Labels, Ratings, Choices

Overview

Students learn how to read common parts of food labels and use Health Star Ratings to compare products. This lesson builds on earlier “what’s in our food” discussions by adding practical strategies for making safer, healthier choices that support wellbeing for themselves and others.

Learning intentions

• Students will be able to identify key information on Australian food labels (ingredients, nutrition information, serving size, and claims).
• Students will be able to interpret a Health Star Rating and explain what it suggests about overall nutritional profile.
• Students will be able to compare two similar products and decide which is the better everyday choice using evidence from the label.
• Students will be able to share one new, surprising fact they found on a label.

Success criteria

• I can locate serving size and calories/kilojoules per serve on a label.
• I can explain what ingredients and “per 100 g” vs “per serve” can change when comparing foods.
• I can state what a Health Star Rating is showing and use it in a fair comparison.
• I can create a mini-poster that clearly compares two products with at least three pieces of label evidence.

Curriculum links

• Health and Physical Education — AC9HP8P10: plan and implement strategies, using health resources, to enhance their own and others’ health, safety, relationships and wellbeing (using credible health information to guide food choices).
• Health and Physical Education — AC9HP8P09: investigate how media and influential people impact attitudes, beliefs, decisions and behaviours in relation to health, safety, relationships and wellbeing (evaluating health-related information and food claims).
• Health and Physical Education — AC9HP8P10 elaboration on investigating food-serving recommendations and creating guides to support healthy choices when buying food from the school canteen.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook: “Looks healthy… or is it?” Teacher displays two front-of-pack images (or printed fronts) of similar foods and asks: “Which one is the better everyday choice and why?” Students give a quick thumbs vote and share one guess.

2. 5–15 min · I Do: Label-reading demo Teacher models reading a label using a single sample product: points out serving size, ingredients, nutrition information panel (including “per serve” and “per 100 g”), added sugars/salt if present, and the Health Star Rating. Students follow on their worksheet and complete “I noticed / I wonder” notes.

Key teacher talk prompts:

• “Why do we need to check serving size before comparing?”
• “What does the Health Star Rating help us do quickly, and what else still matters?”
• “How can marketing claims be true but still not the best everyday choice?”

3. 15–25 min · We Do: Pair investigation with label cards Teacher hands out printed label cards (or allows pairs to use labels they brought from home). Students in pairs complete a guided comparison chart for one “Product A” label: Health Star Rating, kilojoules per serve, top ingredients (first 3–5), and one claim to interpret (e.g., “no added sugar”, “low fat”, “high fibre”).

4. 25–35 min · Fair comparing mini-lessons Teacher explicitly teaches how to compare “like with like”:

• choose products from the same food category (e.g., yoghurt vs yoghurt, cereal vs cereal)
• compare per serve or per 100 g consistently
• use the Health Star Rating as a summary, then check specific nutrients/ingredients. Students rewrite their chart “comparison rule” in one sentence.

5. 35–50 min · Group task: Mini-poster (two products) Teacher explains the task: create a mini-poster that compares Product A and Product B using label evidence. Students design and draft posters in pairs, ensuring they include:

• Health Star Ratings side-by-side
• kilojoules per serve (and/or per 100 g, stated consistently)
• ingredients/added sugar or salt notes (if shown)
• an answer to: “Which is the better everyday choice and why?”

6. 50–57 min · Share: Gallery walk + one justification Teacher sets up quick gallery walk stations. Students leave one “evidence comment” on a sticky note: either “Your comparison is fair because…” or “Check this part because…”

7. 57–60 min · Exit ticket: surprising fact Teacher distributes an exit ticket. Students write one surprising fact they found from a label (e.g., sugar amount, serving size difference, ingredient in the first few positions, what a Health Star Rating led them to notice).

Resources

• Teacher sample product label (printed) with Health Star Rating visible
• Student worksheets: Label parts guide + guided comparison chart
• Printed label cards (Product A and Product B) or permission-based student brought labels
• Mini-poster template (A4) or poster paper, markers, highlighters
• Sticky notes for evidence comments
• Exit ticket slips
• Timer and gallery walk instructions

Assessment

• Formative: Observe pairs during guided reading (serving size, nutrition info panel, Health Star Rating use).
• Formative: Review guided comparison charts for correct “fair comparison” rules and at least three evidence points.
• Exit ticket: Check for a specific, accurate label-based “surprising fact” and whether students are using evidence rather than opinions.

Differentiation

• Support:
• Provide sentence starters for interpretation: “The Health Star Rating suggests…”, “This is important because…”
• Offer a word bank for label terms (serving size, ingredients, per serve, per 100 g, kilojoules, claim).
• Use a simplified label card set for students who need less text.
• Extension:
• Challenge students to identify one potential misleading effect of a claim (e.g., a “low” claim that is still high per 100 g).
• Language/EAL:
• Pair students strategically and allow interpreting using icons on the worksheet (e.g., sugar/salt high, moderate, low as indicated on labels).
• SEN:
• Reduce poster requirements to minimum evidence points while keeping the same success criteria; provide a partially completed comparison table.