Grade 5

August 19, 2024

Key Concepts for Student Learning

Classroom Activites and Lesson Ideas

Curriculum
Grade 5

HPE Curriculum Health Eating Strand

D2.1 explain how to use nutrition fact tables and ingredient lists on food labels to make informed choices about healthy and safe foods

D3.1 describe how advertising, food marketing, and media affect food choices and explain how these influences can be evaluated to help people make healthier choices

Share

Key Concepts for Student Learning

Food labels

  • All foods contain nutrients; processed and packaged foods must have food labels that list ingredients and amounts of some nutrients.
  • Knowing how to read food labels helps
    • identify foods that contain a little or a lot of certain nutrients (e.g.  calcium, iron, vitamin D)
    • identify foods that are safe to eat for people with food allergies or intolerances.
  • Note: If looking at food labels, teach students to compare foods without judgement (which has more protein, fibre, etc.). Don’t encourage comparison based on fat content, sugar content or calories per serving.
  • Educators can learn more about nutrition facts tables from Health Canada.

Advertising, food marketing, and social (digital) media influences on food choices

  • Advertising, marketing, and social media influence the food choices we make
  • Knowing how advertising and marketing is designed can help us be more aware and allow us to be less influenced.
  • Social media and other forms of digital media (e.g. video games, movies, TV shows, and music) are powerful communication platforms that are used to influence our attitudes and behaviours about food, eating, and bodies.
  • All types of media frequently portrays and promotes unrealistic body ideals. There is no such thing as the perfect  body size, shape or colour and it is our differences that make each person unique.
  • It is important to celebrate how our bodies support us and allow us to live our lives, rather than what they look like.
NOTE: Educators should be aware that food guide messages may not be appropriate for all students including those who are neurodivergent and/or have health, sensory or other exceptional needs that impact their relationship with food and eating. SMHO Resource on Mental Health Promotion at Schools: Classroom Considerations – Supporting Mental Wellness Amongst Students with Special Education Needs offers tips that can be applied to support learning about food and eating at school.

Classroom Activities and Lesson Ideas

Food Labels

  • Class discussion: How do people with allergies identify foods that are safe for them to eat? What information do they look for on the label?
  • All About Food Allergy Program from Food Allergy Canada (Note: Module 3, Activity 1 specifically discusses reading food labels for allergens)
  • Compare food labels without judgement (e.g., which items have more protein or fibre) using What’s on the Label Mabel from Nutrition Education and Consulting (free with login).
  • ‘Search and find’ e.g., find the food with 5g of protein, with milk as the first ingredient, find the food with soy in the ingredient list

Media influences on food choices