LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Food choice in our everyday lives

Focuses on everyday foods and how these foods relate to the food pyramid. Students will recognize food vocabulary in the target language (Spanish) and will make healthy food choices by creating thinking maps, a school menu in the target language, and exploring food choices from around the world.

A lesson plan for grades 3–5 Healthful Living and Second Languages

By Gina Benson and Laura Epting

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Related pages

  • La comida y la salud: Focuses on food and health using the food pyramid in Spanish. Students consider food choices and share food likes and dislikes. This lesson should be used after introducing food vocabulary and me gusta.
  • Opening an Hispanic restaurant: This lesson focuses on vocabulary and currency associated with food, restaurants, and menus. Students conduct research to create an authentic menu with a companion recipe books. The lesson culminates in short presentations and food samples.
  • Around the world in one semester!: This lesson is a semester-long project that focuses on countries that speak the target language. Students will research a chosen country and do an oral presentation for the class. They will then research and present a current event weekly for the remainder of the semester.

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

  • recognize everyday foods in the target language
  • relate these foods to the food pyramid in order to make healthy food choices
  • learn to order food in the target language
  • compare and contrast food choices in the target language

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

5 or more days

Materials/resources

  • Copy of your school lunch menu. A typical school lunch menu can be found at the Union County Public Schools lunch menus page.
  • Copy of a blank calendar for the month matching your school lunch menu. abcteach has a variety of blank calendars.
  • Copy of the MyPyramid for Kids poster (PDF).
  • Examples of clip art and vocabulary for foods that can represent each of the food groups from the web available from Enchanted Learning.
  • Copy of a tree map.
  • Quart-size Ziploc bags (zipper style). One per student, each containing food manipulatives made from clip art.
  • Flash cards/visuals of target foods.
  • Six sheets of notebook paper for each student to create their own vocabulary circle map.
  • Several copies of dictionaries in the target language.
  • Paper or styrofoam plates. One per student. Circular or rectangular with sections.
  • Whiteboard markers
  • Index cards. These cards should be paired, one with picture of the vocabulary word and one with the printed vocabulary for use in a partner activity. You could use the manipulative for this activity so that you would only need to create cards with the printed word.

Pre-activities

Through visuals/flash cards, students will review foods learned from third grade and learn new vocabulary representing the food pyramid. Students will recognize food in the target language that they see and eat in their everyday life. Students will recognize and verbalize the importance of making healthy food choices in both English and Spanish.

Activities

Day 1

Guided Practice

  1. Review food vocabulary with visuals representing the food groups of fruits, vegetables, meats/proteins, milk/grains, fats/sweets by using whole group/choral response.
  2. Introduce new vocabulary for completion of target menu creation activity (see Day 4) through visuals.
  3. Teacher tells students that they are going to group foods according to the food pyramid based on prior knowledge.
  4. Using white board, teacher draws a large circle map and labels center with one of the food categories in Spanish. For example, one circle will be labeled frutas. Teacher asks students which of the foods that they have reviewed would go in this category. As students respond, repeat word with whole class response. Teacher tapes the picture/clip art/manipulative in the circle map on the board. Teacher should write the food word under the matching picture. Do this for each of the different groups. Students should copy each of the circle maps on paper.

Day 2

Guided Practice

  1. Review all of the food vocabulary with visuals from Day 1. For further reinforcement of vocabulary student will be assigned a partner based on what they’ve learned.
  2. Teacher will hand out cards that have either a food name or a picture of a food that the students have learned. Students will have to recognize the food or word on their card and find the student who has the matching food or word and that will be their partner.
  3. Teacher shows an example of the Ziploc bag containing small pictures/manipulatives of all of the target foods and a copy of the tree map, which should be titled Comida (food) and have each branch labeled for the six different food groups. Teacher models how students will first use the manipulatives to create a visual tree map showing the food pyramid. Then, model how groups will transfer learned vocabulary from Day 1 circle maps onto the copies of the tree Map.

Individual Practice

  1. Pass out the Ziploc bags containing the manipulatives and the copies of the tree maps.
  2. With their partners, students will use the manipulatives to create their own tree map on the floor.
  3. Using the vocabulary from the Day 1 circle map, students will categorize and apply food words relating to the food pyramid onto the tree map.

Day 3

  1. Teacher shows the school lunch menu in English and tells the students that they will be translating this menu into the target language (Spanish).
  2. Teacher will review vocabulary and other words needed to complete this activity. For example, word order as in noun/adjective, or prepositions and proper way to translate English idioms as chicken “fingers.”
  3. Teacher will demonstrate the use of a foreign language dictionary to look up key words for translation.
  4. Several copies of a foreign language dictionary should be made available in the classroom.
  5. Teacher places students in groups of three and students work cooperatively to determine if they will complete the Spanish menu as one group or if they will assign categories to individual people.
  6. Students complete the blank calendar sheets in the target language (Spanish).

Day 4

  1. Teacher introduces new phrases useful for ordering or communicating needs when requesting food in the target language (Spanish). This should include courtesy phrases, phrases for ordering food, and phrases that may be used by a wait staff.
  2. Teacher will explain that the students will create a healthy meal by drawing pictures and labeling food on the paper plates that represent food from each of the six food groups.
  3. OPTIONAL: Upon completion of this activity, student can use additional time to create a crossword puzzle in the target language using the food vocabulary. This puzzle can be exchanged with another student in the classroom.

Day 5

  1. Teacher will continue the lesson with children gathered on the floor for a group discussion about eating habits and food choices in Spanish-speaking countries.
  2. Discussion should include specific countries, which the teacher and students will locate on a map and what foods are indigenous to that country.
  3. Discuss specific foods and categorize them according to the food pyramid. For example: What is a tamale? What country is it from? Where is that country located on the map? What are the ingredients used? Would this be a healthy food choice?
  4. Teacher discussion should include food choices that are based on religion, ethnicity, or celebrations for the target language/country. Also included should be foods that may be available in abundance or not available at all based on the location of the country.

Assessment

Assessment is done on Day 4 while the students are completing the paper plate activity.

The teacher will circulate in the classroom asking each student in the target language what he/she would like to eat? Student will respond in the target language (I would like.…please) and would include the food they illustrated on their plate.

As additional assessment, paper plate can be collected to assess proper spelling and food choices.

Supplemental information

Comments

This lesson not only meets many of the state standards for the target language but also encompasses Competency Goals for the 4th grade Healthful Living Education curriculum.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Healthful Living Education (2006)

Grade 4

  • Goal 4: The learner will apply knowledge and behavior self management skills to areas of nutrition and physical activity for healthy growth, development, and maintenance.
    • Objective 4.04: Demonstrate the ability to plan healthy meals and snacks that emphasize the principles of My Pyramid.

Grade 5

  • Goal 4: The learner will apply knowledge and behavior self management skills to areas of nutrition and physical activity for healthy growth, development, and maintenance.
    • Objective 4.01: Demonstrate the ability to select healthful food and beverage choices from the food groups of My Pyramid.
    • Objective 4.03: Recognize the social significance of food in families and cultures.

Second Languages (2005)

Grade 3

  • Goal 1: INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION - The learner will engage in conversation and exchange information and opinions orally and in writing in the target language.
    • Objective 1.01: Interact with the teacher and others using greetings, farewells, and expressions of courtesy orally and/or in writing.
    • Objective 1.02: Use basic words and short memorized phrases during interactions orally and/or in writing.
    • Objective 1.05: Engage in conversation with the teacher and other students to exchange information about everyday topics.
  • Goal 2: INTERPRETIVE COMMUNICATION - The learner will understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics in the target language.
    • Objective 2.01: Demonstrate understanding of spoken and written words, phrases, and statements relating to familiar topics.
    • Objective 2.06: Interpret phrases presented with accompanying gestures, intonations, and other visual or auditory cues.
  • Goal 4: CULTURES - The learner will gain knowledge and demonstrate understanding of the relationship among practices, products, and perspectives, of cultures other than his/her own.
    • Objective 4.02: Recognize and use learned verbal greetings and idiomatic expressions of the target cultures.
  • Goal 5: COMPARISONS - The learner will develop insight into the nature of language and culture by comparing his/her own language(s) and culture(s) to others.
    • Objective 5.02: Develop an awareness of the structural patterns (e.g., gender agreement, adjective placement) in the target language and his/her own language(s).
    • Objective 5.06: Demonstrate an awareness that behaviors such as gestures and greetings may differ among cultures.
    • Objective 5.07: Identify similarities and differences of tangible products (e.g., toys, sport equipment, food) of the target cultures and his/her own culture(s).
  • Goal 6: CONNECTIONS - The learner will acquire, reinforce, and further his/her knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language.
    • Objective 6.01: Demonstrate understanding and apply information and skills that are common to foreign language instruction and the third grade class.
    • Objective 6.02: Share information with others about topics from other disciplines in the target language.

Grade 4

  • Goal 1: INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION - The learner will engage in conversation and exchange information and opinions orally and in writing in the target language.
    • Objective 1.01: Interact orally and/or in writing with the teacher and others using greetings, farewells, and expressions of courtesy.
    • Objective 1.02: Use basic words and short memorized phrases during interactions orally and/or in writing.
    • Objective 1.05: Engage in conversation with the teacher and other students to exchange information about everyday topics.
  • Goal 2: INTERPRETIVE COMMUNICATION - The learner will understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics in the target language.
    • Objective 2.01: Demonstrate understanding of spoken and written words, phrases, and statements relating to familiar topics.
    • Objective 2.06: Interpret phrases presented with accompanying gestures, intonations, and other visual or auditory cues.
  • Goal 4: CULTURES - The learner will gain knowledge and demonstrate understanding of the relationship among practices, products, and perspectives, of cultures other than his/her own.
    • Objective 4.02: Recognize and use learned verbal greetings and idiomatic expressions of the target cultures.
  • Goal 5: COMPARISONS - The learner will develop insight into the nature of language and culture by comparing his/her own language(s) and culture(s) to others
    • Objective 5.02: Develop an awareness of the structural patterns (e.g., gender agreement, adjective placement) in the target language and his/her own language(s).
    • Objective 5.06: Demonstrate an awareness that behaviors such as gestures and greetings may differ among cultures.
    • Objective 5.07: Identify similarities and differences of tangible products (e.g., toys, sport equipment, food) of the target cultures and his/her own culture(s).
  • Goal 6: CONNECTIONS - The learner will acquire, reinforce, and further his/her knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language.
    • Objective 6.01: Demonstrate understanding and apply information and skills that are common to foreign language instruction and the fourth grade class.
    • Objective 6.02: Share information with others about topics from other disciplines in the target language.

Grade 5

  • Goal 1: INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION - The learner will engage in conversation and exchange information and opinions orally and in writing in the target language.
    • Objective 1.01: Interact orally and in writing with the teacher and others using greetings, farewells, and expressions of courtesy.
    • Objective 1.02: Use basic words and short memorized phrases during interactions orally and in writing.
    • Objective 1.05: Engage in conversation with the teacher and other students to exchange information about everyday topics.
  • Goal 2: INTERPRETIVE COMMUNICATION - The learner will understand and interpret written and spoken language on a variety of topics in the target language.
    • Objective 2.01: Demonstrate understanding of spoken and written words, phrases, and statements relating to familiar topics.
    • Objective 2.06: Interpret phrases presented with accompanying gestures, intonations, and other visual or auditory cues.
  • Goal 4: CULTURES - The learner will gain knowledge and demonstrate understanding of the relationship among practices, products, and perspectives, of cultures other than his/her own.
    • Objective 4.02: Recognize and use learned verbal greetings and idiomatic expressions of the target cultures.
  • Goal 5: COMPARISONS - The learner will develop insight into the nature of language and culture by comparing his/her own language(s) and culture(s) to others.
    • Objective 5.02: Develop an awareness of the structural patterns (e.g., gender agreement, adjective placement) in the target language and his/her own language(s).
    • Objective 5.06: Demonstrate an awareness that behaviors such as gestures and greetings may differ among cultures.
    • Objective 5.07: Identify similarities and differences of tangible products (e.g., toys, sport equipment, food) of the target cultures and his/her own culture(s).
  • Goal 6: CONNECTIONS - The learner will acquire, reinforce, and further his/her knowledge of other disciplines through the foreign language.
    • Objective 6.01: Demonstrate understanding and apply information and skills that are common to foreign language instruction and the fifth grade class.
    • Objective 6.02: Share information with others about topics from other disciplines in the target language.