Nutritional Value of Snack Foods

Created by:

Kathy Lowe

Title/Role:

Executive Director

Organization/School Name:

Massachusetts School Library Association

Location:

Massachusetts

Grade Level:

Type of Lesson:

Lesson in a unit

Type of Schedule:

Fixed

Collaboration Continuum:

Intensive

Content Area:

Health

Content Topic:

The nutritional value of snack foods

Standards for the 21st-Century Learner

Skills Indicator(s):

1.1.3 Develop and refine a range of questions to frame the search for new understanding.

Dispositions Indicator(s):

1.2.1 Display initiative and engagement by posing questions and investigating the answers beyond the collection of superficial facts.

Self-Assessment Strategies Indicator(s):

2.4.2 Reflect on systematic process, and assess for completeness of investigation.

3.4.2 Assess the quality and effectiveness of the learning product.

Scenario:

The school librarian attends a meeting of fifth grade teachers where they are discussing the annual Health Fair in which their students will focus on nutrition. The teachers want students to find information that goes beyond basic facts. The librarian suggests a lesson for the students' next weekly 40-minute library visit in which they will learn how to construct higher-level questions. The team decides that the students will produce a brochure about healthy snacks. Together they determine criteria for the brochure and split other responsibilities. The teachers will introduce the unit and provide background information in the classroom; the librarian will develop a lesson on questioning and a chart for students to record their questions. Subsequently, the teachers will continue instruction on this topic in their classrooms and the librarian will guide students through the process of selecting and using appropriate resources.

Overview:

Fifth grade students investigate the nutritional value of foods, specifically determining which snack foods are healthiest,and prepare a brochure based on their research for the school health fair.

Final Product:

Students design and produce informational brochures to distribute at the school health fair.

Library Lesson:

Students will identify the characteristics of higher-level questions. They will generate meaningful questions about the nutritional value of snack foods by creating a question chart that includes two columns: (1) factual questions and (2) higher-level questions.

Estimated Lesson Time:

30 minutes

Assessment

Product:

Teachers, the librarian, and students use an instructor-designed rubric to assess the brochures on criteria including content accuracy, organization of information, visual content and layout, and creativity.

Process:

Teachers and the librarian use the question charts generated by students to determine (1) whether student pairs correctly identified higher-level as well as factual questions, and (2) whether all questions were relevant to the topic of snack foods.

Student self-questioning:

o Did I show initiative by asking original questions? o Did I ask questions that went beyond basic information? o Will my questions lead me to find the information I need to produce an effective brochure?

Instructional Plan

Resources students will use:

Dataset (ie. lists, tables, databases)

Resources instructor will use:

White board

Other

Other instructor resources:

snack foods

Instruction/Activities

Direct instruction:

Engage interest by sharing a display of different popular snack foods. Challenge students with the following questions: If you were to select the healthiest of these snack foods, which two would you pick? How would you know?

Modeling and guided practice:

Discuss the types of questions students might ask. Distinguish between factual questions and higher-order levels of questions. Use a matrix with examples of both types of questions.

Independent practice:

Students work in pairs to create question charts with two columns, Basic Questions and Higher-Level Questions

Have you taught this lesson before: