Teaching sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

5 minutes

Part A: Sugar, Carbs, Starving, Crash!

40 minutes

Part B: Fuelling Our Bodies

15 minutes

Part C: Feeding Footy Players

15 minutes

Part D: Making Choices For Your Body

5 minutes

Reflection

Introduction

Step 1

Explain to students that this lesson is focused on Body Knowledge. If your students are collecting Volkswagen Footy Fit Challenge Tokens, inform them that they can collect Body Knowledge tokens by completing the activities in this lesson. There will also be some extension activities they can complete for extra tokens. They can refer to the Volkswagen Footy Fit Challenge Game Plan for more information.

Safety first: This is a lesson on nutrition, not losing weight! Ensure you create a space where students feel free to discuss what is healthy and not-so-healthy food without feeling judged or like they make poor dietary choices. Body image issues are very real for kids (and adults) today and it’s important to frame all discussions positively. Using terms like ‘healthy foods’, ‘nutrients’ and ‘everything in moderation’ can help destabilise some common myths that lead to eating disorders and feelings of hopelessness over one’s appearance. If you have concerns about how your class might respond to this lesson, engage the school nurse or welfare officer to assist you.

Part A: Sugar, Carbs, Starving, Crash!

Step 1

Invite students to stand and find a space they can physically move in without knocking into anything or anyone else.

Step 2

Explain to students that there are four components to this game: Sugar, Carbs, Starving and Crash. Students will have to respond to the instruction the teacher calls out by moving their bodies in a certain way. Explain we are playing this game as a way to simulate the effect different foods have on our energy levels.

Bonus token alert! This game is a good opportunity to offer students a token. If they are the last person remaining in the game, because they have been following the instructions correctly and responding quickly, they can earn one Physical Skills token to add to their Stadium Scoreboard.

Step 3

Ask students to imagine they have just eaten a really sugary treat or a huge glass of soft drink. How much energy would they have? Ask students to run on the spot to demonstrate their energy levels. They should run really fast.

Learning support: If you have students with mobility challenges, they can do the ‘running’ with their arms or by wiggling their bodies, heads or hands from side to side.

Step 4

Now say “Crash!”. Instruct students to fall (carefully) in a heap on the floor (or chair). This is what happens to our energy levels once the energy from the sugar is all burnt out. It can make your body feel lethargic and weak all of a sudden.

Step 5

Ask students to imagine they have just eaten a big bowl of porridge. Remind them that a filling breakfast like this will last all day. What kind of energy would they have? Ask students to run on the spot to demonstrate their energy levels. They should jog at a medium pace.

Step 6

Ask students to imagine they skipped breakfast and it is nearly recess time. They are starving! How much energy would they have? Ask students to run on the spot to demonstrate their energy levels. They should move very sluggishly and slowly.

Step 7

Start the game. The teacher calls out “Sugar!”, “Carbs!”, “Starving!” or “Crash!” in any order. Students move on the spot at the required pace. The student who is slowest to react to each change, or runs at the wrong pace, can be eliminated. Repeat until there is one student remaining.

Award one Physical Skills token to the winner.

Take it further

If you would like to further explore the impact of sugar on the body and how to swap sugary foods for healthier options, consider this lesson from Cool Australia: SugarByHalf – The Prince’s Banquet – HASS – Years 5 & 6

Part B: Fuelling Our Bodies

Step 1

To draw out students’ existing prior knowledge about energy, use these questions as prompts for a class discussion:

What is energy?
How is energy made by the body?
What connections can be made between food and energy?
What are nutrients?
Where are nutrients found in food?
What are nutrients used for in the body?

Step 2

If you have enough devices, invite students to independently watch the following videos on how the body converts food into energy and how different foods create different energy levels:

Operation Ouch - Fuelling the Body | Science for Kids (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdVTq6a2tZM)

Operation Ouch - Energy Machine | Science for Kids (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPAien1dbEQ)

Step 3

Display the Glycemic Index Chart. Explain that foods ranked high on the Glycemic Index will spike your blood sugar and the energy will quickly fade away, whereas foods ranked low on the Glycemic Index are ‘slow-burning’ foods. Show students the Graph of Energy Release and invite one or two students to explain what they think it shows, providing guidance.

Step 4

Create a collaborative document and invite students to list or paste images of foods into a table using two columns:

High Glycemic Index Foods	Low Glycemic Index Foods
Possible answers: chocolate biscuits, chocolate bars, lollies, soft drinks, juices.	Possible answers: pasta, wholegrain bread, porridge.

Step 5

Display the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating.

Invite students to individually complete a SEE THINK WONDER (on the Student Worksheet) about what they notice about the chart they have made and the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating.

Provide a chance for them to share their thoughts.

Step 6

Did your students notice that the poster said to “Drink plenty of water”? Play this video on hydration:

Get Healthy: Hydration | NBC News Learn (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQjd_ypI9gI)

Invite students to write a paragraph about the many important roles water plays in the human body.

Step 7

Did your students wonder why we should eat some kinds of foods more than others? Play this video:

Biology - Proteins, Carbohydrates & Fats (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xiiou51ySXM)

Distribute the Student Worksheet and invite students to independently research the listed nutrients, finding out:

each nutrient’s most common use in the body
the foods these nutrients are most commonly found in.

Learning support: Students can refer to this website to find the required information: https://wikieducator.org/Carbohydrates,Proteins,Vitaminsand_Minerals

Years 3 & 4

Protein
Carbohydrates
Fats
Vitamins and minerals

Years 5 & 6

Protein
Carbohydrates
Sugars
Vitamin C
Calcium
Fibre
Iron
Potassium
Sodium

Extension opportunity: Students can watch this video to learn more about the science behind food:

Biological Molecules - You Are What You Eat: Crash Course Biology #3 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8WJ2KENlK0)

Extension opportunity for Global Goal 3: If your students want to learn more about heart health and diet (preventing heart disease), invite them to watch this video from the Heart Foundation:

Let's keep Australian hearts beating (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gaYfgu4VAM)

Students can then research the Heart Foundation guide to healthy eating and find some healthy foods that they can eat for breakfast and healthy snacks for five days. They need to plan to eat something different every day. This activity might require a visit to the supermarket or an investigation of a printed or online supermarket catalogue. Award one Body Knowledge token to each student upon completion.

Note: Learn more about Global Goal 3 in Footy Fit - How Do I Get Fit? - HPE - Years 3-6.

Part C: Feeding Footy Players

Step 1

Play these short videos of Sydney Swans football players talking about their diets:

Before a Match (https://vimeo.com/674284541)

After a Match (https://vimeo.com/674284397)

Junk Food (https://vimeo.com/674284673)

Allow students to share their observations, leading the discussion using the following questions:

What types of foods did the players say they had for breakfast? Why do you think they chose those foods?
Why was protein mentioned as important for recovery after a game?
What did the players say about eating junk food? Does this affect how you feel about junk food?

Step 2

Play this Swans TV clip featuring the Sydney Swans club chef:

Fuelling the Body - Healthy Meals (https://vimeo.com/674275693)

Invite students to complete a Turn & Talk on the following question:

If you had to live away from home, would you know how to design and cook healthy meals for yourself?

Allow 30-60 seconds for each partner to share their thoughts on the question.

Step 3

Play this Swans TV clip featuring the Sydney Swans club nutritionist:

Fuelling the Body - Nutrition (https://vimeo.com/674275952)

Step 4

Read the following activity instructions to students:

Find a partner. One of you will play the role of a Sydney Swans nutritionist, and the other will be the chef. The players have an afternoon game coming up. Create a meal plan with recipes for dinner the night before and breakfast and lunch on game day. You will need to provide explanations of why you are feeding the players certain things and how these nutrients will improve their performance during the match. For example, pasta the night before provides slow-release energy, a sports drink during the game provides fast-release energy and hydration. Also, don’t forget to think about how to make the meals taste good! Each of you will earn one Body Knowledge token upon successful completion.

Part D: Making Choices For Your Body

Step 1

Invite students to find a partner. Explain that they will be examining the unhealthy aspects of some common foods, and suggesting healthier alternatives.

Ensure each pair has access to an internet-enabled device. They are to research the nutritional qualities of the unhealthy foods listed below, then think of some healthier alternatives. They can write their answers into this table on the Student Worksheet:

Unhealthy food	This food is unhealthy because...	A healthier alternative is...
Chips/crisps	Lots of salt and fats from oils	Air-popped popcorn
Sugary cereal
Jelly beans
Pizza
Chocolate bar
Salami
Chocolate cake
Deep-fried chips
Can of soft drink

Bonus token alert! If your students are collecting points on their Stadium Scoreboard, let them know they can earn a bonus Healthy Habits token by winning the following game!

Step 2

Cut up the Food Item Images and give each student an image. Also, give five students a Healthy Lunchbox Template.

Note: This activity is designed to work with 25 students. If you have more or fewer students, you can alter the number of Healthy Lunchbox Templates used and images distributed. You could also leave spare images in various places to help students complete their lunchbox.

Step 3

Read these instructions to the students.

The aim of this game is to create a complete, balanced meal, by filling all the categories of the Healthy Lunchbox Template with an image of that food type. For example, the images showing an egg sandwich, chicken nuggets, or the lentil salad, could all fill the “Protein” space in the lunchbox. Every space must be filled with a suitable image. There are multiple ways to complete the lunchbox. You might not know the food on your image, or what type of nutrient it provides. Try to work these out for yourself before asking for help. You will have to talk to one another and work together to fill the lunchbox with the correct nutrients. You might need to keep moving around groups until you find the right place for your image. The first group to make a complete and correct lunchbox is the winner.

Step 4

Play again, encouraging students to create different combinations, or by having students swap images.

Award a Healthy Habits token to each member of the winning team.

Reflection

As a class, discuss three changes students could make to their eating habits to ensure they consume all the nutrients their bodies need and avoid overly sugary diets (and nasty sugar crashes!).

For example, they could:

Pack their lunchboxes with carrot or celery sticks instead of crisps
Eat porridge or a cereal low in sugar for breakfast
Swap a glass of soft drink for a glass of milk
Investigate growing leafy greens in your backyard or on your balcony and include them in dinner.

Differentiated Learning

Extension

Some students may wish to complete one of the following activities:

Imagine you are a nutritionist at the Sydney Swans. You have to feed the players a healthy meal for lunch for seven days of the week. Create a meal plan that covers all of the essential nutrients in every meal. Earn one Body Knowledge token AND one Healthy Habits token.
Imagine you are a GP (doctor). You notice one of your patients is overindulging in sugary foods. Film a video consultation informing your patient of the possible dangers of overindulging in some of the nutrients listed in Part B, Step 4 (e.g. obesity, high cholesterol). This video could be useful inspiration: https://youtu.be/t0wZCw37FUY. Play your video for the teacher or class. Earn one Body Knowledge token.
Imagine you are a dietician or GP (doctor). One of your clients wants your help trying the latest fad diet, such as high protein or low carbs. Create a pamphlet or informative video of the necessary considerations when undertaking these diets. Is there any risk involved in neglecting some nutrients in favour of others during fad diets? Does your body really need every vitamin or mineral, or can it use something else as a substitute? Earn TWO Body Knowledge tokens.

Provisions for Learning Support

Part B, Step 6: Work through the template as a class or small group with teacher guidance. Allowing students to fill in their sheet with the suggestions of others will reduce the cognitive load of researching.
Part D: Some students may prefer to create their lunchbox individually, choosing foods from the list and drawing them into the lunchbox. Each student who completes the lunchbox can earn one Body Knowledge token.

Teacher Reflection

Take this opportunity to reflect on your own teaching:

What did you learn about your teaching practice today?
What worked well?
What didn't work so well?
What would you share?
Where to next?
How are you going to get there?

Footy Fit - Nutrition

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