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4th Grade Unit: Lesson 1: Energy Balance The presenter explains how food choices and exercise choices can lead to a healthy energy balance. The class reviews calories as a unit for measuring energy. Then the students use calories to estimate energy going into the body through food, and energy going out of the body through exercise. Students try to guess the amount of energy in four foods and the amount of energy used in four forms of physical exercise. Students discover that the more energy going out of the body through physical activity, the more energy must go into the body as food. The students meet a healthcare worker who treats childhood obesity. Finally, they put their energy balance knowledge to work as they solve case studies about children with energy imbalances. Analyzing the energy in and the energy out, groups of students make dietary and physical activity recommendations for their patients. Lesson 2: Energy Out = Living + Moving Lesson 3: Energy In: Everyday Healthy Foods The presenter burns a corn chip and a piece of cabbage to show that they contain different amounts of energy that can be measured in calories. As each food burns, it heats a test tube of water. The greater the change in the temperature of the water, the more calories the food contains. Then the students work in groups to categorize and interpret labels from a variety of food types. They organize the labels into food groups from the food pyramid and identify nutrients. Finally, they solve math problems related to calories and make dietary recommendations based on the comparison of frozen dinner packages with equal calories. Lesson 4: Energy In: High Calorie Foods Students color a worksheet as they learn about benefits of the vitamins and minerals found in fruits. They work in groups estimating and measuring serving sizes. The students taste colorful produce and discuss ways that they could incorporate their favorite fruits and vegetables into their diet. Lesson 5: Energy Balance and Your Health The class measures, compares, and graphs the size of the grease stains from the experiments conducted in the previous lesson. The students meet an exercise physiologist who helps them design their own menus and activity programs. Links: |
The nutrition lessons for 4th grade focus on energy and nutrient balances and imbalances. The students learn about Calories, energy, food labels, healthy foods, protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and the benefits of exercise. The lessons reinforce healthy eating habits and warn against the health risks caused by excessive weight gain.
