Children Acknowledging Nutrition (CAN)

Grade Level: 6-12

Academic Areas: Interdisciplinary

Duration of service: Year Long

Character Virtues: Caring, Responsibility, Civic Virtue and Citizenship

Service Areas: Human Services, Education/Tutoring

Service Learning Project:

Students will work with local community organizations and individuals to research and compile data supporting good nutrition. This information will be used to share with the school and community by student created brochures, seminars, videos, and healthy-choice food tasting events throughout the year. Students will use technology for both research and for constructing various materials for distribution. In addition, a committee will be formed consisting of teachers, administrators, community members, parents and students to generate ideas for implementation and to support the project. An end of the year food fair celebration will be organized and conducted by the students. Attending the celebration will be teachers, students, Board members, community partners and PTA.

Learning Goal: Students will demonstrate an understanding of how diet relates to mental & physical well-being as well as academic success.

Standard: Health Standard 1, Standard 3,

Learning Goal: Students will apply their knowledge to educate students, and community members, through brochures, seminars, slogans

Standard: ELA Standard 1, 3, 4, Arts: Standard 1,

Learning Goal: Students will research & evaluate nutritional value of foods and their impact on health.

Standard: Math, Science, Technology Standard 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7

Community need: The community lacks comprehensive information on new research and government guidelines relating to better nutrition , obesity and associated health risks and its impact on children.

Possible Community Partners: Local food/health stores, PTA, school clubs, food manufacturers, restaurants, teachers, dieticians

Objective: Students will unite school and community by recruiting and organizing various community members for assistance with the project.

Objective: Students will create brochures that demonstrate their understanding of good nutrition which they will distribute throughout the community.

Objective: Students will share their knowledge with community members, fellow students and parents through seminars, guest speakers, videos & sampling healthier foods.

Character

Virtue: Caring

Objective: Students will work closely with community members to assist in educating and building public awareness about good nutrition and understand why the health of the community is so vital.

Virtue: Civic Virtue & Citizenship

Objective: Students will constructively challenge the community to live a healthier life-style through good nutrition.

Virtue: Responsibility

Objective: Students will take on leadership roles throughout the project..

1. Students will research the changes that have been made to nutritional guidelines such as the new food pyramid, and changes made to food labels which now include trans-fat. This research will lead the students to identify good nutritional choices in foods.
2. Create a Character Education/Service Learning Committee whose members would include teachers, administration, community members, parents & students. The objective of the Committee will be to generate alternative ideas to implementing the project.
3. Students will write letters to local food manufacturers, businesses and guest speakers to assist with the project.

Key Service Activities  

1. Students will create brochures, videos, slogans, and prepare seminars to share with various community organizations and students.
2. Students will write a healthy cookbook in which each recipe is accompanied with three nutritional benefits.
3. Students will organize healthy food-tasting events throughout the year.

1. (oral) During seminars students will discuss how they have taken responsibility for choosing better foods that will make a positive impact on their overall well-being.
2. (written) As a citizenship activity, students will write an introduction to their cookbook that urges the reader to consider healthier eating and why this is so important.
3. (performance) Students will teach the elderly and other populations how to read and understand the new food labels. They will also use various means of presentation (power point, booths, speeches, etc.) to educate the community on why to care about healthy eating.