Standard of Learning

7.2 The student will describe and exhibit the behaviors associated with a physically active and healthy lifestyle. Key concepts/skills include:

1. the effects of nutrition on daily performance;
2. the importance of participating in recreational and leisure activities;
3. strategies for avoiding drugs, alcohol, tobacco, inhalants and other harmful substances;
4. the health benefits of regular physical activity and fitness;
5. the impact of sleep and rest on physical and mental performance.

<< Back to Index

Understanding the Standard

The student will understand that dietary habits affect daily performance.

Essential Knowledge and Skills

The student will:

• explain why breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
• describe a healthful breakfast.
• identify nutrients that have a positive effect on physical performance. (carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water)
• describe nutritious snacks.
• define nutrient dense foods. (have a high amount of nutrients relative to the number of calories)

Instructional Strategies

Dying to be Thin Supporting Friends with Eating Disorders
Grade(s): 6-12
In this lesson, students role-play scenarios in which they encounter a friend or acquaintance who may have an eating disorder. Students brainstorm ways to help the friend. Students then create informational brochures with useful information about eating disorder prevention.
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20001121tuesday.html
Free

Eating Forever
Grades 6-12
Importance of a healthy diet and regular exercise.
Sponsor: PBS
One-two class periods
http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/ (select Health & Fitness - Middle School - Diet & Nutrition)
Free

Feeding Minds, Fighting Hunger
Grades 6-8
International classroom for exploring the problems of hunger, malnutrition, and food insecurity.
--What Are Hunger and Malnutrition?
--Who Are the Hungry?
--Why Are People Hungry and Malnourished?
--What Can We Do to Help End Hunger?
Three or more class periods
Contact: http://www.feedingminds.org
Free

Health: Eating Disorders
Grade(s): 7-9
Learn about anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, compulsive overeating, and other types of eating disorders. Find out their signs and symptoms, how they can be identified, and prevented. Includes video files, peer stories, questions and answers, quizzes, and a lesson plan. There is also a link to an eThemes resource on diet and nutrition.
http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001532.shtml
Free

A Healthy Diet
Grades 5-8
Maintain a three-day food diary to determine how much fat is consumed.
Sponsor: PBS
Two class periods
http://www.pbs.org/saf/1104/teaching/teaching3.htm
Free

HeartPower
Grades 6-8
Teaches students about the heart and how to keep it healthy. Includes physical activity, nutrition, and living tobacco-free. Science-based.
--Healthy Snacks - quick activity (Discusses what makes snacks healthy. Students develop recipes for healthy snacks and plan how they would market the snack.)
--Build Your Own Pyramid - activity sheet (Students record what they eat throughout the day on the food pyramid and discuss the results.)
--Become a Fat Detective - quick activity (Students analyze fast food menus to find fats and discuss more healthy ways to cook.)
--Aerobic or Anaerobic? - quick activity (Discusses differences between aerobic and anaerobic exercise, and the relationship between regular physical activity and a healthy heart. Students keep records of their activities.)
--How Does the Heart Work? - lesson idea
--What Increases the Risks of CVD? - lesson idea
--More or Less? - lesson idea
--Why Is a Low-Fat Diet a More Healthful Diet? - lesson idea (Encourages children to eat a variety of healthy foods to maintain a healthy heart. Activity sheets.)
--How Do You Choose a Physical Activity? - lesson idea (Relationship between exercise, body concept and a healthy heart. Activity sheets. Create an exercise video.)
--How Can You Help Others Stay Tobacco Free? - lesson idea
--Why Is Secondhand Smoke Dangerous? - lesson idea
--Build Your Own Pyramid - activity sheet
--Today's Specials - activity sheet
--What or Who Influences Your Food Choices? - lesson idea (Relationship between healthful food choices and self-concept.)
Sponsor: American Heart Association
http://www.americanheart.org (select HeartPower!)
Free

Just in Time for Valentine's Day - Have a Healthy Heart
Grade(s): 6-8
In this activity, students will watch their pulse rate while exercising.  After doing this, the students will figure out how regular exercise affects their heart beat.
http://www.teachnet.com/lesson/health/fitness/healthyheart.html
Free

LOAFS - Learning on a Full Stomach
Grades 5-12
Students look at hunger problems within their own communities and are encouraged to implement a LOAFS program.
Sponsor: Ask ERIC Lesson Plan
Three classes
http://www.eduref.org (select lesson plans – health – nutrition)
Free

A Meal of Endurance
Grades 5-8
Explores nutritional value of antarctic explorers' high fat diet.
Sponsor: PBS
One class period
http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/ (select Health & Fitness - Middle School - Diet & Nutrition)
Free

Middle Level Interdisciplinary Curriculum (Mid-LINC)
Curriculum teaches nutrition concerns to pre-adolescents.
--Prehistoric vs. Modern Diet
--Growing to the Max
--Food-Environment Connection
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Department of Education
http://www.pde.state.pa.us/food_nutrition/cwp

Mission Nutrition
Grades 6-8
Web-based units and lesson plans covering:
--Self-esteem & body image
--Gender
--Media Awareness
--Healthy Eating (multiple lessons)
--Physical Activity
Sponsor: Dietitians of Canada and Team from Kellogg Canada, Inc.
http://www.missionnutrition.ca/missionnutrition/eng/educators
Free

Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyles: DIETARY GUIDELINES
Grade(s): 7-8
Students will incorporate the dietary guidelines into their lives by setting personal goals.
http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview.cgi?LPid=1165
Free

Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyles: EFFECTS THAT DIET MAY
Grade(s): 7-8
Students will research the effects that diet may have on the body: anemia, osteoporosis, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and mental health.
http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview.cgi?LPid=1160
Free

Planet Health
Grades 6-8
*Evaluated program with mixed results
Interdisciplinary curriculum encouraging students to choose healthy foods, increase physical activity, and decrease inactivity. Includes 63 lessons, "Power Down" campaign to decrease television viewing, FitCheck tool to check fitness level, and worksheets. Gives students skills to make healthy changes, strengthen competence, and foster support.
Sponsor: Harvard University
http://www.humankinetics.com
+Cost

Popcorn Nutrition
Grade(s): 3-8
Students will compare nutrition levels of snack foods and correctly calculate differences in nutritional value.
http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/03/lp324-04.shtml
Free

Skating on Thin Ice Examining Eating Disorders and Various Means to Treat Them
Grade(s): 6-12
In this lesson, students research various eating disorders and their treatments. They then create fictional case studies of teenagers suffering from these disorders and synthesize their understanding by writing suggestions for treatment.
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons
Free

Sports Nutrition for Adolescents
Grades 6-8
Promotes healthful nutrition to students participating in school or community-based athletics.
--Sports Drinks
--Sports Bars and Energy Foods
--Sports Diet
--Protein Power
--Recovery Carbs
Sponsor: Pennsylvania Department of Education
http://www.pde.state.pa.us/food_nutrition

You Are What You Eat
Grades 6-8
Explores how social class might affect personal health, understanding of nutritional needs, and methods for community change.
Source: PBS
Two-four class periods
http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/ (select Health & Fitness - Middle School - Diet & Nutrition)
Free

What Happens When You Eat?
Grade(s): 6-12
These activities will show students what organs aid in digestion and how digestion occurs in the human body.  This lesson maybe appropriate for middle grades, but is designed for the upper grade curricula.
http://www.iit.edu/~smile/bi9706.html
Free

Additional Instructional Resources

• Review 6.2a
• Food Guide Pyramid - http://www.cnpp.usda.gov
• A Multicultural Approach to Physical Education: Proven Strategies for Middle and High School - Includes 70 games and activities from 24 cultures - Publisher: Human Kinetics - http://www.humankinetics.com/products/showproduct.cfm?isbn=0736038825
• Local Nutritionist
• Nutrition: Calorie Control - http://www.caloriecontrol.org
• School Food Service Staff
• Test Your Nutrition Knowledge - http://www.utexas.edu/courses/ntr311/testknow/testknow.html

Assessment Ideas

The student will:

• design a diet that may improve performance for a specific physical activity. (weight training, marathon, soccer, etc.)
• prepare a list of healthy breakfast foods that can be easily made when in a hurry.
• develop a one-week meal plan for the family.

TOP...