Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students experience just how much fun healthy choices can be.  Using texts that feature food as art, kids get to “play with their food” in creating either a simple caterpillar (pineapples chunks, banana slices, and two chocolate chips on a skewer) or a racing car (cucumbers, a radish, and black eyed peas.)  Let your kids be inspired by Unit of Inquiry themed literature, then let them create healthy-to-eat pieces of food art!

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

1-3

Objective:

Make food art using simple, healthy ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions and recipes.  (AASL 4.1.8, “Use creative and artistic formats to express personal learning.”)

Suggested Time:

45-55 minutes, depending on how much preparation work you do before hand and how much assembly the children do on their food creations.

Success Criteria:

Each child will create one edible “food art” piece.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Remind the students that, in this unit, they are learning about making healthy choices.  Together, they have practiced forming questions with Oliver in Grandpa’s garden, focused on the concept of quality sleep with Gecko! from Bali, and even considered keeping their minds healthy through learning to be good listeners and observing the world around them.  Today’s lesson will be a bit different.  Today we’ll go back to working with healthy food, but we will be considering food as more than food, food as art!

Ask the children, “What is art?”  Ask the children, “What is food?”  Ask them if they can imagine anything in which the ideas of food and art combine.

2. Main:

Show the children pictures from whichever of the resources you have been able to gather.  I would use Fast Food by Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers, just so that they get the idea that food can be used to create simple art.  Then, show them Carl Warner’s Food Landscapes or images of food art from Google Images.  Usually these pictures create a lot of excitement!  I’ve made recommendations for specific kinds of photos in the “Resources” section below.

Next, inform the children that they will get to make some food art today.  Choose a simple project.  In my opinion, the simplest project is a banana and pineapple chunk caterpillar on a short skewer with chocolate chips (pointy sides inserted into the banana) for eyes.  Use the rounded end of the banana as the caterpillar’s head.

The cucumber and radish racing car from Fast Food also looks easy, but it would require some advance preparation so that you don’t have to use knives with the children.  Choose a project for which you can find plentiful and inexpensive ingredients.  If you know a chef or restaurant owner in your neighborhood, ask for help!  It is even better if the children get to interact with an expert.

Organize the materials and ingredients so that the children can focus on assembly.  If you have the time and wish to extend the lesson, kids can also wash, slice, and put the ingredients into bowls for each table group.

Allow enough time for each student to complete a simple piece of food art and to photograph the child with his/her creation.  Let the kids take the food art with them either to take home or to eat at snack or lunch time.

Conclusion:

Wrap-up by reminding the children that healthy choices will help them have better lives, that healthy food can be fun, and that healthy food can sometimes be used as art.  Challenge the students to see what else they can come up with using food as art.

Resources:

1. Fast Food by Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers.
2. Carl Warner’s Food Landscapes by Carl Warner.
3. Images of marzipan fruits, braided Ukrainian bread, chocolate artistry (from Google Images, optional).
4. Small paper plates.
5. Cucumbers, radishes, black eyed peas (dried) and toothpicks.
6. Chopping boards.
7. Extra helpers/volunteers on the day of the lesson.
8. Plastic wrap.
9. Several bowls.
10. Paper towels or dish towels to clean up any mess.
11. Bucket with water and a sponge to wipe down the tables afterwards

Notes:

Try to photograph each child with her/his food art piece.  This makes a wonderful addition to the student’s portfolio.  They will be very proud and love to talk about what they have made.  I’ve never done this, but, if you need a writing extension, you can have them write a description of what they have made, or a procedural piece giving instructions for how to make the piece.

When I originally developed this lesson, I used the Eat Your Colors series by Lisa Bullard.  Specifically, I used Yellow Food Fun and had the children make the fruit caterpillars by alternating pieces of pineapple chunks and bananas on a short skewer.  Two chocolate chips form the eyes.  It is such a fast and easy recipe and every child can make the project independently.   There are a few sticky fingers from the pineapple juice, but the risk of failure with the fruit caterpillar is very low.  However, the books are out of print, and it may be difficult for you to get your hands on the Eat Your Colors series.  Do your best because the books are perfect for Early Years and Early Elementary Programs.  Each one has a simple recipe that is easy for children to follow.

Recommended books for this lesson:

1. Fast Food by Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers.
2. Carl Warner’s Food Landscapes by Carl Warner.
3. Yellow Food Fun by Lisa Bullard (out of print, use a third-party vendor).
4. Other titles in the Eat Your Colors series by Lisa Bullard: Orange Food Fun, Red Food Fun, White Food Fun, Brown Food Fun, Green Food Fun.  (Some titles may be out of print.)

Key Terms:

Food, Photography, Food in Art, Artistic Photography

 

Lesson Overview:

Switching gears a bit, this lesson does not focus on physical health, but on learning wisdom and making healthy choices through listening, thinking, and observing the world around you.   I am a huge fan of Dr. Margaret Read MacDonald’s work, and her Mabela the Clever text is my favorite.  If your students have a hard time listening, this is the lesson for them!

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

1-3

Objective:

Every student will be able to summarize the wisdom of the Limba people as taught in the text.  (AASL  4.1.4, “Seek information for personal learning in a variety of formats and genres.”)

Suggested Time:

35-40 minutes

Success Criteria:

Each student will be able to summarize the teachings of the Limba people of Sierra Leone as presented in the story Mabela the Clever.  This will be done by completing a capture sheet to help them remember the main ideas from the text.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Ask the students to tell you two things that they have learned recently about making healthy choices.  Ask the students what they do to keep their mind or spirits healthy.  Ask them if they know what it means to be a listener or a thinker.  Is being a good listener or thinking part of being healthy?  Try to steer the conversation towards the idea that healthy minds and healthy bodies are both important.

Tell the kids that today they will get to hear another folktale.  This one is not as funny as the gecko’s story, but it is just as important!  This story is about a little mouse named Mabela.  There is also a cat in the story.  What do we know about cats and mice?  Are they usually friends?  What is the typical relationship between a cat and a mouse?  Keep that idea as we read this story together and see what happens.

2. Main:

Teach Mabela the Clever by Margaret Read MacDonald.  The story is easy to understand, but the children may be like Mabela and become swept up in the promises of the cat!

• On the page where the cat lines the mice up in a straight line, ask the children if they think this is a good idea.
• On the page where the cat “Fo Fengs” the mice, ask the children what they think “Fo Feng” means. They should be able to tell you from the illustration and context.
• On the page where Mabela begins to listen, ask the children what they think is in the red bag on the cat’s back.

After the story wraps up, ask the children why Limba parents are still telling the story to their children today.  What wisdom have we learned that was true for Mabela and could also be true for us?  Be sure that the children can summarize the four teachings of the story which are:

“When you are out and about, keep your ears open and listen.”

“When you are out and about, keep your eyes open and look around you.”

“When you are speaking, pay attention to what you are saying.”

“If you have to move, most fast!”

Source:  MacDonald, Margaret Read, and Tim Coffey. Mabela the Clever. Albert Whitman, 2001.

Pass out the student assignment sheets and make sure that every student can correctly write these teachings on his/her paper.  For those who have extra time, encourage them to draw a scene from the Mabela story at the bottom of the page.

3. Conclusion:

Emphasize that when we think about making healthy choices, we must think about our minds as well as our bodies.  Learning to listen, considering your words, and observing your surroundings is very important.  Mabela learned these lessons as a little mouse, and we can learn them as well.  This week, show your teacher and your parents how well you listen!

Resources:

1. A copy of Mabela the Clever by Margaret Read MacDonald.
2. Copies of the student handout (attached).
3. Globe or map to show where Sierra Leone is.

Notes:

As I wrote in the lesson plan for Go To Sleep, Gecko!, if you are not familiar with Dr. Margaret Read MacDonald’s work, spend some time getting to know her books.  Dr. MacDonald earned a degree in anthropology before she became a children’s librarian.  Through later studies, including her doctorate in folklore, she has become the world’s expert on gathering traditional tales and retelling them for today’s audiences.  Order a few of her stories and you will be delighted at how versatile they are, how much the children enjoy them, and how easy they are to incorporate into your teaching.

Recommended books for this lesson:

Mabela the Clever by Margaret Read MacDonald.

Key Terms:

Cats, Mice, Sierra Leone, Folktales, Wisdom, Thinker

 

Mabela the Clever, Student Handout

Lesson Overview:

In this lesson, students think about sleep and its importance for health.  Using a Balinese folk tale as the source text, children will describe how, where, and under what conditions they like to sleep.  Then they will draw a simple picture of themselves sound asleep.  To make this lesson more fun, bring a few pillows, stuffed animals, and blankets for an in-the-library sleep experience!

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

1-3

Objective:

To learn a Balinese folktale and to describe how (s)he (the student) best sleeps.  (AASL 4.1.5, “Connect ideas to own interests and previous knowledge and experience.”)

Suggested Time:

45-50 minutes

Success Criteria:

Each student will listen to a Balinese folktale, then complete seven sentence prompts describing how he or she best likes to sleep.  If there is enough time, each student will draw a simple picture of how she likes to sleep.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Ask the students to tell you one or two things that they have learned in their Unit of Inquiry thus far.  What do we need to have or need to do to stay healthy?  Gather a few ideas for the class.  If no one mentions sleep, ask them what they do at night that is very important for their health.  Give clues until the children come up with the idea that sleep is important for health and wellbeing.

Explain that today, we will learn about sleep from a traditional folk tale from Bali.  Show where Bali is on a map or globe.  In the story, the main character is a gecko!  Show a picture of a gecko and perhaps a video clip of a gecko walking or catching an insect.

Be sure to let the kids hear what a gecko’s call sounds like.  If they know this, they will be able to better imagine the story.

2. Main:

Let the kids get comfortable with pillows, blankets, and stuffed animals.  Since this is a sleep story, they get to pretend to sleep during the lesson!

Teach Go to Sleep, Gecko! A Balinese Folktale by Margaret Read MacDonald.  Check for understanding as you go.

After the story, ask some thinking questions such as:

• Do you ever have trouble sleeping?
• If so, how do you manage that problem?
• What kinds of things might change the amount of sleep you get?
• What could change the quality of sleep that you get?
• Did you notice what the gecko is sleeping with in the final illustration? What do you like to sleep with?

After a bit of sharing, explain the assignment.  Tell the children that they will each complete seven sentences.  Once they complete the seven sentences, they will have described how they like to sleep.

After the sentences are complete, ask the children to draw pictures of themselves asleep at home on the reverse side of the assignment.

3. Conclusion:

Wrap up by drawing everyone back together.  Emphasize how important sleep is.  Encourage the children to go to sleep early so that they can grow and so that they will be well-rested to start every day off with lots of energy.

Thank them for their work as they tidy up, fold the blankets, and put away the pillows.  Another library lesson well done!

Resources:

1. Map or globe
2. Pictures of a gecko
3. Sound recording of a gecko. Perhaps this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a44rInONJRY
4. Copies of the student assignment sheet (attached)
5. Stuffed animals, pillows, and blankets (optional)
6. Margaret Read MacDonald’s web site: http://www.margaretreadmacdonald.com/

Notes:

I have taught this lesson for many years, and it is a kid pleaser.  The children love to hear the word “poop” in a story, and they get a charge out of the gecko’s constant complaining.   Even better is talking about sleep at school!  Try to bring along the stuffed animals, pillows, and blankets to make listening a real sleep experience.

If you are not familiar with Dr. Margaret Read MacDonald’s work, spend some time getting to know her books.  Dr. MacDonald earned a degree in anthropology before she became a children’s librarian.  Through later studies, including her doctorate in folklore, she has become the world’s expert on gathering traditional tales and retelling them for today’s audiences.  My personal favorite is Mabela the Clever, a tale from the Limba in Sierra Leone.  Order a few of her stories, and you will be delighted at how versatile they are, how much the children enjoy them, and how easy they are to incorporate into your planning.

Recommended books for this lesson:

Go to Sleep, Gecko! A Balinese Folk Tale by Margaret Read MacDonald.

Key Terms:

Geckos, Sleep, Bali, Folktales, Folklore

 

Go To Sleep, Gecko, Student Handout

Lesson Overview:

This lesson is the most successful I’ve ever designed for early elementary students to promote the skill of developing questions.  It is tied to the Unit of Inquiry on health and making healthy choices, and I’ve chosen a popular text and paired it with a question-asking exercise.  The output is a class book that parallels the text.  I’ve provided the template so all you need to do is take our my kids’ work and fill it with your kids’ work!  Your children will love the activity once they get the hang of asking questions, and you’ll have a top-rate class work sample for your Weebly, digital portfolio, or display.  Hurrah for vegetables and learning how to ask questions!

Lesson Plan:

Suggested Grades:

1-3

Objective:

To develop questions to guide further inquiry about vegetables and healthy eating.   (AASL 1.1.3, “Develop and refine a range of questions to frame the search for new understanding.”)

Suggested Time:

45-50 minutes

Success Criteria:

The class will write a book with at least fifty questions for further inquiry about vegetables, gardens, or healthy eating.

Lesson Outline:

1. Introduction:

Ask the children to tell you what their new Unit of Inquiry is about.  Hopefully they will be able to tell you, “Making healthy choices”. or “Staying healthy”.  Ask them what they know about how to stay healthy.  One of the children will undoubtedly mention healthy foods.  Follow that up with “What kinds of foods are healthy?”  Hopefully one of them will reply with, “vegetables”.  If you are in a multilingual environment, ask the children how to say “vegetables” in their mother tongue languages.

Tell the kids that today’s lesson is about vegetables, but it is also about becoming great question askers.  To become good learners, we must ask good questions, and to ask good questions we must practice.  Quickly review how questions are formed.  For early learners, I simply say, “You can make a question by starting a sentence with ‘Who,’ ‘What,’ ‘Why,’ ‘When,’ or ‘How.’”  Many teachers have the question words displayed in the classroom.  If your teacher does not, consider making a small poster or chart for the class with the question words on it.  (See attached photo.)  If you are working in the library, be sure to have the question words prominently displayed.

Explain to the children that today, they will learn a story, but they will also write their own book full of questions!

2. Main:

Teach Oliver’s Vegetables by Vivian French.  Make sure the children understand the progression of the story including the days of the week and Oliver’s search through the garden.  Also make sure they understand Grandpa’s deal with Oliver.  Children should understand what “chips” are – this could vary for your country.

Go back to the beginning, and this time work through the story with the PowerPoint template (attached).  Replace the date and name of the class and take out my children’s work.  Before you erase my kids’ work, please have a quick look through the file so that you know the kind of product we are after.  I have taken a key sentence from each two-page spread, inserted an image, and left room for the children to ask questions.

This will be hard for the kids at first, and you may have to prompt them by asking, “We need a ‘What’ question for spinach.”  They may then come up with, “What does spinach taste like?” or “What can you make with spinach?” Try to get the kids to use every question word on every page and try to get at least ten questions per page.

Project the file so that the kids can see their book coming together as they work!  They will love this, and teachers love it too, because the evidence of learning is immediate!

3. Conclusion:

Wrap up by drawing everyone back together.  Emphasize how important it is to be able to ask good questions.  (Learner Profile:  Inquirer.)  Challenge the children to ask good questions to guide their learning.  Also, encourage them to follow up on some of these questions with a bit of research next time they come to the library.  Print a copy of the file so that each class has a hard copy of the class book.

Resources:

1. A copy of Oliver’s Vegetables by Vivian French.
2. Question Word Poster (optional).
3. Power Point Template for this lesson. (See attached file.)

Notes:

This lesson has a solid Unit of Inquiry link and has a strong information literacy component as well.  Better than that, though, is that it shows the children that with a bit of practice, and by using their question words, they can come up with questions to guide inquiry.

I like teaching the skill of forming questions, and I do it at least three different ways in different grade levels.  My target is for the children to have one lesson in which they practice asking questions with me each year.

Be sure to print and spiral-bind a copy of the file so that the kids have a class book.  They will be very excited to show off their work, and it will also remind them of the importance of asking questions.

Recommended books for this lesson:

1. Oliver’s Vegetables by Vivian French.

Key Terms:

Vegetables, Gardens, Grandfathers, Health, Diet, Nutrition, Potatoes, Chips

 

Question Words Poster

Oliver’s Vegetables, PowerPoint