Got milk? Or almonds, sardines, or tofu? Calcium is important throughout life, but especially so for developing bodies. If teens do not consume enough calcium while they are growing, they are at a much higher risk of osteoporosis and other health issues. Beginning by looking at their own eating habits, learners try to place the foods they've consumed over the past 24 hours on the Healthy Eating Plate. Next, they examine both dairy and non-dairy foods that are high in calcium and how many daily servings they would need to meet the recommended daily allowance for teens. 

Concepts

muscles, bones, nutritional needs

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Additional Tags

science

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Classroom Considerations

• Examining personal eating habits can cause issues for people with eating disorders
• Extension activity does not have a stated goal; if using it, ensure that your pupils have a specific objective in mind

Pros

• Allows kids to examine their own dietary habits and shows them how to make healthy choices
• Presents non-dairy alternatives that are high in calcium, which is helpful to the growing population of people who are lactose intolerant or vegan 

Cons

• None