Balanced Diet

Anita Watkins Jo Anne Cornett Susan Pavetto

Class: Pre-algebra, but could be extended to almost any level of math

class.

Materials: Chart on nutritional information (to be photocopied and

distributed to each group), graphing materials (anything from graph paper
to computer software), and calculators (optional).

Goals: The mathematics that is covered in this project involves basic

addition, reasoning skills to identify combinations of high/low values,
possible ratios, gathering data from a table of values, and creating double
bar graphs. The students will work on this project with at least one other
person; therefore their group skills can be exercised, and each person will be
able to practice their communication skills both in the oral presentation and
the required write-up. The students should also gain a better understanding
of nutrition. This project will reinforce the five food groups, and students will
be able to see a connection between mathematics and health.

Time required: One day in class, two-three days out of class, and one day
to present and discuss.

Background: The students should be familiar with basic addition, division

to find ratios (if discovered), the ability to read a table of values, and the
ability to create a double bar graph. Mastery of the skills above is not
necessary because one goal of this project is for students to work on the
skills above using a real-life situation.

Setting: Your school cafeteria needs your help in putting together menus
with the least amount of calories and the most amount of protein. Each
group of students will receive a table consisting of three items from each of
the 5 food groups, and a table giving the calorie and protein content per
serving of a variety of foods.

Problem: Students will choose 5 balanced meals, meaning one food from
each food group. Out of the 5 chosen, each group will find the calorie and
protein content for each meal. Students should graph each meal comparing
calories and protein (as a double bar graph). From the graph students
should pick the "best" meal (meaning lowest amount of calories and highest
amount of protein). Students may even find ratios to be helpful in their

Funded in part by the National Science Foundation and Indiana University 1995
decision. Each group will present their solutions and justify their choices in
an oral presentation. Visual aids should be the graph they made earlier.
Clarification of write-up is included in the student resource.

Evaluation: Evaluation will be based upon a rubric, which is on a separate

sheet of paper. The evaluation includes two parts, one for the write-up and
one for the oral presentation.

Extensions: (1) give students price items and have them stay within a
budget., (2) give different combinations of nutritional information, (3)
determine the amount of food needed to supply school cafeteria, and (4)
determine all possible combinations of meals in the original project.

Funded in part by the National Science Foundation and Indiana University 1995
 Balanced Diet
Student Page

The cafeteria wants to make new and improved menus that include foods
from the five basic food groups. Listed below are options for the cafeteria to
choose from given budget constraints. To continue federal funding, a
balanced diet must be offered. A balanced meal consists of one serving of
food from each of the five food groups. It is your job to come up with five
balanced meals and find the total calories and protein for each of the meals.
From these five meals you are to make a double bar graph showing the
calorie and protein totals for each meal. Utilizing the graph, decide which of
the five meal plans is lowest in calories and highest in protein.

Your group must turn in a written summary of this project. Included in this
written summary should be: 1) a description of each meal, 2) calorie and
protein totals for each meal, 3) a double bar graph, and 4) your choice of
the "best" meal, including a justification of why you chose that meal. Your
group will also make an oral presentation to the class. Visual aids should be
included in your presentation. The foods that the cafeteria can choose from
are indicated in the charts below:

Meats Fruit & Veggies Dairy Grains Fats

Fried chicken breasts Apples Low-fat milk White bread Butter
Broiled pork chops Green beans Skim milk Rice Margarine
Roasted turkey French fries Chocolate milk Chocolate chip cookies
Mayonnaise
Student Evaluation: Your group will be evaluated in the following areas.
Write-up
Analysis/Calculations
1. completeness 0 1 2 3
2. use correct figures 0 1 2 3
3. tally correctly 0 1 2 3
4. bar graph
a. complete 0 1 2 3
b. reflects data 0 1 2 3
Writing skills
1. sequential & logical 0 1 2 3
2. followed guidelines 0 1 2 3
Conclusion
1. reasonable 0 1 2 3
2. justified 0 1 2 3
Oral presentation
1. delivery 0 1 2 3
2. explanation 0 1 2 3
3. visual aids 0 1 2 3