Diet and Health
Overview
This section focusses on the understanding and practical demonstration of diet and health. Through a series of fun, interactive games and exercises, children will learn to:
- Understand that a healthy diet is made up from a variety and balance of different food and drinks
- Be aware of the importance of a healthy and balanced diet, as part of an active lifestyle
- Understand that a variety of food is needed in the diet because different foods provide different substances for our health, namely nutrients, water and fibre
- Recognise our food needs change and that some people cannot eat certain foods e.g. allergies or religious beliefs.
N.B. Children’s abilities vary greatly between the ages of 7 and 11, so if the content of this level is proving a little easy, feel free to try KS3 instead...
The section is an ideal ICT tool for use in science and PSHE & citizenship lessons, specifically alongside National Curriculum programmes of study science (Sc2) 1a, 2b, 2h and PSHE & citizenship 3a and 3b.
- 1a. Pupils should be taught that the life processes common to humans and other animals include nutrition, movement, growth and reproduction.
- 2b. Pupils should be taught about the need for food for activity and growth, and about the importance of an adequate and varied diet for health.
- 2h. Pupils should be taught about the importance of exercise for good health.
- 3a. Pupils should be taught what makes a healthy lifestyle, including the benefits of exercise and healthy eating, what affects mental health, and how to make informed choices.
- 3b. Pupils should be taught that bacteria and viruses can affect health and that following simple, safe routines can reduce their spread.
Science (Sc2):
PSHE & citizenship:
The activities
Brain Food
This activity is set in a science lab and aims to help children to understand that a healthy diet is made up of a variety and balance of different food and drinks. Children are given a short presentation by lab scientist Dr Meejee, who outlines different nutrients and explains that a healthy diet is made up of a balance of different nutrients spread throughout the day.
Using what they’ve learned in Dr Meejee’s presentation, children are then tasked with grabbing different food items from a conveyor belt and placing it on the correct nutrient plate. Children have three ‘lives’ and once all lives are lost (through incorrect placing, or the item falling off the conveyor belt) the game is over. In the event of a wrongly-placed food item, learning is reinforced through voice over and information pop-ups.
Lunch Hunch
This activity once again begins with a presentation from Dr Meejee. He explains that people have different food needs and that some people cannot eat certain foods due to things like lifestyle, allergies or religious beliefs.
Children are then challenged to look through various lunch boxes, photo cards and profiles. Each photo card and profile contains the owner’s dietary requirements and children must match each lunchbox to its owner depending on their dietary needs. The objective is to complete all the lunchboxes as quickly as possible and understand the reasons why people eat different types of foods.
Bonus Activity – Physio Lab
The aim of this activity is to teach children the importance of a healthy balanced diet as part of an active lifestyle. Once again we have a presentation by Dr Meejee, who explains that different foods have different energy contents. For example, foods containing a lot of sugar will give you an energy boost, but the effects won’t last as long as the boost from carbohydrates like pasta or bread, where the effect will be long-lasting.
The subsequent time-based activity challenges children to bounce as high as they can on a trampoline, collecting food items and water on the way up and down. Water will hydrate the player and therefore add more time onto the clock, and food will provide an energy and nutrient boost. The game delivers a fun, addictive game as a bonus reward.