Balanced Plates

Overview

Today students learn foundational nutrition concepts and how to make healthier choices for everyday eating. They will use guided booklet reading plus interactive Canva activities to plan and justify a “balanced plate” snack/lunch idea, then reflect on how their choices affect wellbeing and others.

Learning intentions

• Students will explain what “balanced nutrition” means using core food groups and key nutrients.
• Students will identify everyday foods that support energy, growth and health.
• Students will use Canva to design a simple nutrition poster/plate and justify choices using accurate information from the booklet.
• Students will apply strategies to promote safer, healthier food decisions for themselves and their peers.

Success criteria

• I can name at least 3 food groups and describe why each matters for health.
• I can classify foods as “often/sometimes” based on nutrition principles and my booklet notes.
• I can create a Canva balanced-plate design that includes a short justification.
• I can give respectful feedback to a peer using specific criteria.

Curriculum links

• Health and Physical Education: Plan and implement strategies, using health resources, to enhance their own and others’ health, safety, relationships and wellbeing.
• Health and Physical Education: Investigate preventive health practices relevant to young people and design a health promotion action (AC9HP8P10_E6).

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook. Teacher displays the introduction slides showing two lunch boxes (one “balanced”, one “high sugar/salt heavy”) and asks: “Which box is more likely to help a student focus through the afternoon, and why?” Students quick-write one reason, then turn-and-talk.

2. 5–12 min · Booklet guided reading. Teacher hands students the booklet and the introduction slides page reminder for today’s focus: energy, growth, micronutrients, hydration and fibre. Students read independently for 3 minutes, then highlight any definitions or key phrases.

3. 12–20 min · Mini-teach with teacher talk + questions. Teacher uses the introduction slides to model a “balanced plate” (½ vegetables/fruit, ¼ whole grains/starchy carbs, ¼ protein, plus water). Students complete a short “check-in” on scrap paper: list one nutrient their body needs and one food that provides it.

4. 20–33 min · Interactive Canva activity (in pairs). Teacher explains the Canva task using the introduction slides:

• Create a “Balanced Plate” Canva poster for either a snack or lunch.
• Include: food groups, 1–2 example foods, and a 2–3 sentence justification using booklet ideas. Students open Canva and build their poster using the template layout shown on the slides (teacher can project a step-by-step). Teacher circulates to prompt accuracy: “Which part of the plate does this food belong to, and what benefit does it support?”

5. 33–41 min · Guided exercise from the booklet. Teacher returns students to the booklet using the introduction slides prompt “Often / Sometimes” sorting. Students use booklet notes to answer 6 quick questions (e.g., “Which choice is often better for fibre?” “Which choice may be sometimes due to added sugars?”). Teacher collects key answers verbally to correct misconceptions.

6. 41–52 min · Gallery + respectful peer feedback. Teacher projects the Canva gallery criteria on the introduction slides:

• food groups included (yes/no)
• at least one health reason stated
• justification uses booklet wording/ideas Students swap posters, give one “Glow” (what’s strong) and one “Grow” (what to improve), and record the best suggestion for their own revision.

7. 52–60 min · Plenary & exit ticket. Teacher uses the introduction slides final slide: “One strategy I will use to improve my nutrition this week is…”. Students complete an exit ticket:

• choose one change (food or drink)
• write one reason linked to health/wellbeing Teacher collects exit tickets at the end.

Resources

• the introduction slides
• the nutrition often-sometimes worksheet
• Booklets (teacher copy + student booklet packs)
• Student devices with Canva access (pairs of 2)
• Projector/speakers for slide deck
• Pens/pencils and highlighters
• Optional: printed “balanced plate” template card for reference during Canva

Assessment

• Formative: teacher observation during Canva creation (accuracy of food-group placement and justifications).
• Formative: booklet “Often / Sometimes” exercise checking misconceptions.
• Summative-for-today: exit ticket aligned to balanced nutrition and a health/wellbeing reason.

Differentiation

• Support: provide sentence starters on the nutrition often-sometimes worksheet (e.g., “This food helps because…” “I chose it because…”).
• Support: allow students to use bookmarked booklet definitions while writing their Canva justification.
• Extension: students add one “safety and wellbeing” detail (e.g., portion size, hydration choice, or limiting sugary drinks) and label it on Canva.
• EAL/SEN: offer a word bank on the nutrition often-sometimes worksheet (fibre, protein, vitamins, minerals, energy) and permit oral rehearsal before writing.