Teacher Directions for Healthy Living Issue Lesson:

1. Prepare to have examples from all food groups available. Place one sample of a food group in a
clear plastic cup for each student. There should be samples from all five food groups
represented and four or five for each food group dependent on how many students in class.
Organize five different table groups. Have a table tent for each food group represented at each
table, i.e. one table group will have Fruit group, one Protein group, etc.
2. Teacher will have mystery samples already placed at each students desk at the beginning of the
lesson. Note: Classroom teachers should decide in advance what sample to give each student so
that students are appropriately placed with their food group considering behavior, ability, etc.
3. Teachers will explain that each student has a mystery food on their desk. Tell students that they
may know what the food is, but not know where it belongs. Teacher explains that each table
represents one of the food groups and that students need to decide if they are sitting at the
right food group for the sample they were given, or if they need to move to another table. If
students say they dont know, then have them try to guess based on what they already know. Or
wait for the video. Give students a couple of minutes to decide where they think they should go.
4. Once students have settled in their groups, have students view the short video on food groups.
Video: Youtube Food Groups by April - a fun interactive video.
5. When video is over, tell students that they can change their mind once they have learned more
from the video.
6. When students have decided where they belong, they will turn and talk to explain to each other
why they decided to sit at that food group. Teachers will facilitate the small group discussions.
7. One co-teacher will then take the fruits and vegetable groups to an area of the classroom while
the other co-teacher takes the protein and grains group to another area of the classroom. (Have
laptops out and loaded with online Healthy choice game titled -Eat for health.gov) The dairy
group can be divided if necessary depending on size of groups.
8. The one co-teacher will go over the readings and sort canned good items with two or three
groups while the other co-teacher sets up the online games with the other groups and gets
them actively playing the games while discussing their choices.
9. Teachers will then switch groups after about 15 minutes.
10. Teachers will then discuss the new learning about the food groups by having each student food
group explain by paraphrasing reading information off of their food group reading and what was
learned from online game.
11. Assessment: Students will have a copy of the food plate template and choose 5 from the 10
foods offered and write their foods on the healthy plate which will then stay in their interactive
science notebooks. Students may then eat their 5 choices as a snack once teachers have
conferenced with students about their choices.