Reading Food Labels

Staci Sabbagh and Rob Jenkins' Group

Objectives:

Read a food label Sites with food lables:

• http://www.sugar.org/health/labeliq.html
• http://www.healthteacher.com
• http://www.amateur-sports.com/
• http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nutrition/food_labels.html

Introduction

Bring in food labels (either actual cans or transparencies made from internet sites) Ask students the following: What information can you find on a label? What might be in this product? (hold up a product or show a sample label) Why is information on a label important)? (ex: education, healthy diets, monitor for health condition, doctor's advice)

Requirements:

Requires Computers

Presentation

Put up a transparency of a label that you've taken from the internet (ie: http://www.sugar.org/health/iqquest1.html or http://www.sugar.org/health/iqquest13.html)

Explain vocabulary on label (ex: serving, calories, fat, protein, vitamins)

Do comprehension check by asking students questions such as: How much fat is in this product? What is the serving size of the product? (Extension lesson with label: weights and measures, percentages, order of ingredients (CASAS))

Look for extension activities by our group on different lesson plans

Practice

1. Bring to class a jar of peanut butter, a jar of jelly, bread and a gallon of milk. Prepare an info gap activity where in pairs one student reads preprinted labels of the products as well as the the label on the product itself for important information to the other student. The student listening fills in a prepared worksheet with the essential sections of a label. Change products and repeat until every student has read and written the information from the different products.

2. Ask individuals to write the information on the board and review the information as a class.

Application: Make a sandwich for everyone in the class and have a PARTY! Peanut butter IS good!