Source: Scientific American Frontiers
Compare and contrast the eating habits of different cultures and ages to explore the shift to the diet and eating habits of today. Prepare a menu or a dish for a feast or special occasion using only foods native to the Americas.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Health & Fitness, Social Studies
Topics: Nutrition. Sociology.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Scientific American Frontiers
Investigate the theory that including desert plants such as mesquite and cactus in a diet can help control obesity and diabetes. Design a scientific experiment that will test this hypothesis, using control variables, observation and sampling.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Health & Fitness
Topics: Chronic Conditions. Nutrition.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Scientific American Frontiers
Explore the advent of corn as a nutritional staple in the human diet. Observe popping corn and measure differences in the mass of the corn before and after heating, and make pH indicators using fruit, flowers or vegetables.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Health & Fitness, Science & Tech
Topics: Nutrition. Botany. Chemistry.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Frontline
Identify health issues facing Americans today and evaluate one's own food consumption. Examine the USDA food pyramid and the impact it may have had on weight gain and explore the impact of body image on young people.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Health & Fitness
Topics: Consumer Health. Nutrition.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: NOVA
Examine how healthy men and women are portrayed in the media by collecting and analyzing data from magazine articles and images. Consider whether men and women portrayed in the magazines are real, and reflect on one's own self-image.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Health & Fitness, Social Studies
Topics: Mental/Emotional Health. Nutrition. Media Studies.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: NewsHour Extra
Analyze parts of a food label, and determine the amount of fat and calories in average foods. Conduct an observational experiment and examine the food choices of classmates.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Health & Fitness
Topics: Consumer Health. Nutrition.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Frontline
Evaluate current guidelines for a healthy diet, compare them to one's own eating habits and learn safe behaviors for maintaining a healthy weight. Analyze the food pyramid, fast-food and health-food nutrition and the causes of obesity.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Health & Fitness
Topics: Nutrition.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Frontline
Explore the societal stigma that accompanies people who are overweight, and research current medical thinking on "ideal weight." Identify how the perception of body image can lead to eating disorders.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Health & Fitness
Topics: Mental/Emotional Health. Nutrition.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: NOW
Learn about genetically-engineered foods, then research and report how genetic engineering is done. Investigate the pros and cons related to genetically engineered crops, and express one's own feelings on the topic.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Health & Fitness, Science & Tech
Topics: Nutrition. Public/World Health. Ethics in Science. Genetics.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: NOVA
Research and debate the arguments for and against the use of genetically modified foods.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Health & Fitness, Science & Tech
Topics: Nutrition. Botany. Ethics in Science. Genetics.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Children's Hospital
Learn about the human heart, diseases that affect the heart and the principles of a heart-healthy lifestyle. Explore decisions doctors must make everyday.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Health & Fitness, Science & Tech
Topics: Body Systems & Senses. Nutrition. Human Biology.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Scientific American Frontiers
Calculate your total daily energy expenditure to see how many calories you burn in a day. Make inferences about the relationship between caloric intake and daily energy expenditure.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Health & Fitness
Topics: Fitness. Nutrition.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Scientific American Frontiers
Observe the arrangement of atoms within nutrient molecules to explain dehydration synthesis, and describe bond saturation in fat molecules. Construct molecular models that represent substances that play an essential role in nutrition.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Health & Fitness, Science & Tech
Topics: Nutrition. Atomic. Chemistry.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: NOVA
Investigate the ways that the senses of touch and smell combine with the sense of taste.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Health & Fitness, Science & Tech
Topics: Body Systems & Senses. Nutrition. Human Biology.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Scientific American Frontiers
Make and use a simple calorimeter to measure the calories in a marshmallow, devise a way to make the calorimeter more efficient and conduct the experiment using other foods that are high in fat. Study food labels for nutritional facts.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Health & Fitness, Science & Tech
Topics: Aging. Nutrition. Design & Invention.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Children's Hospital
Learn about healthy eating habits and the nutritional needs at differing ages. Examine planned meals to compare nutritional needs and caloric guidelines, and evaluate one's own personal eating habits.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Health & Fitness
Topics: Nutrition.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Children's Hospital
Learn to use labels as a tool to improve buying patterns and to get the best buy. Explore the importance of labels, the scientific work that is involved behind labeling and the propaganda techniques used in marketing.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Health & Fitness, Science & Tech
Topics: Consumer Health. Nutrition. Design & Invention.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: NOVA
Examine the USDA Food Pyramid, analyze five diets and devise strategies to prevent nutrient deficiencies. Explore health conditions around the world and some of the issues related to delivering health care.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Health & Fitness
Topics: Nutrition. Public/World Health.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Scientific American Frontiers
Test your knowledge about the foods you eat by taking a short quiz. Match products to their ingredients, answer questions about nutritional values and compute the amount of fruits and vegetables consumed per year.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Health & Fitness
Topics: Nutrition.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: NOW
Explore the pros and cons of soft drink sales in schools. Examine the amount of sugar in soft drinks, research links to obesity and debate whether or not schools should partner with soft drink companies.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Health & Fitness, Social Studies
Topics: Nutrition. Public/World Health. Civics: Current Events/Issues.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: Children's Hospital
Learn how to be a smart and healthy consumer and to make wise health decisions by recognizing harmful habits portrayed through the media. Examine magazine advertisements and propaganda techniques, and explore the effects of ads.
Grade Level: 9-12
Subjects: Health & Fitness, Social Studies
Topics: Nutrition. Media Studies.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: NOVA
Examine equipment used for cold-weather survival, identify pack items students consider essential and collaborate to plan a survival pack for severe Antarctic weather.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Health & Fitness, Science & Tech
Topics: Nutrition. Safety. Meteorology.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
Source: NOVA
Understand how migraine headaches affect a person and evaluate treatment options for migraine management.
Grade Level: 6-8, 9-12
Subjects: Health & Fitness
Topics: Chronic Conditions. Disease. Nutrition.
Resource Type: Lesson Plan
