Nutrition Education in District 11

Elementary Schools

The Facts on the Food Guide Pyramid – This presentation provides a thorough review of the importance of nutrition and how we use the Food Guide Pyramid as a tool to help us make healthy choices.  Students will have the chance to view a video focusing on basic nutrition, utilize food models to make healthy choices, and complete a number of valuable nutrition-related activity worksheets.

Target Audience: Kindergarten through 5^th Grades
Length: 30 minutes (includes optional video)
Type of Presentation: Video, overheads, group discussion, educational worksheets

 

All About Nutrients – Students will have the opportunity to learn what nutrients are, which six nutrients are essential for the body, what foods to get them from, and how the body uses those nutrients to help us function and stay healthy.  The nutrition-related worksheets included with this lesson encourage students to make the connection between healthy eating and healthy bodies!

Target Audience: 3^rd through 5^th Grades
Length: 30 minutes
Type of Presentation: Group discussion, overheads, handouts, educational worksheets

Carbohydrate Café – This lesson will help to inform students about what carbohydrates are, how our bodies use carbohydrates, and how to choose healthy carbohydrates.  Visual aids help to simplify the topic and participants will even have the chance to prepare their own healthy carbohydrate-based snack!

Target Audience: 2^nd through 5^th Grades
Length: 15 minutes
Type of Presentation: PowerPoint presentation, handouts, hands-on activity

Positive Power of Fruits and Vegetables – During this presentation participants will learn all about the benefits of eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables.  They will learn how many servings they should eat and how to add color to every meal of the day.  To encourage students to increase their own fruit and vegetable intake, they will be provided with worksheets to help them track their consumption and a 5-A-Day the Color Way certificate!

Target Audience: 2^nd through 5^th Grades
Length: 30 minutes
Type of Presentation: Overheads, group brainstorming/discussion, educational worksheets

 

Label Reading for Better Eating – Participants will have the opportunity to dissect a nutrition facts label.  They will gain knowledge related to what to get enough of and what to get less of.  After this lesson students will realize what an important tool a food label can be to help us make healthy decisions. 

Target Audience: 4^th and 5^th Grades and Middle School
Length: 30 minutes
Type of Presentation: PowerPoint, handouts, group discussion

Middle and High Schools

Why Is Nutrition Important? – This session enlightens participants on the topic of nutrition and its importance for life-long health maintenance.  The following topics are reviewed: the consequences of poor nutrition, the three “keys” to good nutrition, the Food Guide Pyramid, appropriate servings sizes, and label reading.  It’s a real “eye opener”!   

Target Audience: Middle and High School
Length: 60 minutes
Type of Presentation: PowerPoint presentation, group discussion, handout

Carbohydrate and the Effect of Sugar – Participants will learn the differences between simple, complex and refined carbohydrates.  They will also examine how increased sugar consumption has impacted the obesity epidemic in the United States.  Plus, this session will encourage increased consumption of whole grain foods and provide strategies to do so.

Target Audience: High School
Length: 15 minutes
Type of Presentation: PowerPoint presentation, handouts

The Different Faces of Fat – This presentation will introduce students to the different types of fat that are present in the foods we eat and what roles they play in our health.  Most importantly, it will focus on encouraging the consumption of “healthy” rather than “unhealthy” fats and provide strategies to do so.

Target Audience: Middle and High School
Length:  30 minutes
Type of Presentation: PowerPoint presentation, handouts

 

Eye on Serving Sizes – This lesson takes an in-depth look at “portion distortion”.  It will teach participants what an appropriate portion size looks like and provide tips to help students stick with sensible servings.  Anything in moderation! 

Target Audience: Middle and High School 
Length: 30 minutes
Type of Presentation: PowerPoint presentation, handouts

 

Fast Food Facts – This lesson explains how America has become a “Fast Food Nation”.  It reviews the nutritional disadvantages of common fast food menu items, introduces a variety of new and healthy fast food offerings and provides strategies for making nutritious fast food choices.  Students will have the opportunity to view a number of fast food menus, make their own food choices and then evaluate their decisions!

Target Audience: Middle School
Length: 30 minutes
Type of Presentation: PowerPoint presentation, handouts, hands-on activity