Lesson Plan for Junior Secondary 1 - Physical and Health Education - Food, Nutrient And Nutrition

**Lesson Plan: Food, Nutrients, and Nutrition** **Grade: Junior Secondary 1** **Duration: 60 minutes** **Lesson Objective:** By the end of the lesson, students will be able to: 1. Understand and define food, nutrients, and nutrition. 2. Identify the main types of nutrients and their functions in the body. 3. Recognize the importance of a balanced diet for maintaining good health. **Materials Needed:** - Whiteboard and markers - Printed handouts on food groups and nutrients - Pictures of various foods (magazines or printed images) - Projector (if available) - Chart paper and markers - Healthy snack samples (optional) **Lesson Structure:** 1. **Introduction (10 minutes)** - Greet the students and introduce the topic: "Food, Nutrients, and Nutrition." - Ask the students to share their favorite foods and why they like them. - Briefly explain the importance of food in providing energy and nutrients necessary for growth and health. 2. **Explanation of Key Concepts (20 minutes)** - Define **food**: Any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. - Define **nutrients**: Components in food that the body needs to function properly. - Define **nutrition**: The process by which the body takes in and uses food to support health and growth. - Explain the main types of nutrients: - **Carbohydrates**: Provide energy (e.g., bread, rice, pasta). - **Proteins**: Build and repair tissues (e.g., meat, beans, eggs). - **Fats**: Store energy and protect vital organs (e.g., butter, oils, nuts). - **Vitamins and Minerals**: Support various bodily functions and prevent deficiencies (e.g., fruits, vegetables, dairy). - **Water**: Essential for hydration and bodily functions. 3. **Activities (20 minutes)** - **Interactive Discussion**: - Divide the students into small groups. - Provide each group with pictures of various foods. - Ask them to categorize the food items into different nutrient groups on a chart paper. - Have each group present their findings. - **Balanced Diet Exercise**: - Hand out printed materials showing balanced diet charts. - Discuss what a balanced diet involves and why it's important. - Allow students to create their own balanced meal using the food pictures. 4. **Practical Demonstration (Optional, 5 minutes)** - If available, show a variety of healthy snack samples. - Highlight their nutrient content and why they are considered healthy choices. 5. **Conclusion and Q&A (5 minutes)** - Recap the key points discussed: - Definition and importance of food, nutrients, and nutrition. - Different types of nutrients and their roles. - Importance of a balanced diet. - Open the floor for any questions the students might have. 6. **Homework/Assignment:** - Ask students to keep a food diary for a week, noting down what they eat and categorizing the foods based on the nutrients discussed. - Optionally, have them create a poster or presentation on one particular nutrient, explaining its importance and which foods are rich in it. **Assessment:** - Participation in group activities and discussions. - Quality and accuracy of food categorization during activities. - Engagement during the Q&A session. - Completion and quality of the food diary assignment. **Follow-up:** In the next class, review the food diaries and discuss any observations or difficulties the students encountered. Emphasize the importance of maintaining a balanced diet and answer any additional questions.