FOOD IS FUEL

Randee Sultanik

Marilyn David/IVDU High School

randeesultanik@yahoo.com

INTRODUCTION

Nutrition is a very important issue in the health of any individual.  Unfortunately, too many American children do not receive the proper nutrients needed to be healthy. 

At IVDU High School, students do not eat the nutritional lunches provided to them by the school cafeteria. Instead, we choose to have soda, sweets, and junk food from the school’s vending machines. These choices affect our ability to concentrate in class and have an effect on our behavior.

Just like a car cannot run without gasoline, your body cannot run without food.  FOOD IS FUEL!  Food contains energy and other nutrients to keep your body healthy. In this WebQuest, you will learn about good nutrition and even plan good, healthy, and appetizing meals for the cafeteria! IVDU has hired you as a nutritionist to help Frieda, the cafeteria supervisor, create a healthy, appetizing, and student friendly meal for lunch.

TASK

You and a partner will create a sample meal plan on the computer for Frieda to use. Before creating your meal plan, you will first view video clips on the food pyramid and the six different food groups. Watching these clips will be a review on the importance of making healthy food choices and will serve as guidance in the meal plans you and your partner will be producing. Do not forget to include the lunches’ meal, snack, and beverage.

PROCESS

Your teacher will assign you into pairs. Your will use Microsoft Word and images from the Internet to create your balanced meal plan. Meal plans will include a meal, snack, and beverage. The meal portion of the plan must include: the main course and two side dishes.

Additionally, you will use the Public Analysis Policy (PPA) steps to analyze the problem that is occurring at IVDU during lunch. Each group must complete 5/6 worksheets attached below.

1. Define the Problem- What is the problem?

2. Gather the Evidence- Is this issue relevant? Where is the evidence?

3. Identify the Causes- Why do student choose not to eat the school lunch?

4. Examine and Existing Policy- What is the school rule regarding eating the school lunch?

5. Develop Policy Solutions- What can we do? What are the top 3 solutions?

6. Select the Best Policy- Using the Feasibility/Effectiveness Matrix select the best solution?

RESOURCES

(Click on each food item to view the attached video clip)

PPA Website- Graphic Version

http://www2.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/ppae/ppae2.html

EVALUATION

Upon completion of your food menu, each group of students will be graded based on:

CATEGORY	Exemplary	Proficient	Unsatisfactory
Graphics	Graphics used appropriately; greatly enhance the topic and aid in comprehension.	Graphics used appropriately most of the time; most graphics selected enhance the topic, are of good quality,	Graphics used appropriately most of the time; most graphics selected enhance the topic, are of good quality.
Accuracy using the six food groups	Group has all six of the different food groups incorporated (grains, dairy, proteins, fruits, vegetables, and sweets/oils).	Group has four or five food groups incorporated.	Group has two or three food groups incorporated.
Neatness	The project is easy to read, there are no spelling errors.	The project is either a little difficult to read, has a spelling error, or two.	The project has two of the following: a little difficult to read, has a spelling error or two.
Collaboration	There is strong evidence that all group members participated equally	There is some evidence that all group members participated equally	There is little or no evidence that all group members participated equally

CONCLUSION

Congratulations! You have completed this WebQuest. You and your classmates have examined a social problem, explored its causes, and proposed a feasible solution for the good of IVDU students. Additionally, Frieda, the cafeteria supervisor, thanks you for helping her compose tasty, balanced lunch menus for the future. With your creativity and knowledge of the food pyramid and the six different food groups, lunch options will be nutritious and tasty.

STANDARDS

Health, Physical Education, and Consumer Science

· Standard 3: Family and Consumer Sciences- Students will use an understanding of the elements of good nutrition to plan appropriate diets for themselves and others. They will know and use the appropriate tools and technologies for safe and healthy food preparation. Students will understand the importance of nutritious food and how it contributes to good health, make simple nutritious food choices, and assist with basic food preparation.

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/sss/schoolhealth/schoolhealtheducation/healthPEFACSLearningStandards.pdf

Math Science and Technology Standards

· Standard 2: Information Systems- Information technology is used to retrieve, process, and communicate information and as a tool to enhance learning. Students will use e a range of equipment and software to integrate several forms of information in order to create good quality audio, video, graphic, and text-based presentations.

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/mst/pub/mststa1_2.pdf