Lesson Plan

Title of activity: Proteins: The Bodys Building Blocks

Concept covered in activity: Dietary Protein
Grade level or other prerequisites for activity:
10th-12th grade, 90-minute block period.
National FACS Standards:
14.2.1 Analyze the effect of nutrients on health, appearance, and peak performance.
14.2.2 Analyze the relationship of nutrition and wellness to individual and family health throughout the life span.
Learning objectives: SWBAT
Describe the structure and functions of dietary protein in the body.
Explain the difference between indispensable and dispensable amino acids.
Identify animal and plant food sources of protein.
Calculate a persons daily protein needs.
Summarize problems associate with protein deficiencies and excesses.
Materials:
Images for Hook
Several Nutrition Textbooks (group 1)
Computer cart
Poster boards
Markers
Colored paper
Group 1 Guidelines (2 copies)
Group 2 Guidelines (2 copies)
Group 3 Guidelines (2 copies)
Rubric (6 copies)
Self and Group Evaluation (35 copies)
Instructional Planning: Have class set up for easy transition between individual and group work. Have laptop cart
available for the class. Have Guidelines printed off for each group or posted on electronic blackboard.
Procedure/activity:
Engage Day 1

Student Activity
Look at images and think about dietary protein
needs. Looking at images of body builders and
athletes juxtaposed with people suffering form
Kwashiorkor, students will consider the teacher
prompt. They will record/jot down a few notes.

Teacher Activity (Include general timeframe)

Hook: Start class by showing
People in the US often associate protein
with building muscles and bulking up.
People intentionally eat more than the
necessary amount in order to fit a specific
body image that they desire. However, in
many parts of the world serious illness is
caused by people not getting a sufficient
amount of complete proteins.

What do these pictures make you

think about?
Did you know that protein deficiency
could cause serious illnesses?

ExploreDay 1

Break into 6 groups (2 groups will cover each

topic). Once each group is gathered students will
look at the question they will be addressing and
the information in their packet. Each group will
assign roles to the group members for reading
and synthesizing certain information. Once
everyone knows their role they will get to work
gathering their information. As students find the
information they need they should take notes
and consider what and how they will present it.

Explain Day 1

Students will reconvene with their groups to

discuss their findings and discuss their method of
presentation.

Elaborate -- Day 1
and 2

Decide what role I want to have in creating and

presenting our presentation.
Start work on the presentation
Each group will have to present the information
they gather to the rest of the class by creating a
poster, giving a presentation, or making a short
video (presentations should last 5-10 minutes).
The presentations will take place at the beginning
of the next class period.
The goal is that students will be finished and
ready by the end of the day, but some groups
may need to finalize a few small things after class
(this should guide their level of detail and provide
motivation to stay on task during class). The
presentations will be graded based upon a rubric.
Students will list their contributions to the group
when they are done presenting and to evaluate
the quality of their participation. This will be
figured into students individual grades. Students
will actively listen to others presentations and
take notes.

EvaluateDay 2

Introduce the activity for the day: The class

will be broken into 4 equal sized groups and
each group will be given 1 of 4 essential
questions about proteins. Along with the
question the group will be given a packet of
resources and guidelines for what
information they should gather about their
question. They may also gather additional
information on their topic if they think it is
necessary, but their additional resources
must meet the requirements for credible
sources.
Because all the necessary information they
need is provided in the packet, the research
should not take too long for the groups and
instead they will need to focus on
synthesizing the information and putting it
into a good form for teaching it to others.
Walk around the room to help students
understand their research.
Once the group has settled on the
information to be presented and their
method of presentation they will work on
putting it together.
Walk around the room to make sure students
understand their material and help them
decide how to present it.
As you provide guidance refer to the rubric
with the students.
At the beginning of the next class period
students will present.
Students will take notes during others
presentations. The notes will be turned in to
show that students were paying attention,
but then handed back when checked so
students can use them to study. Students will
fill out their personal and group evaluations
for the project and then we will move on to
our next topic.

Assessment:
Formative:
o Informal walking around to assess understanding.
o Providing rubric to students before assignment and referring to it during student independent work as a
guide and assessing their ability to follow tasks
o Reviewing student notes on their worksheets.
Summative:
o Presentation
o Self and peer evaluation form.
Accommodations/modifications of activity:

Student with para may choose a group to work with, or can create her own presentation on an aspect of dietary
protein. The presentations will be due the next class period to allow for work at home if a group feels they need
more time.
If students get their portion of the research and presentation done faster than others they will help other
members of their group.

Anticipated misconceptions:
Protein is always from meat.
Vegetarians dont get enough protein in their diet.
People in America dont get enough protein.
Protein will help you loose weight.

Rubrics for grading:

Group and Self Evaluation

Directions: In the space below, honestly evaluate the work of your group and yourself by answering yes or no
and by using a scale from 1 to 3, 1 being poor, 2 being average, 3 being above average.
Evaluators Name:_______________________________________
Group:___________________________
1. Did the members of your group complete their assigned tasks?

Yes

No

2. How would you rate the quality of the groups work? 1 2 3

3. How would you rate the timeliness of the completion of the work? 1 2 3
4. How would you rate the accuracy of the work? 1 2 3
5. Overall, how would you rank the performance of your group? 1 2 3
6. Would you want to work with this group? Explain why in the space below. Yes No

Self:
1. Did you complete your assigned tasks for the group? Yes No
2. How would you rate the quality of your individual work? 1

2 3

3. How would you rate the timeliness of the completion of the work? 1 2 3
4. How would you rate the accuracy of the work? 1 2 3
5. Overall, how would you rank your performance in the group? 1 2 3
6. Would you want to work with an entire group of people who work like you? Yes No Explain why in the
space below.

Group 1: Structure and Function of Protein

Guidelines for Presentation (Include anything else you want to share):
Explain the Structure of Protein and provide visuals.
Describe the functions of proteins in the body giving examples.
Explain how digestion and storage of protein differs from carbohydrates and fats.
What are risks of too much or too little protein?
Resources:
Textbook Chapter 7, page 159-161. Section: Protein in the Body
Textbook Chapter 7, page 169-172. Section: The Risks of Too Little of Too Much Protein
http://publications.nigms.nih.gov/structlife/chapter1.html#a1

Group 2: Essential and Nonessential Amino Acids and

Calculating Protein Needs
Guidelines for Presentation (Include anything else you want to share):
What are Essential Amino Acids and how do they differ from Nonessential?
How many Essential Amino Acids are there? Nonessential?
How to get enough Essential Amino Acids?
Teach class how to calculate how much protein the average person needs.
Describe when a persons protein needs would be more than the standard.
Resources:
http://www.dietaryfiberfood.com/protein/protein-requirement-for-humans.php
http://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2008/March/docs/01features_01.htm
http://kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/food/protein.html#
http://exercise.about.com/cs/nutrition/a/protein_2.htm

Group 3: Food sources of Protein

Animal-based vs. Vegetable-based
Guidelines for Presentation (Include anything else you want to share):
Healthy sources of Animal Protein
Healthy sources of Vegetable Protein
Benefits and shortcomings of a vegetarian diet
Tips for vegetarian eating
Resources:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002467.htm
http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=6442477379&terms=vegetarian%20protein
http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=6442477379&terms=vegetarian%20protein
http://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2008/March/docs/01features_01.htm
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/downloads/TenTips/DGTipsheet8HealthyEatingForVegetarians.pdf
http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=6374

Post Lesson Reflection:

To what extent were lesson objectives achieved? (Utilize assessment data to justify your level of achievement)

What changes, omissions, or additions to the lesson would you make if you were to teach again?

What do you envision for the next lesson? (Continued practice, reteach content, etc.)