Objectives
- Identify snacks low in added sugars.
Lesson Plan
Students should have the general understanding that the more nutrients in a food or a beverage, the better it is for your body and brain. The lessons in this unit present a fun and interactive way to learn about sugar content in snacks and drinks. Kids will increase their decision-making skills as they learn how to read a food label to tell if an item contains excessive amounts of sugar. They will plan and advocate for nutritious snack and drink choices that are low in added sugar.
Set The Stage
Ask kids to look at their drink tally sheets from Lesson 3 and decide if they made better choices because they know more about the nutritional value of milk and water.
Let kids know that they will take a closer look at the added sugar in snacks so they are better able to make healthy decisions.
To use this with your students click here.
Captivate
Snack Attack
Help kids brainstorm foods in their grocery stores that do not have a label. Then let them know that foods without labels are likely to have no added sugar!
Educate
Snack Choices
Watch the slideshow to learn about the difference between a "snack" and a "treat." A snack is a small portion of nutritious food eaten between meals. Snacks have no or very little added sugar. A treat has less nutrition and more added sugar than snacks. Treats are okay sometimes.
Teacher tip: No label on the food? It is probably a fresh fruit or vegetable, which do not require nutrition labels. These are great snacks!
Check for understanding: What snack choices are best for your body and brain?
Activate
Snack Smarts
How many kinds of nutritious foods can your learners find on the Healthy Foods Coloring Pages?
Close the Lesson
Today we learned that nutritious snack choices have little or no added sugar.
Now that you know more about nutritious snack choices, what will you choose for your next snack?
Grade: K-2
Time: 20 Minutes
What You'll Need
Resources
Materials
- Markers
- Poster Board or White Board
- Slideshow
Health Education Standards
- Standard 1: Core Concepts–Limit foods and beverages high in added sugar.
- Standard 4: Interpersonal Communication
- Standard 5: Decision-Making
- Standard 7: Practice Health-Enhancing Behaviors
- Standard 8: Advocacy
Social and Emotional Learning Competencies
- Self-Management
- Responsible Decision-Making
Extend the Lesson
- Listen to the fit song, Should I Eat This or Should I Eat That?, to help kids think about their snack and drink choices.
- Play the Sugar Land game from the fitGames series to help kids learn about snack and drink choices that are low in added sugar.
- Learn the difference between Snacks and Treats by reading the article, Snacks versus Treats, What's the Difference?
- Read about the new nutrition labels: Understanding Food Nutrition Labels
- Play Food Bingo with kids and talk about whether or not they would want to eat or drink the foods as a snack choice.