The Food Pyramid and How It Affects Daily Eating

Learning Context

Purpose

The purpose of this learning experience is for the students to learn about the food pyramid and a well balanced meal. Students learn the contents of the different food groups and the recommended number of daily servings. In addition, the students learn how eating nutritious food makes an important contribution to good health. Also, the students will assist in basic food preparation. After learning about the food pyramid, the students are able to make nutritious conscious decisions when eating meals.

Objectives

TSWBAT independently create a bealthy and well balanced meal.

TSWBAT assist food in preparation with help from peers, teachers, and a professional chef.

Enduring Understanding

Eating nutritious food is important for good health.

Essential Question

What constitutes a “good” meal?

GUIDING QUESTIONS

What are the six food groups?

What foods are in each food group?

How many servings of each food group should a person eat a day?

Why is it important to eat healthy?

CLASS BACKGROUND

These lessons were implemented in a Kindergarten - Second grade special education room. The classroom is a self-contained 15-1-1 class. In the class, there is a special education teacher, a classroom aide, and myself as a student teacher. There are currently only eleven students in the class. The eleven students consist of three girls and eight boys. There are five kindergarteners, three first graders, and three second graders. All of the students are significantly below grade level in all subject areas; however, one student is currently being mainstreamed for reading and writing. Nine of these students have severe learning disabilities, one student is labeled Other Health Impaired due to being born premature and one student is Speech and Language Disabled. All eleven of the students have IEPs. Every student receives extended time on tests, behavioral therapy, and occupational therapy. Most students also receive physical therapy and speech while one student receives vision therapy. The students are all from moderate to low socioeconomic status backgrounds. There is not a textbook due to the fact that the students are from three different grade levels and varying reading abilities. Most of the time the curriculum is set for the students at a pre-k through beginning first grade level. Most of the students struggle with decoding as well as comprehension. The most profound deficits are in writing. Even writing their own names is an uphill battle and the products are usually difficult to read. There are also significant delays in mathematics. Please refer to the floor plan (Appendix C) to view the set up of the classroom.

Overview of What Students Need to Know

Prior to Implementation:

Ability to follow directions
Ability to work well with others
Raise hand if you would like to share
Rules/procedures found on Appendices A and B

During Implementation:

The six food groups include: fruits, vegetables, grains, meats/proteins, dairy, and oils/sweets.
Food provides the body with energy.
A nutritious diet is important for the body to stay healthy and not retain extra fat.
Rules/procedures found on Appendices A and B

After Implementation:

Ability to recall the names of the six food groups.
The amount of servings of each food group that a person should eat daily.
Nutritious food is important for the body to stay healthy.
Ability to prepare food that is easy to make as well as nutritious

Key Vocabulary

nutrition- the process in which humans take in and use food
healthy food- food that contains large amounts of vitamins and minerals and few grams of calories and fat
dairy- food group consisting of food made from milk
meat/protein- food group that consists of food from pigs, cows, chickens, turkeys etc as well as eggs and nuts
vegetable- nonsweet roots, stems, or leaves from plants
fruit- the ripened sweet part of a plant
oil/sweet- any product such as vegetable oil, olive oil, or products high in sugar and low in nutritional value such as cake and cookies
grain- food products created by grinding of a plant such as flour from wheat
healthy- provides necessary nutrients to the body
serving- an individual quantity of a food or beverage
senses- methods of perception (taste, feel, hear, smell, see)
bar graph- a chart represented by bars of varying length to show quantity

Classroom Rules

1.) Use Inside Voices

2.) Use Walking Feet

3.) Keep Your Hands and Feet to Yourself

4.) Follow Directions Given By Adults

5.) Raise Your Hand to Share

Classroom Procedures

1.) Morning Routine

When arriving in the morning students must first take off boots in the hallway.
Next, students come into the classroom, take off jacket and put on sneakers.
The students will then put their communication journals and binders on the shelving unit.
Finally, students quietly go to seat and work on morning work, which is in their folders, until the morning announcements come on.

2.) Lining Up for Lunch

Line leader, which is predetermined by classroom helpers, lines up first.
Following the line leader, students who brought their lunch line up.
After, the students who are ordering first choice line up.
Next, the students who are ordering second choice line up.
Lastly, students who are ordering peanut butter and jelly line up.

3.) Handing in Papers

When papers are complete, students must first check to see if their name is on the top of the paper.
After checking for their name, the students must check over their work.
Next, the students can quietly get up from their seats and put their piece of work in the basket labeled “Hand In”.
Students quietly go back to their seat and continue working on other work or wait for further directions.

4.) Behavior When Leaving Class

If with other students, form a line with the line leader at the beginning.
While walking down the hall, be quiet and walk.
Do not touch things on the wall or go to any place other than the destination.
At destination, enter quietly to be sure not to interrupt others.

5.) Seating Arrangements

Seats are assigned based on grade. There is a table for kindergarteners, first graders, as well as second graders.
Individual seating is based on the name tag in front of the chair. These are chosen by the teacher.
Always push in chair when you get out of it.

6.) Procedure for Going to the Restroom

Raise your hand and ask for permission to go to the bathroom.
Quietly exit the classroom and remain quiet in the hallway.
After using the restroom, be sure to wash hands and throw out your paper towel.
Quietly walk back to the classroom without touching anything on the walls.
Quietly enter the classroom so you do not disturb others.

Floor Plan

Letter home

Dear Parents,                                                                                                                     1/28/11
               Hello! My name is Alicia Schaeffer and I am a senior at Daemen College where I am studying childhood education/special education. I will be the student teacher in your child’s classroom for six weeks. I started on Wednesday, January 26th and I am scheduled to complete this placement on March 18th. I have obtained experiences in other classrooms while in college and I am hoping to bring my experiences to this room, and also learn a lot while I am here. I am truly enjoying getting to know your child’s learning styles and their wonderful personality.
               School is a place for learning and growing. It is my hope that while I am here, I will encourage your child to enjoy learning experience and to gain self-esteem by providing quality learning experiences that are fun. Many teachers have influenced me throughout my life. They have enriched my life and have molded me into the person that I am today. This had a profound impact on my life and is the reason why I am pursuing a career as a teacher.
               While at this placement, I will be teaching two units. The first unit will be on the food pyramid. The students will learn about the different food groups and have interactive and engaging activities based on each group. We will also be going on a field trip to Top’s Cooking School so that the students can put their knowledge to use and assist in the preparation of healthy snacks. My second unit will be on community helpers. We will be learning about doctors, farmers, construction workers, firefighters, policemen and dentists.
               If you have any questions about my student teaching experience, please feel free to contact Ms. Kiel at school at 891-6424.
Thank you,
Miss Alicia Schaeffer

Field Trip Permission Slip

Tops Supermarket Field Trip

Dear Parents,
We are going on a field trip! On Friday, March 4th, the students will go to Top’s Supermarket to participate in a cooking school. We will be learning about the food groups and a healthy lifestyle. To conclude this fun unit, we are going to take a tour of different sections of the grocery store, do a scavenger hunt of ingredients, and then cook our own lunch. We will leave school at 9:30 A.M. and return to school at 12:30 P.M. Students who eat breakfast at school will still be able to do so. Students will not need to bring or buy lunch.
The cost of this field trip is $4 per student. Please return the permission slip along with the $4 by Friday, February 18th.

Thank You!
Miss Schaeffer
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My child _______________________ has permission to attend the Tops Supermarket Field Trip on Friday, March 4th.

I have enclosed the $4: ________

Parent Signature: _____________________________

Emergency Contact and Phone Number: ___________________________________________________

Photography Permission Slip

Photography Parental Consent Form

Dear Parents,
I am writing this letter in hopes that you will give me permission to photograph your child. Photographs will only be taken during learning activities and field trips. These photographs will be used for my professional student teaching portfolio as well as for classroom arts and crafts. Throughout my time in Ms. Kiel’s class, I have planned many fun and exciting activities for the students to participate in and I would love to capture these memories.

Sincerely,
Miss Schaeffer
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_____ I give parental consent to allow my child to be photographed for educational purposes only.
Parent Signature and Date:
__________________________________________

_____ I do not give parental consent for my child to be photographed for educational purposes.
Parent Signature and Date:
__________________________________________