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healthy choices: activity ideas

Activity Ideas | Related Resources

  1. How's Your Diet?

    Grade Level: 3-5; 6-8
    Subject: Health & Fitness; Reading & Language Arts

    Have students keep a log of what they eat for three to five days. Using the food pyramid on the It's My Life web site, have students count the calories, and then determine how nutritious their diet really is.

    Ask students what they might do to alter their diet and why. Write their responses on the board. Arthur's Healthy Snacks activity would make a good follow-up to this activity.

    Invite a nutritionist (school nutritionist or hospital nutritionist) to talk with your class. Have students work as a group to come up with a list of questions about food that they would like to have answered.

    For older students: Have students research and write about some or all of the following nutrition topics.

    • Fad diets: the food allowed on these diets, and what is not nutritionally sound with these diets.
    • Design a weight-loss diet that would be appropriate for a teenager.
    • Too thin or too heavy: Which is less healthy? Why?
    • Research different eating disorders.

    Online Resources

    PBS Parents: Talking With Kids About Health:
    http://www.pbs.org/parents/talkingwithkids/health/childseyes_3.html

    Scientific American Frontiers: Losing It:
    http://www.pbs.org/saf/1401/index.html

    In the Mix: Eat Smart and Exercise:
    http://www.pbs.org/inthemix/shows/show_fitforlife.html

    It's My Life: Food Smarts:
    http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/body/foodsmarts/index.html

    The Meaning of Food:
    http://www.pbs.org/opb/meaningoffood/

    Perfect Illusions: Eating Disorders and the Family:
    http://www.pbs.org/perfectillusions/index.html

    PBS Lesson Plans

    American Masters: Alice Waters: You Are What You Eat:
    http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/education/lesson24_procedures.html

    NOW: Soft Drink Sales at Schools:
    http://www.pbs.org/now/classroom/diet.html

    Print Resources

    The Art & Science of Getting Strong and Eating Right by Meg Richmond
    Food Rules! The Stuff You Munch, Its Crunch, Its Punch, and Why You Sometimes Lose Your Lunch by Bill Haduch and Rick Stromoski

    More Recommended Resources

  2. Conflict Resolution

    Grade Levels: 6-8; 9-12
    Subjects: Social Studies; Reading & Language Arts; Health & Fitness; Science & Technology

    Have students write down all words that the word "conflict" stirs up in them. Have the group share and write them on the board. Which words are negative? Which are positive? Which are neutral? Why do you think there are more negative words about conflict than positive or neutral ones?

    Ask students if they can describe a conflict that ended in a positive way -- where everyone involved felt good at the end or things changed for the better as a result?

    Read about strategies to promote conflict resolution at the It's My Life web site.

    Introduce some of the most effective and well-known conflict resolution strategies:

    • Communication
    • Negotiation
    • Mediation

    Discuss these concepts with students and explain how one leads to the next if no resolution is found.

    Have students research conflict resolution or alternative dispute resolution; a good resource are the American Bar Association: Dispute Resolution. Why do people engage in dispute resolution? Is it useful? Brainstorm questions and invite a conflict mediator to talk to the class. You may find one through the ABA's links to other ADR entities or the Association for Conflict Resolution.

    The P.O.V. site "What I Want My Words to Do to You" has an excellent activity on using writing to address conflict in people's lives.

    Lead a discussion about the different resources available at your school for students who have conflicts with other students -- for instance, school psychologists, guidance counselors, social workers. Who would students feel most comfortable discussing a problem with? Would they know the first steps in getting help?

    Students may also be interested in peer mediation. Visit "In the Mix" for a primer.

    Online Resources

    It's My Life:
    http://pbskids.org/itsmylife

    In the Mix:
    http://www.pbs.org/inthemix

    Bullying Online:
    http://www.bullying.co.uk/

    Print Resources

    Conflict Resolution Activities That Work! by Kathleen M. Hollenbeck
    Ready-to-Use Conflict-Resolution Activities for Elementary Students by Beth Teolis

    More Recommended Resources

  3. What Can I Improve About Myself?

    Grade Level: 6-8; 9-12
    Subjects: Health & Fitness; Reading & Language Arts

    Ask students to think about different things that people generally try to improve about themselves. Students' answers will vary greatly, but may include such ideas as: weight loss/gain, grades, personal appearance, relationships, etc. Explain that the class is going to explore the concept of self improvement.

    Explain that they can choose anything in their lives that they would like to improve. It might involve personal behavior or habits. It could involve something having to do with school. It might be doing better at a sport.

    Have them create a plan that will help them achieve their goal. (Review and approve each student's plan for safety and appropriateness before students are allowed to proceed.) They will follow that plan for one week, and then write a report evaluating their success (or failure). Explain that it is important to follow the plan. Tell them that it might be helpful to take notes about their experiences. The report should include information on why the student chose the particular thing to improve, what their plan was, how well they followed it, and how successful it was.

    Check that students have explained why they chose their particular improvement, how they devised their plan, and how well they followed the plan. Students should conclude with an assessment of how their experiment went. What was successful? What was particularly challenging?

    Online Resources

    It's My Life:
    http://pbskids.org/itsmylife

    In the Mix:
    http://www.pbs.org/inthemix

    PBS Lesson Plans

    NewsHour Extra: Design and Implement a Personal Fitness Plan
    http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/teachers/lessonplans/health/fitness/ ...

    NOW: Motivating Youth to Get more Exercise:
    http://www.pbs.org/now/classroom/verb.html

    More Recommended Resources

Published: January 2006