Lesson #17 - Factors that Influence Diet and the Food we Eat - Health & Nutrition

Lesson Date: December 7, 2022

Time:
Kevin Petryshen

Lesson Lesson #17 Subject: Health

Title/Focus Factors that Influence Diet and the Food Grade: Grade 6
we Eat - Health & Nutrition Time: 60-120 Minutes

PROGRAM OF STUDY OUTCOMES

● W - 6.5 - Analyze personal eating behaviours – food and fluids – in a variety of situations.
● W - 6.7 - Identify and communicate values and beliefs that affect healthy choices

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of the lesson students will be able to:

1. Understand that diet is affected by both individual and environmental factors
2. Describe the different influences that affect their diet choices
3. Identify ways that they can influence diet and nutrition choices at home and at school

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

● See Lesson Plan on Pg. 35-36 to start!
● chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://
unicefeaproinasactoolkit.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/canada-grade-6.pdf

Also See File “Diets and Influences” on Desktop then go to “Influences on Food Choice Lesson” page 12 for
Brainstorming Activity - chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://web.archive.org/
web/20150226072054if_/http://www.jhsph.edu:80/research/centers-and-institutes/teaching-the-food-system/
curriculum/_pdf/Diet_and_Influences-Lesson.pdf

PREPARATION AND LOGISTICAL CONSIDERATIONS

● PPT Influences Affecting Nutrition - https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1TJitUDgS4lRLtXQR-
rAEG6SdacoW1Yux/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116519617595838007946&rtpof=true&sd=true
● Scenario Sheets (1-6)
● 6 Flip chart or large poster papers
 ● Meal Planning Project Handouts
● Projector/SmartBoard
● YouTube Player to play video links

PROCEDURE
Introduction Time

Inform students that we will be continuing our unit on nutrition in Health and be Min
focusing on the factors that influence our diet and the reasons for why we eat the food 2
we eat.
- Use brainstorming activity to hook students into the lesson.

Body Time

Topic: In this activity, we will brainstorm a list of influences on food Min

Brainstorm Activity: choice. Start by thinking about what you ate yesterday. Why did 10
Why did you eat the you choose those foods?
food you ate today? • Write student responses on the board, grouping them by the
categories depicted in the example below.
• Before revealing the names of each category, ask students for
suggestions based on what the examples in each group have in
common.
• The following example suggests what the board might look like
after the activity. It is not a comprehensive list.
- Individual
- Social
- Location
- Food Marketing and Labeling
- Policy and Government
Topic: In this activity, participants will explore influences on food Min
The Scenarios! choices. Six different scenarios are posted around the room in 20
which different characters make food choices. In small groups,
participants will record possible influences on the character’s
choices before rotating to the next flip chart. The activity closes
with volunteers reading each of the scenarios and summarizing
the influences recorded and the class comparing and contrasting
the choices made by the characters in the scenarios.

Setup:
1. Print Food Choice Scenarios and tape each one with a
flipchart poster paper up in different areas of the room
2. 6 Scenarios - Do groups of 2-4 by numbering 1-6 and
sending them to the numbered scenario to start.
3. Explain roles and expectations
4. Give them about 2-3 minutes per scenario

Wrap up Scenarios:
Say: As a class, let’s discuss the scenarios. (Slide 9) Can I
have a volunteer read it to the class at the first scenario?

11. Do: Allow the volunteer to read the scenario to the class.

12. Say: Let’s discuss the scenario. What were some of the
factors that were brainstormed and some of the observations
you had?

13. Do: Repeat Steps 2 and 3 for each scenario. Follow the
group’s line of thinking, and if necessary, ask more targeted
questions.

● Explain what you observed about the different

influences. Explain the similarities and differences in
food choices.
● Explain the differences and similarities between how
children versus adults made decisions in these
scenarios.
● Explain how these different factors influencing diet
might impact what a student chooses in the lunch
line.
● Explain how we could make changes to the
environment of the lunchroom to influence choices.
Topic: With students at desks, run through the PPT presentation to 20
Factors that Influence discuss more on the Individual and Environmental factors Min
Diet and Food Choices that affect Diet.
PPT - Use the projector and take time to answer and clarify
questions and concepts for student understanding

Conclusion Time

Goal Setting Exit Slips Min

On the second last page of the PPT, there is a goal setting question. 5-10
- Hand out exit slips for students to write their responses to the two PPT
questions
- Give students about 5 minutes
- Collect their Slips and thank the students for their hard work and participation
today.

Assessment
1. Teacher observation of student participation and answers written on the poster papers on the Scenario
Activities.
2. The Teacher collects Exit Slips at the end to understand student comprehension of factors influencing diet
and how they can create goals based on their new learnings.
3. Teacher observation of class discussions to assess student comprehension on the factors that influence diet.

Reflection:

What worked well?

This health lesson worked extremely well with the grade 6 students, and while it was intended to be a
longer lesson (about 2-2.5 hours), its length was actually well tolerated, and the information was well
received.
- It required students to think more abstractly and critically. The students had to go beyond their
belief of eating food because of hunger and dive deeper into the factors such as emotion, income,
modelling, location, and culture influencing their diet choices.
- The brainstorming activity at the beginning took some prodding and pocking of students'
imaginations before it really got rolling. The first and only response for about 2-3 minutes was
“hunger,” as the only reason the students ate food. I knew this wasn't the case but didn't want just
to start throwing out all the expected answers, as I knew they were mostly just trying to be funny
and make the question seem dumb or pointless. Once I provided a bit more context and an
 example, the students started sharing more ideas that were very well thought out.
- The Scenario activity was one of my favourite activities of the lesson. Putting them in small
groups and allowing them to move around the room allowed for discussion and collaboration.
Additionally, if a group couldn't think of anything new to contribute to one station, they almost
always had something they could contribute to another station.
- The PowerPoint was very well received, and the students were very engaged in the presentation
and information. After every slide, they had something to ask or share with the class.
- While we did not begin the meal planning project, the lesson was a great scaffold for the project.
What could have been changed?
- Again, I may have asked questions for the “exit slip” that was a bit too abstract and difficult to
understand for some students. When I asked the question, I could immediately see that its wording
was not comprehended by the students and needed to be adjusted. While I explained it more
simply, it still confused some students. All students could answer at least one of the two
questions, but I did have a couple of exit slips with a literal “I don't know” written down. This
showed me that at least the students read and considered the question but either did not know the
answer well enough or the question was unclear.