Wellness Activity

My wellness activity was to present during a middle school health and career fair. The school

emailed my preceptor to see if one of the county dietitians could be a part of the health and

career fair. The fair takes place once a year. Each session is about 20 minutes long, and 6

different classes of 7th

graders rotate through. It was during the morning and all classes were

cancelled in order to allow them to participate. Each presenter was set up in a different

classroom. Teachers rotated with the students to make sure they got where they needed and to try

to keep them under control.

I decided to focus on healthy snacking and portion sizes. I decided to use visuals in order to

present rather than a PowerPoint. This allowed the students to be more involved and hands on. I

have included a copy of my lesson plan that includes everything I did, what items I used, what

resources were available, and an approximate amount of time each activity took.

Overall, the presentation went well. Because it was so hands-on and interactive, it kept the kids

attention, as well as the teachers. The sugar in soda example was a great way to catch their

attention. It was also helpful to have actually food that they could read the nutrition labels on. It

also was good to have multiple visuals at each table so 2-3 students would share and not more. It

was also good to not have a PowerPoint. This allowed the kids to be more interactive as well as

allowed me to have my eyes on them more of the time. I also had precut a banana to show that

large bananas are more than one serving of fruit, and the kids were fascinated that it was already

cut before being peeled, and pulled them back in when some had started to get distracted.

I did have some of my food disappear by the end of the day, and next time would probably

collect it during the lesson to avoid this. Also, each session was slightly different because of the

kids. Some I barely had time to finish, and others I had extra time. I had originally planned to

leave time for questions, but none of the sessions had questions, so next time I would plan to take

the entire time for my presentation. Working with groups of 25-30 7th

graders was a challenge

because they did not always want to pay attention or cooperate. Luckily, keeping them busy

helped to focus their attention into the presentation and helped me to keep them more under

control.

Below are pictures from the presentation, as well as the lesson plan and the handout given to

each student.

LESSON PLAN

Title: Healthier Eating Name: Jessica Roberts

Target Audience: 7th Graders Number Attending: 20-25 x 6

Terminal Objective 1- Help them understand serving size 2- Teach them how to read a nutrition label 3- Teach them how to choose healthy snacks 4- Teach them how to choose healthier options at fast food

Needed Material: Different foods with multiple serving sizes, sodas, sugar for sodas, clear cups, banana, different fast food containers, nutrition facts (food and restaurant), handouts, trash bag

Needed Reference Sheets: Fast food nutrition guides , handout

References Choosemyplate.org Preparation Create and print handouts Print nutrition facts from restaurants and Nutrition Labels Cut banana in half with needle where you cannot see it has been cut Set up classroom with nutrition facts and food on class tables. Prepare two desks for the cereal pouring. Put apples and bags of sugar in bag, and clear glasses and sodas on table Pre-assessment How many of you:

- Know what portions are - Know how to tell how many portions there are - Know how to read a food label

Time (if in class): 3 min

Introduction (before pre-assessment) Do any of you know how many grams of sugar are generally in sugar? Do you know how to tell? What is the difference in getting a small can vs a large bottle? Show how much sugar is in each, then transition into nutrition label Time: 30 seconds

Supporting Objectives Content Outline Time Learning Experiences Class should be familiar with layout of a label

Show them nutrition facts label

30 sec

Show nutrition label. Also show fast food nutrition sheets.

Class should be able to identify stated serving size and understand what it means

Class should be able to estimate servings of fruit Class should be able to recognize differences in serving sizes Class will be able to state why servings are important Class will be able to repeat ways of controlling portions Class will be able to make wiser choices at restaurants

Point out serving size What about things without a label like fruit? Explain that most are 1 ½- 2 servings and estimate with a tennis ball or baseball What is a serving of cereal? Why does it matter? Pre-bag, smaller plates/bowls, spread food How many of you have multiple things you get from restaurants?

6 min 2 min 3 min 1 min 2 min 3-5 min

Point out serving size stated. Explain that it isn’t always one and that will affect the rest of the nutrition information given. Hand out examples (soda, cereal, etc). Have them tell me how many serving size. Do any of those surprise you? Show a banana. Have guess how many servings. Peel and show that it is two. Also show apples Pour cereal to how much they normally do and see how many servings it would be. [Have 2 people do it and see who is closer] Have people tell why they think this is important. Remind of sugar, and explain that everything increases. discuss tips for keeping serving sizes on the go: premeasured bags, don’t eat out of large package, choose smaller plates and utensils. Try smaller plates, etc. get takeout box at beginning or split discuss tips for making wiser choices; go over some of handout tips if time remaining

Assessment Ask “what is one thing you learned today that you can use when you go home?” Closure See if there are any questions. Have kids pick up handout on the way out.

Fast Food Ideas:

Choose a smaller size. By getting a smaller size, this can save over 100 calories on some items.

Skip the mayo. Mayonnaise can add between 50 and 100 calories to a sandwich. Any sandwich can be healthier by making this one change

Plan ahead. By looking at the nutrition before heading out, it can be easier to choose a healthier option when it is your turn to order.

Choose grilled not fried. This can save extra calories and fat, making the entrée a better choice.

Restaurant Ideas:

Split a meal. Most restaurant servings are large enough for two to share.

Can I have it on the side? By asking for salad dressing or sauce on the side, it can help cut down on extra calories and allow you to choose how much to put on.

Skip the fries…every other time. While you can choose the fries occasionally, try to order a baked potato or steamed vegetables every other time.

Snack Ideas:

Pre-package snacks. By placing snacks such as pretzels or fruit into snack-size bags it can help control portion size.

Choose healthy from the start. Go shopping with your parents and try to choose healthy snacks to buy. It is easier to eat healthy if that is what is in your house.

Add some fruits and veggies. Fruits and vegetables make great snacks and have extra vitamins and minerals you need to help you grow and stay healthy.

Got Milk? Milk has calcium which is especially important in your teenage years. Your bones absorb the most calcium now, so by getting milk in your day it can help you for the rest of your life.

Stick to 200 calories or less. While you can sometimes have an extra large treat, try to keep most of your snacks between meals to less than 200 calories.

Make eating the activity. Don’t eat your snack in front of the TV or while doing something else. If you eat while distracted, you are more likely to over eat.

There’s an App for That:

Restaurant Nutrition: this free app allows you to look at the nutrition for foods at your favorite restaurants.

Meats, Fish, Nuts 1 oz lunch meat = CD 3 oz lean meat = deck of cards 3 oz fish = checkbook 3 oz tofu = deck of cards 2 Tbsp peanut butter = golf ball 2 Tbsp hummus = golf ball ¼ cup almonds = about 23 almonds ¼ cup pistachios = about 24 pistachios

Reading Nutrition Labels Portions of Other Food

Fruits and Vegetables ½ cup fresh fruit = tennis ball ½ cup grapes = about 16 grapes 1 cup strawberries = about 12 berries 2 cup salad greens = 2 baseballs 1 cup carrots = about 12 baby carrots 1 cup cooked vegetables = baseball 1 baked potato = computer mouse