Pennsylvania Department of Education
The Digestive System
Fourth graders simulate how the digestive system works. For this hands-on simulation, 4th graders complete six group activities that help students visualize how our body breaks down food into nutrients.
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Dietary Fiber Introduction
Young scholars research fiber and consider its sources, functions and importance to overall health. They sample high-fiber items, complete worksheets and take a quiz on their fiber research.
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Non-Nutrients: Fiber and Water
Students discuss how much fiber and water a person needs each day. They use beans soaked in water to show the benefits of water to the human body. They also learn the health benefits to eating healthy.
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Health Lesson: Food Pyramid
Learners identify each level of the food pyramid and keep a record of their food intake. For this food pyramid lesson, students relate the food pyramid to the Gaza Pyramids. Learners discuss the purpose and plan of the food pyramid and...
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Healthy Colon with Good Digestion and Fiber
Sixth graders learn about the colon and what it does. In this lesson about digestion and the colon, 6th graders analyze what this organ's job is. Students complete four activities where they explore the importance of fiber, the makeup of...
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The Digestive Dance
Students read food labels to compare healthy verses non healthy food and then use diagrams to create a poster of the digestive system. In this food lesson plan, students move the food down the digestive track along the digestive system.
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Step by Step
Students explore agriculture by creating a food production diagram. In this farming lesson, students read assigned text about the entities that assist in food production companies such as farmers, truckers and supermarkets. Students...
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Where Does Food Come From?
Students recognize that food we eat comes from farms. In this where does food come from lesson, students discuss planting crops and how they grow. Students plant seeds for edible crops and eat them when are ripe. Students sing a song...
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Jr. Chef Club Super Snacks Lesson 6
Students explore healthy snacks. In this nutrition and cooking lesson, students observe and identify food groups on USDA's MyPyramid food guide. Students discuss how fiber helps our digestive system and follow a recipe using yeast to...
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WORM WATCHING
Students investigate how earthworms help build good soil. They examine the worms carefully to find the ringlike segments and swollen band at the front of the earthworm's body. Students take turns dampening the soil every day and adding...
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Non-nutrients: Fiber and Water
Students will identify the sources and function of carbohydrates and fiber and apply appropriate food preparation techniques.
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The Optimization of Food
Students discuss nutrition and how to make better choices with food. In this algebra and nutrition instructional activity, students discuss the way the body process food and the importance of nutrition for our cells. They discuss...
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Today's Specials
In this healthy heart nutrition worksheet, students substitute heart-healthy foods for the high cholesterol choices shown. The purpose is to encourage nutritious choices.
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Reuse, Reduce, Recycle Paper
Young scholars experiment with recycling paper. In this paper recycling lesson, students conduct an experiment in which they dissolve newspaper in water and cornstarch to make new pieces of paper. They add color or flowers to the new...
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They Don't Just Eat Grass
Students consider the USDA daily recommendations to create a "feed" product for middle schoolers. In this Health lesson, students learn about the ingredients in feed that is fed to livestock and apply the method to creating feed rations...
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Health Benefits of Rice
Sixth graders examine the health benefits of rice. In this food benefits lesson, 6th graders discover the nutritious benefits of rice. Students research Celiac Sprue disease and how rice benefits the people with this disease.
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Capital for Cookies
Students explore how land, labor, capital, and enterprise relate to the Food and Fiber System. They write a story about a company they would open in the community, create a company to make an agricultural product and discuss the various...
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TRADERS' GAME
Learners play a game aimed at demonstrating how relationships with other communities or countries affect the food and fiber system. The game simulates the unequal distribution of natural resources which creates the need for...
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Rice as a Source of Energy
Fifth graders investigate the nutrition in rice. In this rice lesson, 5th graders discover that rice is a great source of energy. Students compare foods to rice to see the differences in the nutritional value. Students classify foods in...
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WHAT'S ORGANIC?
Learners explore how certain foods come to be certified "organic." They write the words "organic" and "synthetic" and given the definitions of each. Students are given dictionaries. They are asked: "What is organic food?" Learners grow...
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Space Age Technology Comes to Earth
Young scholars explore eight career and technical areas and make connections with business, family and consumers, and technology. They examine and describe how agriculture and natural resources impact our quality of life. They explore...
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Vegetable Twister
Learners review vegetables and their nutrient values and production. In this vegetable production worksheet, students read information about the nutrients in vegetables and how they are grown. Learners participate in a game of Twister to...
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Food and Fiber: Helping the Environment and You
Fourth graders explore the many uses of corn-based products and the importance of water resources. They consider how biodegradable products help to keep water clean. They perform experiments to observe how corn pellets dissolve while...