Making Healthy Choices

Key Learning Area

Health

Level

Middle Primary

Description

Students consider food choices that are more likely to enhance personal health based on the healthy food pyramid.

Lesson overview

To make food pyramids based on food from countries contained in The Really Big Food Project

Lesson duration

One hour

Main learning outcomes

Explain ways in which people can improve physical and social environments or personal behaviors to enhance health and safety

Materials required

Poster paper
Digital camera (optional)
Food samples (optional)

Procedure

Tuning in
What is Food? Students individually define what food is. Combine definitions to come up with small group definitions of food. Display definitions of food around room on coloured paper.
Healthy food pyramid poster
Familiarise students with the healthy food pyramid. Discuss which foods fit into each food group.
Small groups
Organise class into nine groups – one for each country represented in The Really Big Food Project. Each group makes a list of foods mentioned for their country in the book. Students draw pictures of the food on their lists.
Food pyramids
Each group makes a poster showing a blank food pyramid. Pictures of food from the country represented by their group are pasted onto the food pyramid. Food is labeled with its name. Alternatively, real food samples could be brought in and digital photos taken of the food samples.
Group presentations
Each group presents their food pyramid for the country they are representing to the class.
Drawing conclusions
Discuss results of food pyramid comparison.
- Are they representative of foods eaten in these countries?
- Where could more information be gathered from?
- Which food choices would be healthy choices?

Extension Activity

Students make a food pyramid of what they have eaten over the last 24 hours.
Students evaluate which food choices they have made that would be more likely to enhance their own health.

Suggested follow-up activities

Research foods eaten in different countries of Asia. Present a data chart showing these foods, arranged in food groups.