Curated OER
What's on My Plate?
Kids work together in groups to discuss and understand the differences between a typical diet and a healthy one. They use the My Plate recommendations to compare what they eat with what they should be eating according to the MyPlate...
Curated OER
Collage Self-Portrait
Here is a beautiful art lesson which has young artists make a collage self-portrait using images of food. Pupils create a two-dimensional self-portrait using pictures of food and food-related items cut from magazines. A highly detailed,...
Curated OER
Soda to be Absent from Schools
Should schools serve soda to young scholars? Learners read an artlcle that argues against the sale of soda in schools and engage in a class discussion. They then complete a short assessment to check for comprehension and reflect on the...
Curated OER
Sustainable Livestock
Students investigate healthy eating habits by researching livestock. In this food sustainability instructional activity, students research the negative impact factory farming has on our environment due to pollution. Students define...
Curated OER
Pesticide Watch Card
Young scholars examine human health by identifying dangerous pesticides. In this agriculture lesson, students research the food production system in the United States and discuss dangers such as pesticides, chemicals and insecticides...
Curated OER
Is That a Fact?
Investigate popular scientific claims and gather evidence to defend or argue against an author's stance. Writers synthesize information and compose their own "Really?" columns modeled after those found in the weekly "Science Times"...
Curated OER
Youth Obesity: Schools Fight Back
Kids fight obesity by comparing the USDA food intake suggestions to what they personally consume throughout the day. They watch a video, read texts, and explore related vocabulary which they use as they compose an oral presentation.
Curated OER
Interdisciplinary Unit On Wellness
Learners create a portfolio throughout their middle school years on wellness. Students explore their awareness of the connections between health, physical education, and family and consumer sciences with particular emphasis on the areas...
Curated OER
Consuming Healthy Snacks
Get your class into great shape by introducing them to the benefits of eating healthy snacks and engaing in regular exercise. This set of activities comes with all the worksheets and handouts needed to complete several weeks of nutrition...
Curated OER
There's Omegas in Those Hemp Seeds
A very well-designed lesson plan focuses on the many benefits of Omega Fatty Acids. Learners read some articles on omega fatty acids, then access a glossary that is included in the plan. They fill in terms along with their definitions....
Curated OER
Basic Vitamins: Water-Soluble and Fat-Soluble
An incredibly thorough lesson plan on vitamins, and how to keep one's body at peak health. Learners access a variety of excellent worksheets embedded in the plan that have them consider raw vs. cooked foods, a vegetable nutrition...
Curated OER
What Am I Missing?
Discuss nutrition and identify components of a healthy diet, view a Food Guide Pyramid, and create a Personal Food Pyramid, listing all foods eaten in the past 24 hours. Compare food lists with the standard Food Guide and determine where...
Curated OER
Child Nutrition Unit
How much fun can you have teaching adolescents about nutrition? Try taking them to work with preschoolers for an hour! This 4-day mini-unit about the importance of nutrition early in life culminates with a field trip. It was written for...
Curated OER
Lunch Food? Mmmm! Mmmm! Good!
Examine how nutrition plays an important role in our lives by conducting online research and developing lunch menus that satisfy nutritional requirements set up by the United States Department of Agriculture. Students download recipes,...
Nemours KidsHealth
Eating Disorders: Healthy Advertising
In this eating disorders worksheet, middle schoolers use drawings or photos from magazines to create an ad for blue jeans. They use realistic body types and positive messages about body image and types. The worksheet includes two...
Nemours KidsHealth
Healthy Snacking: Quiz (Grades 6-8)
For this healthy snacking and diet quiz, students answer 10 multiple-choice and true-and-false questions that assess their understanding of healthy eating habits.
Curated OER
Sioux Chef Sean Sherman: A Rebirth of Native American Cuisine
Many families have special dishes they serve during holiday celebrations and get-togethers. Many of these recipes have been handed down from generation to generation and often come with stories. Introduce your middle schoolers to the...
Overcoming Obstacles
Staying Healthy
The third lesson in the Building Confidence module focuses on healthy habits. Middle schoolers engage in activities that underscore the need for a healthy diet, daily exercise, and a good night's sleep. They create customized food and...
Nemours KidsHealth
Food and Cooking Safety: Grades 3-5
In lesson one, scholars read articles, brainstorm a list of tips, then vote on the most important ones. Using those tips, the class creates a mural detailing them with magazine cutouts. Lesson two challenges pupils to cook a dish at home...
Nemours KidsHealth
Obesity: Grades 6-8
Screen time and fast foods, sugary drinks and greasy fries have lead to one-third of tween and teens being overweight or obese. As part of the Health Problems Series scholars analyze the nutritional value of the school food services menu...
Nemours KidsHealth
Eating Disorders: Grades 6-8
Raise awareness of eating disorders with a two-activity instructional activity with middle schoolers reading articles to gather background information and then create audio messages and advertisements that promote healthy self-esteem and...
Nemours KidsHealth
Healthy Snacking: Grades 6-8
Two activities focus on healthy snacking. In the first activity, scholars create a poster displaying two messages—pack a healthy snack and make good food choices. The second activity challenges pupils to draft a snack list and tag along...
Nemours KidsHealth
School Lunch: Grades 6-8
School lunches are the focus of two learning activities. Activity one challenges small groups to create a lunch menu for an imaginary cafe. Activity two sheds light on one's afternoon eating habits. Asking scholars to record what they...
Nemours KidsHealth
Food Labels: Grades 6-8
With the help of two activities, scholars discover what's in their favorite foods by reading nutrition labels. Activity one challenges participants to write a letter to a fictional peer about the importance of making healthy choices....