Science World

Science World is a really neat website that is based out of British Columbia. There are several different games that students can play on this website, dealing with different sorts of things.

The game that I thought was really neat is called "Nutrient Round-Up" in which students look at different food choices and determine what they get from these kinds of foods. For example, if you choose a menu of spaghetti and meatballs and ice cream for dessert, you are required to "catch" enough fats, proteins, etc. It shows how some foods are high in fats but lack real nutritional value and it also breaks down how these food choices affect your body! For example, when I played the game, I chose chips, ice cream, and cake for lunch, but I did not get any protein to grow or maintain my body and I lacked the energy needed to run in Phys. Ed. The website helps to show IMMEDIATE effects of the foods that we eat. Students (and people in general) often think that as long as they are not overweight, they are healthy, but this is definitely not the case for all people.

I would use the interactive activity described above in a Grade 5 Health class, within the unit "A Healthy Body". After learning about the 4 food groups, and the recommended daily servings for each food group, students would play "Nutrient Round-Up" as a way to simulate the importance of getting the nutrients your body needs from healthy foods. This activity would help students to see the importance of making healthy food choices. Those desserts might taste good, but they are really not helping your body to stay healthy! The activity allows students to see exactly what they are getting out of certain foods.

This activity could be followed up by having students create their own "meals for a day" in which they choose healthy foods to eat and stick to this plan for at least one day!

As mentioned above, students will benefit from this website because it is interactive and provides an effective simulation of how the body takes nutrients from the foods that we eat. It shows the consequences of making unhealthy food choices and also shows the effects that our choices have on our bodies. I think it will make students more aware of the importance of healthy eating and taking care of their bodies.

Evergreen Health Curriculum.
Grade 5: A Healthy Body