Fruits and Vegetable Collages - Mrs. Keane's First Grade Class

FOOD As Fuel
A car's fuel is gasoline. Our fuel is our food. Are you putting high quality food in your engine?

Nutrition, Obesity and Lack of exercise has been a growing health concern for our nation.

Here is what our students had to say this year about our nations nutrition, obesity and exercise issue. The questions were:
1.Why are people getting in the United States getting heavier?
2. Why is breakfast important?

Question. Why are the people in the United States getting heavier?
Allison K. / Mrs. Cardella’s Class Gr. 4
The people in the U.S.A are getting heavier because junk food is cheap so people buy it. Also because kids are watching T.V and playing video games so they don’t get enough exercise.
Carrie M./Mrs. Deegan’s Class Gr.4
People in the U.S.A are getting heavier because they are eating more sugar and sugar makes you fatter and heavier.
Andrew L./Mrs. Cardella’s Class Gr. 4.
People in the United States are becoming heavier or even obese. This tragedy of our people could be solved by parents becoming a role model or set a better example for their children and buying less sugary treats and by avoiding fast food restaurants.
Brendan Q./Mrs. Cardella’s Class Gr. 4.
People of the United States are becoming fat because all of the junk food is becoming cheap so the parents are buying the foods.
Stephanie L./Mrs. Cardella’s Class Gr. 4.
The people in the United States are getting heavier because there are more kinds of junk food out there and people sit in front of the T.V.
Becky O./ Mrs. Kenny’s Class Gr.3
People are getting heavier because there are too many commericials telling you to buy junk food.Question. Why is breakfast important?
Tim G./ Mrs. Deegan’s Class Gr. 4
Kids should eat a good breakfast because they need food for their brain to focus.
Antonio V.Mrs. Deegan’s Class Gr.4
Kids should eat a good breakfast because it gives you energy for the day.
Jordan B./Mrs. Kenny’s Class Gr. 3
Kids should eat a good breakfast because they would get better grades in school.
Elsa C./Mrs. Kenny’s Class Gr. 3
The reason why kids should have a good breakfast is because the good food will go to the parts in your body that needs them and then those parts will start moving for the day.
Nathaniel K./Mrs. Kenny’s Class. Gr. 3
Kids should eat a good breakfast because they would do better in school.

Nutrition Resources
Recommended for Kids
United States Department Of Agriculture Website
http://www.fns.usda.gov/fns/default.htm
Links within USDA site to check out:
My Pyramid Blast Off Game
http://mypyramid.gov/kids/kids_game.html
For Kids Page-Besides Blast off Game check out poster and tips for families
http://mypyramid.gov/kids/index.html
Inside the Food Pyramid- Describes Food Groups
http://mypyramid.gov/pyramid/index.html
http://www.state.ct.us/sde/deps/Student/NutritionEd/Healthy_Celebrations.pdf
http://www.state.ct.us/sde/deps/Student/NutritionEd/Healthy_Fundraising_Color.PDF
What schools can do. Ideas for Alternatives of using Food as a Reward
http://www.state.ct.us/sde/deps/Student/NutritionEd/Food_As_Reward_HO1.pdf

Questions to think about:
1. Why are the people in the United States as a population becoming more obese (heavy)?
2. What behaviors influence the weight of children and teenagers?

Some facts about Sugar

• Since 1990 the amount of sugar consumed (eaten) by people has increased 30%.
• The amount of sugar equals 800 calories a day.
• Hidden sugars can amount to 10 teaspoons of sugar per day.
• Hidden sugars are often disguised in "healthy" foods like juice, fruit drinks, fruit beverages, punch.
• Sugar hurts the immune system, the intestines and insulin balance.
• Soda has a lot of hidden sugars in it.

Check out this link to find out how much sugar is in different brands of soda:

http://education.wichita.edu/caduceus/examples/soda/soda_index.html

Digestion Resources
Animation of Digestion
Directions: Hit English, Digestive Tract and then try all three links: Guided Tour, Zoom IN, The Game…Organize Your Organs
http://medtropolis.com/VBody.asp

http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/body/digest_SW.html
http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/body/digest_noSW_p2.html
See how it works! GO to this link. Click Here and then Digestion.
http://www.kidshealth.org/kid/closet/movies/how_the_body_works_interim.html

KidsaWiz Challenge
1. What is the job of Digestion?
2. Name the five main steps of Digestion. (Where does it start? What does the food go?)
3. BONUS*** What other organs are helpers to the digestive process.
4. What is the science name of the food tube?
5. What is the job of the stomach?
6. Which is longer the small intestine or the large intestine?
7. Why is eating a good breakfast important?KidsAWiz Challenge Answers
1. Takes food and makes it into fuel
2. Mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine
3. The liver, gall bladder and pancreas
4. esophagus
5. mixes food
6. the small intestine is longer. The large intestine is shorter but larger in width. The small intestine is skinny and long.
7. Breakfast gives you quality energy or fuel for the day!