Lesson Plans for Nestle Collection

Nutrition (Level 1, PreK-2)

Reading Is Fundamental

Books Supported:

• You Are What You Eat by Sharon Gordon

• Eat Healthy, Feel Great by William Sears, M.D., Martha
Sears, R.N., and Christie Watts Kelly
• D.W. the Picky Eater by Marc Brown
• Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert
• Why Should I Eat Well? by Claire Llewellyn
• How Did That Get in My Lunchbox? by Chris Butterworth

INTRODUCTION

Everyone needs to eat healthy foods in order to support a healthy brain and body. Because
there are so many choices available, children need to learn to identify and choose healthy
foods. The books in this collection can help them to do that. This lesson plan will provide
general information for the collection and then book-specific information below.

Here are some examples of classroom activities to support students' learning:

• Create a word wall of vocabulary from the unit. For pre-readers, include pictures that can
be easily detached from and reattached to the wall. As you review vocabulary, ask
students to help you match the pictures with the words.
• Set up a "Nutrition Literacy Center" in your classroom. Include books from this collection,
other books about food, illustrated cookbooks, and laminated recipe cards. Restaurant
menus can often be found online to print, but try asking for extras from your local
restaurants; children will love having access to the "real thing" in the classroom. Provide
real food packages such as empty cereal boxes for the children to read and explore.
• Make a large food pyramid with tape on the floor and label each space. Using play food
or pictures, ask children to group the food in the correct space on the food pyramid.
• Read your school's lunch menu with children. Ask them to identify healthy choices and
treats and describe what each food does for the body (ex. pasta gives us energy, milk
helps our bones).
• Invite someone from your school's food services department to talk about healthy food
with the children and provide guidance on how they can make the best choices at
lunchtime. Children will love interacting with an expert on the topic.
 • To encourage children to "eat the rainbow," make a large rainbow on one wall. When
children eat a food of each color, allow them to draw, cut out, or color a picture of the
food and place it on the rainbow. Children who are reading and writing can label the
food, while pre-literate children can do so with help.
• For younger children, label two baskets "Healthy Foods" and "Treats." Have the children
use play food, empty food packages, and/or pictures to fill the baskets.

Materials List

• sentence strips
• masking or duct tape
• construction paper
• pictures of various foods (try using old magazines)
• butcher paper in rainbow colors
• books about food and healthy eating
• illustrated cookbooks
• laminated recipe cards
• restaurant menus
• school lunch menu
• play food and/or empty food packages

General Objectives for Nutrition Lessons

Students will:

• describe how healthy and unhealthy foods affect our bodies.

• give examples of and distinguish between healthy foods and treats.
• identify the parts of the food pyramid and place foods in the appropriate group.
• read a simple recipe and menu.
• identify how foods from specific groups help our bodies.
• understand key vocabulary from the nutrition unit.
• identify main idea and supporting details in informational texts.
BOOK-SPECIFIC LESSON PLAN 1

Using You Are What You Eat by Sharon Gordon with the Nutrition Level I Lesson Plan

You Are What You Eat by Sharon Gordon (Scholastic-Children's Press, 2002) is an
informational book with simple text. It presents the concept of the Food Pyramid and takes
readers through a typical day of making choices about what to eat for each meal and snacks,
describing in very simple terms the idea that healthy foods help our bodies, while treats do not.
Objectives
Students will:

• identify the parts of the food pyramid and place foods in the appropriate group
• give examples of and distinguish between healthy food and treats
• list the three meals
• understand key vocabulary
CCSS Alignment

RI.K.1 With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
RI.K.2 With prompting and support, identify the main topic and key details of a text.
RI.K.4 With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text.
RI.K.10 Actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding.

RI.1.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.

RI.1.2 Identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.
RI.1.4 Ask and answer questions to help determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases
in a text.

RI.2.1 Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why and how to
demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
RI.2.4 Determine the meaning of words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 2 topic or
subject area.
RI.2.6 Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or
describe.
RI.2.7 Explain how specific images (e.g. a diagram showing how a machine works) contribute to
and clarify a text.

NGSS Alignment

K-LS1-1. Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans)
need to survive.

Pre-Reading Activities: Tell students that the class is going to study nutrition, or how what we
eat affects our bodies. Introduce vocabulary words students will encounter in the text.

Look at the book cover and read the title together. Ask students if they've ever heard the
phrase, "You are what you eat." Ask what they think that means.

Reading: Read You Are What You Eat aloud to your class. After you read the book aloud, go
back to the image of the food pyramid on page 8. Either make a copy of the food pyramid for all
students or project the image onto the board. Do a close analysis of the food pyramid,
reinforcing the concept that food can be classified into different groups and emphasizing the
idea that we need to eat a certain number of servings from each group.

Provide students with a list of questions to think about as you read.

What is the author's main point? (Eating healthy food helps our bodies stay healthy. As the title
says, you are what you eat.)
What three healthy meals should we eat each day? (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
What food does the author say is a healthy snack? (watermelon)
What food groups are included in the food pyramid? (Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta; Fruit;
Vegetable; Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese; Meat, Poultry, Fish and Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts; Fats,
Oils, and Sweets)

Post-Reading:

Post-Reading Comprehension Questions:

According to the author, what does "You are what you eat" mean? (Answers will vary, but
should include the idea that healthy eating leads to a healthy body.)

How do we feel if we eat healthy foods? (We have energy to learn and grow.)
How do we feel if we eat too many treats? (We feel tired.)
How many servings should we eat from each food group each day? (See Food Pyramid on
page 8.)
 Class Activity: As a class, describe what a healthy lunch might look like. Be sure to include one
food from each group.

ABOUT THIS TITLE

Lexile: 500L

Interest Level: 4-8 years

Reading Level: PreK-2

Themes
Nonfiction, Education, Nutrition, Families, Informational Text, Health, Everyday Choices, Food
Word List:

Category Vocabulary:

Nutrition How what we eat affects our bodies

Food pyramid A chart that shows the food groups

Food group A group of foods with similar qualities

Healthy Contributing to good health

Treats Sweet, salty, or fatty foods

Nutrients Elements in foods our bodies need

Ingredients Different foods in a recipe

Water A liquid your body needs more of than any

other food or drink

Book-specific Vocabulary:

Breakfast A morning meal

Lunch A midday meal

Dinner An evening meal

Dessert A treat eaten after meals

Milk A dairy drink

Pasta Noodles made of grains

Snack Food eaten between meals

Tired Without energy

BOOK-SPECIFIC LESSON PLAN 2

Using Eat Healthy, Feel Great by William Sears, M.D., Martha Sears, R.N., and Christie
Watts Kelly with the Nutrition Level I Lesson Plan

Eat Healthy, Feel Great by William Sears, M.D., Martha Sears, R.N., and Christie Watts Kelly
(Little, Brown, 2002) is a complex, multi-paragraph informational text that introduces and defines
the specific vitamins and minerals our bodies need and the unhealthy additives we should
avoid. The book asks students to think in terms of green-light (go), yellow-light (slow), and red-
light (stop) foods and to use this concept to help them make healthy food choices. Food
allergies are also briefly discussed.
Objectives
Students will:

• understand the concepts of green-light, yellow-light, and red-light foods and give
examples of foods in each category
• understand the concept of eating the rainbow
• identify the main idea and important supporting details by using text features such as the
cover, title page, sidebars, and bold print
• understand key vocabulary
• demonstrate understanding of the connection between eating healthy foods and feeling
well
CCSS Alignment

RI.K.1 With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
RI.K.2 With prompting and support, identify the main topic and key details of a text.
RI.K.4 With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text.
RI.K.5 Identify the front cover, back cover, and title page of a book.
RI.K.10 Actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding.

RI.1.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.

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RI.1.2 Identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.
RI.1.4 Ask and answer questions to help determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases
in a text.
RI.1.5 Know and use various text features (e.g. headings, tables of contents, glossaries,
electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information in a text.
RI.1.10 With prompting and support, read informational texts appropriately complex for grade 1.

RI.2.1 Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why and how to
demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
RI.2.2 Identify the main topic of a multi-paragraph text as well as the focus of specific
paragraphs within the text.
RI.2.4 Determine the meaning of words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 2 topic or
subject area.
RI.2.5 Know and use various text features (e.g. captions, bold print, subheadings, glossaries,
indexes, electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information in a text efficiently.
RI.2.6 Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or
describe.
RI.2.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including
history/social studies, science, and technical texts in the grades 2-3 text complexity band
proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

NGSS Alignment

K-LS1-1. Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans)
need to survive.

1-LS1-2. Read texts and use media to determine patterns in behavior of parents and offspring
that help offspring survive.

Pre-Reading Activities: Tell students that the class is going to study nutrition, or how what we
eat affects our bodies.
Look at the front cover, back cover, and title page. Discuss the illustrations. Discuss how the
title indicates the main idea of the book.
Introduce vocabulary words students will encounter in the text. This book contains many
advanced vocabulary words students might not have heard before, so plan to spend some time
talking about these words before, during, and after you read.
Reading: While this book is most appropriate for students in late first grade or second grade,
PreK and Kindergarten students can readily understand the useful concept of green, yellow, and
red-light foods and the idea of eating the rainbow. With younger students, you may choose to
read aloud, simplifying the text by skipping the pages with detailed definitions of vitamins,
minerals, and food additives. As you read, check for comprehension by asking the following
questions:

• When should we eat green-light foods? (As often as we want. Green means "go.")

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 • When should we eat yellow-light foods? (They are okay sometimes, but should be
limited. Yellow means "slow down.")
• When should we eat red-light foods? (Never. Red means "stop.")
• Why do we need to eat healthy foods? (To provide our bodies with everything we need
to feel good and be healthy)
• What is the most important food or drink for our bodies? (water)
• What does it mean to "eat the rainbow"? (to eat foods of many different colors)
• Why should we "eat the rainbow"? (because foods of different colors provide different
healthy things our bodies need)
With older students, read the book aloud using a projector so that you can stop and provide
close analysis of key pages, pointing out text features that aid comprehension like sidebars and
bold print. In addition to the questions listed above, ask the following as you read:

• What are some nutrients green-light foods contain? (protein, healthy fats, complex
carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, Vitamin A, B vitamins, Vitamin C, calcium, fiber, iron)
• How many cups of water should you drink a day? (at least four)
• Which tends to be healthier, lighter colored foods or darker colored foods? (darker)
Post-Reading:
Post-Reading Comprehension Questions:
What is the main idea of the book? (If you eat healthy foods, you will feel good and have energy
to learn, play, and grow.)
What are some ways the authors suggest we can identify healthy foods? (look for short
ingredients lists with familiar food words, eat foods of a variety of colors, avoid foods with
unhealthy ingredients, participate in shopping for and cooking healthy foods)
Class Activity:
Make a chart with three columns (red light, yellow light, and green light) and ask students to
identify foods they enjoy that go in each of the columns. Include food allergies in the red light
foods if students want to share a food allergy. Most schools have a peanut-free policy, so put
that in the red light category for your school. As you chart, discuss why each food goes in the
category you choose.

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ABOUT THIS TITLE

Lexile: AD780L

Interest Level: Ages 4-7

Reading Level: PreK-3

Themes
Nonfiction, Informational Text, Families, Nutrition, Attachment Parenting, Health, Food Allergies, Vitamins,
Minerals,

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Word List:
Category Vocabulary:

Nutrition How what we eat affects our bodies

Food pyramid A chart that shows the food groups

Food group A group of foods with similar qualities

Healthy Contributing to good health

Treats Sweet, salty, or fatty foods

Nutrients Elements in foods our bodies need

Ingredients Different foods in a recipe

Water A liquid your body needs more of than any
other food or drink

Book-specific Vocabulary:

Green-light foods Healthy foods that are good for your body

Yellow-light foods Foods that can make you slow down if you eat
too many
Red-light foods Foods you should not eat

Food allergies Occur when a food that is usually healthy to

eat makes you sick
Food dyes Colorings in candy and drinks that make foods
look tasty but are bad for your body

Hydrogenated oils An unhealthy ingredient that makes your body

want to eat more, often found in packaged
foods.

Preservatives Added to foods to keep them from spoiling

White flour Fills you up without providing nutrients

Sugar Makes foods sweet, but isn't good for your

body

Protein An ingredient in chicken, beans, and cheese

that helps you grow big and strong

Healthy fats Found in fish, eggs, and peanut butter and

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 helps your brain think better

Complex carbohydrates Found in whole-grain bread, cereal, and pasta

and gives you energy
Vitamins Includes A, B, and C; These help your body
work better and keep you healthy.
Minerals Includes calcium and iron; These help your
body work better and keep you healthy.

Vitamin A A vitamin that helps your eyesight

B Vitamins Vitamins that are good for your brain and heart

Vitamin C A vitamin that helps your body heal itself

Calcium A mineral that is good for your bones

Iron A mineral that is good for your blood

Fiber An element of green-light foods that helps your

tummy and digestion.

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BOOK-SPECIFIC LESSON PLAN 3

Using D.W. the Picky Eater by Marc Brown with the Nutrition Level I Lesson Plan

D.W. the Picky Eater by Marc Brown (Little, Brown, 1995) is a humorous fictional story about a
little girl who is a picky eater. D.W. (the little sister of Arthur, the title character in the popular
PBS Kids series of the same name) refuses to try many foods, especially spinach—until she
accidentally eats a dish full of spinach and loves it.
Objectives
Students will:

• summarize the story, relating the beginning, middle, and end

• identify characters, settings, and major events
• identify various emotions felt by different characters at different points in the text, using
both words and illustrations
• identify the central message or lesson of the book
CCSS Alignment:
RL.K.1 With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
RL.K.3 With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.
RL.K.5 Recognize common types of texts (e.g. storybooks, poems)
RL.K.6 With prompting and support, name the author and illustrator of a story and define the
role of each in telling the story
RL.K.7 With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the story
in which they appear (e.g. what moment in a story an illustration depicts).
RL.K.10 Actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding.

RL.1.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.

RL.1.2 Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central
message or lesson.
RL.1.3 Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.

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RL.1.4 Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the
senses.
RL.1.7 Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, settings, or events.
RL.1.10 With prompting and support, read prose and poetry of appropriate complexity for grade
1.

RL.2.1 Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to
demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
RL.2.5 Describe the overall structure of a story, including describing how the beginning
introduces the story and the ending concludes the action.
RL.2.6 Acknowledge differences in points of view of characters, including by speaking in a
different voice for each character when reading dialogue aloud.
RL.2.7 Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to
demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.
RL.2.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories and poetry, in
the grades 2-3 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of
the range.

NGSS Alignment:

1-LS1-2. Read texts and use media to determine patterns in behavior of parents and offspring
that help offspring survive.

Pre-Reading Activities: Tell students that the class is going to study nutrition, or how what we
eat affects our bodies. Introduce vocabulary words students will encounter in the text.
Examine the front cover and title page with students. Discuss how the character depicted on the
cover seems to be feeling. How does the illustration depict those emotions?
Show the students the back cover and read the book blurb on the back to introduce the conflict.
Discuss again how the characters depicted on the back cover seem to be feeling. How does the
illustration depict these emotions.
Ask students what it means to be a "picky eater." Have they ever been called a picky eater? Are
there foods they refuse to eat?
Identify this book as a fictional storybook. The story is not true, but it helps us to think about
picky eating through D.W.'s experience.
Reading: This is a funny book that lends itself to reading aloud across the grade spectrum from
PreK-2. Much of the humor in the book comes from reading with expression to highlight different
characters' perspectives on D.W.'s picky eating. Reading aloud will allow teachers to model
fluency and expression and to emphasize the concept of different points of view. Teachers can
also use this text to model empathy and other social-emotional skills.
As you read, help students make connections between the text and the illustrations. Note the
expressions on different characters' faces as they react to events in the story. As you did on the
with the front and back cover illustrations, ask students how they think the characters are feeling
and how they know.

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 Provide students with a list of questions to think about as you read.
What are some foods D.W. refuses to eat? (fish, spinach, pickles, tomatoes, mushrooms,
eggplant, pineapple, parsnips, cauliflower, liver, Hawaiian shrimp, parsley)
How does D.W.'s family react to her picky eating? (Her brother thinks she's being silly. Her
mother and father are embarrassed and frustrated, and a little bit angry.)
Where does D.W. refuse to eat parsley? (At her friend's house)
Why does D.W. have to stay home with a sitter? (She had a tantrum in a restaurant.)
Why does D.W. decide to try restaurants one more time? (She wants to go out for Grandma
Thora's birthday. She is also beginning to feel a little jealous of the rest of the family.)
Post-Reading:
Post-Reading Comprehension Questions:
Ask students again what it means to be a "picky eater." Do they think they are more or less
picky than D.W.? Is D.W. more or less picky than the other characters in the story?
With students, trace D.W.'s thoughts on spinach through the beginning (she hates it "more than
anything else in the whole world"), middle (she throws a tantrum at a restaurant when she
discovers spinach in her salad), and surprise ending (she eats a whole dish of spinach without
realizing what it is and loves it). Have the students ever had a similar experience? Did they think
they didn't like a food and discover they loved it?
Discuss the central message or point of the story ("Try it. You might like it!")
Class Activity: Talk about how we get food at home (buy groceries and prepare meals) versus
how we get food at a restaurant (order prepared food from a menu). Try bringing in menus to
use in an imaginative play restaurant center.

ABOUT THIS TITLE

Lexile: 410L

Interest Level: Ages 4-7

Reading Level: Grades PreK-3

Themes
Fiction, Literary Text, Manners, Tantrums, Picky Eating, Restaurants, Babysitters, Siblings, Grandparents,
Humor, Food

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Word List:

Category Vocabulary:

Nutrition How what we eat affects our bodies

Food pyramid A chart that shows the food groups

Food group A group of foods with similar qualities

Healthy Contributing to good health

Treats Sweet, salty, or fatty foods

Nutrients Elements in foods our bodies need

Ingredients Different foods in a recipe

Water A liquid your body needs more of than any
other food or drink

Book-specific Vocabulary:

Groceries Food purchased at a supermarket

Menu A list of foods served at a restaurant

Restaurant A place to order prepared meals

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BOOK-SPECIFIC LESSON PLAN 4

Using Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert with the Nutrition Level I Lesson Plan

Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1987), describes the
process of planting a garden, tending the plants, waiting for the plants to grow, harvesting the
plants, and using the plants to cook vegetable soup using very simple text and clear illustrations
that label each item.
Objectives
Students will:

• name each of the steps involved in growing vegetable soup

• identify some ingredients of vegetable soup
• demonstrate understanding of the connection between vegetables in the garden and the
finished product of vegetable soup
• read a recipe

CCSS Alignment

RI.K.1 With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
RI.K.2 With prompting and support, identify the main topic and key details of a text.
RI.K.3 With prompting and support, describe the connection between two individuals, events,
ideas, or pieces of information in a text.
RI.K.5 Identify the front cover, back cover, and title pages of a book.
RI.K.7 With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the text
in which they appear (e.g. what person, place, thing, or idea in the text and illustration depicts).
RI.K.10 Actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding.

RI.1.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.

RI.1.2 Identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.
RI.1.3 Describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information
in a text.
RI.1.7 Use the illustrations and details in a text to describe its key ideas.
RI.1.10 With prompting and support, read informational texts appropriately complex for grade 1.

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RI.2.1 Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why and how to
demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
RI.2.3 Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or
concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text.
RI.2.6 Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or
describe.
RI.2.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including
history/social studies, science, and technical texts in the grades 2-3 text complexity band
proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

NGSS Alignment

K-LS1-1. Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans)
need to survive.

1-LS1-2. Read texts and use media to determine patterns in behavior of parents and offspring
that help offspring survive.

Pre-Reading Activities: Tell students that the class is going to study nutrition, or how what we
eat affects our bodies. Introduce vocabulary words students will encounter in the text.
Look at the cover and title page together.
Ask students, "Have you ever eaten vegetable soup? What foods might go in vegetable soup?
Have you ever gardened or cared for a plant?"
Reading: Read the book aloud to your students, pausing to note where the author-illustrator
has labeled the items in the pictures.
As you read, record the steps involved in growing vegetables. (Planting the seeds and sprouts,
watering the plants, waiting for the sun to help them grow into plants, weeding, picking or
digging up the vegetables)
Ask students, "Where do vegetables come from?" (They grow from seeds.)
Ask students, "Which vegetables were planted as seeds? Which were planted as sprouts?"
(See examples in the text.)
Ask students, "Which vegetables were picked? Which were dug up?" (See examples in the
text.)
As you read, record the steps involved in making vegetable soup. (Washing the vegetables,
cutting them up, putting them in a pot, and cooking them)
Post-Reading:
Post-reading Comprehension Questions:

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 What are the steps for growing vegetables? (Planting the seeds and sprouts, watering the
plants, waiting for the sun to help them grow into plants, weeding, picking or digging up the
vegetables)
What are the steps for making vegetable soup? (Washing the vegetables, cutting them up,
putting them in a pot, and cooking them)
Name at least five ingredients the author-illustrator lists for vegetable soup. (Answers will vary.
See examples in the text.)
What is the author's main purpose for writing? (To explain how to grow vegetable soup.)
What do plants need to grow? (water and sunlight)
Class Activity: Make vegetable soup together. Bring in a recipe you can cook in the classroom
(a slow cooker recipe would work well). Provide each child with a copy of the recipe and read it
together, identifying the parts of the recipe (title, ingredients, instructions). Have the ingredients
pre-cut and prepare the recipe along with the children. Then let the children try the soup.
You could also grow some of the ingredients for vegetable soup in your classroom. Indoor
tomato plants are readily available, and beans can be sprouted using nothing more than paper
towels, seeds, water and resealable plastic bags so that each child can watch his or her plant
grow.
If you have a school or community garden, visit with the students.

ABOUT THIS TITLE

Lexile: 740

Interest Level: 4-7

Reading Level: PreK-3

Themes
Informational Text, Gardening, Recipes, Growing Food, Food, Vegetables, Parent-Child Relationships,
Cooking

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Word List:

Category Vocabulary:

Nutrition How what we eat affects our bodies

Food pyramid A chart that shows the food groups

Food group A group of foods with similar qualities

Healthy Contributing to good health

Treats Sweet, salty, or fatty foods

Nutrients Elements in foods our bodies need

Ingredients Different foods in a recipe

Water A liquid your body needs more of than any
other food or drink

Book-specific Vocabulary

Vegetables Ingredients in vegetable soup

Tools Items, such as a shovel, rake, and hoe, used
to do a job.

Garden A place where plants grow

Seeds What you plant to grow vegetables

Sprouts Young plants

Weeds Wild plants that don't belong in a garden

Sun Helps the vegetables grow with its light

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BOOK-SPECIFIC LESSON PLAN 5

Using Why Should I Eat Well? by Claire Llewellyn with the Nutrition Level I Lesson Plan

Why Should I Eat Well? by Claire Llewellyn (Barron's, 2005) answers the title question by telling
the story of Monica's shift from poor eating habits to good eating habits through the influence of
her new friend, Rachel, who describes all the bad things that can happen to your body when
you eat too much junk food. Monica realizes how much healthier her body will be and how much
fun it can be to eat well.
Objectives
Students will:

• retell the process of how and why Monica changed her eating habits
• identify the central message or lesson of the book
• describe how the illustrations help them understand the text

CCSS Alignment
RL.K.1 With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
RL.K.3 With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.
RL.K.7 With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the story
in which they appear (e.g. what moment in a story an illustration depicts).
RL.K.10 Actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding.

RL.1.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.

RL.1.2 Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central
message or lesson.
RL.1.3 Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.
RL.1.4 Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the
senses.
RL.1.7 Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, settings, or events.

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RL.1.10 With prompting and support, read prose and poetry of appropriate complexity for grade
1.

RL.2.1 Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to
demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
RL.2.3 Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.
RL.2.5 Describe the overall structure of a story, including describing how the beginning
introduces the story and the ending concludes the action.
RL.2.7 Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to
demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.
RL.2.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories and poetry, in
the grades 2-3 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of
the range.

NGSS Alignment

K-LS1-1. Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans)
need to survive.

1-LS1-2. Read texts and use media to determine patterns in behavior of parents and offspring
that help offspring survive.

Pre-Reading Activities: Tell students that the class is going to study nutrition, or how what we
eat affects our bodies. Introduce vocabulary words students will encounter in the text.
Ask students to answer the question, "Why should I eat well?" Ask what it means to "eat well."
Look at the front cover. Ask, "What is the girl in the purple shirt eating? Does that look like a
healthy choice? How does the girl in the yellow shirt appear to feel?"
Reading: Read the book aloud, pausing to discuss the information on each page. The
information is presented in three ways. First, there is the fictional narrative about Rachel and
Monica's friendship that serves as the basis of the book. Second, several pages show many
different kinds of healthy and unhealthy food, with labels. Third, many pages add a secondary
narrative in "comic" form, with speech bubbles showing Monica making healthy or unhealthy
choices. As you read, discuss how the characters are feeling and how the illustrations contribute
to the meaning.
As you read, also identify the healthy and unhealthy foods shown and discuss what makes them
healthy or unhealthy (vitamins in fresh fruits and vegetables, too much sugar and fat in potato
chips and cake, etc.).
Provide students with a list of questions to think about.
Why does Monica say people sometimes choose unhealthy food? (It smells good, tastes sweet,
and is easy to find.)
What are some reasons Rachel gives Monica for avoiding unhealthy food? (You can get
pimples and tooth decay. You can get sick. You won't be fit.)

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 What are some reasons Monica gives for eating healthy food? (It gives us energy, helps us
have clear skin and shiny hair, and is exciting to eat.)
Post-Reading:
Post-Reading Comprehension Questions:
What is the main idea of the book? (We should eat well because it helps us to stay healthy,
avoid illness, and generally enjoy life more.)
How did Monica's family try to help her eat well? (They tried to suggest healthy choices.)
Describe how Monica went from eating mostly unhealthy food to enjoying healthy food. (She
met Rachel, who told her about all the bad things that can happen to your body if you don't eat
healthy food. Monica decided she didn't want those things to happen and began making
healthier choices.)
Class Activity: Ask students again to answer the question "Why should I eat well?" Have they
ever felt like Monica, wanting to eat only junk food? Or have they helped a friend to make
healthy choices, like Rachel? Talk about how they can make healthy choices for themselves
and how they can help their friends and family make healthy choices. If appropriate for your
school, bring in a variety of healthy snacks (veggie sticks, cheese cubes, fresh fruit) and ask
students to try each one. Make a classroom chart showing how many students like each food.

ABOUT THIS TITLE

Lexile: AD500L

Interest Level: Ages 4-8

Reading Level: Grades PreK-3

Themes
Literary Text, Healthy Eating, Health and Wellness, Nutrition, Friendship, Diet and Nutrition, Diseases,
School, Restaurants, Parents, Grandparents, Healthy Choices

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Word List:

Category Vocabulary:

Nutrition How what we eat affects our bodies

Food pyramid A chart that shows the food groups

Food group A group of foods with similar qualities

Healthy Contributing to good health

Treats Sweet, salty, or fatty foods

Nutrients Elements in foods our bodies need

Ingredients Different foods in a recipe

Water A liquid your body needs more of than any
other food or drink

Book-specific Vocabulary

Feast A large, enjoyable meal

Fat An unhealthy part of foods like burgers, fries,
and pizza

Sugar An unhealthy part of foods like sweet drinks

and candy

Fruits and vegetables Healthy foods from plants

Energy Zing! Ability to enjoy being active

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BOOK-SPECIFIC LESSON PLAN 6

Using How Did That Get In My Lunchbox? by Chris Butterworth with the Nutrition Level I
Lesson Plan

How Did That Get In My Lunchbox? by Chris Butterworth (Candlewick, 2011) invites children to
think about where the food in their lunchbox comes from. The book describes the journey food
takes from farm to lunchbox and provides suggestions for eating a healthy and balanced diet.
Objectives
Students will:

• identify the main topic

• use key details to describe how food arrives in a lunchbox
• use and understand new vocabulary
• make connections between foods in their lunchbox and food production described in the
book
• identify the author's purpose for writing
• use illustrations to understand processes of food production
CCSS Alignment

RI.1.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.

RI.1.2 Identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.
RI.1.3 Describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information
in a text.
RI.1.5 Know and use various text features (e.g. headings, tables of contents, glossaries,
electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information in a text.
RI.1.10 With prompting and support, read informational texts appropriately complex for grade 1.

RI.2.1 Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why and how to
demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
RI.2.2 Identify the main topic of a multiparagraph text as well as the focus of specific paragraphs
within the text.

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RI.2.3 Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or
concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text.
RI.2.6 Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or
describe.
RI.2.7 Explain how specific images (e.g. a diagram showing how a machine works) contribute to
and clarify a text.
RI.2.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend informational texts, including
history/social studies, science, and technical texts in the grades 2-3 text complexity band
proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

NGSS Alignment (None)

Pre-Reading Activities: Examine the front cover, back cover, endpapers, and title page. Which
of these foods do students regularly eat for lunch? Make a list of foods students like to eat for
lunch on the board. Choose a few of these foods and make a web or list of what students know
about where they come from and how they are grown.
Reading: Read the book aloud, pausing to do a close analysis of one or two of the pages that
describe the steps in a food's journey to the lunchbox.
Provide students with a list of questions to think about as you read.
Where are some places food comes from? (farms, greenhouses, orchards, groves, and dairies)
What jobs do people do to get food to you? (farmers, bakers, cheese and chocolate makers,
pickers, packers, and truck drivers)
What does food do for your body? (helps you grow, keeps you healthy)
What kinds of food should go on your plate? (carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables, protein,
dairy, and a small amount of treats)
How many different kinds of fruits and vegetables should you eat every day? (five)
Make the book available for closer study in your literacy center.
Post-Reading:
Post-reading Comprehension Questions:
What is the main topic of this book? (how food gets to your lunchbox)
What is the author's purpose for writing? (to explain how different foods are processed and
arrive at grocery stores)
What foods' journeys does the author describe? (bread, cheese, tomatoes, apple juice, carrots,
chocolate chips, clementines)
Choose one food and list the steps it takes to get to you. Use the illustrations and text to help
you answer. (Answers will vary.)

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 Class Activity: Pass out paper plates to the class, and ask them to draw sections for
carbohydrates, protein, dairy, treats, and fruits and vegetables. Use the plate on pages 26-27 as
a model. Ask students to draw or list items they ate or will eat for lunch in the appropriate
category.
Now ask the students to choose one food on the list and investigate where it came from. Have
them write a paragraph, using the "How did (food) get in your lunchbox?" pages from the book
as a model.

ABOUT THIS TITLE

Lexile: 870L

Interest Level: Ages 5-8

Reading Level: Grades K-3

Themes
Informational Text, Healthy Eating, Health and Wellness, Nutrition, Diet and Nutrition, Farms/Farmers,
School, Healthy Choices, Food Production

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Word List:

Category Vocabulary:

Nutrition How what we eat affects our bodies

Food pyramid A chart that shows the food groups

Food group A group of foods with similar qualities

Healthy Contributing to good health

Treats Sweet, salty, or fatty foods

Nutrients Elements in foods our bodies need

Ingredients Different foods in a recipe

Water A liquid your body needs more of than any
other food or drink

Book-specific Vocabulary:

Farmer A person who grows food

Combine harvester A machine that cuts wheat stalks

Miller A person who grinds grains into flour

Baker A person who mixes and bakes bread

Yeast Mixed with flour to make bread

Tanker A truck that carries milk

Rennet A substance animals use to digest milk

Whey Liquid curds float in

Curds Bits that float in whey

Orchard A place where fruit grows

Grower A person who grows fruits

Picker A person who picks fruits and vegetables

Milling machine A machine that mashes apples

Pods Hold chocolate beans

Carbohydrates Grain foods that give you energy

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Dairy Foods made from milk that help your bones

Protein "bodybuilder" foods that help you grow strong

Fruits and vegetables Plant foods you need lots of

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