Embedded Files
Objective: Children will understand the importance of knowing which foods give them the most energy so that they can use their energy to be physically active.
Key Concepts: Eating fruits and vegetables provides our bodies with fuel for physical activity so that we can grow. Plants also need food (sunshine and water) so that they can grow strong leaves and stems and beautiful flowers.
Materials Needed
“Energy Foods” game instructions
Large pictures of high/low energy foods
Unit 3 discussion card
Large pictures of active activities including gardening activities
Large pictures of sedentary activities
“Gardener Says” game instructions
Tummy Mindfulness and Experiential Eating protocol
Fruit, vegetables, and napkins for tasting
Tummy dolls
Watering cans
“Seedling Song” lyrics
“Exercise When We Rhyme” game instructions
Measuring tape
Diet or Physical Activity Guideline or Recommendation
Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans- Active Children and Adolescents (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services): https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/guidelines/children.html
The Importance of Physical Activity (ADA): https://professional.diabetes.org/sites/dpro/files/2023-12/importance_of_physical_activity_.pdf
NAEYC Recommendations Satisfied
Curriculum 2.A.03, Curriculum 2.A.08, Curriculum 2.A.10, Curriculum 2.A.11, Curriculum 2.A.12,
Curriculum 2.B.05, Curriculum 2.C.03, Curriculum 2.C.04, Curriculum 2.D.02, Curriculum 2.D.03,
Curriculum 2.D.07, Curriculum 2.G.02, Curriculum 2.G.06, Curriculum 2.K.01, Health Standard 5.A.06
Review [10 minutes—game]
Game: In order to review concepts from the Nutrients for Growth unit, play “Energy Foods.”
Classroom Activity [20 minutes—discussion, game]
Discussion 3a: Children are led through a discussion on the importance of being physically active.
Children are taught that moving around is good for their bodies, gives them energy, and gives them energy to play.
The teacher asks the children to name some of the physical activities that they participate in either alone, with family, or with friends. The teacher reminds the children that they help maintain the garden which is an excellent source of physical activity!
Children are shown pictures of various activities. Some pictures will be of garden activities such as digging, raking, and harvesting and other pictures will be of sedentary behaviors such as playing video games and watching TV. The teacher holds up a picture and ask the children if the person in the picture is being physically active.
Using just the pictures with gardening tools, the teacher uses pretend play to show the children how each tool is used. The teacher encourages the children to perform the actions as well.
Game: In order to further emphasize gardening as physical activity and practice the use of gardening tools, the teacher leads the children in a game of “Gardener Says” (played like Simon Says).
Children line up and the “gardener” says “Gardener Says to Dig,” and the children make a digging motion pretending to have a shovel in their hands.
This game is repeated as the children practice other gardening actions such as raking, watering, harvesting down low (bend at waist and bend their arms at the waist, moving them back and forth to pretend like they are picking fruits and vegetables), and harvesting high (children stand on their tip toes and pretend to pick apples from the top of the tree by reaching up high with their left and right hand).
Mindful Eating [15 minutes—tummy mindfulness, experiential eating]
Tummy Mindfulness and Experiential Eating Protocol:
Direct children to wash their hands before their taste testing.
Food should be served to the children with gloved hands.
After washing their hands, the children are presented with fruits and vegetables from the garden (or grocery store if needed) to sample. Images of a body with an empty belly, too full belly, and just right belly are available for the children to compare. The teacher describes the feelings of hunger and fullness to the children to increase their understanding of these concepts . They then discuss how every person eats a different amount of food to get a just right tummy and that it is important to pay attention to your body
Lay out or hang up the Tummy Dolls, images of a body with an empty belly, too full belly, and just right belly
Before sampling the fruits and vegetables, the teacher asks the children if they are too full, just right, or hungry by asking them to point to the appropriate images.
The teacher then calls on a few children and asks them to describe what hunger or fullness feels like. The teacher tells the children to pay attention to if they’re feeling hungry or if they’re feeling full. If they are hungry, the teacher lets the children know that eating more food will give them energy they need for the day. If they are full, then that means their body already has the energy it needs, and they do not need to eat more at that time.
After sampling the fruits and vegetables, the teacher asks the children if they are too full, just right, or hungry (point to the images).
While the children are tasting, encourage positive conversation by making statements and asking questions that prompt the children to identify the color, smell, taste, and texture of the fruit or vegetable they are tasting, the sounds they make when they bite and chew, and what do they feel happening inside their mouths while they are chewing. Avoid statements that are coercive, like “just take a polite taste,” or “everyone has to try it.”
For example:
“What sound was made when you chewed the celery? What do you feel happening inside your mouth while you chew? [That celery was really crunchy and juicy.]”
“How does the tomato taste?”
“What does the bell pepper smell like?”
“What does the cucumber feel like in your hand? [It’s nice and cool.]”
“What color are the strawberries that we are tasting?”
Garden Activity [20 minutes—garden maintenance, song, garden exploration, game]
Garden Maintenance and Song: The teacher leads the children outdoors to water the garden. Once finished, the students set their water cans down. Encourage students to sing the “Seedling Song” while they water.
Garden Exploration: Using real fruits and vegetables, the teacher brings the children around the garden and shows the children the fruits and vegetables that are growing in the garden. Children are encouraged to identify the fruit or vegetable, its color, its shape, how it feels (i.e. smooth, fuzzy, etc.), what stage of the life cycle, what it needs to grow, and whether it is ready for harvesting.
Game: The teacher leads the children in singing the “Exercise When We Rhyme” game: If two words rhyme they must perform the activity identified and if two words don’t rhyme they must jump up and down.
The additional word pairs are parentheses can be substituted for more options.
Lyrics
Chorus:
[Get your heart pumping
Get your legs running (Run in place)
Get your brain jumping (Jump in place)
Exercise when we rhyme]
If I say two words that rhyme, jog in place
If I say two words that don’t rhyme, jump up and down
Yellow – Hello (Mango – Tango)
(You may have to prompt the students asking-do those words rhyme?)
Beet – Grape (Asparagus – Watermelon)
Carrot – Parrot (Beans – Greens)
Berry – Cherry (Pear – Air)
Apple – Avocado (Radish – Orange)
If I say two words that rhyme, clap side to side
If I say two words that don’t rhyme, jump up and down
Potato – Tomato (Parsnips – Turnips)
Lime – Dime (Broccoli – Kohlrabi)
Lettuce – Lemon (Apricot – Squash)
Kiwi – Pee Wee (Yam – Ham)
(Repeat Chorus)
If I say two words that rhyme, jump side to side
If I say two words that don’t rhyme, jump up and down
Banana – Cucumber (Cabbage – Fig)
Pea – Bee (Zucchini – Fettuccine)
Corn – Horn (Kale – Whale)
Spinach – Milk (Cauliflower – Watermelon)
(Repeat Chorus)
C’mon, exercise when we rhyme
Wrap Up/Review [5 minutes—discussion, song]
Mindfulness Activity: There are three (3) Mindfulness activities available as Bonus Materials; (1) Art Activity, (2) Guided Meditation, and (3) Yoga Activity. You have the option of selecting one of these mindfulness activities to perform along with the Wrap-up and Review of each unit.
* (See Mindfulness Activities for Objectives, Key Learning Concepts, Materials, and Instructions)
The teacher measures the lima bean so that we can continue to chart its growth. Ask the children what is needed for the lima bean to grow and relate back to what children need (prompt the children to identify water, sunlight, and food-fruits and vegetables, and soil).
Discussion 3b: The teacher asks the children why fruits and vegetables are good for your body and helps us grow. Prompt the children to the answer, to have energy to be physically active and play.
Song: If there is time, the teacher leads the “Seedling Song”
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