1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts,
attending to the precise details of explanations or descriptions.
• RST.9-10.7. Translate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text into
visual form (e.g., a table or chart) and translate information expressed visually or
mathematically (e.g., in an equation) into words.
• RST.9-10.9. Compare and contrast findings presented in a text to those from other sources
(including their own experiments), noting when the findings support or contradict previous
explanations or accounts.
Grades 11–12
• RST.11-12.1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical
texts, attending to important distinctions the author makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies
in the account.
• RST.11-12.7. Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse
formats and media (e.g., quantitative data, video, multimedia) in order to address a question
or solve a problem.
• RST.11-12.9. Synthesize information from a range of sources (e.g., texts, experiments,
simulations) into a coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving
conflicting information when possible.
Background:
About one in six children and teens in the United
States is obese, which means that they are
significantly overweight. This adds up to 12.5 million
kids, or about 17 percent of the total population. The
problem is so serious that first lady Michelle Obama
made it one of her priorities, launching a national
campaign designed to combat childhood obesity
called “Let’s Move!” The aim is to solve the
childhood obesity problem in a generation. You can
learn more about this effort at letsmove.gov and also
view the.News the.Sci video “The White House
Campaign on Childood Obesity” at
http://to.pbs.org/wMNRor and the lesson plan at
http://to.pbs.org/AqlWO4.
There are many reasons why kids struggle to maintain
a healthy weight. Dr. Christina Fernandez attributes
fast food, sugary drinks, and portions that are too
large to the problem. And television and video games
lead children to be sedentary rather than active.
the.News segment “Youth Obesity: Schools Fight
Back,” covers several examples of how schools are
turning this around. Among them are adding activities
such as dancing into classrooms, making sure recess
time is active time, taking field trips that include
exercise such as hiking. Offering healthier snacks is
another way featured in the segment. Omaha’s
Western Hills Elementary participates in the U.S.
Department of Agriculture’s Fresh Fruits and
Vegetables Program, which introduces kids to healthy
snacks such as fruits.
National Science Education
Standards
Grades 5–12
Science as Inquiry
Standard A: All students should develop
• Abilities necessary to do
scientific inquiry
• Understanding about scientific
inquiry
Life Science
Standard C: All students should develop
understanding of
• Regulation and behavior (grades
5–8)
Science and Technology
Standard E: All students should develop
• Understandings about science
and technology
Science in Personal and Social
Perspectives
Standard F: All students should develop
understanding of
• Personal health (grades 5–8)
• Personal and community health
(grades 9–12)
History and Nature of Science
Standard G: All students should develop
understanding of
• Science as a human endeavor
• Nature of science (grades 5–8)
• Nature of scientific knowledge
(grades 9–12)
The first part of this lesson involves
identifying unhealthy snacks and exploring
why we like them so much. Students may be
surprised to learn that our taste likes and
dislikes are partly governed by genetics. In the
NOVA segment “The Science of Picky
Eaters,” scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson
explains that a person’s genes determine
whether he or she can’t stand bitter, green
vegetables (such as broccoli) that are
beneficial. And we’re predisposed to like
sweet foods, which provide energy to the
body. So if we’re “programmed” to eat foods that aren’t that good for us, how can we kick the
junk food habit? This lesson will help students find healthy replacements for some favorite but
unhealthy snacks by carrying out a scientific investigation.
Part of this lesson is to find the nutritional content of snack foods. Students can do this by
reading nutrition facts labels. Grocery stores may also have nutrition details for produce and
other non-packaged items near these foods in the store. Many recipes include nutrition
information. See the resources section for guidance on finding calorie and nutrition information
for different foods online.
Safety Note: Be sure all students wash their hands and that all containers and utensils they use on
or around food are clean. Be aware of any food allergies and emphasize that foods students are
allergic to are not to be used in this lesson. This is especially important for students with nut
allergies. Students will not be able to use any foods or ingredients that contain nuts or are
processed in a factory that handles nuts. Check food labels for this information before allowing
students to use any ingredient in class.
Partnership for 21st Century Skills
Creativity and Innovation Skills
• Use a wide range of idea creation techniques (such as brainstorming)
• Create new and worthwhile ideas (both incremental and radical concepts)
• Elaborate, refine, analyze and evaluate their own ideas in order to improve and maximize
creative efforts
• Develop, implement and communicate new ideas to others effectively
• Be open and responsive to new and diverse perspectives; incorporate group input and feedback
into the work
• Demonstrate originality and inventiveness in work and understand the real world limits to
adopting new ideas
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
• Use various types of reasoning (inductive, deductive, etc.) as appropriate to the situation
• Effectively analyze and evaluate evidence, arguments, claims and beliefs
• Synthesize and make connections between information and arguments
• Interpret information and draw conclusions based on the best analysis
• Solve different kinds of non-familiar problems in both conventional and innovative ways
• Identify and ask significant questions that clarify various points of view and lead to better
solutions
Communication and Collaboration
• Articulate thoughts and ideas effectively using oral, written and nonverbal communication skills
in a variety of forms and contexts
• Demonstrate ability to work effectively and respectfully with diverse teams
• Exercise flexibility and willingness to be helpful in making necessary compromises to
accomplish a common goal
• Assume shared responsibility for collaborative work, and value the individual contributions
made by each team member
Information Literacy
• Access information efficiently (time) and effectively (sources)
• Evaluate information critically and competently
• Use information accurately and creatively for the issue or problem at hand
• Manage the flow of information from a wide variety of sources
ICT (Information, Communications and Technology) Literacy
• Use technology as a tool to research, organize, evaluate and communicate information
• Use digital technologies (computers, PDAs, media players, GPS, etc.),
communication/networking tools and social networks appropriately to access, manage, integrate,
evaluate and create information to successfully function in a knowledge economy
Lesson Plan:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Watch “Youth Obesity: Schools Fight Back” (www.pbs.org/newshour/thenews/thesci)
and introduce the topic of obesity and discuss some of the reasons why so many children
are obese.
Then allow students time to view the online video “The Science of Picky Eaters” at
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/science-picky-eaters.html. Talk about the video as a
group. Were students surprised to learn how the sense of taste is shaped by genes, aroma,
and sight? Do students think that we are predisposed to like foods that aren’t good for us?
How can we overcome our genes to learn how to eat healthy foods that we actually
enjoy?
Ask students to brainstorm some of their favorite unhealthy snacks and list them on the
board. Allow students to vote on their top four or five. Break the class into groups and
assign each group one of the snacks. Students are to analyze why the snack is so
irresistible. For example, kids may love the crispiness of chips and their salty taste. They
may like the texture and sweetness of ice cream and the richness and crunch of cookies.
Now ask students to come up with a healthy alternative to the unhealthy snack. They
should keep in mind that the alternative should have the favorable taste qualities of the
bad snack, but should be something that is good for them. For example, an alternative to
potato chips might be air-popped popcorn with some grated parmesan cheese sprinkled
on. The popcorn is crunchy, and the cheese adds a bit of salty taste without actually
adding salt. Allow students time to do some research into finding their snack swaps. Part
of this research should include a simple nutritional analysis of the two snacks to compare
them.
Next each group will prepare their snack swap to share with the class. Students can use
ingredients from home or the school cafeteria to make their snack. There should be
enough for everyone in the class to get a small taste. At each tasting station, display a
note that lists the original snack, the alternative, and the taste qualities group members
believed were important in explaining the popularity of the unhealthy snack. Also list the
nutritional data for each. Have a short survey for tasters to fill out that will help them
describe the foods. The survey should ask how well the alternative compares to the
original, unhealthy snack. Does it meet the taste requirements? Ask tasters to rank the
alternative snack on a scale. For example, on a scale of one to five, rate the tastiness of
the alternative snack. Also on a scale of one to five, rank how the alternative snack
compares to the original in terms of the desirable taste qualities. You can help younger
students devise their surveys, but allow older students to craft their own.
After everyone has had a chance to taste all the snacks, each group should compile the
survey responses to complete a graph of the results. Share the graphs with the class and
discuss them. Which snack swaps were most successful? Why? Were any of the
alternatives as good or better than the original?
Assessment:
Ask students to summarize the results of their investigation in their science journals. Ask them
to think about and write a brief essay to respond to this prompt: After evaluating the pros and
cons of healthy and unhealthy snacks, I conclude …
Extension:
Hold a classroom debate about who’s responsible for unhealthy eating habits. Is it the
manufacturers of junk food that want to make money on their products? Or is it the people who
choose to eat the junk food knowing that it’s bad for them? Divide the class into two groups to
research each position. Then allow each group to present their arguments. Take a poll after the
debate to determine the “winner.”
Resources:
PBS’s NOVA, “The Science of Picky Eaters”: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/sciencepicky-eaters.html.
Let’s Move: http://www.letsmove.gov/
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services We Can! site:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/. Also see the UR What U Eat chart
at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/downloads/urwhateat.pdf.
TeensHealth from Nemours site on Food and Fitness: http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/.
The Smart Snacking pages are particularly useful at
http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/nutrition/healthy_snacks.html#.
Kidnetic.com: http://www.kidnetic.com/
Healthy School Snacks from the Center for Science in the Public Interest:
http://cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy/healthy_school_snacks.html.
USDA’s yourSELF Middle School Education Kit for grades 7 and 8 contains student magazines,
workbooks, teacher’s guide, a video, and poster. The magazine, workbook, and guide can be
downloaded for free at http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/Educators/yourself.html.
USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory offers keyword searches to find nutritional information on just
about any food at http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/. It also has an alphabetical
calorie chart PDF at http://ssmhealth.adam.com/graphics/pdf/en/19996.pdf.
Activity Designer:
Rhonda Lucas Donald is a freelance writer and educational consultant.