PBL: Healthy Eating

Healthy Eating:

If you’re looking for ways to incorporate project-based learning into your Health class, (and let’s be honest here, you should be!) then why not start in your own cafeteria?

Kick off the project by watching this awesome documentary from HBO about the Rethinkers, a group of students in New Orleans who set out to get fresh, healthy food in their schools as they were rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina.

Then take the students over to your cafeteria with a survey sheet, and have them answer some questions about what’s on offer, and whether or not they can get their nutrition needs met.

Project Sheet: Cafeteria Observation

We’re lucky at our school, we’ve got a great salad bar, and lots of different options for balance. We’re also K-12, so we were able to take the 6th graders over to observe the high school kids eating lunch. Wait… they eat their veggies? I want to eat my veggies too!

The sad fact is though, that the majority of other schools aren’t so lucky. If your school is one of them, hopefully this activity will inspire your students to ask for healthier choices. This new campaign, Fed Up from the ever-awesome DoSomething.org, could give them a great place to start.

It’s full of resources, including The Advocacy Kit, which gives students step-by-step instructions on how to bring about change. It’s got tips, checklists, and even suggestions for best practice, like “Be positive” and “Respect whomever you are speaking with”.

Here’s a way to hit all of the skill-based standards (communication, goal-setting, advocacy) while making the content relevant to every single student.

When they’re able to see the impact of their actions (ours just got to have a tasting with the cafeteria manager to test out some of their suggestions), then they get inspired to find other causes, hopefully sparking a passion for advocacy.

Of course, we’ll have wait and see what the high school students think about that new whole wheat pizza crust first…

For more on the cafeteria situation in the U.S., check out some of these recent articles from NPR Health:

This is What America’s School Lunches Really Look Like

These Days, School Lunch Hours Are More Like 15 Minutes

 

More hints and tips in the classroom...

Evaluating Health Websites

Hey 6th graders! Did you know that online health searches are now the third most popular activity on the web? While googling information about our

EARCOS Health & Wellbeing 2021

Weekend Workshop, Jan. 30-31 Sponsored by Brent International School, Manila Saturday, Jan. 30th: Click on the session title to access the slides and resources 8

SXSW Resources

*Grade 8 Student Project Positive Prevention: A New Approach to Health Ed Weds. 3/9 1:30-3:30 (feel free to pop in at anytime!) Austin Convention Center

Presentations & Consulting

  Presentations and Workshops:  Click on the green hyperlinks for resources or contact amy@thehealthteacher.com for more info. Upcoming: EARCOS Weekend Workshop Developing a Health and Wellness

Upcoming Workshops

Workshop Calendar 2024-2025 Dates Conference/Location Workshop Title Sept. 14, 2024 Hong Kong International School Health Education for International Schools Sept. 25, 2024 21st Century Learning/Virtual