Nutrition EducationApril 12, 2013
Pumpkin Taste Testing
Lesson Plan
Target Audience: 19 pre-K students at Cleveland Elementary School
Goal: To educate the pre-K students about MyPlate and different types of food (grains, fruits, vegetables, protein, dairy using seasonal foods as a part of overall nutrition and health education.
Objectives:To introduce MyPlate, the new USDA food guide (English and Spanish materials)
To explore the vegetable category of MyPlate using PUMPKIN
To provide students the opportunity to see, touch, and taste a vegetable in different ways.
Activities:
- Introduce MyPlate using handouts and plates. Show the MyPlate aspect of eating different types of food…fruit, grains, dairy, protein, and vegetables.
- Highlight vegetables as the type of food that we’ll discuss today. Mine group for information about vegetables…listen for anyone to introduce pumpkin. If they do, great, go from there. If not, bring up and the kinds of veggies that are being grown, eaten, sold now. Let the kids know what kind of veggie a pumpkin is. Ask if anyone has ever eaten one…or parts of one…if so, find out what they liked about it.
- Cut open the pumpkin. Discuss the different parts (stem, skin, flesh, seeds). Let everyone touch, smell and taste the different parts.
- Talk about ways to use the parts for food (seeds, soup, muffins/bread) and how the pumpkin’s nutrients are good for our bodies (vitamin A for skin, hair, eyes; strength for jumping and running).
- Let kids taste the seeds and muffins. Eat and enjoy!
- Provide muffin recipe.
Evaluation:
Mine the children for what kind of food category the pumpkin…look for response: ‘veggie’. They can point to it on the MyPlate page.
Ask the question: How does eating pumpkins help are bodies?
Ask the students how the seeds and muffins taste?
Materials needed: pumpkin, knife, plate, cutting board, apron, MyPlate handouts, pumpkin seeds and muffins; recipe for pumpkin muffins
Time: 20-25 minutes
Corn Taste Testing Lesson Plan
Target Audience: 19 pre-K students at Cleveland Elementary School; 2 teachers
Goal: To educate the pre-K students about MyPlate and different types of food (grains, fruits, vegetables, protein, dairy using seasonal foods as a part of overall nutrition and health education.
Objectives:To reinforce MyPlate, the new USDA food guide (English and Spanish materials)
To explore the vegetable category of MyPlate using CORN
To provide students the opportunity to see, touch, and taste this vegetable in different ways.
Activities:
- Show MyPlate handouts and plates. Remind the students that we are still discussing vegetables, fall vegetables to be specific. See who remembers what we discussed during the previous lesson…pumpkin…what kind of food is the pumpkin...segue into corn…link to Native Americans in North and Central America
- Highlight vegetables as the type of food that we’ll discuss today. Mine group for information about corn…listen for different ways that children eat corn. Talk about the lifecycle of corn…seed, stalk, and harvest.
- Show the corn cob. Husk it…ask for volunteers…break the cob. Discuss the different parts (husk, cob, flesh, kernels). Let everyone touch, smell and taste the different parts. Have the Line Leader assist with distribution.
- Talk about ways to use the parts of the corn (kernels, stalk, cob, even grind into flour) and how the corn’s nutrients are good for our bodies (vitamin B for fiber for healthy gut, protein for strength for jumping and running).
- Mention the various colors of corn and link in the #3 (to reinforce class themes).
- Let kids taste the offerings (either the corn salad or muffin). Eat and enjoy!
Evaluation:
Mine the children for what kind of food category the corn…look for response: ‘veggie’. They can point to it on the MyPlate page.
Ask the question: How does eating corn help our bodies?
Ask the students how the salad and muffins taste?
Materials needed: corn, apron, MyPlate handouts, corn coloring sheets; cornbread muffins, salad, small tasting cups
Time: 20-25 minutes
Pepper Taste Testing Lesson Plan
Target Audience: 19 pre-K students at Cleveland Elementary School; 2 teachers
Goal: To educate the pre-K students about MyPlate and different types of food (grains, fruits, vegetables, protein, dairy using seasonal foods as a part of overall nutrition and health education.
Objectives:To reinforce MyPlate, the new USDA food guide (English and Spanish materials)
To explore the vegetable category of MyPlate using CORN
To provide students the opportunity to see, touch, and taste this vegetable in different ways.
Activities:
- Show MyPlate handouts and plates. Remind the students that we are still discussing vegetables. Ask them about their vote…See who remembers what we discussed during the previous lessons…pumpkin and corn…what kind of food is the pumpkin...segue into corn…link to Central American and Mexico
- Highlight vegetables as the type of food that we’ll discuss today. Mine group for information about peppers…listen for different ways that children eat peppers. Talk about the lifecycle of peppers…seed, stalk, and harvest.
- Show the pepper. Cut it open. Discuss the different parts (seeds, skin, stem). Let everyone touch, smell and taste the different parts. Have the Line Leader assist with distribution.
- Talk about ways to use the parts of the corn (kernels, stalk, cob, even grind into flour) and how the corn’s nutrients are good for our bodies (vitamin A—good for our skin, vision and bones; vitamin C—good for our bodies…heals wounds, supports tissues; and fiber for healthy gut/stomach).
- Mention the various colors of peppers and link in the #4; starts with the letter P (English and Spanish); mention that they grow in warm climates (not WDC winters) (to reinforce class themes).
- Let kids taste the offerings (either the salsa or humus). Eat and enjoy!
Evaluation:
Mine the children for what kind of food category the pepper…look for response: ‘veggie’. They can point to it on the MyPlate page.
Ask the question: How do peppers help our bodies?
Ask the students how the food offerings taste?
Materials needed: Pepper, apron, MyPlate handouts, pepper coloring sheets; food—salsa and humus, small tasting cups
Time: 20-25 minutes
Turnip/El Nabo Taste Testing Lesson Plan
Target Audience: 19 pre-K students at Cleveland Elementary School; 2 teachers
Goal: To educate the pre-K students about MyPlate and different types of food (grains, fruits, vegetables, protein, dairy using seasonal foods as a part of overall nutrition and health education.
Objectives:To reinforce MyPlate, the new USDA food guide (English and Spanish materials)
To explore the vegetable category of MyPlate using TURNIPS (as voted by the class)
To provide students the opportunity to see, touch, and taste this vegetable in different ways.
Activities:
- Show MyPlate handouts and plates. Remind the students that we are still discussing vegetables. Ask them about their vote…See who remembers what we discussed during the previous lessons…pumpkin and corn…what kind of food is the pumpkin...segue into corn…and then pepper then TURNIPS.
- Highlight vegetables as the type of food that we’ll discuss today. Mine group for information about turnips…listen for different ways that children eat turnips. Talk about the lifecycle of turnips…seed, stalk, and harvest.
- Show the turnip. Cut it open. Discuss the different parts (seeds, skin and stem). Let everyone touch, smell and taste the different parts. Have the Line Leader assist with distribution.
- Talk about ways to use the parts of the turnip (stem (greens) and taproot) and how the turnip’s nutrients are good for our bodies (potassium—good for our muscles and heart; vitamin C—good for our bodies…heals wounds, supports tissues; and fiber for healthy gut/stomach).
- Mention the various colors of turnips; starts with the letter N (Spanish); mention that they grow in warm climates (not WDC winters) (to reinforce class themes).
- Let kids taste the offerings (either raw or roasted). Eat and enjoy!
- If time permits, read the story, the Enormous Turnip. Reinforce working together and sharing a meal.
Evaluation:
Mine the children for what kind of food category the turnip…look for response: ‘veggie’. They can point to it on the MyPlate page.
Ask the question: How do turnips help our bodies?
Ask the students how the food offerings taste?
Materials needed: Turnips, apron, MyPlate handouts, turnip coloring sheets; food—turnips, small tasting cups
Time: 20-25 minutes