Good food Good fun

Eating for peak performance

Band of development:

Early childhood

Curriculum organiser:

Health and Physical Education

Year level(s):
Proposed duration:
Essential Learning
Achievements

P-2
10 weeks
12. The student takes action to promote health.
5. The student contributes to group effectiveness.
25. The student designs, makes and appraises using technology.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

Thank you to the Curriculum Support section for developing and sharing this unit.

This is a sample unit of work. Teachers need to consider its usefulness within the context of their own students needs and
schools curriculum plan and adapt it accordingly.

Posted:
November 2007

Good food Good fun

Eating for Peak Performance
BAND OF DEVELOPMENT:
YEAR LEVEL:
KEY LEARNING AREA:
PROPOSED DURATION:
TEACHER:
SCHOOL:
TERM:

Early childhood
P-2
Health
10 weeks

UNIT DESCRIPTION
This unit is designed to inform children about nutrition information and provide experiences with food that are essential for making good
food choices.
Students will learn about and be engaged in the following key components:
making good food choices
balanced eating habits
learning through practical experiences

ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS
What will the students remember in three months or three years?
Healthy food is good for you and fun to make
Healthy food can taste good
We can all prepare healthy food
The food we eat affects what we can do now and in the future
There are links between food and health
2

ESSENTIAL LEARNING ACHIEVEMENTS

ELA 12 The student takes action to
promote health
In the early childhood band of development,
students have opportunities to understand
and learn about:

ELA 25 -The student designs, makes and

appraises using technology
In the early childhood band of development,
students have opportunities to:

ELA 5 The student contributes to group

effectiveness
In the early childhood band of development,
students have opportunities to:

1. ask questions and seek clarification from

1. the components of a healthy lifestyle (e.g. 3. choose and use a range of classroom
peers
sleep, rest, physical activity, healthy food
materials and tools to make products
2. play and work with others in pairs or small
choices)
groups
3. people and products that keep them
3. make decisions in small groups to
healthy (e.g. at home, in the local
achieve common goals1
community)
4. listen actively when working in groups
Healthy food habits
5. show care for and encourage other
members of a group or team
4. food choices for good health
7. take turns and share equipment in pairs
5. balanced eating habits
and small groups
In the early childhood band of development,
students have opportunities to learn to:
11. prepare, taste and identify a range of
healthy foods

TUNING IN
Essential Content
What do I want students to
have opportunities to learn?
(taken from identified
Essential Learning
Achievements)

The student takes

action to promote
health:
3. people and products
that keep them
healthy (e.g. at
home, in the local
community)
4. food choices for
good health
5. balanced eating
habits
The student designs,
makes and appraises
using technology:

Outcomes

Learning Experiences

What
understandings will
my students have?

What will your students be engaged in?

That food helps Pictures of a variety of food groups from The

our bodies grow Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGTHE) are
and stay strong. displayed around the classroom.
As a whole class, brainstorm What foods keep us
strong and help our bodies grow?
Record the ideas using words and pictures.
Explore why certain foods help our bodies our bodies
to grow and stay strong.
Our bodies
The children draw pictures of themselves eating foods.
need certain
foods to grow
and stay strong.
The purpose of The children look at pictures of people eating food. The
eating foods.
students talk about what foods they eat and when they
eat them.
Brainstorm Why do we eat food?
Discuss what the children eat for breakfast, recess,
6. choose and use a
lunch and dinner? Why?
range of classroom
Make models of foods from AGTHE food groups out of
materials and tools
play dough or other materials. Discuss models and
to make products
take photos to display around the classroom.
Eating healthy
The teacher reads the book The Very Hungry
food makes us
Caterpillar by Eric Carle. The ideas on how the
feel good.
caterpillar felt in the story after he ate certain foods are
discussed. The children then discuss how they feel
when they eat certain types of foods. Taste some
AGTHE foods in class and discuss. The children find

Teaching &
Learning
Strategies
What is/are the most
effective strategy or
strategies to teach
this?

Brainstorm

Assessment
What evidence will I
have that
demonstrates
learning/
achievement?

Respond to
questions

Sharing ideas
Working
cooperatively
Formulate
questions

Teacher
observation
Completed
pictures
Questioning

Make lists
Graphic organiser

Healthy food
sculptures

Read and select

interesting facts.

Students ability to
select healthy
foods that help
their body grow.

pictures in magazines of foods that help their bodies

grow and feel healthy.
FINDING OUT
Essential Content

Outcomes

Learning Experiences

What do I want students to

have opportunities to learn?
(taken from identified
Essential Learning
Achievements)

What
understandings will
my students have?

What will your students be engaged in?

The student takes

action to promote
health:
3. people and
products that keep
them healthy (e.g.
at home, in the
local community)
4. food choices for
good health
5. balanced eating
habits
11. prepare, taste and
identify a range of
healthy foods

There are
different types
of foods and
food groups.

A variety of foods groups from AGTHE are displayed in

front of the class. The children discuss the various
types of foods. The children sort and classify the foods
into groups (ie meats and alternatives, milk and milk
products, breads and cereals, fruits, vegetables). The
children provide reasons for their decisions.
The class make yoghurt and taste it (use a yoghurt
maker).
Introduce foods as foods that help us grow (food
needed for growth and repair), glow (foods to keep us
from getting sick) and go (food for energy).
Find pictures in magazines and at home of these types
of foods.
Taste some healthy foods in class and discuss foods
they have at home that help us go, glow and grow.
Make a smoothie.

Categorise
foods that are
go, glow and
grow foods.

How to prepare
and make a
healthy glow,
grow and go
lunch.

Teaching &
Learning
Strategies
What is/are the most
effective strategy or
strategies to teach
this?

Discuss what a glow, grow and go lunch looks like.

Brainstorm and record ideas pictorially and visually. As
a whole class or small group activity, design a glow,
grow and go lunch.
Make a model using play dough or other materials.
Make a sandwich and fruit kebab.

Brainstorm

Assessment
What evidence will I
have that
demonstrates
learning/
achievement?

Observation

Classifying foods
into groups

Locating and
selecting
information.

Observation

Questioning and
inferring

Paint pictures of
how glow, grow
and go foods help
the body

Working
cooperatively and
presenting ideas
to others
Representing
ideas in different
ways

Making models

Draw a picture of
a healthy
breakfast, lunch,
snack and dinner

Reflecting
5

Take photos to display around the classroom.

SORTING OUT
Essential Content

Outcomes

Learning Experiences

What do I want students to

have opportunities to learn?
(taken from identified
Essential Learning
Achievements)

What
understandings will
my students have?

What will your students be engaged in?

The student takes

action to promote
health:
3. people and
products that keep
them healthy (e.g.
at home, in the
local community)
4. food choices for
good health

Personal
choices about
healthy foods

Look at pictures and types of foods we eat for

breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Role-play
situations when we might eat these foods at certain
times of the day.
Complete an activity where the children draw what
meals they would like to eat for breakfast, recess,
lunch and dinner.

Brainstorm

The student designs,

makes and appraises
using technology:
6. choose and use a
range of classroom
materials and tools
to make products

Make healthy
food choices.

The children select three or four of their favourite fruit

and /or vegetables. These are then drawn onto art
paper, each fruit and vegetable requiring two identical
drawings (one front and one back piece). Each picture
is coloured appropriately using pencils, crayons or
paint. The three or four pieces of fruit or vegetables are
made and hung from a coat-hanger.

Representing
ideas in different
ways.

Discuss and record the childrens favourite fruits,

vegetables, cereals, milk products or meat/meat
products.
Make picture graphs to record the results and discuss
as a whole class.

Working
cooperatively and
presenting ideas
to others.

Understand
healthy food
choices

Teaching &
Learning
Strategies
What is/are the most
effective strategy or
strategies to teach
this?

Assessment
What evidence will I
have that
demonstrates
learning/
achievement?

Observation

Reflecting

Discuss why
personal choices
Review and revisit were made
understandings

Identifying and
making choices.

Identify glow,
grow and go
foods (e.g. cereals
or milk products)
in a mobile

Questioning and
providing reasons
for the results
Classification
through a picture
6

graph
GOING FURTHER
Essential Content

Outcomes

Learning Experiences

What do I want students to

have opportunities to learn?
(taken from identified
Essential Learning
Achievements)

What
understandings will
my students have?

What will your students be engaged in?

The student takes

action to promote
health:
3. people and
products that keep
them healthy (e.g.
at home, in the
local community)
4. food choices for
good health
5. balanced eating
habits
11. prepare, taste and
identify a range of
healthy foods

Healthy foods
are readily
available in our
world.

Go on an excursion to a fruit and vegetable shop.

Observe and taste the different varieties of fruits and
vegetables in the shop.
After the excursion- As a whole class record the
different fruits and vegetables seen in the shop.
Complete a Y chart on one chosen piece of fruit or
vegetable. (What does the food feel like, look like and
taste like?)
Try a different fruit or vegetable each week. Try
vegetables in different forms eg. Cooked, raw, grated.

Discussion

The student
contributes to group
effectiveness:
1. ask questions and
seek clarification
from peers
4. take turns and
share equipment in
pairs and small

Growing
vegetables at
school.

The children discuss what foods they could grow in a

school vegetable garden. They plan and design a
vegetable garden as a whole class. The necessary
equipment, seeds and other important supplies needed
to grow vegetables are discussed and recorded.
The children could grow sprouts in jars and
mushrooms in styrofoam boxes.
Taste the vegetables in class.
Share the vegetables with staff members or other

How to plant
and care for a
vegetable
garden.

Teaching &
Learning
Strategies
What is/are the most
effective strategy or
strategies to teach
this?

Assessment
What evidence will I
have that
demonstrates
learning/
achievement?

Cooperative
learning

Articulate,
comment on and
reflect on
excursion

Reflecting and
making choices

Individual/ group/
class projects.

Visual aids

Reporting

Brainstorm

Observation of
participation in
class

Planning
Cooperative
learning groups

groups.

children at school.

MAKING CONNECTIONS
Essential Content
Outcomes

Learning Experiences

Teaching &
Learning
Strategies

Assessment

What do I want students to

have opportunities to learn?
(taken from identified
Essential Learning
Achievements)

What
understandings will
my students have?

What will your students be engaged in?

The student takes

action to promote
health:
4. food choices for
good health
5. balanced eating
habits
11. prepare, taste and
identify a range of
healthy foods
The student
contributes to group
effectiveness:
1. ask questions and
seek clarification
from peers
2. play and work with
others in pairs or
small groups
4. listen actively when
working in groups
6. take turns and
share equipment in
pairs and small

Ability to
categorise
foods into the
correct food
group.

The Great Food Race.

The class are divided into groups. Each group is given
a set of cards. On each separate card there is a picture
of a food from one of the five food groups from the
AGTHE (all five food groups are represented in the set
of cards).
The aim of the game is to place each card in the
correct food group/ under the correct heading. The
race is carried out as a relay.

Group discussion

Students correctly
group foods

Group work

Teacher
observation

The children discuss what they have learnt and know

about glow, grow and go foods and having a balanced
diet. After a whole group discussion, the class decide
on some meals they could cook using ingredients from
AGTHE and any foods that have grown.
In small groups, the children prepare, cook and eat the
meal they decided on.

Communicating
with others

Design a menu
based on the
glow, grow, go
foods.
Meals are
prepared from
the menu.

What is/are the most

effective strategy or
strategies to teach
this?

What evidence will I

have that
demonstrates
learning/
achievement?

Practical learning
activities
Student self
assessment

groups
TAKING ACTION
Essential Content

Outcomes

Learning Experiences

What do I want students to

have opportunities to learn?
(taken from identified
Essential Learning
Achievements)

What
understandings will
my students have?

What will your students be engaged in?

The student takes

action to promote
health:

Make choices
for good health.

Revise understandings of the need for people to have

a balanced diet.
The class design and make a class quilt or mural
promoting go, grow and glow foods. Each child is
given a square of material or paper on which to draw
and paint foods from the five food groups. The
squares are sewn or pasted together to make a quilt or
mural. Display in a prominent area of the school.

4. food choices for

good health
5. balanced eating
habits

Teaching &
Learning
Strategies
What is/are the most
effective strategy or
strategies to teach
this?

Group discussion

Assessment
What evidence will I
have that
demonstrates
learning/
achievement?

Sharing
understandings
and findings
Write or state
orally reasons for
your picture
choice
Designing and
making.

Understanding
of foods that
are good for our
bodies.

The children sing songs based on AGTHE foods at an

Assembly. For example Eat Your VEGETABLES and
Fruit Salad.
At an Assembly or in front of peers, the children may
present what they have learnt about healthy foods. The
children may also present plays in small groups at an
Assembly or in front of other classes/peers.

Discuss reasons
for choosing
certain foods

Share
information on
glow, grow and
go foods.

The children collect healthy recipes from teachers and

parents. With the assistance of the teacher, the recipes
are compiled into a class recipe book illustrated by the
children

Use simple
criteria to sort and
classify

Observation
Comments in
class discussions

Student self
assessment

SHARING DISCUSSIONS AND REFLECTIONS

Essential Content
Outcomes
Learning Experiences

Teaching &
Learning
Strategies

What do I want students to

have opportunities to learn?
(taken from identified
Essential Learning
Achievements)

What
understandings will
my students have?

What will your students be engaged in?

The student takes

action to promote
health:
1. the components of
a healthy lifestyle
(sleep, rest,
physical activity,
nutrition)
3. people and
products that keep
them healthy (e.g.
at home, in the
local community)
4. food choices for
good health
5. balanced eating
habits
The student
contributes to group
effectiveness:
1. ask question and
seek clarification
from peers
3. make decisions in
small groups to

Students share
experiences
about eating
healthy food.

To end the unit and revise everything learnt, the

children organise a grow, glow and go class party. The
children bring food from the 5 food groups to school.
Ideas for suitable foods can be found in Nourish the
FACTS Appendix D. An important part of the activity is
to encourage the students to discuss what they have
learnt about AGTHE foods with their parents/carers.

Discussion

The children share and brainstorm ideas on good food

choices for a class big book. The students write the big
book story and illustrate it together. The big book is
displayed for others to read.

Recording and
designing

Students
articulate what
makes a good
choice.

What is/are the most

effective strategy or
strategies to teach
this?

Assessment
What evidence will I
have that
demonstrates
learning/
achievement?

Observation
Class discussion

Sharing and
reflecting
Response to
questions

Self assessment
based on criteria

10

achieve common
goals
Resources
Carle, E 1969, The Very Hungry Caterpillar , Penguin Putnam, New York
Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, Canberra (poster)
ACT Department of Education and Training, 2007, NOURISH The Facts. The Food in ACT Schools Guidelines Preschool to Year 12. ACT
Government, Canberra

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