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Volume 3 Issue 05
February 28, 2005
Nutrition
WELCOME! to Education World's Early Childhood Newsletter. Every other week, I'll share some
ideas on a familiar teaching theme. Hopefully you will find a new activity idea or two -- or a new
twist on one of your old favorites! Since I know you are very busy, I'll be short and sweet -- like
most of activities I suggest.
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For some time, health experts have credited poor diet and inactivity to increased weight and obesity
in our country’s population. Further, experts say, more U.S. children today than ever before
are overweight. Healthful eating begun in childhood can help establish adult eating patterns that
maintain an appropriate body weight and help fight many diseases.
As a guiding presence in your students’ lives, you can help them begin to understand the
basics of nutrition and the importance of healthful eating. We’ve suggested some hands-on
activities, some literature resources, and a handful of fun food links to get you started.
Susan LaBella
Editor, Early Childhood Education Newsletter
NAME THAT GROUP!
Show the food pyramid (http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/Fpyr/pyramid.gif)
to students and talk about why we eat foods and how they help our bodies. Help students understand
the different kinds of foods that comprise each food group. Next, fill a bag with different types
of foods or food packaging. Invite one student at a time to choose an item from the bag and tell
where that food would “fit” on the pyramid.
THE SAME FOOD A DIFFERENT WAY
Young children may not always understand that a food prepared in different ways can make it more
or less palatable to them. Provide pictures from magazines or newspapers of foods presented in various
ways. For example,
--- eggs: scrambled eggs, hard-boiled eggs, poached eggs
--- milk: cheese, yogurt, ice cream
--- apples: applesauce, apple juice
Fill a box with the pictures and invite children to sort and classify the pictures by food. Then
ask students to identify to which group on the pyramid each food belongs.
PUPPET FUN
Read to children Gregory, the Terrible Eater, by Mitchell Sharmat. Talk about why Gregory
preferred eating fruits and vegetables to shoes and tin cans. Ask children to name some of the fruits
and vegetables that they know. Invite each child to choose one fruit or vegetable for a puppet.
Then help children make simple puppets by cutting the shape of each fruit or vegetable from a clean
white plastic meat tray. Children can color their fruit or vegetable with markers. Tape the back
of each fruit or vegetable to the end of a drinking straw. Now reread the book. Encourage children
to hold up their fruit or vegetable puppet when you read the word “fruit” or the word
“vegetable” from the story.
SQUEEZE IT!
Prepare fresh-squeezed orange juice. Bring in a hand juicer. Cut oranges in half and invite each
child to use the juicer. Serve to everyone, explaining that drinking juice fulfills a daily fruit
requirement for a balanced diet.
A BREAKFAST BIG BOOK
Talk with children about the importance of eating a good breakfast; explain how breakfast gives
your body energy for the day. Invite students to tell their favorite breakfast foods and record
their key words on a sheet of drawing paper. Encourage children to illustrate their favorite breakfast
and bind their pictures into a class book titled Our Breakfast Big Book. Ask each child
to describe his or her picture to the rest of the group at circle time. Then serve toaster waffles
with fruit (banana, strawberry, melon) and low-fat milk, pointing out the food groups included in
this meal.
SHARE A STORY
You may want to share these food-related books -- or your own personal favorites -- with your children.
--- Eat Your Peas, Louise! by Pegeen Snow
--- Hey, Pancakes, by Tamson Weston
--- Growing Vegetable Soup, by Lois Ehlert
--- Pickles to Pittsburgh, by Judi Barrett
--- I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato, by Lauren Child
Check out the following Web sites for more
background and activities.
Education World’s
“National Nutrition Month” Archive
Here you will find dozens of lesson ideas, plus resources for teaching children about nutrition.
http://www.educationworld.com/a_special/march.shtml#nutrition
Resources
for Cooking With Young Children
More from Education World -- get recipes and nutrition resources that tie in with your curriculum.
You might be most interested in the article titled “Canteloupe Instead of Cupcakes? Believe
It!,” which tells about Sabina Mosso, a preschool teacher who was honored for her nutrition
education efforts.
http://www.educationworld.com/early_childhood/other/index.shtml#cooking
American Dietetic
Association -- National Nutrition Month
Find out all about this year’s National Nutrition Month celebration right here!
http://www.eatright.org/Public/Media/PublicMedia_11422.cfm
Dole’s
Classroom Resources
Get kids excited about eating fruits and vegetables with the activities found here.
http://www.dole5aday.com/Teachers/ClassroomResources/Instructional/T_UsingKidsSite.jsp
Bam! Body and Mind -- Fit 4 Life
You’ll find tips for healthy snacks, suggestions for packing healthy lunches, and recipes
to try.
http://www.bam.gov/fit4life/index.htm
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