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Examining Nutrition

Investigation 2 – Lab

Back to Investigation 2

BE PREPARED

Supplies and Equipment:

Class Materials:

1 human body flip chart
5 empty containers of food with nutrition labels (If possible, each item should represent a different food group or category.)

Group Materials:

1 nutrition label or container with a nutrition label

Individual Materials:

1 Student Data Record

Teacher Preparation:

1. Obtain five items from home that have nutrition labels and represent a different food group or category from MyPlate. If necessary, empty and clean the containers in which the items were contained. If items are not accessible from home, make a copy of the five nutrition labels (whole milk, orange juice, cereal, canola oil, and eggs) from the Investigation Two Supplement Pages located at the end of this Investigation and cut them apart.

Note: If the nutrition labels from other foods are used, keep in mind that dry beans are considered part of the vegetables group and the meat and beans group. Also note that oil packaged separately, such as vegetable, olive or canola oil, are included in the oils category, which is not considered a food group.

2. Place the materials each group will need at a distribution point.

3. Separate the class into five cooperative groups.

Instruction:

1. Instruct each student group to obtain the following necessary materials from the distribution point: One (1) container of food or (1) nutrition label from the Investigation Two Supplement Pages. Within the text of the lesson, the container of food or the prepared nutrition label is referred to as “food item.”

GET FOCUSED

Investigation Two teaches students to read and understand nutrition labels.

INVESTIGATE

1. In this Investigation, students will explore the relationship between the MyPlate graphic and the amount of nutrients required to maintain a healthy body. They will use several ”food items” (either a container of food with its nutrition label or one of the prepared nutrition labels provided below) and compare the nutrition facts found on the labels. Click on any of the five nutrition labels to enlarge it.

Students will use this information to learn how to determine which foods will best meet their nutritional requirements. The passages that follow are provided to assist with the direction of the students as they conduct their experiment. The question students will investigate in this experiment is:

How can nutrition labels be used to help me make healthy food choices?

a. Review the information students previously learned about the MyPlate graphic.

Ask students: What is the MyPlate graphic? Students should indicate that it is a representation of the daily requirements from the food groups and categories that a person should eat in order to be healthy.
Ask students: What is the serving size on a nutrition label? An individual portion of food. Each portion contains a certain amount of nutrients.

b. Use the Healthy Lifestyle graphic above as a reference while reviewing the food groups and categories as a class. Instruct students to complete the illustration of MyPlate in Problem 2 of their Student Data Record as this activity is performed.

c. Direct student groups to look at the “food item” they selected at the beginning of the lab. Students should record the food group or category from MyPlate to which their “food item” belongs in Problem 3a of their Student Data Record. Encourage students to then work with the members in their group to compile a list of other foods that would belong in this food group or category. Tell students to record their list in Problem 3b. Briefly review students’ suggestions with the class.

d. Instruct students to review the nutritional label of their “food item” and use the information to complete the empty nutrition label in Problem 4 of their Student Data Record.

e. After students have completed this task, instruct them to trade their “food item” with another group so that each group has a different item.

f. Encourage students to use the information on their second “food item” to complete the empty nutrition label in Problem 5 of their Student Data Record.

g. After students have completed analyzing and recording the information from their second “food item” they should compare the nutrition facts for their two “food items” using the table in problem 6.

Remind students that the nutrition facts they recorded were for an individual serving of the food.
Students should record their two food items in the top row of the table.
After comparing their “food items” students should analyze the nutrient or other ingredients in the items and indicate which food item contains a larger amount of each nutrient or ingredient
by placing a check under the appropriate food item listed in the Table.
Students should record the food group or category to which their food items belong in the last row of the table.

h. Help students review information they have learned about nutrition labels by encouraging them to work in their groups to answer the questions listed in Problem 7 in their Student Data Record.