A really informative, quick read for teachers to refresh their knowledge on basic food and nutrition concepts as well as topical issues surrounding food and nutrition, suitable for discussions with older primary/intermediate students e.g. genetically engineered food.
Some of the most useful topics include: Why we eat food What are the food groups? + Simple explanations of nutrients, carbohydrates etc. Interpreting food labels Chemicals and additives Preparing food and bacteria Health side effects of fast food and prepared meals Food allergies and intolerances
A Basic Encyclopedia of Food - Ester Davies
Examines foods individually, looking at the nutritional benefits each food item provides. For each food there is suggestions for science experiments, links to literacy and maths, questions to discuss with students and classroom activities.
Resources for Classroom Activities
Food and Nutrition for Healthy, Confident Kids (Primary Toolkit) - Ministry of Education
This toolkit consists of a resource book, which outlines the guidelines to support healthy eating as well as a resource pack.
Resource Book Information on how this food programme addresses the key competencies, values etc of the New Zealand Curriculum Example unit plans for each year level
The resource pack includes: A checklist of all the steps involved in setting up a food and nutrition unit at a management level right from consultation with parents, to organising international food days and things to add to the school newsletter A table of useful resources and websites available to support the implementation of the MoEs Food & Nutrition Guidelines - available in multiple languages A blank unit plan template A letter to parents about the programme and hot tips for parents so they can help at home
Kai Food: A Cross-Curriculum Integrated Theme Year 5-8 - Indira Neville
An excellent resource full of unit plans that are cross curricula with one or two other subjects; Art, English, Technology, Te Reo Maori, Social Studies and Science.
Each unit includes aims, learning outcomes, achievement objectives, lesson activities and discussion points and assessment. Most unit plans also include the relevant resources and worksheet templates.
The Te Reo Maori unit even includes a glossary of foods names and sentences to do with food in Maori e.g. I am hungry - Kei te matekai au
Spectrum Health Series
An excellent series of health units which have been developed in connection with the 1997 NZC. Each book covers a topic of health at a particular level e.g. Food Groups @ Level 3.
Despite the book being published in 2000, this series is still my personal favourite because it has so many useful parts to it: A list of school journal articles that support the topic Appropriate Learning Objectives for each Achievement Objective Detailed lesson plans with great activities, key questions and follow up worksheets A page detailing how you could integrate the other curriculum areas into this unit. Assessment rubric
Real Food Teaching Notes - The Heart Foundation
These teaching notes provide information and ideas about how to teach the Food Pyramid programme to primary school students and meet the general Food and Nutrition Guidelines for Children set at the time of publishing. It provides simple explanations of each food group with regard to what each food source provides as well as examples of foods that will fall into that category e.g. carbohydrates provide the body with energy and include grains, breads and cereals.
This resource recognises the diversity of cultural food choices by providing 3 separate food pyramid diagrams which include traditional and familiar foods relevant to each of these cultures - Maori, European and Pacific Island
A comprehensive list of classroom activities and learning experiences are provided in relation to relevant achievement objectives for each of the Junior, Middle and Senior Primary age groups.