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What Is A Healthy Body?

Today’s society contributes to poor nutrition and lack of exercise, therefore there’s an alarming rise in overweight children. This also brings about future illness such as high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, hearth problems, and poor health in general. Children definitely need knowledge of good health procedures at an early age.

 In this unit the students will understand and implement the fundamental concepts of “What Is A Healthy Body?” The students will investigate these principles through oral discussions, visual aids, manipulatives, and hands on projects that will impact this month long unit. Introduction to the six food groups, exercise, and proper amount of sleep will be explored through educational Physical Development and Health projects for grade levels  K-3rd that will meet the goals of the Illinois and CPS Learning Standards.

 Culminating projects will include:

            1. A healthy “snack” cook book with magazine pictures (fat & calories planning)

            2. Nutritional food experiences (hands on preparing, measuring, and weighing foods)

            3. Dramatic play skills will involve table setting; pretend meals, grocery store play,

               and promote conversation among the students.

            4. Record information with charts and graphs (height and weight).

            5. Keep a journal of exercises and activities (chart hours on T.V. viewing).

            6. Create a technology design (graphic organizer) of the food groups.

            7. Each child will create their “Healthy Body” portfolio to take home after the unit. 

            8. Invite the school nurse to the classroom for our unit reinforcement experiences.

            9. Class trip to a major supermarket and write an experience story about the trip (or draw pictures).

          10. Classroom Thanksgiving Dinner Skit/Play

What Is A Healthy Body?

1. How does nutrition contribute to having a healthy body?

2. How can routine exercise promote healthy

    bodies and positive thinking?

3. How can proper amount of sleep affect academic

   progress and classroom behavior?

4. How can teachers, medical professionals, parents, and

   communities develop instructional goals and incorporate

   strategies for good nutritional and physical programs?

5. How can parents get involve with their children’s

    knowledge of nutrition and physical awareness?

: Physical Development and Health

Grade Level: Kindergarten through Third Grade

Grade Level: Kindergarten

Unit Prerequisites

·        Knowledge of basic technology skills or accept adult guidance

·        Ability to work cooperatively with their classmates

·        Able to take notes and/or listen attentively

·        Capable of following at least three-step verbal directions

·        Can organize and keep information in portfolios (or folders)

·        Able to do work independently with adult guidance

·        Unit is able for modifications and /or accommodations for special needs students

Access:

·        Gather food labels and magazine pictures of foods to create a food pyramid.                 

·        Interview the school nurse for ideas on healthy eating.

·        Write a language arts experience story students observed in the school cafeteria.

·        Smell and taste the different kinds of fruits for a tasting test.

·        The students will make Food Activity Cards so that they will have the opportunity to study important vocabulary.

Interpret:

·        Combine all six food groups (pictures on a paper plate) into a healthy creative meal.

·        Organize a menu for a week and integrate all of the food groups.

·        Draw a supermarket graphic organizer displaying all food sections.

Produce:

·        Create an exercise schedule on the computer for a week with parental supervision.

·        Plan a meal for your family with the help of your mother.

·        Each child will draft a chart illustrating height and weight.

·        Ask students to draw pictures of their favorite meal and explain why?

Communicate:

·        Write and act out a skit that will express preparing a holiday meal.

·        Display “Our Health Center” with visual aids such as charts, plastic foods, food scale, and a microscope for viewing sliced foods.

·        Report weekly to the class on their meals and exercise programs.

·        Invite students to bring a nutritious snack to share with the class.

·        Inform the students the concepts of money at their pretend grocery store in the classroom.

Evaluate:

·        Check, observe, and chart (portfolio) to see if the students perform better in school by eating properly, exercising daily, and getting at least eight hours of sleep.

·        Children will research, create and produce an inspiration chart on what they learned about healthy bodies.

·        Students will create a large “Food Pyramid” bulletin board.

·        Have the children judge in a positive constructive way by having a panel discussion on each student’s daily health schedule involving eating, exercising, and sleep pattern.

·        Conclude this unit with a play that will present the importance of eating vegetables or if around the Thanksgiving Holiday, have a pretend or sample-tasting dinner with the parents. Video tape?

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