Personal Health...
  : Healthy Food  
Approach: Team
80k

Resources: 2 answer sheets (as pictured), one A4, the other A3; 24 pictures of food items.

Questions / instructions:

Small PyramidShow the students the small (A4) food pyramid.

Here is an outline of a food pyramid.
As a group, talk about all you know about it, then I'll write what you agree are the most important ideas on this sheet.

Allow about two minutes

  % responses
y4
y8

Identifing 3 levels:
eg. eat least, eat moderately, eat most

all identified correctly
partly correct
incorrect

29
44
27
65
21
14

Pictures of Food ItemsHere are some food pictures and a large food pyramid. I want you to talk about where you think each picture should go on the pyramid. You all need to agree on the best place. Do one picture at a time, and take turns putting them on the pyramid - but don't stick them down until I tell you. But before you place each label, think about where the food should go and agree as a group before you put it on the pyramid. Don't stick the labels down until I tell you.

Large PyramidGive students the large food pyramid (A3). Allow enough time for students to place cards.

Some of the labels have a blue dot on them. As a group talk about why you have placed these labels where they are on the pyramid. You can change the place of a label if the whole group agrees. You have a couple of minutes to talk about those labels and then I'll ask why you chose to place them where they are.

Allow time for discussion.
Point to each of the labels with blue dots asking this question each time:

Why have you placed this label here?

Tell students to stick the labels onto the chart. They can share the job by taking turns.

Eat least:

biscuits
cake
chocolate
fish & chips
muesli bar
potato chips

76
87
92
30
34
64
78
93
93
75
9
84

Eat moderately:

cheese
chicken
flavoured milk
hamburger
meat pie
nuts
pizza
sausages
yoghurt

70
69
44
 50
78
56
61
74
56		 78
78
69
64
78
48
55
92
75

Eat most:

apple
baked potato/corn
banana
bread fruit
rice with vegetables
salad
salad roll
sandwiches
sushi

81
72
82
76
80
86
84
76
42 		92
68
93
89
86
92
90
84
61

Number correct:

21 - 24
17 - 20
13 - 16
9 - 12
5 - 8
1 - 4

7
55
21
10
6
1		 17
69
9
2
2
1
Commentary
Most teams at both levels were able to use the food pyramid idea quite effectively. The food item causing most confusion was the muesli bar (note especially the year 8 result). The muesli bar, nuts and fish & chips tended to be classified too low on the pyramid, while flavoured milk and sushi tended to be classified too high.

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