Teacher Guide - ETR Associates

© ETR Associates Middle School 

Nutrition & Physical Activity 

I read and followed directions. 

My work is neat and complete. 

This is my best work. 

HealthSmart Actions 

Lesson at a Glance 

Student Book 

The HealthSmart Actions student book reinforces the HealthSmart lessons. Using HealthSmart 

Actions enables students to acquire knowledge essential to the practice of health behaviors and an 

opportunity to take responsibility for planning their own health behaviors. 

MyPlate 

Directions: Review MyPlate, then list your 2 favorite foods from the 5 food groups. 

complex carbohydrates • vitamins • minerals 



protein • vitamins • minerals 


Actions pages are 

reproduced in the 

Teacher Guide for 

reference. Instructional 

rationales are provided. 

Lesson 1 • Healthy Eating & Me 

Activity 1 • What Should I Eat & How Much? 

Vegetables: 2–4 cups a day 

Fruit: 1½–2½ cups a day 

Grains: 5–10 ounces a day 

(at least half whole grains) 

MyPlate 

HealthSmart 

Actions 

Page 

3 


Protein: 5–7 ounces a day Dairy: 3 cups a day 



Self-Check 

✓ 




3 










Protein: 5–7 ounces a day 

Dairy: 3 cups a day 

Self-Check 

✓ 

3 

Instructional rationale: This activity sheet presents MyPlate. 

It provides essential knowledge that increases students’ power to 

improve their dietary practices. 


7 


ix

Lesson 1 

Healthy Eating & Me 

Activity 1 

What Should I Eat & How Much? 

Student Objectives 

Students will 

1. Recognize key nutrients the body needs. 

2. Determine the amount they should eat daily from each food group. 

3. Recognize amounts for each food group. 

4. Shape peer norms that value eating from the food groups in MyPlate. 

5. Analyze a day’s worth of meals to determine if the MyPlate 

recommendations have been met. 

Time 

45 

minutes 

Materials & Preparation 

• Samples of a variety of foods. Examples: 

— cereal (1 cup) — fruit (small=2 3 ⁄8” diameter) 

— milk (8 oz.) — vegetable (1/2 cup) 

— cheese (1 1 ⁄2 oz.) — peanut butter (1 tablespoon) 

• Measuring cups. 

• Review Key Nutrients for Your Body (HealthSmart Actions page 2). 

• Review MyPlate for Teens (HealthSmart Actions page 3). 

• Review How Much Should I Eat? (HealthSmart Actions pages 4–5). 

• Review Food Detective (HealthSmart Actions pages 6–7). 

• Review Food Detective Key (pp. 12-13). 

(Note: Students with access to the Internet can analyze their eating patterns and get 

personalized recommendations for how much they should eat based on their gender, age and 

activity habits by visiting the USDA MyPlate website at www.choosemyplate.gov.) 

4 Middle School



K 

Nutrients 

1Carbohydrates are the main part 

of most human diets. They provide the body’s 

most important source of energy. 

There are 2 types of carbohydrates: 

■ Complex carbohydrates include starches, glycogen 

and some forms of fiber. At least half of your calories 

should come from complex carbohydrates. Foods that 

have complex carbohydrates include bread, cereal, 

pasta, vegetables, fruits, beans and grains. 

■ Simple carbohydrates are sugars such as glucose, 

fructose and sucrose. These should be limited because 

they don’t add a lot of vitamins and minerals to the 

body. They can also cause weight gain. They include 

foods such as fruit drinks, candy, cake and cookies. 

3 

4Vitamins 

help control 

body processes 

such as digestion, 

metabolism, hormone 

development, wound 

healing and nerve function. 

Vitamins help the body 

produce energy. Vitamins 

are found in all food groups. 

ey Nutrients for Your Body 

are the body’s building blocks. 

Nutrients are divided into 6 categories. 

Proteins help make skin, muscle and bone. They are needed to help repair 

damaged tissue. Too much protein doesn’t build more muscles. Instead, it’s burned for 

energy, just as carbohydrates are. About 10–30% of your calories should come from 

proteins. Protein is found in meat, eggs, dried beans and nuts. 

Minerals 

contribute to bone 

growth, water balance, 

metabolism, and nerve 

and muscle function. More 

than 20 minerals are needed to 

be healthy. Common minerals 

include calcium, sodium, 

potassium, iron and zinc. 

Minerals are found in all food 

groups. 

2The 

body needs a certain amount of fat to: 

■ Insulate against cold. 

■ Provide energy for muscles. 

■ Provide a layer of padding between skin 

and muscles. 

■ Protect internal organs. 

5 6 

Fats are compounds that include solid 

fats and oils. A little fat is found in almost 

all foods. 

Too much saturated fat can cause health problems, 

including heart disease and cancer. Trans fats are 

found in many processed foods. Trans fats are similar 

to saturated fat and also cause health problems. 

The healthiest sources of fat are fish, nuts and 

vegetable oils, which contain unsaturated fat. Only 

25–35% of your total calories should come from fat. 

Water makes up 

50–75% of your body 

weight. Water is so 

important that your body 

can’t live for more than a few days 

without it. 

Water has many functions, 

including helping to carry nutrients 

and oxygen throughout the body and 

helping in digestion. It’s important to 

drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. 

HealthSmart 

Actions 

Page 

2 

2 Nutrition & Physical Activity Middle School © ETR Associates 

Instructional rationale: This reading sheet presents information 

regarding the 6 key nutrients. It provides essential knowledge that 

increases students’ power to improve their dietary practices. 


5



Teaching Steps 

Explain 

Read 

Explain 

Read 

Explain 

There are 6 key nutrients your body needs to stay healthy. 

Direct students to turn to Key Nutrients for Your Body on page 2 of 

HealthSmart Actions. 

Have students read the information aloud. 

MyPlate was created to help you get key nutrients from the food you 

eat every day. 

Direct students to turn to the MyPlate for Teens on page 3 of 


The amounts shown on this MyPlate chart are what’s recommended 

for teens. Younger, less active teens should eat the smaller amounts. 

Older, more active teens can eat more. 

• Grains— 5–10 ounces. This group gives your body complex 

carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. 

• Vegetables— 2–4 cups. This group gives your body complex 


• Fruits—1 1 ⁄2–2 1 ⁄2 cups. This group gives your body complex 


• Dairy—3 cups. This group gives your body protein, vitamins 

and minerals. 

• Protein—5–7 ounces. This group includes meat and beans and 

gives your body vitamins and minerals as well as protein. 

You also need a small amount of healthy oils each day. Oils are not a 

food group, but do provide essential nutrients. Most teens should have 

5–6 teaspoons a day. Nuts, fish and vegetable oils are healthy sources. 

(continued) 

6 Middle School



MyPlate 


HealthSmart 

Actions 

Page 

3 










Protein: 5–7 ounces a day 

Dairy: 3 cups a day 



Self-Check 

✓ 




3 

Instructional rationale: This activity sheet presents MyPlate. 

It provides essential knowledge that increases students’ power to 

improve their dietary practices. 


7



HealthSmart 

Actions 

Pages 

4–5 

Fruits 

These all count as 1/2 cup of fruit: 

1 small fruit (apple, orange, pear, peach) 

1/4 cup dried fruit 

1/2 cup canned fruit 

This is 1/4 cup 

How 

1/2 cup 100% fruit 

Much 

juice 

of dried Should I fruit. Eat? 

Dairy 

These all count as 

1 cup of dairy: 

1 cup (8 ounces) 

milk or yogurt 

You need 

3 cups 

of dairy a day. 

1 cup calcium-fortified soymilk 

1 1 ⁄2 ounces cheese (or 2 slices) 

2 cups cottage cheese 

1 cup frozen yogurt 

This is 1 1 ⁄2 ounces 

of cheese. It’s the 

size of 6 dice. 

It counts as 1 cup 

of dairy. 

This is 1 cup of spaghetti. It’s the size of a baseball. 

It counts as 2 ounces of grains. 

You need 

1 1 ⁄2–2 1 ⁄2 cups 

of fruit a day. 

It’s the size of a 

large egg. It counts 

as 1/2 cup of fruit. 

Grains 

These all count as 1 ounce of grains: 

1 slice bread 

6-inch tortilla 

1/2 hot dog bun or 1 cup cold cereal 

hamburger bun 1/2 cup cooked cereal 

1/2 small bagel 1/2 cup rice 

1/2 English muffin 1/2 cup pasta 

5 whole-wheat crackers 

You need 5–10 ounces 

of grains a day. 

Protein 

These all count as 

1 ounce of protein: 

1 ounce cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish 

(a small hamburger patty is about 3 ounces) 

1 egg 

1/4 cup tofu 

1/4 cup cooked beans or peas 

1 tablespoon peanut butter 

1/2 ounce nuts or seeds 

(12 almonds) 

You need 

5–7 ounces 

of protein foods a day. 

This is 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes. It’s the size of 

a lightbulb. It counts as 1/2 cup of vegetables. 

You need 

2–4 cups 

Vegetables of vegetables 

These all count as a day. 

1/2 cup of vegetables: 

1/2 cup cooked vegetables 

This is 3 ounces 1/2 cup raw chopped vegetables 

of cooked chicken. 1 cup raw leafy vegetables 

It’s the size of a 

1/2 cup vegetable juice 

deck of cards. It 

counts as 3 ounces 

1/2 medium baked potato 

of protein. 1/2 cup mashed potatoes 

1/2 cup tomato sauce 



5 


Instructional rationale: This reading sheet provides information on 

recommended quantities for the various food groups. It provides essential 

knowledge that increases students’ power to improve their dietary practices. 

8 Middle School



Complete & Share 

Teaching Steps (continued) 

Write your 2 favorite foods from each group on the lines provided. 

After students have had enough time to write their responses, ask them 

to share their answers with a partner. The partner should check to make 

sure each food written down is a part of the corresponding food group. 

Be prepared to answer questions about what food group a food is in. 

Survey 

How many of you think it’s difficult to eat the recommended amount 

from each food group every day? Why? 

Summarize 

Sometimes people eat more than they should and sometimes they eat 

less than they should because they don’t understand how much they 

should be eating. 

Read 

Direct students to turn to How Much Should I Eat? on page 4 of 


Read & Discuss 

Review each food group 1 at a time. After reviewing each group, show 

students a sample of a measured amount of a food from that group. 

Emphasize that people may eat 2–3 ounces of certain foods at a time 

(e.g., cereal, pasta, meat). 

(Note: The amounts listed for beans, eggs, nuts and tofu are equivalent to 

1 ounce of lean meat. Students who follow a vegetarian diet will need to 

eat more of these foods to get the same amount of protein.) 

Survey 

After seeing the amounts you should eat from each food group, how 

many of you think it’s easy to eat the daily recommendations for each 

food group? 

(continued) 


9



HealthSmart 

Actions 

Pages 

6–7 

Food Detective 

Directions: Jamie is a 12-year-old boy who is moderately active. Look at the 

table below and circle how many calories Jamie needs each day. Then circle the 

amount from each food group Jamie should eat each day. 

Then look at what Jamie ate today. Be a food detective and count how much Jamie 

ate from each food group. (The lists on pages 4 and 5 can help you.) List your 

answers in the space provided. Then answer the questions. 

Calories needed each day: 

Inactive Moderately Active Active 

Males 11–14 1,600–2,000 2,000–2,400 2,200–2,800 

Females 11–14 1,600–1,800 1,800–2,000 2,000–2,400 

Daily food amounts: 

Calorie Level 1,600 1,800 2,000 2,200 2,400 2,600 2,800 

Grains 5 oz. 6 oz. 6 oz. 7 oz. 8 oz. 9 oz. 10 oz. 

Vegetables 2.0 cups 2.5 cups 2.5 cups 3 cups 3 cups 3.5 cups 3.5 cups 

Fruits 1.5 cups 1.5 cups 2 cups 2 cups 2 cups 2 cups 2.5 cups 

Dairy 3 cups 3 cups 3 cups 3 cups 3 cups 3 cups 3 cups 

Protein 5 oz. 5 oz. 5.5 oz. 6 oz. 6.5 oz. 6.5 oz. 7 oz. 

Oils 5 tsp. 5 tsp. 6 tsp. 6 tsp. 7 tsp. 8 tsp. 8 tsp. 

Breakfast 

2 cups of cold cereal 

1 cup of milk 

1 cup of orange juice 

* 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons 

What Jamie Ate Today 

Lunch 

double hamburger with 2 

slices of cheese on a bun 

1 tablespoon* of mayonnaise 

2-ounce bag of potato chips 

16-ounce soft drink 

Snack 


2-ounce bag of 

tortilla chips 

candy bar 

Dinner 

2 cups of pasta with 

1/2 cup of tomato sauce 

1 cup of salad with 

2 tablespoons of dressing 

1 piece of garlic bread 

1 cup of frozen yogurt 

Grains Vegetables Fruit Dairy Protein Oils 

ounces 

cups 

cups 

cups 

ounces 

teaspoons 


Instructional rationale: This activity sheet helps students apply what 

they’ve learned about MyPlate. It builds a personal value and shapes a 

peer norm for planning a healthy diet. 

10 Middle School



Complete & Discuss 


Direct students to turn to Food Detective on page 6 of Health Smart 

Actions. 

Review the directions and allow students time to complete the activity 

sheet. When students have finished, use the Food Detective Key teacher 

page (pp. 12-13) to review their responses. 

Summarize 

It is important to know the food groups and how much you need to 

eat from each. Following MyPlate recommendations will help you eat 

healthy each day. 

Assessment Benchmarks 

Students: 

1. Recognized key nutrients the body needs by: 

Reading and discussing the Key Nutrients for Your Body 

reading sheet. 

2. Determined the amount they should eat daily from each food 

group by: 

Reviewing the MyPlate for Teens activity sheet. 

Completing the Food Detective activity sheet. 

3. Recognized amounts for each food group by: 

Reviewing the How Much Should I Eat? reading sheet. 


4. Shaped peer norms that value eating from the food groups in 

MyPlate by: 

Sharing with a partner their favorite foods from each food group. 

Discussing the Food Detective activity sheet. 

5. Analyzed a day’s worth of meals to determine if the MyPlate recommendations 

have been met by: 



11



Teacher Page 

Food Detective 

Key 

Directions: Jamie is a 12-year-old boy who is moderately active. Look at the 

table below and circle how many calories Jamie needs each day. Then circle the 

amount from each food group Jamie should eat each day. 

Then look at what Jamie ate today. Be a food detective and count how much Jamie 

ate from each food group. (The lists on pages 4 and 5 can help you.) List your 

answers in the space provided. Then answer the questions. 

Calories needed each day: 

Inactive Moderately Active Active 

Males 11–14 1,600–2,000 2,000–2,400 2,200–2,800 

Females 11–14 1,600–1,800 1,800–2,000 2,000–2,400 

Daily food amounts: 

Calorie Level 1,600 1,800 2,000 2,200 2,400 2,600 2,800 

Grains 5 oz. 6 oz. 6 oz. 7 oz. 8 oz. 9 oz. 10 oz. 

Vegetables 2.0 cups 2.5 cups 2.5 cups 3 cups 3 cups 3.5 cups 3.5 cups 

Fruits 1.5 cups 1.5 cups 2 cups 2 cups 2 cups 2 cups 2.5 cups 

Dairy 3 cups 3 cups 3 cups 3 cups 3 cups 3 cups 3 cups 

Protein 5 oz. 5 oz. 5.5 oz. 6 oz. 6.5 oz. 6.5 oz. 7 oz. 

Oils 5 tsp. 5 tsp. 6 tsp. 6 tsp. 7 tsp. 8 tsp. 8 tsp. 

Breakfast 

2 cups of cold cereal 

1 cup of milk 

1 cup of orange juice 

* 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons 

ounces 

cups 

What Jamie Ate Today 

Lunch 

double hamburger with 2 

slices of cheese on a bun 

1 tablespoon* of mayonnaise 

2-ounce bag of potato chips 


cups 

Snack 


2-ounce bag of 

tortilla chips 

candy bar 

cups 

Dinner 

2 cups of pasta with 

1/2 cup of tomato sauce 

1 cup of salad with 

2 tablespoons of dressing 

1 piece of garlic bread 

1 cup of frozen yogurt 


9 1 1 3 6 9 

ounces 

teaspoons 


12 Middle School



Teacher Page 

What could Jamie add or remove to be sure to eat the correct 

amount from each food group? 

Add 

Remove 

fruits 

soft drinks 

vegetables 

chips or candy bar 

more salad at dinner 

garlic bread 

1 tablespoon of oil 

+ – 

What changes could Jamie make to eat healthier? 

Jamie could choose water instead of soft drinks and eat fruits and 

vegetables instead of candy or chips. 

Make up a menu for 1 meal that would improve Jamie’s nutrition 

for the day. 

Jamie’s new menu: 

Answers will vary, but should include more fruits and vegetables, 

less oil and a little less grain. 

What About You? 

How many calories should you eat each day? ____________ 

Answers will vary. 

How much food from each food group should you eat each day? 


ounces 

cups 

cups 

cups 

ounces 

teaspoons 

Answers will vary based on age, 

gender and activity level. 




Self-Check 

✓ 




7 

13

Activity 2 • Assessing My Eating Habits 


Teaching Steps 

Explain 

Nutritionists have spent many decades researching how to eat healthy. 

They have created guidelines to help. 

Today, you are going to take a look at your own eating habits and 

learn some of the guidelines for healthy eating. You will have a chance 

to see how well you meet each guideline. 

Read & Complete 

Survey 

Summarize 

Direct students to turn to Assessing My Eating Habits on page 8 of 


Have students read Guideline 1 aloud and discuss. Direct them to 

complete the How I’m Doing assessment. After completing the 

assessment, have them list one way they could improve in this area. 

(Note: The recommended amounts on the activity sheet are based on 

MyPlate for teens, which covers a range of ages and activity levels. 

You may want to refer students to the MyPlate website at www. 

choosemyplate.gov, where they can tailor the recommendations based on 

their own gender, age and activity level.) 

What is 1 way you can improve in this area? 

Encourage students to share their suggestions for improvement. 

Repeat the process for Guidelines 2 through 5. 

Good eating habits keep your body strong, fit and healthy. Following 

these guidelines will help you stay healthy. 

(Note: When students are deciding what diet or physical activity behavior 

to change toward the end of the unit, refer them back to the Assessing 

My Eating Habits activity sheet to help them determine the behavior 

they want to change.) 

16 Middle School

Activity 5 • Reading a Food Label 


Summarize 

Knowing the amount of food in the serving size listed on the label 

can help determine nutrients and the calories for the food you eat. For 

example, if you eat 3 cups of cereal for breakfast, and the serving size 

on the food label is 1 cup, you would have to multiply the nutrients 

and calories by 3 to determine how much you were getting. 

(Note: Amounts that help fulfill the daily recommendations of MyPlate may 

be different from the “serving sizes” noted on food labels. It can be confusing 

to directly compare the two. The quantities are different because they serve 

different purposes. MyPlate’s goal is to help people meet daily nutrient 

recommendations. The serving sizes on food labels are designed so that foods 

can be compared with one another.) 

Ask & Discuss 

Summarize 

Why is the information about calories from fat included on the label? 

This information is included to help you follow guidelines that 

recommend that teens get no more than 25–35% of their daily calories 

from fat. 

Ask & Discuss 

Summarize 

Why should you limit the amount of fat, saturated fat, trans fat, 

cholesterol and sodium? 

Eating too much fat, cholesterol and sodium (salt) may increase your 

chance of getting heart disease, certain types of cancer and high blood 

pressure. 

Ask & Discuss 

Summarize 


Why should you make sure you get enough of dietary fiber, vitamins 

A and C, calcium and iron? 

Eating the appropriate amount of nutrients promotes health and can 

help reduce the risk of some diseases. For example, getting enough 

calcium can help keep your bones strong. 

32 Middle School

Teacher Guide - ETR Associates

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