Introduction:

FIVE FOOD GROUPS

EACH DAY

THE HEALTHY WAY!

So you would like to eat cake, ice cream, candy, and pizza all the time. Do you know why that is unhealthy for you? Have you ever heard the saying, "You are what you eat?" Many Americas are overweight or unhealthy because of the food choices they make on a daily basis. If you were given the job of preparing your family's meals for the day, what choices would you make?

Your group has been hired by the Healthy Food Five-A-Day Company to work on their "Five food groups a day keeps us going strong in every way!" campaign and develop a nutritious menu that children your age would enjoy. You will need to search different sites to learn more about the five food groups and the nutrients they provide. Then as a team of healthy eating experts, your group is challenged to win the war against poor food choices by creating an ad to promote healthy eating. Your ultimate goal is to motivate them to improve their eating habits.

You will be placed into groups and will be asked to complete the following activities.

1. Browse the assigned sites to learn more about the food pyramid and your specific food group. Click here for interesting information and music, then click on the back button to return to this page.

2. Click here to view the food pyramid, then click on the back button to return to this page. Click here for the blank pyramid worksheet which you will need to print for this assignment. After printing the worksheet, click on the back button to return to this page. Complete the pyramid worksheet. Click here for the rubric to see what is expected for this assignment, then click on the back button to return to this page.

3. Develop a menu for one day based on the information you have learned. Make sure that you include the recommended servings from each food group as shown in the pyramid. To get the blank menu click here. (You will need to print this in landscape format), then click on the back button to return to this page. Click here for the rubric to see what is expected for this assignment, then click on the back button to return to this page.

4. Design an ad for your food group that will promote healthy eating. Your ad will contain a caption and a picture that you will draw. You may also chose to cut out pictures from magazines or newspapers. Click here for more information on how to design an ad. Once into the site click on "Your Ad Here", then click on the back button to return to this page. Create your ad on paper provided by your teacher. Click here for the ad and song rubric, then click on the back button to return to this page.

5. Learn the verse of the song that is about your food group. Click here for the song, then click on the back button to return to this page. Click here for the ad and song rubric, then click on the back button to return to this page.

7. Print copies of the milk maze and food riddles for your group to complete. Click here for the milk maze, then click on the back button to return to this page. Click here for the food riddles. Check your riddle answers by clicking "Who am I?" below each riddle, then click on the back button to return to this page. If you have time, work with your group to create food riddles of your own.

Pick the student groups ahead of time by mixing boys and girls and ability levels.

Designate one person from each group to pick a food group from the box. Click here for the clip art of the food groups which you can cut apart and allow the students to pick from.

Prior to doing this project you may chose to read the story CATUNDRA by Stephen Cosgrove and discuss the relationship of the story to the project.

Teacher needs to provide paper for the ads which the students will design. Magazines and newspapers with food pictures are also needed for students to cut from.

Your team has worked very hard on this project, and you will help Americans of all ages to better understand the importance of the five food groups and how they are necessary to one's overall health. By completing the above tasks you now should have a better understanding of each of the food groups, their recommended number of daily servings, and why variety is so important to your daily diet. Thank you for your help in the "Five food groups a day keeps us going strong in every way!" campaign.

Created by the following Coleman Elementary teachers. Please feel free to contact us by e-mail.


The Food Pyramid	Songs	Dole 5 A Day

Kids Food Cyberclub	Riddles	Milk Maze