Diet Analysis Lesson 
Grade 8 Nutrition, Michelle Flashman - Instructor
 
Objective
The students will:
· Relate the Food Guide Pyramid to the Dietary Guidelines.
· Categorize a variety of foods within the Pyramid’s five food groups and Pyramid tip.
· Create a healthful eating plan using the Pyramid as their guide. 
 
Classroom Arrangement
Paired Student Counseling
Individual seatwork
Journal writing
 
Materials 
Food Pyramid and Calorie Sources in the Diet transparency
Classroom computer and nutrition software program, You Are What You Eat 
Summary sheets for diet recall and analysis. 
“Packed Schedules and Empty Calories” - Article
“Preparation/Evaluation” - Checklist
“The Pyramid and Dietary Guidelines” – Worksheet
 
Initiation
Have you ever seen a pyramid performed by cheerleaders? How many students did the coach include in the bottom row? How about the middle row? The tip? What was the size of the last person added at the tip? What is the rationale for this configuration? (Display the transparency.) Why do you think the principles for the cheerleaders are the same for the Food Guide Pyramid? How does the number of recommended servings of each group relate to its position in the pyramid? The circle and triangle symbols indicate foods in the groups that contain added fats and sugars that should be calculated into the pyramid tip. What do you think some examples of these would be? 
 
 
 
 
Lesson Development
Have students do a 24-hour food recall, listing everything they ate yesterday in their Journals. Show the Calorie Sources in the Diet transparency. How does your recall compare to the recommended diet? Have students’ team up in class. Using a computer nutrition software program, determine whether their one-day eating plan matched the recommended number of servings according to the food pyramid. The students switch printed reports and counsel each other on what foods can be added to their eating plans to eliminate any deficient areas. While paired students are using the computer, others will write their recall, read the article “Packed Schedules and Empty Calories”, and refer to the checklist as they create their nutrition plans. 
The teacher will circulate the room ensuring that the students are on task and assisting with questions. 
Assign homework to complete “The Pyramid and Dietary Guidelines” worksheet.
 
Assessment
The students will have related the Food Guide Pyramid to the Dietary Guidelines by using their diet recall as an example. They discussed how they could make their eating plan healthful in the peer counseling. The students correctly prepared and evaluated nutrition plans. The students completed the homework worksheet identifying the nutrients to food groups. 
 
Closure
Write the five food groups and Fats, Oil and Sweets as headings on the board. Ask students to identify the recommended number of daily servings for each food group and record the number. Divide the class into three teams. Ask a student in team A to name a food; have a student in team B write the name of the food under the appropriate food group(s); have a student in team C record the serving size. Ask the whole class to approve or correct the responses. Rotate roles and continue until the recommended number of servings is recorded under each group. Finally ask, “What have you learned about creating a specific plan of action?” 
 
 
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