STEPP Lesson Plan Form

Teacher: Sarah Field

4/23/15
School:
Catering

Date:
Grade Level: 9-12 Content Area:

Title: ChooseMyPlate.gov and beginning menu planning

Lesson #:_1_ of _5_

Content Standard(s) addressed by this lesson:

RFBS.01.04 (CUL) Demonstrate menu planning principles and techniques based on
standardized recipes to meet customer needs.
RFBS.02.01 (CUL) Evaluate nutrition principles, food plans, preparation techniques
and specialized dietary plans in a variety of settings.

Understandings:
My Plate is the governments way of teaching standardized nutrition principles.
The changing look of the Food Guide Pyramid
How to make a menu based on My Plate.

Inquiry Questions:
How can one use My Plate in planning a menu?
What are the nutritional components of My Plate?
What does the government recommend for us to eat? How has it changed over
time?

Evidence Outcomes:
After the activity, the students will be able to identify the aspects of
MyPlate.gov and apply them in the creation of a well-balanced meal.

Assessment of Evidence Outcomes:

The students will be assessed via their finished posters containing a menu plan for
a day which follows along with My Plates guidelines.

Colorado State University College of Applied Human Sciences

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Colorado State University College of Applied Human Sciences

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Planned Lesson Activities

Activity Name

MyPlate.gov and menu planning

Approx. Time

50 min.

Anticipatory
Set

When students walk into the classroom they will see the various transformations of the Food
Guide Pyramid, since its implementation, posted on the wall. They will be given a worksheet
and asked to identify the differences/changes they can observe through all the different
pyramids. (10 min)

Teaching/
Presentation:
(Direct
Instruction)
(Select the most
appropriate
model for
teaching, direct
instruction is a
basic example)

1. Students will be divided into random teams of 3 by counting off by 8 (if its a 24 person
class). Its ok to have one or two teams with 4 people
2. The teacher will explain the activity. Each team will determine who has what position
within their group. Once established, the teacher will give the team a piece of poster
paper and markers
3. The team will appoint a drawer, analyzer, and facilitator but all students will work together
to come up with the final product. The drawer is responsible for the actual contruction of
the poster. The analyzer establishes the relevance and accuracy of the menu. The
facilitator helps to dictate the ideas posed and will present to the class.
4. The students will have the remainder of the class period (35 min) to develop a days menu
including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and 2 snacks. The menus should match the My Plate
guidelines and be diverse in their components (i.e. breakfast and dinner cannot contain all
the same ingredients, not all meals should have a meat component). The poster should be
accurate and descriptive in the types and quantities of food given as well as with
estimated calories. Students should be able to rationalize and explain why they chose
what they did and vouch for their menu and its nutrition.
- students can utilize the choosemyplate.gov website for resources and ideas in
developing their menu.
5. When students are finished they will hang their poster up in the classroom. At the
beginning of the following class period they will be presenting their menu plans to the
class noting the nutritional components and rationale.

Colorado State University College of Applied Human Sciences

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Teaching
Strategy:
(Guided Practice)

The teacher should go around and make sure students are on task in creating their posters. The
teacher should let students make their own menu decisions but should offer advice if they seem
entirely off course. The teams are working collaboratively, but the teacher is there for guidance
and making sure they are actually working as a team and within their assigned roles.

Teaching
Strategy:
(Independent
Practice)

Independent practice is at the beginning of class with the Food Guide Pyramid warm-up activity.
It will also come later when students are working on individual nutritional plans later in the menu
planning unit.

Closure

Materials

Differentiation

Assessment

The teacher should make sure all posters are up on the wall and that all students are on
target to present the following class period. Use the last few minutes of class to answer
any remaining questions and tie up any loose ends.
The teacher will let the students know that they are to come to the next class period
prepared to present (in less than 5 min) their poster.
Students should have all markers cleaned up and put away before leaving

print outs of all the various food guide pyramids, tape

large poster paper
markers
MyPlate handouts
tape if not using the sticky poster paper

To extend: if the group quickly finishes their poster, have them analyze the individual nutritional
components utilizing the SuperTracker website.
To modify: If the team is struggling, have them look at examples of balanced meals on the
choosemyplate.gov website or the supertracker.usda.gov website.
The students will be assessed on their final product (the poster) and their ability to present the
information to the class. The teacher will be checking for student understanding throughout the
lesson via asking questions about what they are doing and why, while they are working on their
posters.

Colorado State University College of Applied Human Sciences

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