Lesson Plan Title:
Grade 5 Life Orientation Lesson Plan: Healthy Eating for Children
Materials Needed:
– Life Orientation textbook
– Colourful food pyramid posters
– Worksheets for group activities
– Smart board/Projector
– Video clips about healthy eating
– Markers and chart paper
Learning Objectives:
– Understand the concept of a balanced diet.
– Identify the different food groups and their importance.
– Learn how to make healthy food choices.
– Understand the long-term benefits of healthy eating.
Vocabulary:
1. Balanced diet: Eating a variety of foods to get all the nutrients you need.
2. Nutrients: Substances in food that are necessary for the body’s growth and health.
3. Food groups: Categories of foods that share similar nutritional properties.
4. Vitamins: Organic compounds essential for normal growth and nutrition.
5. Calcium: A mineral found in foods that is essential for healthy bones and teeth.
Previous Learning:
Students have previously learned about the basic nutritional needs of humans and the importance of hygiene for good health.
Anticipated Challenges and Solutions:
– Challenge: Students may have misconceptions about certain food groups and why they are important.
Solution: Use visual aids like food pyramid posters and engaging video clips to correct misconceptions.
– Challenge: Some students may struggle with understanding complex nutritional terms.
Solution: Simplify terms and use relatable examples to explain concepts.
Beginning Activities (10% of lesson time – 4 minutes):
1. Introduction to Learning Objectives (2 minutes): Explain the importance of a balanced diet and healthy eating habits.
2. Activate Prior Knowledge (2 minutes): Quick discussion on what students already know about different food groups and why nutrition is important.
Middle Activities (80% of lesson time – 32 minutes):
1. Direct Instruction (8 minutes):
– Present a brief lesson on the different food groups (fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins, and dairy) using the smart board/projector.
– Show a short video clip about the importance of healthy eating.
- Guided Practice – Group Activity (12 minutes):
- Divide students into groups and hand out worksheets and chart paper.
- Each group will create a balanced meal plan for one day, incorporating all food groups.
- Independent Practice (12 minutes):
- Students individually create their healthy eating pyramid on the worksheet provided, listing examples of foods they enjoy from each group.
- Encourage creativity and ensure students are balancing their diets correctly.
End Activities (10% of lesson time – 4 minutes):
1. Exit Ticket Activity (4 minutes):
– Hand out a short quiz to check for understanding (e.g., list three food groups, name one nutrient and its function, etc.)
Assessment and Checks for Understanding:
– Participation in group activities and discussions.
– Completion and accuracy of the meal plan and food pyramids.
– Responses on the exit ticket quiz.
Differentiation Strategies for Diverse Learners:
– Scaffolding: Provide sentence starters or examples for the independent practice worksheet.
– Extension Activities: For advanced students, provide additional reading material or a mini-project on global dietary habits.
Teaching Notes:
– Emphasise real-life applications of healthy eating.
– Encourage students to share their own cultural foods and traditions around nutrition.
– Ensure resources are accessible, especially for students with visual impairments (e.g., large print worksheets, audio descriptions of video content).
– Maintain an inclusive environment and be sensitive to students’ diverse backgrounds and dietary restrictions.
This lesson plan effectively introduces primary school students to the principles of healthy eating within the South African CAPS curriculum framework.