Overview
The following resource was created in collaboration by the Centre of Excellence for Health and a Dietetic Intern with the Moncton Hospital and was coordinated through the Mango Program in Miramichi, NB.
The resource is an interactive lesson that includes watching short portions of a recorded video of Chi the Chinchilla teaching students about Canada’s food guide, enhancing the lessons on the different food groups through physical activity segments, and drawing food items on appropriate sections of the Healthy Plate Activity Sheet.
Learning Objectives
1. Students will learn about Canada’s food guide recommendations.
2. Students will learn how Canada’s food guide recommendations support their health.
3. Students will be able to recognize various healthy food options from the healthy plate.
NB Curricular Connections
Explore Your World K-2
- Strand: Well Being – Big Idea: Physical Health and Active Participation – Skill Descriptor: Define personal safety and healthy practices.
Personal Wellness 3-5
- Strand: Wellness – Big Idea: Healthy Lifestyle – Skill Descriptor: Explore personal health habits that contribute to wellness.
- Strand: Well Being – Big Idea: Helpful and Harmful Choices – Skill Descriptor: Distinguish between helpful and harmful substances and their effects on health.
Visual Arts K-2
- Strand: Create – Big Idea: Application and Product – Skill Descriptor: Create and present expressive work for a range of audiences and purposes using a variety of art media including technology.
Visual Arts 3-5
- Strand: Create – Big Idea: Application and Product – Skill Descriptor: Create and present expressive work for a range of audiences and purposes using a variety of art media including technology.
What You’ll Need
• Pencils, markers, crayons, and any other craft supplies of your choice!
• Healthy Plate Activity Sheet (See attached PDF)
• Video link – Food Guide Toolkit Video Chi the Chinchilla 1 – YouTube
How long will this activity take?
The length of the video is less than 15 minutes. The time to complete the whole interactive video lesson will vary between 15 minutes – 1 hour or more! It will depend on how much time you allocate for the students to draw food items. This can be a quick reminder lesson, or a great way to spend the whole morning!
Instructions
- Easy preparation: print the Healthy Plate Activity Sheet (attached) and set up the attached video on the computer.
- Setup: Have students sit at their desks with their craft supplies. Hand out the Healthy Plate Activity Sheet, one to each student either before the video begins or when the video prompts the first activity.
- Play the video when everyone is ready to have fun. Food Guide Toolkit Video Chi the Chinchilla 1 – YouTube
- Chi the Chinchilla will ask the students to stand up and participate in active movements. See below Physically Active Segments for details.
- During these portions of the video, ensure students participate to the best of their ability. The video will prompt you to press pause and allow some time for students to draw. The amount of time allocated to drawing will be your choice to best fit with your day.
- Once you want to move on from that section of the plate press play. This will repeat 3 times, for all sections of the Healthy Plate.
Extension
Discussion about what foods they drew on their Healthy Plate Activity Sheet. If a student drew a food item in the incorrect food group, or drew a “sometimes” food, instead of calling them out teach the whole group which section of the Healthy Plate this food item belongs to so that the whole group understands. Following the video, you can engage the students in a quick discussion.
Physically Active Segments:
Chi the Chinchilla will ask the students to stand up at their seat and participate in an action on three different occasions. The actions include jumping up and down on the spot, flexing their arm muscles, and running on the spot.
For example, during the vegetables and fruits section, Chi will name food items one by one. The students will be asked to jump up and down on the spot if the food item is a vegetable or a fruit and asked to stand still like a statue for other items that do not belong in this section, such as bread.
• Video link Food Guide Toolkit Video Chi the Chinchilla 1 – YouTube
• Canada’s food guide website link Canada’s Food Guide
Reflection Activity
Please see the attached PDF for several choices on how you and your learners can reflect upon today’s activity.
Global Competencies
