Proposed class: HealthyEating101: Name That Food Group

By Zinaida Sirego!ic

At Howard County Library System we are proud to be educators! Our mission statement
is high quality public education for all. !e are focused on nurturing peoples minds.
Howe"er# education is not only about numbers# letters# or e"en science. $t is also about
learning healthy eating habits and %eeping them for life! !e need to nurture peoples
bodies not &ust minds!
'eed(
'owadays# in our society# food is e"erywhere. Howe"er# it is mostly highly processed#
empty calories food. $t is hard to ma%e healthy choices when it comes to eating.
)herefore# we need to teach our %ids healthy eating habits!
$n this class we will e*plore fi"e food groups +as presented by ,S-A. and show %ids the
importance of incorporating these foods into e"ery meal while trying to minimi/e
0sometimes foods1 +sodas# chips# ca%es# etc2.
Ages( 345 +grades 6 7 8. 9: min.
)imes( Sep ;8 8:;< ;;am
Oct ;= 8:;< ;;am
+Ho. Co. schools closed.
Name That Food Group
Children will learn about fi"e food groups as defined by ,S-A and become aware of the
importance of incorporating all fi"e groups into e"eryday meals.
Acti"ity ;(
>ead the boo% Bread and Jam for Frances by Hoban >ussell# discuss it# and see what
%ids thin% about it.
Acti"ity 8(
$ntroduce the poster http(??www.choosemyplate.go"? and briefly e*plain the fi"e food
groups
Acti"ity 9(
@lay the game 0'ame )hat Aood Broup.1
Ahead of time# $ will create cards depicting different foods +potato# broccoli# chic%en#
bread# etc... 6ids will be split into two teamsC each team will get a sorting poster obtained
at http(??www.fns.usda.go"?sites?default?files?eatsmartminiposter.pdf .
Aood cards will be hidden around the room. $ will as% %ids to go around the room# find
cards# and sort them on their poster.
Acti"ity <(
-iscuss %ids sorting choices and as% them about similarities of the foods in a category.
@reparation(
;. Obtain super"isor appro"al for the class
8. Obtain appro"al to ser"e food +single4ser"ing string cheese# single4ser"ing
carrots# water bottles.
9. Submit request for flyers to admin
<. Submit class description to be printed in Source, print "ersion and online
3. >eser"e boo% Bread and Jam for Frances by Hoban >ussell
D. @rint 0chosemyplate1 poster from ,S-A site
=. Ea%e food cards using store fliers# printouts# etc.
5. >eser"e the meeting room
F. >eser"e boo%s that will be on display throughout the classroom for parents to
chec% out(
!eelicious ( ;<: fast# fresh# and easy recipes by EcCord# Catherine#
Geating the lunch bo* blues( fresh ideas for lunches on the go! by Hirsh#
H.E.#
Grain foods for %ids ( o"er ;:: recipes to boost your childIs intelligence by
Braimes# 'icola
)he Cleaner @late Club by Gader# Geth
Jtc2
On the day of the class(
;. Guy water and snac%s +single ser"ings string cheese# single ser"ings baby carrots.#
refrigerate
8. @repare classroom
9. Hide food cards around the room
<. -isplay boo%s for parents to chec% out
$nspiration and sources(
)he @ower of Choice( Helping Kouth Ea%e Healthy Jating and Aitness -ecisions
http(??www.fns.usda.go"?tn?power4choice4helping4youth4ma%e4healthy4eating4and
Aruits L "eggies more matters
http(??www.fruitsand"eggiesmorematters.org?
,S-A ChooseEy@late.go"
http(??www.choosemyplate.go"?
Healthy Jating
http(??supportunitedway.org
)o be printed in Source maga/ine(
"earn aout #ood groups in a #un and interacti!e $ay%
Play a game& ha!e a healthy snac'& tal' aout your #ood choices%
Light refreshments will be served
Ages( 3 7 5 +grades 6 7 8. 9: min.
Jast Columbia Ari Sep ;8 8:;< ;;am
Jast Columbia Ari Oct ;= 8:;< ;;am
+Ho. Co. schools closed.
Additional promotions(
@romote in schools.
Obtain flyers from admin and %eep them ne*t to chec% out des% one month in ad"ance.
Social Eedia( Aaceboo% and )witter messages two wee%s in ad"ance.