Directions: Review MyPlate, then list your 2 favorite foods from the 5 food groups.
MyPlate
Fruit: 1½–2½ cups a day
com
plex
carb
ohyd
rates • vitamins • minerals complex carbohydrates • vitam
ins • minerals
complex carbohydrates • vitamins • minerals
protein • v
itamins •
min
eral
s
protein • vitamin
s • m
iner
als
Instructional rationale: This activity sheet presents MyPlate. It provides essential knowledge that increases students’ power to improve their dietary practices.
7Nutrition & Physical Activity
Activity 1 • What Should I Eat & How Much?Lesson 1 • Healthy Eating & Me
HealthSmart
ActionsPage
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Student BookThe HealthSmart Actions student book reinforces the HealthSmart lessons. Using HealthSmart Actions enables students to acquire knowledge essential to the practice of health behaviors and an opportunity to take responsibility for planning their own health behaviors.
ixNutrition & Physical Activity
Lesson at a Glance
HealthSmart Actions
Actions pages are reproduced in the Teacher Guide for reference. Instructional rationales are provided.
4 Middle School
Lesson 1Healthy Eating & Me
Activity 1
What Should I Eat & How Much?
Student Objectives
Students will
1. Recognize key nutrients the body needs.2. Determine the amount they should eat daily from each food group.3. Recognize amounts for each food group.4. Shape peer norms that value eating from the food groups in MyPlate.
5. Analyze a day’s worth of meals to determine if the MyPlate recommendations have been met.
(Note: Students with access to the Internet can analyze their eating patterns and get personalized recommendations for how much they should eat based on their gender, age and activity habits by visiting the USDA MyPlate website at www.choosemyplate.gov.)
HealthSmart
ActionsPage
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Instructional rationale: This reading sheet presents information regarding the 6 key nutrients. It provides essential knowledge that increases students’ power to improve their dietary practices.
5Nutrition & Physical Activity
Activity 1 • What Should I Eat & How Much?Lesson 1 • Healthy Eating & Me
Carbohydrates are the main part of most human diets. They provide the body’s most important source of energy.
There are 2 types of carbohydrates:
� Complex carbohydrates include starches, glycogen and some forms of fiber. At least half of your calories should come from complex carbohydrates. Foods that have complex carbohydrates include bread, cereal, pasta, vegetables, fruits, beans and grains.
� Simple carbohydrates are sugars such as glucose, fructose and sucrose. These should be limited because they don’t add a lot of vitamins and minerals to the body. They can also cause weight gain. They include foods such as fruit drinks, candy, cake and cookies.
Proteins help make skin, muscle and bone. They are needed to help repair damaged tissue. Too much protein doesn’t build more muscles. Instead, it’s burned for energy, just as carbohydrates are. About 10–30% of your calories should come from proteins. Protein is found in meat, eggs, dried beans and nuts.
1
3Vitamins help control body processes such as digestion,
metabolism, hormone development, wound healing and nerve function. Vitamins help the body produce energy. Vitamins are found in all food groups.
4 Minerals contribute to bone growth, water balance, metabolism, and nerve
and muscle function. More than 20 minerals are needed to be healthy. Common minerals include calcium, sodium, potassium, iron and zinc. Minerals are found in all food groups.
Water makes up 50–75% of your body weight. Water is so important that your body
can’t live for more than a few days without it.
Water has many functions, including helping to carry nutrients and oxygen throughout the body and helping in digestion. It’s important to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.
5 6
ey Nutrients for Your BodyK Nutrients are the body’s building blocks. Nutrients are divided into 6 categories.
Fats are compounds that include solid fats and oils. A little fat is found in almost all foods.
The body needs a certain amount of fat to:
� Insulate against cold.
� Provide energy for muscles.
� Provide a layer of padding between skin and muscles.
� Protect internal organs.
Too much saturated fat can cause health problems, including heart disease and cancer. Trans fats are found in many processed foods. Trans fats are similar to saturated fat and also cause health problems.
The healthiest sources of fat are fish, nuts and vegetable oils, which contain unsaturated fat. Only 25–35% of your total calories should come from fat.
2
6 Middle School
Activity 1 • What Should I Eat & How Much? Lesson 1 • Healthy Eating & Me
Explain
There are 6 key nutrients your body needs to stay healthy.
Read
Direct students to turn to Key Nutrients for Your Body on page 2 of HealthSmart Actions.
Have students read the information aloud.
Explain
MyPlate was created to help you get key nutrients from the food you eat every day.
Read
Direct students to turn to the MyPlate for Teens on page 3 of HealthSmart Actions.
Explain
The amounts shown on this MyPlate chart are what’s recommended for teens. Younger, less active teens should eat the smaller amounts. Older, more active teens can eat more.
• Grains— 5–10ounces.Thisgroupgivesyourbodycomplexcarbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.
• Vegetables— 2–4cups.Thisgroupgivesyourbodycomplexcarbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.
• Fruits—11⁄2–21⁄2cups.Thisgroupgivesyourbodycomplexcarbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.
• Protein—5–7ounces.Thisgroupincludesmeatandbeansandgives your body vitamins and minerals as well as protein.
You also need a small amount of healthy oils each day. Oils are not a food group, but do provide essential nutrients. Most teens should have 5–6 teaspoons a day. Nuts, fish and vegetable oils are healthy sources.
(continued)
Teaching Steps
�
Grains: 5–10 ounces a day (at least half whole grains)
Protein: 5–7 ounces a day Dairy: 3 cups a day
Vegetables: 2–4 cups a day
3
Self-Check� I read and followed directions.� My work is neat and complete.� This is my best work.
Directions: Review MyPlate, then list your 2 favorite foods from the 5 food groups.
MyPlate
Fruit: 1½–2½ cups a day
com
plex
carb
ohyd
rates • vitamins • minerals complex carbohydrates • vitam
ins • minerals
complex carbohydrates • vitamins • minerals
protein • v
itamins •
min
eral
s
protein • vitamin
s • m
iner
als
Instructional rationale: This activity sheet presents MyPlate. It provides essential knowledge that increases students’ power to improve their dietary practices.
7Nutrition & Physical Activity
Activity 1 • What Should I Eat & How Much?Lesson 1 • Healthy Eating & Me
HealthSmart
ActionsPage
3
Instructional rationale: This reading sheet provides information on recommended quantities for the various food groups. It provides essential knowledge that increases students’ power to improve their dietary practices.
8 Middle School
Activity 1 • What Should I Eat & How Much? Lesson 1 • Healthy Eating & Me
1 cup (8 ounces) milk or yogurt1 cup calcium-fortified soymilk 11⁄2 ounces cheese (or 2 slices)2 cups cottage cheese1 cup frozen yogurt
ProteinThese all count as 1 ounce of protein:
1 ounce cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish (a small hamburger patty is about 3 ounces)1 egg1/4 cup tofu1/4 cup cooked beans or peas1 tablespoon peanut butter1/2 ounce nuts or seeds (12 almonds)
This is 3 ounces of cooked chicken. It’s the size of a deck of cards. It counts as 3 ounces of protein.
This is 1 1⁄2 ounces of cheese. It’s the size of 6 dice. It counts as 1 cup of dairy.
FruitsThese all count as 1/2 cup of fruit:
1 small fruit (apple, orange, pear, peach)1/4 cup dried fruit1/2 cup canned fruit1/2 cup 100% fruit juice
This is 1/4 cup of dried fruit. It’s the size of a large egg. It counts as 1/2 cup of fruit.
VegetablesThese all count as 1/2 cup of vegetables:
1/2 cup cooked vegetables1/2 cup raw chopped vegetables1 cup raw leafy vegetables1/2 cup vegetable juice1/2 medium baked potato1/2 cup mashed potatoes1/2 cup tomato sauce
How Much Should I Eat?
GrainsThese all count as 1 ounce of grains:
1 slice bread1/2 hot dog bun or hamburger bun1/2 small bagel1/2 English muffin5 whole-wheat crackers
6-inch tortilla1 cup cold cereal1/2 cup cooked cereal1/2 cup rice1/2 cup pasta
This is 1 cup of spaghetti. It’s the size of a baseball. It counts as 2 ounces of grains.
This is 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes. It’s the size of a lightbulb. It counts as 1/2 cup of vegetables.
You need 2–4 cups
of vegetables a day.
You need 5–10 ounces of grains a day.
Teaching Steps (continued)
9Nutrition & Physical Activity
Complete & Share
Write your 2 favorite foods from each group on the lines provided.
After students have had enough time to write their responses, ask them to share their answers with a partner. The partner should check to make sure each food written down is a part of the corresponding food group. Be prepared to answer questions about what food group a food is in.
Survey
How many of you think it’s difficult to eat the recommended amount from each food group every day? Why?
Summarize
Sometimes people eat more than they should and sometimes they eat less than they should because they don’t understand how much they should be eating.
Read
Direct students to turn to How Much Should I Eat? on page 4 of HealthSmart Actions.
Read & Discuss
Review each food group 1 at a time. After reviewing each group, show students a sample of a measured amount of a food from that group. Emphasize that people may eat 2–3 ounces of certain foods at a time (e.g., cereal, pasta, meat).
(Note: The amounts listed for beans, eggs, nuts and tofu are equivalent to 1 ounce of lean meat. Students who follow a vegetarian diet will need to eat more of these foods to get the same amount of protein.)
Survey
After seeing the amounts you should eat from each food group, how many of you think it’s easy to eat the daily recommendations for each food group?
(continued)
Activity 1 • What Should I Eat & How Much?Lesson 1 • Healthy Eating & Me
10 Middle School
Activity 1 • What Should I Eat & How Much? Lesson 1 • Healthy Eating & Me
HealthSmart
ActionsPages
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Instructional rationale: This activity sheet helps students apply what they’ve learned about MyPlate. It builds a personal value and shapes a peer norm for planning a healthy diet.
Directions: Jamie is a 12-year-old boy who is moderately active. Look at the table below and circle how many calories Jamie needs each day. Then circle the amount from each food group Jamie should eat each day.
Then look at what Jamie ate today. Be a food detective and count how much Jamie ate from each food group. (The lists on pages 4 and 5 can help you.) List your answers in the space provided. Then answer the questions.
Dinner2 cups of pasta with 1/2 cup of tomato sauce1 cup of salad with 2 tablespoons of dressing1 piece of garlic bread1 cup of frozen yogurt
ounces teaspoonsouncescupscupscups
Grains Vegetables Fruit Dairy Protein Oils
Lunchdouble hamburger with 2 slices of cheese on a bun1 tablespoon* of mayonnaise2-ounce bag of potato chips16-ounce soft drink
Snack16-ounce soft drink2-ounce bag of tortilla chipscandy bar
Breakfast2 cups of cold cereal1 cup of milk1 cup of orange juice
* 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons
What Jamie Ate Today
11Nutrition & Physical Activity
Activity 1 • What Should I Eat & How Much?Lesson 1 • Healthy Eating & Me
Complete & Discuss
Direct students to turn to Food Detective on page 6 of Health Smart Actions.
Review the directions and allow students time to complete the activity sheet. When students have finished, use the Food Detective Key teacher page (pp. 12-13) to review their responses.
Summarize
It is important to know the food groups and how much you need to eatfromeach.FollowingMyPlaterecommendationswillhelpyoueathealthy each day.
Teaching Steps (continued)
Assessment Benchmarks
Students:
1. Recognized key nutrients the body needs by: Reading and discussing the Key Nutrients for Your Body
reading sheet.
2. Determined the amount they should eat daily from each food group by:
Reviewing the MyPlate for Teens activity sheet. Completing the Food Detective activity sheet.
3. Recognized amounts for each food group by: Reviewing the How Much Should I Eat? reading sheet. Completing the Food Detective activity sheet.
4. Shaped peer norms that value eating from the food groups in MyPlate by:
Sharing with a partner their favorite foods from each food group. Discussing the Food Detective activity sheet.
5. Analyzed a day’s worth of meals to determine if the MyPlate rec-ommendations have been met by:
Completing the Food Detective activity sheet.
Directions: Jamie is a 12-year-old boy who is moderately active. Look at the table below and circle how many calories Jamie needs each day. Then circle the amount from each food group Jamie should eat each day.
Then look at what Jamie ate today. Be a food detective and count how much Jamie ate from each food group. (The lists on pages 4 and 5 can help you.) List your answers in the space provided. Then answer the questions.
Make up a menu for 1 meal that would improve Jamie’s nutrition for the day.
Jamie’s new menu:
What could Jamie add or remove to be sure to eat the correct amount from each food group?
+ –Add Remove
How many calories should you eat each day? ____________
How much food from each food group should you eat each day?
ounces teaspoonsouncescupscupscups
Grains Vegetables Fruit Dairy Protein Oils
What About You?
Teacher Page
13Nutrition & Physical Activity
Activity 1 • What Should I Eat & How Much?Lesson 1 • Healthy Eating & Me
Jamie could choose water instead of soft drinks and eat fruits and vegetables instead of candy or chips.
Answers will vary, but should include more fruits and vegetables, less oil and a little less grain.
Answers will vary.
Answers will vary based on age, gender and activity level.
fruits vegetables
more salad at dinner
soft drinks chips or candy bar
garlic bread1 tablespoon of oil
Explain
Nutritionists have spent many decades researching how to eat healthy. They have created guidelines to help.
Today, you are going to take a look at your own eating habits and learn some of the guidelines for healthy eating. You will have a chance to see how well you meet each guideline.
Read & Complete
Direct students to turn to Assessing My Eating Habits on page 8 of HealthSmart Actions.
Have students read Guideline 1 aloud and discuss. Direct them to complete the How I’m Doing assessment. After completing the assessment, have them list one way they could improve in this area.
(Note: The recommended amounts on the activity sheet are based on MyPlate for teens, which covers a range of ages and activity levels. You may want to refer students to the MyPlate website at www.choosemyplate.gov, where they can tailor the recommendations based on their own gender, age and activity level.)
Survey
What is 1 way you can improve in this area?
Encourage students to share their suggestions for improvement.
Repeat the process for Guidelines 2 through 5.
Summarize
Goodeatinghabitskeepyourbodystrong,fitandhealthy.Followingthese guidelines will help you stay healthy.
(Note: When students are deciding what diet or physical activity behavior to change toward the end of the unit, refer them back to the Assessing My Eating Habits activity sheet to help them determine the behavior they want to change.)
Teaching Steps
16 Middle School
Activity 2 • Assessing My Eating Habits Lesson 1 • Healthy Eating & Me
Summarize
Knowing the amount of food in the serving size listed on the label canhelpdeterminenutrientsandthecaloriesforthefoodyoueat.Forexample,ifyoueat3cupsofcerealforbreakfast,andtheservingsizeon the food label is 1 cup, you would have to multiply the nutrients and calories by 3 to determine how much you were getting.
(Note: Amounts that help fulfill the daily recommendations of MyPlate may be different from the “serving sizes” noted on food labels. It can be confusing to directly compare the two. The quantities are different because they serve different purposes. MyPlate’s goal is to help people meet daily nutrient recommendations. The serving sizes on food labels are designed so that foods can be compared with one another.)
Ask & Discuss
Why is the information about calories from fat included on the label?
Summarize
This information is included to help you follow guidelines that recommend that teens get no more than 25–35% of their daily calories from fat.
Ask & Discuss
Why should you limit the amount of fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol and sodium?
Summarize
Eatingtoomuchfat,cholesterolandsodium(salt)mayincreaseyourchance of getting heart disease, certain types of cancer and high blood pressure.
Ask & Discuss
Why should you make sure you get enough of dietary fiber, vitamins A and C, calcium and iron?
Summarize
Eatingtheappropriateamountofnutrientspromoteshealthandcanhelpreducetheriskofsomediseases.Forexample,gettingenoughcalcium can help keep your bones strong.
Teaching Steps (continued)
32 Middle School
Activity 5 • Reading a Food Label Lesson 1 • Healthy Eating & Me
