Most Americans have a reasonable knowledge of the connection between diet and disease, according to the Food and Drug Administration. The media's attention to health journalism in recent years indicates they are also interested in nutrition. Appealing to this basic knowledge and enhancing and expanding on it is a goal of classroom activities that teach students about nutrition, diet and health.
Interactive Organs Game
"The Human Body Interactive Organs Game" is an Internet-based activity that requires students to choose, rotate and place organs in the appropriate locations on a male or female cyber-body on the computer screen. Knowing the connection between the small intestine and large intestine, for example, or the kidneys location in relationship to the urethra, is important for understanding digestion, constipation, urinary tract infections and other health ramifications related to dietary choices. Other related games involve teaching skeletal, muscle and sensory information.
"Supersize Me"
In 2004, documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock did an experiment in which he ate only food from McDonald's for one month. He filmed the process, which involved trips to the cardiologist, who measured saturated fats in Spurlock's blood and encouraged him to abandon the project due to his declining health. Interviews with frequent customers of McDonald's and health-care professionals add entertainment and depth to this film that's relevant to modern nutritional concerns. Follow up with discussion questions available on the Explore Biology website. Note: The movie contains some adult language that's appropriate for only mature audiences.
Daily Food Plan
The United States Department of Agriculture provides a website that determines the caloric content and servings of fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, meats and dairy that are appropriate for each person, based on gender, weight and activity level. Ask each student to retrieve a nutritional profile and record and measure dietary intake for three days using the MyPyramid Tracker. When students understand the comparison between the nutrients needed and the nutrients consumed, they can design personal diet plans using USDA Food Planner; this will provide them with nutrients appropriate to their individual nutritional profiles.
Food Miles Project
The Food Miles Project is a lesson designed by PBS that asks students to trace the origins of ingredients in a typical meal their families might eat. The lesson requires several class periods; students might need to write letters to companies that manufacture and distribute the foods if the information is not readily available on the packaging or on the company websites. PBS provides resources that the students can use to complete the project. Ultimately, the students will write a report describing the location and process used to develop the food, from the farm to the dinner table. The lesson is designed to help students understand the American food production process and encourage them to think critically about dietary choices, based on concerns about the environment and the healthfulness of ingredients.
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