### Lesson Plan: Special Nutritional Needs
**Subject:** Food and Nutrition
**Class:** Senior Secondary 2
**Topic:** Special Nutritional Needs
**Duration:** 90 minutes
**Goals and Objectives:**
1. **Knowledge**: Students will understand the nutritional needs for different groups with special requirements (e.g., infants, pregnant women, the elderly, athletes, and individuals with specific health conditions).
2. **Comprehension**: Students will explain the reasons behind these specific nutritional needs.
3. **Application**: Students will be able to create a basic meal plan for different groups with special nutritional needs.
4. **Analysis**: Students will assess nutritional labels and recommend appropriate dietary adjustments.
5. **Evaluation**: Students will critique inadequate and optimal diets for these specific groups.
### Lesson Breakdown:
**Introduction: 15 minutes**
1. **Engagement Question** (5 minutes): Start by asking students if they know anyone who has special dietary needs and what those needs might be. This will help set the stage for the topic by bringing in relatable examples.
2. **Explain the Importance** (10 minutes): Briefly explain why certain groups of people have special nutritional needs. Provide an overview of the groups to be covered in this lesson.
**Key Vocabulary:**
- Nutrient
- Macronutrient
- Micronutrient
- Malnutrition
- Dietary Fiber
- Metabolism
**Main Activity: 60 minutes**
1. **Group Discussion and Brainstorming (10 minutes)**:
- Divide the class into 5 groups, assigning each group a specific demographic (infants, pregnant women, the elderly, athletes, individuals with specific health conditions such as diabetes).
- Each group will brainstorm and list the specific nutritional needs for their assigned demographic.
2. **Presentation and Teaching (20 minutes)**:
- Each group presents their findings (3-4 minutes per group).
- After each presentation, facilitate a short discussion, highlighting key points and filling in any gaps.
3. **Mini-Lecture with Interactive Elements (15 minutes)**:
- Use a PowerPoint presentation to consolidate and expand on the groups' findings.
- Include visuals such as nutritional pyramids, dietary guidelines, and food examples.
- Encourage questions and interactions to keep students engaged.
4. **Activity - Meal Planning (15 minutes)**:
- Provide each group with resources (nutritional guidelines, sample foods, and portion sizes).
- Task each group with creating a one-day meal plan for their assigned demographic that meets their specific nutritional needs.
- Have each group present their meal plan, explaining their choices.
**Conclusion: 15 minutes**
1. **Q&A and Review** (10 minutes):
- Open the floor for questions about the topic, clarifying any doubts.
- Quickly review the key points covered in the lesson.
2. **Homework Assignment** (5 minutes):
- Ask students to select another group with special nutritional needs not covered in the lesson (e.g., vegans, people with food allergies, people recovering from illness).
- Task them with researching and writing a one-page report on the specific nutritional needs of that group and suggesting meal options.
**Materials Needed:**
- Whiteboard and markers
- PowerPoint presentation
- Handouts with food and nutrition guidelines
- Sample meal planning templates
- Internet access (if doing any online research in class)
**Assessment:**
- Formative: Participation in group activities, discussions, and meal planning.
- Summative: Homework assignment and possible quiz in the following class to solidify understanding.
**References:**
1. Dietary Guidelines for Americans
2. World Health Organization (WHO) resources on nutrition
3. Textbook: Food and Nutrition for Senior Secondary Schools
This lesson plan aims to foster an understanding of the diverse nutritional needs across different populations, enabling students to apply this knowledge practically in everyday situations.