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Serving Up MyPlate: A Yummy Curriculum

Nutrition Education lessons that can be integrated into the core subjects. These lessons have supporting resources including posters, songs, games, and parent handouts.

Description

This collection of classroom materials helps elementary school teachers integrate nutrition education into math, science, English language arts, and health. This curriculum introduces the importance of eating from all five food groups using the MyPlate icon and a variety of hands-on activities. Students also learn the importance of physical activity to good health.

What’s Inside

Each grade level includes a teacher’s guide with three inquiry-driven lessons that help children discover nutrition, explain their understandings, and reflect upon their experiences; activities with original songs that help students learn about healthy choices in an engaging and memorable way; posters show the MyPlate icon and foods in the five food groups; parent handouts to reinforce the class lessons at home, as well as additional games and resources.

Activity Highlight

In the fifth-grade lesson “Decisions, Decisions,” students identify ways to limit the consumption of solid fats, added sugars, and sodium; read, compare, and analyze Nutrition Facts labels to determine which snack is a healthier alternative; and summarize the benefits of limiting the consumption of solid fats, added sugars, and sodium.   

  • Key Content Areas: After School, Cafeteria Connections, Integrated Subjects, MyPlate, Parent/Family Involvement, and Physical Activity

  • Originator of Resources: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

  • User of Resource: Teachers

  • Audience: Grades 1 and 2, grades 3 and 4, grades 5 and 6

  • Languages: English, Spanish, Chinese, and French

  • Number of lessons: 9 lessons

  • Amount of time per lesson: 30–60 minutes

  • Format: Hard copy or Downloadable

Resource

To access the curriculum, visit the USDA Serving Up MyPlate: A Yummy Curriculum web page External link opens in new window or tab..

Contacts

If you have any questions, please contact the USDA Team Nutrition staff by email at TeamNutrition@fns.usda.gov.

Questions:   Nutrition Services Division | 800-952-5609
Last Reviewed: Monday, November 27, 2023
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