Lesson 4.1: Eating Well as You Grow

Overview

This lesson focuses on understanding why minerals are important for teen health and the importance of using communication to make healthy decisions.

Learning Targets

  • Explain how iron influences teen health.
  • Identify three good sources of iron.
  • Explain why calcium is important during the teen years.
  • Identify three good sources of calcium.
  • Use communication skills to make healthy nutrition decisions.

Preparation

Chapter Opener: Use the What Influences My Eating Behaviors? self-assessment to introduce the chapter before moving on to Lesson 4.1, or assign the self-assessment as a homework task before starting this lesson.

For the Warm-Up Activity: Write the journal question on the board, or identify (and copy as needed) the worksheets you plan to use:

For the Content Focus: Open the Lesson 4.1 PowerPoint slides, or make copies of the Lesson 4.1 Note-Taking Guide.

For the Lesson Focus: Copy the Lesson 4.1 Skill-Building Challenge Worksheet: Influences on Your Wellness.

Warm-Up Activity

Select a warm-up activity to help get your class focused and on-task.

  • Self-Assessment: Have students complete the What Influences My Eating Behaviors?
  • Journal Question: How do you think your eating habits have changed since you were a young child? Do you ever think about how nutrition might affect the way you grow and develop?
    • Option: Write or project the question, and have students respond in their journals as they enter class.
    • Option: Have students discuss the question with a partner or in a small group.
  • Vocabulary Review: Have students work individually, in partners, or in small groups to complete the Lesson 4.1 Vocabulary Review Worksheet.
  • Quiz: Have students complete the Lesson 4.1 Quiz to assess their prior knowledge.
    • Option: Collect the quizzes, and use them alongside posttests to demonstrate student learning.
    • Option: Have students share their answers with a partner and then go over the answers together as a class.

Lesson Content

Review the content from the textbook lesson.

  • Option: Use the Lesson 4.1 PowerPoint Slides to review the chapter content.
  • Option: Have students use the Lesson 4.1 Note-Taking Guide to review chapter content. Ask students to work alone, in pairs, or in small groups. Review the questions as a class if time permits.

Lesson Focus: Healthy Communication

  1. Give each student a copy of the Lesson 4.1 Healthy Communication Skill-Building Challenge Worksheet.
  2. Have students work individually to complete the worksheet.
  3. Ask students to share with an elbow partner some of the communication strategies they used for their situation. Challenge students to discuss which of their chosen communication strategies would be the most effective with each scenario.
  4. Ask students to share their discussions with the class.

Challenge Activity

Have students who need an additional challenge work on the following critical-thinking task.

Read through the opening paragraph of this lesson again. What parts of Jack’s diet might be contributing to his calcium and iron intake? What recommendations would you make to Jack to improve his intake of these minerals?

Reflection and Summary

Review the critical content from today’s lesson. Review the learning targets, and ask students to answer each question posed.

Can you…

  • Explain how iron influences teen health?

    Iron is a mineral that helps your blood carry oxygen in your body. Eating a diet that is high in iron will help your blood carry oxygen to your cells, which will help your body grow and develop. Adequate iron will also give you more energy throughout the day.

  • Identify three good sources of iron?

    Great sources of iron (3.5 mg per serving) include the following: beef or chicken liver, shellfish, lentils, white beans, spinach, Swiss chard, beet greens, dark chocolate, sesame seeds, and green olives.

  • Explain why calcium is important during the teen years?

    Calcium is a mineral that helps your bones grow and your muscles function. Men and women begin to slowly lose bone mass after age 30. Many teens do not get the recommended amount of calcium in their diet. Teens, especially girls who don’t get enough calcium when bones are growing, are at risk of developing the bone disease osteoporosis.

  • Identify three good sources of calcium?

    Great sources of calcium include dairy products, veggies, foods with added calcium, soy foods, beans, and almond milk.

  • Use communication skills to make healthy nutrition decisions?

    Sometimes, it’s hard or uncomfortable to ask for what you want when it comes to nutrition. Learning to say no in an unharmful way is an important skill for eating well. You can also ask for help in making a healthier choice by asking for the food to be made a certain way.

Assessment

Complete one or more of the following assessment tasks for this lesson.

  • Quiz: Have students take the Lesson 4.1 Quiz.
  • Vocabulary Review: Collect the Lesson 4.1 Vocabulary Review Worksheets, and evaluate them for accuracy.
  • Note-Taking Guide: Collect the completed Lesson 4.1 Note-Taking Guides, and spot check one or more items for completion and accuracy.
  • Skill-Building Worksheet: Have students submit the Lesson 4.1 Healthy Communication Skill-Building Challenge Worksheets, and use the Healthy Communication Holistic Rubric to evaluate their skill development.
  • Journal Question: Ask students to respond to the journal question again, adding information they learned from today’s class. Require a one-paragraph response that uses proper grammar.

Take It Home

Make a list of snacks and lunch items you like that are high in calcium and iron. Share your list with your parent or guardian. Set a SMART goal together to help increase one or both of these minerals in your diet.

Option: Assign the What Influences My Eating Behaviors? self-assessment as a homework task if it was not used at the start of this lesson.