Download 6 Weeks of Nutrient Lessons

6 Weeks of Nutrient Lessons
Use the following lesson plan template to incorporate a 5-7 minute nutrition lesson into your classes over
the next six weeks. The messages listed could be scaled up or down depending on your group’s age,
maturity or grade level.
Week 1: Protein
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What Does Protein do for your body? It builds your muscles and organs. It helps repair and
replace them too, so that your body can keep playing longer and stronger. It also helps little
cuts heal up.
What kinds of foods have protein? meat, chicken, fish, eggs, nuts, dairy products and beans
What would be an example of a healthy meal with protein? Make sure they can identify the
protein in the meal.
Week 2: Carbs
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What do Carbohydrates or “Carbs” do for your body? They give you energy and break down
food into brain fuel.
There are good carbs and bad carbs. Bad Carbs: sugar, soft drinks, sports drinks, candy, pastries,
etc. Good Carbs: high fiber, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables
What would be some examples of good carbs? Give them the categories and let them give
examples to fill in the boxes. For example: Whole Grains: oatmeal, cereal, wheat bread. Fruits:
Bananas, Apples, etc. Vegetables: Spinach, Broccoli, Carrots.
What would be an example of some healthy carbs you could have for breakfast?
Week 3: Good Fats
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What do good fats do for our bodies? Acts as the body's reserve tank of energy , protects our
organs - like a cushion , helps our bodies stay warm in cold weather , helps keep our bones and
joints oiled
What kinds of foods have good fats? Seafood, nuts and seeds, oils
Whats an example of a snack with healthy fats? Avocado and almonds
Putting it all together: a healthy meal should have a protein, carbs and fat. Can you give an
example of a meal like this?
Week 4: Water
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What is the best thing we can drink? Water (and Milk) - The water in blood carries food (oxygen)
to all parts of your body and keeps us hydrated
How often should you drink water? With every meal, every time you are thirsty, whenever you
are playing sports or exercise
What is it called when we don’t drink enough water? Being Dehydrated
Week 5 & 6: Vitamins and Minerals
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What are Vitamins and Minerals? They are the workers found in foods we eat. Your body needs
them to get its jobs done and so that you can grow the way you should. When it comes to
vitamins and minerals, each one has its own special jobs in our bodies.
Vitamin D: his job is to take care of our bones and teeth, it can be found in dairy foods like milk,
yogurt and cheese
Vitamin C: He helps keep our gums and muscles in good shape and helps us not get sick. You
can find these little guys in citrus fruits, strawberries, cantaloupe, and kiwi.
Vitamin A: her job is to help with our eyesight and keep our bodies strong and able to fight off
infections. You can find her in orange colored fruits and vegetables (can you think of
examples?) and dark green leefy vegetables
Vitamin B: this team helps make energy and let it loose in your body. Whole grains, fish, meat,
eggs, beans and peas all have the B Team.
Minerals: The body uses its mineral team to for even harder jobs — from building strong bones
to helping messages get from our brain to our fingers and toes. Some minerals are even used
to help us keep a normal heartbeat.
Calcium: their job is to help us build strong bones and teeth- they often work with the vitamin
D team. You can find them in a lot of the same places too like dairy products but also canned
tuna and salmon.
Iron: Your body uses the iron guys to transport oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your
body. You can find iron in foods like red meat, tuna and salmon
Potassium: The potassium crew helps make sure the amount of water is just right between our
cells, you can find them in foods like bananas, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes.