The Cognitive Development Level of the Learners - Essay Example

The cognitive development level of the learners is a very essential consideration. This topic MyPyramid: Simple steps for healthy living, is appropriate for learners from the ninth to twelfth grade.

The lesson plan has health goals that are appropriate to effect a behavior change within the learners. This is from the objective of engaging the learner in creating his or her set of food guidelines. In addition, the creation of a food diary to record how much the meals for a week are worth in comparison with the analyzed entries from the personalized plan developed by MyPyramid also contributes towards the achievement of a health goal.

The lesson plan identifies national health education standards which it adopts from the National Academy of Sciences and the Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL). The one national standard that this lesson plan addresses from the National Academy of Sciences is that of science from a personal and social perspective by emphasizing concern for personal and community health. The others which it addresses from the Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning are: knowing how to maintain and promote personal health; knowing essential concepts about prevention and control of disease and understanding the fundamental concepts of growth and development (California & California, 2009). 

The lesson plan provides an elaborately detailed list of procedures to be followed by the learner and this constitutes mastery. These engage the learner in discussions as well as analysis of foods high in nutrients and the creation of food diaries.

The lesson plan also provides the assessment procedures to evaluate the learner’s understanding of the lesson. These involve the learner in describing and/or explaining what is learned in the lesson.

The lesson plan, however, does not provide a rationale for action. Despite its failure to do so, from the procedures which are developed to take the learner through the learning process through the lesson, one can see that collaboration is enhanced through group work, communication through discussion, and critical and creative thinking is addressed through devising of personalized MyPyramid plan.

The materials provided by the lesson plan include My Pyramid: Simple Steps to Healthy Living, computers that have internet access, and printers. Their use is integrated into the procedures which are meant to affect learning in the learner.

The lesson is planned in such a way that it is learner-centered. The activities of understanding the concepts of good nutrition and those related to it are planned in a step-by-step procedure to help the learner understand the concept effectively. Discussions and group works form the shared practice in the lesson plan.