Foods With Different Nutritional Values and Generally Balanced Diet - Essay Example

Unit for Grade Three on Nutrition of Learning Unit of Nutrition for Grade Three Level The unit topic was selected based on the need of awareness on nutrition by young students who are practicing poor dietary eating habits. This topic can be best done at this elementary level because many students spend most of their time in school. While in school, they are simply able to buy snacks and other food stuffs that do not have the required nutrients. This may have negative impact on the child. The nutrients intake only takes place when there is a proper understanding of the need to consume them. Teachers are better placed to introduce such units because schools provide ideal places where children will be able to have an opportunity to for positive impact in terms of their health. Pre-planning would be very useful to me because I would get the mental picture on the modalities on how to handle this nutrition topic. The strategy is based majorly for the success of this particular class so that the teaching process can be more effective, less time consuming and reduction of duplication. Strategies I would use include: gathering information on the students regarding their past eating habits, family back grounds and their motivation levels in terms of what makes them to eat a particular food more often. The level of finances also play major role on the students’ eating habits hence is part of the pre-planning strategy by identifying role of money in nutrition taking. I would do research well on the content of the topic so that during teaching process, detailed information is given to the students in an effective way. I would prepare for the roles of nutrition, importance of nutrition to children, adoption of good eating habits, prepare for the information based on side effects in cases where they do not have proper diet, side effects on their health and why nutrition is important for the children learning in school (The Age Education Resource Centre, 2011). All the stated information represents the pre-planning strategies for the learning process to be successful and to apply them in their life. I would then prepare lesson plans reflecting on the topic nutrition. In the lesson plan there must be clearly written lesson objectives. The objectives would help in proper understanding and for me to know whether the unit is understood at the end of the lesson. Introduction of the Unit in Class This is the active learning stage. Unit introduction is made simple so that the lesson develops from known to unknown. As a teacher, the most appropriate way of doing this would be; on entering the classroom, I would happily greet the children. This is to set the mood in class. On realizing their good reception as always is, I would happily ask what they have eaten generally. In case it is morning lesson, I would ask what they took for breakfast. It is most definite that different responses will emerge from them. Then obtain from general response to specific answers from them. Thereafter, I would ask them who among them they think had taken the right food. I will pick from there and give explanation on the topic of nutrition that I had prepared for. In this stage, materials and other physical items or teaching aid is used. At this point, there are several teaching activities and resources that are used to make sure there is effective understanding of the topic on nutrition. This helps in unit development. I would use posters developed based on different food groups. Some mentioned groups are carbohydrates, vitamins, protein foods and other subsidiary foods. Drawings for the respective types of foods that fall in these different categories are presented in class. This will ensure that the student is able to identify the types of foods in any given category (The Age Education Resource Centre, 2011). The posters developed based on food groups are also effective in identifying the importance of the balanced diet. Explanations on these food groups and their roles are necessary and I would definitely do this for my students according to the set procedures. During the learning process, there are different learning experiences classified as either passive or active teaching process that enables the proper understanding of the topic on nutrition. They are the strategies or methods of instructions that I put in place to ensure content delivery. For a better understanding of nutrition as a unit by the pupils, these three methods were used. The first method is demonstration approach. This includes demonstration in class of certain food stuffs that they (students) take which have some effects. They are made to know the specific foods with different kinds of nutrients. The charts are used for demonstration purposes on all kinds of food and their nutritional values. The second instructional method is discussion by the students. They are actually divided into small groups and each group is given a name adopted depending on the classes of foods. For instance, we have a group named carbohydrates, Vitamins, protein, and minerals (The Age Education Resource Centre, 2011). Each group must understand their adopted names. This is an interactive session in the lesson. The interactive method approach facilitates knowledge gain based on unity and teamwork. At this point I would strengthen the need for taking a balanced diet by the students. After discussion, each group will point out for the whole class the types of food that falls in each food groups. The students are then required to develop more posters and drawings that reflect food groups on discussion. I will majorly facilitate this process effectively by offering assistance to the whole class and explaining on the need to take a balanced diet based on the food groups. The third and final strategy is to use questioning techniques. Questioning reminds the students of the areas that they need to know. This triggers their passion for a particular area. Examples of questions used in this class are based on nutrition concepts. I would ask them to name various classes of food. They should also give examples of foods in a particular food group. The importance of taking balanced diet among others. This will be the question answer session as part of my lesson. The learning situations of the unit on nutrition apply to the MELS program of study because it depends on the stages of learning process. The students are introduced to the unit more interestingly. The unit is developed with proper instructional strategies that effects and makes the learning process complete. It relates on conceptualization of the learning process involving observation, doing and dialogue with self. The learner is able to link the topic and the daily eating experiences. On considering developmental differences and learning style, I was able to make up time in delivering the lesson. More materials are obtained to reinforce learning process. At the same time, more appealing learning styles are applied. I majorly used physical modes that included body movements, hands and even sense of touch. Another mostly used style is verbal expressions. Using speech and writing on the board to explain on the unit topic. The social perspective style is also applied in this unit. This was done during process of discussion in respective groups. This style is interactive in nature and it raises level of concentration of the students. They were able to socialize and have open discussion procedure in the classroom environment hence this was very effective in relaying the formation. The instructional theory used in class was learning cycle model. This theory was very instrumental in my teaching process. It helped to bring out clearly the unit for better understanding. I had brought out the eating trends that the students practice. This is the experience part of the cycle. From the basic knowledge on the food consumption hence as the teacher, this is useful in organizing for the unit. Reflecting on the unit was important too. Area of learning includes nutritional content of various foods. This is where the students will be interested to know the nutrients of given food they always take. Then the process of theorizing. This is where possible answers to the disturbing questions are thought of by the students in the learning process. All kinds of options are considered for better practice of healthy eating. The other stage in this cycle is part of experimenting. From the already built theoretical model, this ensures practicing of healthy eating habits by the students. They will be able to try other foods with different nutritional values and general balanced diet. The diagram below represents a learning cycle model used for the learning purposes in the unit (The Age Education Resource Centre, 2011). This learning cycle model helps the students to experience, reflect and put into practice the habit of healthy eating while they are in class and at home. The unit topic at the final stage proves that the students are able to change their perception on eating modes. References The Age Education Resource Centre (2011). Health and Well-Being Teacher Guide. Retrieved from Read More