**Lesson Plan: Physical Education for 5th Grade - Nutrition and Wellness**
**Unit Title:** Nutrition and Wellness
**Grade Level:** 5th Grade
**Duration:** 60 minutes
**Objective:**
- Students will understand the basics of nutrition and wellness.
- Students will be able to identify different food groups and understand the importance of a balanced diet.
- Students will participate in physical activities that emphasize the connection between nutrition and wellness.
**Materials Needed:**
- Whiteboard and markers
- Food group chart
- Plates and plastic food models or food cards
- Jump ropes, hula hoops, cones
- Handouts on balanced diet and nutrition facts
- Music and portable speaker (optional)
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**Lesson Outline:**
1. **Introduction (10 minutes):**
- **Greeting and Warm-up Activity:**
- Welcome students and start with a light warm-up. Play a fun, upbeat song and have students do some basic stretches and simple movements (jumping jacks, toe touches, arm circles).
2. **Engagement and Discussion (15 minutes):**
- **Introduction to Nutrition:**
- Gather students around the whiteboard and start a brief discussion on nutrition. Ask questions like:
- What is nutrition?
- Why is nutrition important for our health?
- Can anyone name different food groups?
- Use the food group chart to explain the five main food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins, and dairy.
- **Balanced Diet:**
- Explain the concept of a balanced diet and why it's essential for wellness. Talk about how different foods provide different nutrients that our bodies need to function properly.
3. **Interactive Activity (15 minutes):**
- **Food Sorting Game:**
- Divide students into small groups and give each group a set of plastic food models or food cards.
- Set up five table stations or areas (one for each food group).
- Have students sort the foods into the correct food group stations.
- Once sorted, review the results and discuss any common mistakes or interesting findings.
4. **Physical Activity (15 minutes):**
- **Nutrition Relay Race:**
- Set up a relay race course with cones.
- At the start, each team is given a "balanced diet plate" (paper plate divided into sections for each food group).
- Place different food models or cards in buckets around the course.
- Students take turns running through the course, picking one "food" each time and returning to put it in the correct section on their plate.
- First team to correctly fill their plate with balanced diet items wins.
- Emphasize working together, the importance of each food group, and having fun!
5. **Cool Down and Reflection (5 minutes):**
- **Cool Down Exercise:**
- Lead students in some cool-down stretches and deep breathing exercises.
- **Reflection Discussion:**
- Gather students and ask them to share something new they learned about nutrition and wellness.
- Ask how they can apply what they learned to their daily lives.
- Provide handouts with tips on maintaining a balanced diet and fun nutrition facts for them to take home.
6. **Closure (5 minutes):**
- **Wrap-up:**
- Summarize key points from the lesson.
- Answer any remaining questions.
- Encourage students to try new healthy foods and stay active.
**Assessment:**
- Participation and enthusiasm during discussions and activities.
- Ability to sort foods into the correct food groups.
- Involvement and teamwork during the relay race.
- Completed reflection and participation in discussion.
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**Differentiation:**
- For students needing additional support, pair them with a buddy or provide simpler food cards.
- Challenge advanced students by asking them to also categorize foods based on nutritional content (e.g., high fiber, high protein).
- Ensure physical activities are inclusive and adaptable to all students’ abilities.
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By integrating nutrition education with physical activities, students will gain a holistic understanding of how healthy eating and regular exercise contribute to overall wellness.