Build a Pyramid

Title:  Build a Pyramid

Grade Level:  10-12

Subject: Family and Consumer Science, Health

Learner Outcomes:
    Student will:

• Become familiar with the Food Guide Pyramid and how it can help improve eating habits.
• Learn what the food groups are.
• Learn the number of servings that are required on a daily basis from the food groups.
• Learn which foods belong to each food group.
• Determine if they eat foods from all of the food pyramid groups.
• Plan a days diet using the food guide pyramid as a guide.

Materials:  Power point presentation: Food Guide Pyramid; Food Models from National Dairy Council; skit "Lost in the Food Pyramid" from Choices Magazine, Sept. 1992; worksheets "favorite foods",  "grouping foods", and blank Pyramid; blank sheets of typing paper, computers, pencils, and Food Pyramid pamphlets from UDSA,

Technology Tools/Courseware: Computer for internet usage.

Teacher Notes:

• Teacher will need to get materials ordered well in advance of lesson.  These include:  Skit from Choices Magazine, Food Models from National Dairy Council and Pamphlets on Food Pyramid from USDA.
• Teacher will need to have worksheets printed out before class time.
• Worksheets are created in MSWord format.
• Be sure acceptable use policies are on file for each student.
• Preview all activities before class.
• Have students keep a food diary for one day before unit begins and bring this to class when lesson begins.
• Refer to the master list of web sites for other materials to use with the unit.

Procedures:

    1.  Introduce the lesson by doing skit about Food Pyramid. (See attachment for instructions)
    2.  Present the power point program on Food Guide Pyramid.  Give students blank copies of the pyramid so they can take notes from the presentation.
    3.  Have students use food models to sort foods given into groups represented on the pyramid.  (apple in the fruit group)
    4.  If food models are not available, give students a list of foods and let them sort them into proper groups.
    5.  Use food diary students bring to class to check their amounts and foods against the food pyramid recommendations.
         This could be done using excel spreadsheet, then graphing to see more clearly their results, or students can use Pyramid Tracker to evaluate their meals.
    6.  Complete worksheet "Favorite Foods" to help students see if they eat or like foods from all the groups in the pyramid.
    7.  Quiz students by giving them a worksheet, Grouping Foods, containing foods that they have to match to the food pyramid group.
    8.  Plan a one days diet (3 meals and snacks) for self , making sure that they meet all requirements of the food pyramid chart.

Modifications:  Follow individual IEPS for special students.

Enrichment Activities:

Students could keep a diary for one week of all food eaten and the amounts, then do a spreadsheet and graph to show how healthy their meals are.
Students could count calories, fat, and sodium intake of different meals to further their analysis of healthy meals.
Students could do a low calorie or low fat meal plan using the pyramid as a guide.

Evaluation/Assessment:

•  Do the mapping activity sample provided to see how much students have learned about the pyramid.
• Test students knowledge by giving them a blank pyramid and asking them to fill in the name of the food group, the number of servings needed daily, and examples of foods for each group, or completing the quiz Food Pyramid Challenge.
• Test students by having them apply the information on the pyramid by writing out a menu for someone to follow

    HE.55, HE56, HE.54, LCS 21, NFS 1, NFS 2.

National Standards:

    1.  Understands essential concepts about nutrition and diet.

Job/Career Clusters:

Human Services:  Personal and Family Services:  Entry Level
 

References:

Food Pyramid from USDA. Food Guide Pyramid Pamphlet,
Favorite Foods, Diet and Nutrition Activities Unit 2, Patricia Toner, The Center for applied Research in Education, http://phdirect.com 1993.
National dairy Council, Food Models
Scholastic, Choices Magazine, Sept. 1992, Skit:  Lost in the food pyramid by Pearl Gaskins.
Food Pyramid Challenge.
Pyramid Tracker

Overview Just for the Health of it	Lesson 1	Lesson 2	Lesson 3	Lesson 4	Lesson 5

Charleta Brooks  Linda Lee  Paul Ward