LESSON TITLE: Healthy Eating Gamified (Grade 7)

What is it about this unit you want to stick with your students?
The influence that food choices can have on health and factors that affect food choice.

Why?
Healthy eating is a choice that students will have to make throughout their lifetime, so we
want to provide the tools and knowledge needed to make more informed decisions.

STRANDS / Overall Expectation(s) addressed:

Active Living
A3. demonstrate responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others as they
participate in physical activities.
● A3.1 demonstrate behaviours and apply procedures that maximize their safety and
that of others variety of physical activity settings

Movement Skills
B1. perform movement skills, demonstrating an understanding of the basic requirements of
the skills and applying movement concepts as appropriate, as they engage in a variety of
physical activities
● B1.3 send, receive, and retain a variety of objects, while taking into account their
position and motion in relation to others, equipment, and boundaries, while applying
basic principles of movement

Healthy Living
C2. demonstrate the ability to apply health knowledge and living skills to make reasoned
decisions and take appropriate actions relating to their personal health and well-being
● C2.1 demonstrate the ability to make healthier food choices, using information about
the role that different foods play as contributing or preventive factors in a variety of
health disorders

C3. demonstrate the ability to make connections that relate to health and well-being – how
their choices and behaviours affect both themselves and others, and how factors in the world
around them affect their own and others’ health and well-being.
● C3.1 demonstrate an understanding of personal and external factors that affect
people’s food choices and eating routines.

Learning Goals:
1. We are practicing sending a beanbag to a target from a variety of distances
2. We are learning about the different food groups and how they contribute to a variety
of health disorders
3. We are learning what factors might affect our personal food choices and the choices
of others

Success Criteria/KTCA:
1. I can effectively and consistently send the beanbag into the bin from a variety of
 distances
2. I can identify the different food groups and use this knowledge to explain how specific
foods might contribute to diseases such as osteoporosis, cancer, diabetes, heart
disease etc.
3. I can identify internal and external factors that affect my food choices and understand
factors that might influence other people’s food choices

Lesson Plan
Time: Before: Minds On - Food Reflection Materials:
5-10 ● Think pair share: ● Blackboard
min ○ List 2 foods you have eaten today? ● Food guides
○ What food group does it belong to?
○ Why is this food important for your body?
○ Why did choose to eat this food?
● Take up each food group

Time: During: Bean bag game Materials:

50 min ● 4 bins
1) Food and Disease - 10 min ● 6 different
○ Every group gets one bean bag and a die coloured
○ Establish a distance that each group must objects
stand from the bin
○ First person rolls the die and then tosses the
corresponding food (beanbag) into the bin
■ 1 = dairy
■ 2 = protein
■ 3 = carbohydrates
■ 4 = fruits/vegetables
■ 5 = Junk food
■ 6 = Choice
○ Give time limit (4 min) to get as many “foods”
into the bin as possible

Debrief - 10-15 min

● Types of food groups
○ Vegetables and Fruits
○ Protein
○ Whole grain foods
● How many of each food group did your group get?
Do you think that is balanced?
Note: There used to be a food group for dairy but they have
decided to take that out of the Canada Food Guides.
● Health Disorders
○ Heart Disease - different conditions (coronary
artery disease), too much fat can cause
buildup in arteries (unsaturated fat is best,
use less oil)
○ Cancer - fibre and body weight reduce risk
 ○ Osteoporosis - calcium + vit D
○ Diabetes - T1/T2 - foods high in sugar
worsen, high fibre foods reduce, lower fat
intake
https://portal.ddsb.ca/class/q6slnlw/Documents/Healt
h%2078.1.2.1%20Health%20Disorders.pdf
● Preventative means
● Smart Fast Food selections
2) Factors that affect food choice - 10 min
○ Same game but now each group gets a card
with a set of instructions on how they will play
the game (see cards below)
■ Make sure to cut out teacher notes

Debrief - 10-15 min

● Explain character to group. What factors might have
contributed to how “well” your group did
● Internal/External Influences
○ External: Family income, distance from
grocery stores, allergies, religion, culture
○ Internal: Emotions, personal preference
● Encouraging Healthier Behaviour
○ What should you be drinking? Food guide
encourages water. Soda and even juices at
times have way too much sugar.

Time: After: Consolidation Materials:

5 min
Filling out Healthy eating worksheet
 Character Cards

Name: ​Simone

Facts about me:

● Active volleyball and tennis player with a very busy schedule
● I am a vegetarian
● I live in a downtown area close to many stores
● Both of my parents work full time jobs, finance is not an issue

How to play:
● Goal: Try to check off all the boxes on your plate
● You have 3 min to toss as many bean bags as possible into your bins
● You may throw from the tape that says “Green Line” on it

Teacher Notes: ​busy life schedule, personal lifestyle choice (ask the student what type of protein
they included on their plate), living close in proximity to food places

Name: ​Marina

Facts about me:

● I live at home with my family and my parents cook every day. We rarely go out for fast food.
● I am lactose intolerant (I have pills that can help but I usually stay away from dairy)
● My family loves to eat rice and pasta dishes.

How to play:
● Goal: Try to check off all the boxes on your plate
● Your team will have 5 minutes to complete this task
● You may throw from the tape that says “Yellow Line” on it

Teacher Notes:​ Family, allergies

Name:​ Jared

Facts about me:

● I live with my mom, she is a single parent and works two jobs
● For food, I usually eat whatever is in the pantry, mostly snacks, and frozen dinners
● When mom is around we often order in pizza

How to play:
● Goal: Try to check off all the boxes on your plate
● Your team will get 5 minutes to complete this task
● If you are trying to eat fruits and vegetables then you need to throw from the tape that says
“red line”. You are only allowed five tosses for fruits and vegetables.
● Any other food groups you can throw from the tape that says “green line” and have unlimited
tosses

Teacher Notes:​ Family, Income

Name:​ James

Facts about me:

● I am currently in my first year of University Living on Campus - I have a meal plan
● Most options on campus are fast food places with a few exceptions
● My schedule is very busy
● I am worried about gaining the “freshman 15” but the food is really tempting
● Because of my religious beliefs, I do not eat pork- and the meat that I do eat needs to be
Halal (meat that has been prepared as prescribed by Muslim law)

How to play:
● Goal: Try to check off all the boxes on your plate
● Your team will get 4 minutes to complete the task
● Your team will throw from the tape that says “green line”

Teachers Notes:​ Where you live and what food options are close, religious beliefs

Name:​ Rasheed

Facts about me:

● I love playing videos games and spend most of my time behind the screen
● When I do eat I grab something quick like a bag of chips
● I usually don’t eat a lot during the day but right after school I binge on any snacks in my house

How to play:
● Goal: Try to check off all the boxes on your plate
● Your team will get 3 minutes to complete this task
● Your team will throw from the tape that says “yellow line”

Teachers Notes:​ lifestyle, personal choices

Name:_____________________________

List the food groups and 2-3 examples of each: 

 
Food Group:  Example: 

   

   

   
 
Complete the chart below: 
Disease  Foods that may contribute to this  Foods that may help prevent this 
disease  disorder 

Osteoporosis      
 
 

Type 2     
Diabetes   
 

Cancer     
 
 

Coronary     
artery 
disease  
 
Factors that influence a person’s food choice: 
 
Internal Factors  External Factors 

   
 
 
 
 
 
 
Name:_____________________________

List factors that influence MY Food Choice: 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
My healthy plate: ​Pick either breakfast, lunch or dinner and design a healthy plate for 
yourself using specific foods. Ex. Breakfast: 1 piece of toast, ½ and avocado 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
List at least one question related to health eating and nutrition: 
 Proteins Proteins
Fruits & Fruits &
Vegetables Vegetables

Whole Grains Whole Grains

 Marina
Simone

Proteins Proteins
Fruits &
Fruits &
Vegetables
Vegetables

Whole Grains
Whole Grains
 James
Jared

Proteins Proteins
Fruits &
Fruits &
Vegetables
Vegetables

Whole Grains
Whole Grains
 Name
Rasheed

Proteins Proteins
Fruits &
Fruits &
Vegetables
Vegetables

Whole Grains
Whole Grains