Educated Eating

The lessons Upper Primary students learned in the classroom about good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle find real-life application in the grocery store aisles – and their lives.

IDS-CC students in Kim Fowler (left) and Jennifer Jones' multi-age classes enjoyed some of their favorite healthy foods during the "Bon Appétit Celebration Tour," which culminated their IB unit .

Nov. 7, 2011 (TAMPA, Fla.) – When Danielle McClendon takes her daughter, Camille, to the grocery store these days, shopping takes a bit longer than it used to. That's because Camille, a first-grader at Independent Day School-Corbett Campus has become a stickler for reading food labels. Like her IDS-CC classmates, the six-year old scrupulously reviews the nutrition facts for every item, carefully comparing vitamins and minerals, as well as sodium, fat and cholesterol percentages in order to make healthy food choices.

The skills first and second graders at IDS-CC learned that enable them to be informed consumers at the grocery store started in their IDS-CC classrooms. It was part of an International Baccalaureate (IB) unit of inquiry for Upper Primary Division students that the teachers called "Bon Appétit." "The central idea for this unit was, 'The choices people make can empower them to live a healthy lifestyle,'" said first-grade teacher Andria Petty. "Our goal was to give students the tools they need to live a healthy life."

Understanding the relationship between being healthy and good nutrition – including how to read food labels – was one of those tools. Teachers integrated reading, math, science, technology, and social science into lessons that emphasized exploration, reflection, and good judgment.

For example, students learned new vocabulary including nutrients, vitamins, and minerals and new mathematical concepts such as percentages. Through literature and music, they discovered that nutrients such as "Captain Calcium" and "Princess Protein" are the "super heroes" inside food. Science lessons focused on the food pyramid, the importance of a balanced diet, as well as the physiological, social and emotional benefits of exercise.

And, of course, there was ample opportunity for students to do some taste testing. For example, teachers introduced the unit with an activity called "The Fun Food Factor Challenge." Students had the opportunity to practice the International Baccalaureate Learner Profile characteristics of risk-taking and being an open-minded learner, as they sampled a variety of "out-of-the-box" foods such as Greek yogurt, avocado, kiwi, and cottage cheese.

The unit concluded with the "Bon Appétit Celebration Tour" – a healthy "moveable feast" where students travelled to each first and second grade classroom where they prepared a different nutritious meal, snack or dessert. "This activity showed students how they can still enjoy some of their favorite foods by making it in a healthier way," said first/second multi-age teacher Debi Brockmeyer. "For example, they made healthy pizza using whole grain muffins, low-fat cheese, and organic tomato sauce."

"This unit hit close to home for students and had a significant impact on their lives because it involved choices they make every day about the food they eat," said second-grade teacher Vickii Ausburn.

First and second graders used math skills to create bar graphs of the types of foods they ate during the "Bon Appétit Celebration Tour." They also made their own healthy snacks.

Take Max Fuller, a "Cool Cat" in Debi Brockmeyer and Kim Fowler's multi-age class. He now eats salad at lunchtime, has started exercising with his mom, and like Camille, scrutinizes food labels to select cereals that are low in sugar and fat. Classmate Hailey Asante-Korang says she chooses apples and bananas for snack, and Kerry D'Amelio says she plays and runs more with her dog for exercise.

"The ultimate goal of an IB program of inquiry is for students to go out and put into action what they have learned in the classroom," said Kim Fowler, IB co-coordinator. "When students can transfer that knowledge so that it has an effect in their own lives or the lives others, we know that our objective has been met and that the student-led inquiry has been successful."