Digestion and Health

Previous Knowledge: Teacher and students would have already discussed the importance of food and its impact on the individual's health. Students would have been asked to research the process of digestion in preparation for the lesson. The lesson will begin with a discussion about how food is broken down in the the digestive system of the human body. Students will then rotate through all three centers in small groups until they have visited all of them. However, the teacher could also choose to let students work in three groups; each assigned to only one center.Then students will make presentations to the entire class after the work is completed at all three centers.

Learning Center #1 (of 3): Health- The Digestive System

Illinois Learning Standards: Late Elementary
1.A.2a: Read and comprehend unfamiliar words using root words, synonyms, antonyms, word origins and derivations.
1.A.2b: Clarify word meaning using context clues and a variety of resources including glossaries, dictionaries and thesauruses.
23.A.2: Identify basic body systems and their functions (e.g., digestive).
23.B.2: Differentiate between positive and negative effects of health-related actions on body systems (e.g., diet and exercise).

Materials Needed: Colored construction paper, colored markers, crayons, pencils, plain paper, large post-its, glue, paper scissors, card board, smart-board and computer (or multimedia projector and laptop with internet connection, and screen), book- Good Enough to Eat: A Kid's Guide to Food and Nutrition by Lizzy Rockwell (pages 9 and 10)-Call # IMC 613.2 R6844g 1999, chart "How Food is Digested" Call # IMC Poster Collection: Health #27, and you tube video clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7jKCfx-0Mo (


)

Activities:
1. Students will read page 9 of the book: "Good Enough to Eat" to get the description of digestion. They will use the dictionary to find the meaning of the word digestion. The teacher can also provide a list of terms related to the topic and their meanings at each center.

2. Students will then read what happens when you digest food on page 10 of the book. They will look up the meaning of other specific terms such as nutrients and intestine in the dictionary or the glossary provided by the teacher. They could also choose to watch the you tube video that describes the process of digestion and get an audio-visual presentation of the topic.

3. Students will then examine the diagram on the chart showing the digestive system and work in pairs or small groups to create one of the following: a flow chart of the digestive system on a large post-it, a model of the digestive system from colored construction paper and mounted on card board, or draw and label the digestive system on a large post-it. Students could also choose to do creative writing such as poetry describing the digestive process.

4. Students will present their work to the class at the end of the lesson, if time permits, or in the next lesson.



Learning Center # 2 (of 3): The Food Pyramid: The Different Food Groups


Old Food Pyramid


















New Food Pyramid

Illinois Learning Standards: Late Elementary
1.C.2b: Make and support inferences and form interpretations about main themes and topics.
1.C.2f: Connect information presented in tables, maps and charts to printed or electronic text.
5.A.2b: Organize and integrate information from a variety of sources (e.g., books, interviews, library reference materials, web-sites, CD/ROMs).
5.B.2a: Determine the accuracy, currency, and reliability of materials from various sources.
5.B.2b: Cite sources used.
9.A.2a: Build physical models of two-and-three-dimensional shapes.
11.A.2e: Report and display the results of individual and group investigations.
23.B.2: Differentiate between positive and negative effects of health-related actions on body systems (e.g., digestive).
24.A.2b: Demonstrate positive verbal and nonverbal communication skills (e.g., polite conversation, attentive listening, and body language).

Materials Needed: Charts of the old (www.sanandres.esc.edu.ar/.../foodpiramid.htm) and new food pyramids (http://www.mypyramid.gov/), chart Food: The Nutrition Pyramid (Call #: IMC Poster Collection: Health #9), teacher can have samples of the foods or replicas, pictures of different foods, colored construction paper, markers, crayons, glue, card board,large post-its, pencils, plain paper, and paper scissors.

Activities:
1. Students will examine and discuss both pyramids. Teacher can have students visit the websites from which the pyramids were taken to get additional information.They will focus on things like:
a. When was the pyramid developed?
b. Who developed the pyramid?
c. How reliable do you think the information is? Why do you think so?
d. What are the differences between the new and the old pyramids?
e. Why do you think the changes were made?
f. How can the information in the new pyramid affect how you choose your foods?

2. Students will then visit the website:http://www.dairycouncilofca.org/Tools/MyPyramid/ and play the interactive matching game based on the new food pyramid.

3. Students will construct a food pyramid using different colors , or draw the food pyramid on the large post-it provided (they can include pictures of different foods). Students can also choose to create a rap, song, poem, power point, or other creative writing about the food pyramid.

4. Teacher will have students present their findings, charts, power point, or creative writing on the the food pyramid. This can be done at the end of the lesson, if time permits, or in the next lesson.

Learning Center #3 (of 3): Comparing and Contrasting Recipes



































http://www.writedesignonline.com/organizers/comparecontrast.html


Illinois Learning Standards: Late Elementary
22.B.2: Describe how individuals and groups influence the health of individuals (e.g., peer pressure, media, and advertising).
11.A.2e: Report and display the results of individual and group investigations.
7.A.2a: Calculate, compare, and convert length, perimeter, area, weight/mass, and volume within customary and metric systems.
2.B.1b: Identify and explain themes that have been explored in literature from different societies and eras.
4.B.2b: Use speaking skills and procedures to participate in group discussions.
5.C.2a: Create a variety of print and non-print documents to communicate acquired information for specific audiences and purposes.
7.A.2a: Calculate, compare, and convert length, perimeter, area, weight/mass, and volume within the customary and metric systems.

Materials Needed: Books: The Laura Ingalls Wilder Country Cookbook by Laura Ingalls Wilder (call #: IMC 641.5973 W67l 1995) and The 2nd International Cookbook for Kids by Matthew Locricchio (call #: IMC 641.59 L819s 2008). The graphic organizer (Venn diagram), measuring cup, measuring spoons, ruler, kitchen scale, samples of real food (flour, salt, water, milk etc.), pictures of foods, markers, plain paper, large post-its, pencils, and digital camera. The website: http://www.mypyramid.gov/

Activities:
1. Students will select one recipe from the Laura Ingalls Wilder Country Cookbook and one from the International Cookbook for kids that are based on a similar dish. They will use the graphic organizer (Venn Diagram) to compare and contrast both recipes under specific headings (ingredients, procedure, preparation time, appearance, other).

2. Students will practice measuring and weighing ingredients from the samples provided to develop a better understanding of how much a particular serving of a food or amount of an ingredient looks like. Teacher can give a worksheet with specific examples or they can use the ingredients listed in both recipes they had selected.

3. Students will then work in teams or small groups to create advertisements based on foods of their choice. They could also create a recipe for a selected dish. Students can digitally record their advertisements or create a power point of the recipe.

4. Students will then make presentations to the class based on their team/group efforts. This can be done at the end of the lesson, if time permits, or during the next lesson.