1

MyPlate Lesson Plan:

Increasing Knowledge in Young Children to Make Healthy Changes

Jhun Papio, Bar Kimchi, Jennifer Jalbert, Ashley Sandhu

San Francisco State University

Nutrition 551

Kate Haisch

December 13, 2020

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Introduction

Based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity affects about 13.7

million children and adolescents (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , 2019) . To tackle

this growing issue, utilization of MyPlate to educate young 3rd and 4rth graders on making

healthy decisions to change behavior, may improve on increasing awareness and general

knowledge. The goal is to heighten the appreciation for healthy foods and to identify main food

groups by providing major concepts using MyPlate, understanding portion sizes, and teaching

the value of healthy food items as opposed to low-quality food items. Using cognitive, affective,

and psychomotor domains as the objective, children will be able to use their new found

knowledge to encourage healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime. This nutrition intervention

will allow the adoption of healthier food choices that can be built on throughout a child’s life

span.

Literature Review

When evaluating the needs of our target audience (children in 3rd-4th grade), we found that

childhood obesity, food exposure, food availability, and inadequate nutrition related education

were all factors that contributed to children’s dietary behaviors and overall health. To protect a

child against overweight and obesity, healthy eating is vital to their development. (Hermans et

al., 2018).

Tiffany, a mother of 5 boys ranging in age from 15 years old to 8 months old, she

expressed that she was not familiar with MyPlate (T.M. Cressio, personal communication, 12-6-

2020). When asked if she thought her children, or children in our chosen age group, had

knowledge of MyPlate, she replied that she did not think that they had any experience with
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MyPlate, but that she thought it would be beneficial even though she believes children know

what should be on their plates “amounts and food groups” from their parents and pediatricians

telling them so. Tiffany would like to see her children receive education on “the proper food

groups, foods that give them nutrients rather than empty calories, as well as the effects that junk

food have on their body” because if children make better choices now, it will be easier for them

as they grow older (T.M. Cressio, personal communication,12-6-2020).

Childhood obesity has become a major concern not just in the United States (U.S.), but

globally. There has been a threefold increase in the prevalence of childhood obesity in the U.S.

from 5% in 1978, to 18.5% in 2016 (Anderson, Butcher, & Schanzenbach, 2019). Research

shows that while from 1978-2004, obesity increased at a yearly percentage point rate of 0.4-0.7,

it has now slowed down to 0.1%-point increase within the years 2004-2016 (Anderson, Butcher,

& Schanzenbach, 2019). This slow down between years 2014-2016, is believed to be due to

more focus being put on the issue of childhood obesity and intervention.

Childhood obesity should also be evaluated based on gender, race, and age. In 2010, a 5-

year-old was 2 percent more likely to be obese than the same aged children in 1997 (Anderson,

Butcher, & Schanzenbach, 2019). In the black and Hispanic community, this percentage was

even higher. Environments that children live in differ with race and socioeconomic status. Most

children do not consume the recommended 4 servings of fruits and vegetables daily (Schmitt et

al., 2018). This is in part due to not having enough exposure/ developing a preference for

healthy foods as a young child. Children may also not have access to healthy foods based on the

neighborhood they live in, as well as their parents’ ability to afford the high prices of nutrient

dense foods. The neighborhood a child lives in determines which school children attend,
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proximity to fast food restaurants (access to junk food) and whether they have safe places to

engage in exercise, all of which play a role in nutritional status. Increased sedentary behavior in

children is associated with obesity status (Anderson, Butcher, & Schanzenbach, 2019), as well as

intake of high saturated fats and sugar-sweetened beverages (Schmitt et al., 2018).

Work with young children has become a focal point because food behaviors learned at a

young age will reflect their food choices throughout their lifetime. Childhood obesity can be an

indicator of adult obesity based on the fact that patterns associated with obesity are set at 11

years old (Anderson, Butcher, & Schanzenbach, 2019). With the involvement of nutrition

assistance programs, public health, and school reforms, it is surprising to see that the frequency

of obesity is still so high. Anderson, Butcher, and Schanzenbach explain obesity as an example

of inconsistency and hyperbolic discounting (Anderson, Butcher, & Schanzenbach, 2019). This

means that although people understand that obesity is bad for their health, many are not willing

to change their short-term behaviors to align with their long-term goals of maintaining a healthy

weight.

Nutrition education is one of the most important tools a child can have to aid in making

healthy food choices. When children have knowledge about the benefits of certain foods, they

are more likely to adopt them into their diet (Schmitt et al., 2018). A study involving 2nd and 3rd

grade students showed improvements in diet behavior and knowledge after receiving nutrition

education within their schools (Schmitt et al., 2018). This particular study observed children who

had been instructed by nutrition educators specifically, not by their teachers. Teachers’ reasoning

for not incorporating nutrition education into their curriculum was due to lack of feasibility, ease,

and time because of current standards (Schmitt et al., 2018). A 6-week randomized control trial
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(RCT) study showed that 2nd and 3rd grade children were more open to adding more fruits and

vegetables into their diet after participating in the nutrition-based curriculum, than the control

group children (Schmitt et al., 2018). Our lesson plan, similarly, modeled this study by focusing

on dietary behaviors and knowledge. The social-cognitive approach works well with children

because a hands-on approach has been proven effective in keeping a child’s attention, while

increasing the likelihood of retaining the knowledge given.

Nutrition games have proven to be a promising way to increase children’s knowledge

(Hermans et al., 2018). With the prevalence of technology within our culture continuing to rise,

nutritional games such as the Alien Health game, provide an exciting, accessible way to learn

new knowledge (Hermans et al., 2018). When compared to the control group, the students who

played the interactive games retained more information about macronutrients (Hermans et al.,

2018). It is important to note that more research needs to be done and factors such as food

availability and parenting practices are contributing factors (Hermans et al., 2018).

In the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior Study, RDN Williams and co-authors

looked to provide context and assess, “the changes in nutritional knowledge, attitudes and

behavior After implementation of MyPlate Curriculum.” (Chrisman et al., 2019). The study

found that incorporating MyPlate curriculum and other nutrition based lessons to elementary

school aged students has a positive impact on students’ nutritional knowledge, attitudes and

behaviors towards healthy food options; Including an increased rate of self reporting for

“consuming Dark leafy greens and legumes” (Chrisman et al., 2019). The students underwent pre

and post lesson surveys, which measured their nutritional knowledge, and rated their affinity for

healthier food options.

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Looking further into why the MyPlate lessons are not implemented into more school

curriculum, we found that several factors come into play. A study by Mathew Chrisman and Co-

Authors, named Barriers to Facilitators of using MyPlate nutritional guidelines in K-12

teachers and principals, looked to assess the prevalence of MyPlate curriculum in schools and

the barriers in beginning to implement them. The study used a sample size of 124

teachers/principals from Midwestern US school districts. In relation to the prevalence of MyPlate

curriculum in schools, the study shows that less a fifth (17%) of faculty members used some kind

of MyPlate curriculum in their lesson plans (Williams et al., 2019). For the teachers who used

MyPlate curriculum in the classroom, a majority used handouts and group activities to relay the

information. Furthermore, the study found a handful of barriers for educators to use the MyPlate

curriculum. These barriers included lack of time in the school day, lack of knowledge/resources,

lack of educator belief in the importance of nutrition knowledge, and nutrition education being

included in any class taught at the school (Williams et al., 2019).

Methods and Materials

In this lesson plan, children will develop a new appreciation for healthy nutrient dense

foods. I’m sure every child has been told the same thing from their caregiver, “Do you want to

grow big and strong!? Eat your food.” However, some children have never been given the

opportunity to understand and engage in an activity that teaches children the value of healthy

nutrient dense foods. This lesson plan will focus on MyPlate, which will help children develop

an understanding of the 5 main food groups, portion size control and allow them to

demonstrate their newly developed knowledge and understanding with a fun interactive

activity: In hopes of a heightened appreciation for nutrient dense foods.

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What Am I: ICEBREAKER! (10 minutes)

We will start off by having children sit on the ground in front of the whiteboard. One of

our instructors will hold up a plastic food model from each of the five main food groups, a

minimum of one per food group will be displayed. The food models are as followed- 1 banana, 1

strawberry, 1 broccoli head, 1 cup of milk, 1 cheese slice, 1 chicken breast and 1 piece of bread.

Children will be asked to put a tally mark under one of the 5 main food groups, they believe that

specific food model belongs to. The instructor will give the correct answer after each child has

put their tally mark on the whiteboard.

A Little More Guidance! (20 minutes)

Children will be able to identify the five main food groups of MyPlate by using a

cognitive approach. The instructor will plug their USP into the classroom computer, to show the

educational Prezi PowerPoint. The educational Prezi PowerPoint will list the categories of

MyPlate, foods that belong in each category and appropriate quantity of each, based on a 2,000-

calorie diet. The slides will be as followed- slide one, a visual of MyPlate and brief discussion of

each of the 5 subcategories. Slide 2, the Prezi will zoom into the fruit’s subcategory on MyPlate

and give a brief description of the appropriate serving size (using our hand as a measuring tool)

and examples of different fruits. Slides 3, 4, 5 and 6 will have the same concepts as slide 2 but

based on vegetable, protein, grains and dairy. The children will then answer a 5-question survey

based on information from the Prezi PowerPoint.

Do You Know What I am Now? (20 minutes)

Children will be able to apply their understanding of the five main food groups and

appropriate portion size of each using a psychomotor, hands on approach. Children will be

given an outline of the 5 main food groups, shown on MyPlate and asked to glue in individual
MYPLATE LESSON PLAN 8

paper food pieces to the appropriate division on the plate. The paper food pieces are as followed-

strawberries, broccoli, chicken breast, pasta and a glass of milk. Children will be asked to think

back to the Prezi lesson; Paying specific attention to division of the plate, what type of food was

in which space and using their hand as a measuring tool for appropriate portion size. The top 5

accurate plates will be given carrot seeds in a colorful paper envelope to grow with their

guardian(s) and a vegetable eraser of their choosing.

Yes, I Know!! (10 minutes)

Children will appreciate their newly developed nutrition-based knowledge and

application using an effective domain. Children will participate in a Love/ Hate activity, which

focuses on foods they now understand to be good and nutritious and foods they may know from

their daily lives, that are not as good. Children will be shown 10 plastic food models, that are as

followed- a banana, strawberry, fries, broccoli head, cup of milk, cheese slice, Hershey’s

chocolate bar, chicken breast, soda and 1 piece of bread. They will be asked to rate the food

group by either a thumbs up, thumbs down and a neutral (horizontal thumb). This game is to help

us understand the effectiveness of our lesson plan, along the redistribution of their previous 5

question survey, which will allow them to either change their previous answers or keep them

(answers will be changed with a red pencil to note the change difference). The children will also

take home an educational handout to summarize the main points of the lesson plan and be

encouraged to teach their guardian(s) what they learned.

Evaluation

The best evaluation tool is the pre and post survey because this tool helps us understand

what the children knew before the MyPlate lesson plan, as well as what they took away from the

lesson.
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Through the inclusion of MyPlate, the use of an adequate visual learning tool for

elementary school students will provide engaging and long-lasting results. Intending to use

cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains will allow children to understand, know,

appreciate, and value healthier eating habits. Healthy eating is essential towards growth since

better choices early on is crucial for child development and the fight against obesity. Knowledge

provided through nutrition education early on in a child’s life can reflect food choices throughout

the entire lifespan. Interactive games are a promising approach that will assist in retaining more

information. By implementing this lesson plan, managing to protect children from childhood

obesity through nutrition education can be an effective tool that will garner long term success.

Discussion

The process of creating an educational plan was both rewarding as well challenging. We

enjoyed being able to use the skills learned in class to produce a learning tool that can be used to

educate students. The education plan will be successful for all to use due to the simplicity as well

as the detail put into the lesson plan. The material is broken down into material that is easy to

understand by all audiences. Our group collectively decided that the pro in terms of planning our

education plan was that we were all able to communicate openly and effectively with each other.

The con of working on a group education project was that doing group work virtually is

extremely difficult. This was also the limitation for success that could be improved in the future

through real-life interaction. Changes we could make to have a more successful education plan

would be to test out our lesson on our target audience to see how it is received, and make

improvements accordingly.
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References

Anderson, P., Butcher, K., & Schanzenbach, D. (2019, February 28). Understanding recent
trends
in childhood obesity in the United States. Retrieved December 06, 2020, from
Understanding recent trends in childhood obesity in the United States

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019, June 24). Childhood Obesity Facts.
Retrieved December 12, 2020, from https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html

Chrisman, M., Patel, S., & Alonzo, R. (2019). Barriers to and facilitators of using
MyPlate nutritional guidelines in K-12 teachers and principals. Health Education
Journal, 79(2), 152–165. https://doi.org/10.1177/0017896919867986

Hermans, R., Psychopathology, D., Broek, N., Nederkoorn, C., Science, D., Otten, R., . . .
Ruggiero, L. (2018, June 01). Feed the Alien! The Effects of a Nutrition Instruction
Game on Children's Nutritional Knowledge and Food Intake. Retrieved December 06,
2020, from https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/g4h.2017.0055

MyPlate Plan: 2000 calories, Age 9-13 | ChooseMyPlate. Choosemyplate.gov. (2020).

Retrieved 12 December 2020, from
https://www.choosemyplate.gov/resources/MyPlatePlan/MyPlatePlan_2000cals_Age9-13

Schmitt, S., Bryant, L., Korucu, I., Kirkham, L., Katare, B., & Benjamin, T. (2018, October 22).
The effects of a nutrition education curriculum on improving young children's fruit and
vegetable preferences and nutrition and health knowledge: Public Health Nutrition.
Retrieved December 06, 2020, from https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-
health-nutrition/article/effects-of-a-nutrition-education-curriculum-on-improving-young-
childrens-fruit-and-vegetable-preferences-and-nutrition-and-health-
knowledge/A15B05E6F5002E2B1E1DDC27414D790E

Serving Up MyPlate: A Yummy Curriculum. USDA Food and Nutrition Service. (2020).
Retrieved 12 December 2020, from https://fns-
prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/tn/sump_level2.pdf.
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Williams, K., Dill, A., & Lindberg, S. (2019). FP17 Changes in Nutrition Knowledge,
Attitudes, and Behavior After Implementation of Serving Up MyPlate and Vegetable
Taste Tests. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 51(7), S31–S32.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2019.05.589
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Appendix A

Lesson Plan Outline (Duration - 1 Hour)

1. Target Group: Elementary school children from 3rd to 4th grade.

2. Overall Goal: Develop nutritional knowledge in elementary school aged children,

heighten their appreciation for healthy foods and be able to identify the main food groups

in Myplate.

3. Major Concepts:

a. Knowledge of Myplate Food Groups

a) Demonstrate understanding of portion sizes in MyPlate

b) Value healthy food items over low quality food items.

4. Icebreakers: (10 minutes)

a) Children will be asked to identify plastic food models.

b) Children will put a tally on a whiteboard under one of the five Myplate categories.

c) Children will be shown which food groups go under each category.

5. Objectives and Learning Domains; Generalizations and Learning Experiences

a. Children will be able to identify the 5 main food groups

b. Domain- Cognitive Domain- Knowledge

c. Generalizations: The five main food groups are Fruits, Veggies, Grains, Proteins,

Dairy.
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d. Learning Experiences:

i. Prezi Powerpoint

ii. List categories of myplate, quantities of each food group

iii. Children will be asked to take a 5 question survey on the different food

groups on MyPlate

6. Objectives and Learning Domains; Generalizations and Learning Experiences

a. Children will be able to demonstrate understanding of portion sizes in MyPlate

sheet
b. Domain - Psychomotor- Application of information

c. Generalizations: Able to accurately place appropriate food and food portions

in correct slots in MyPlate → 2 Cups fruit, 2.5 Cups veggies, 6 oz Grains, 5.5

oz protein, 3 cups dairy

d. Learning Experiences: Children will be given a paper with the outline of MyPlate

and asked to glue the 5 food groups to the correct spot.

e. The top 5 MyPlate outlines will be rewarded with carrot seeds in a colorful paper

envelope with instructions on how to grow their carrot at home, with mom and

dad and a vegetable eraser of their choosing!

7. Objectives and Learning Domains; Generalizations and Learning Experiences

a. Children will appreciate their newly developed nutrition based knowledge

and application.
b. Domain- Affective- Value healthy food choices

c. Generalizations: Food choices associated with valuing healthy food items over

ones deemed less nutritious.

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d. Learning Experiences

i. LOVE/HATE activity

ii. Students will be asked to rate a food product when it comes up on the

screen.

iii. Three ratings include: Thumbs up, Thumbs down, Neutral

iv. 10 plastic food models will be displayed: Broccoli, Fries, Milk, Banana,

Hershey's chocolate bar, Chicken breast, Soda, Strawberries, Cheese Slice,

Slice of Bread.

v. Children will retake the 5 question survey on the different food groups on

MyPlate to test their understanding and comprehension of the 5 main food

groups.

8. Teaching aids and Materials

- Paper with MyPlate outline for food groups

- 15 glue sticks

- Dried pasta, paper broccoli, paper strawberries, paper chicken breast and paper cup of

milk.

9. Summary
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- MyPlate is a perfect visual learning tool for young kids in Elementary school. This

government developed nutritional recommendations perfectly aligns what the daily

nutrient intakes are needed for someone who is wanting to transform their eating habits

and engage in healthy eating. Starting to teach kids at an early age to develop eating

habits is essential in determining their health later on in life. By focusing our efforts on

teaching the MyPlate standard food groups, learning to value healthy foods over less

nutritious alternatives, and appropriate portion sizes; We are able to encourage healthy

eating habits that can last a lifetime.

Evaluation: pre/post survey: 5 questions

Walk children through the survey

Use statistics to show effectiveness of lesson plan

MYPLATE LESSON PLAN 16

Appendix B