Understanding Nutrition Basics

Overview

Students begin a 10-lesson unit, “What’s on My Plate?”, by identifying what they already know about food and nutrition. They learn the difference between macronutrients and micronutrients and apply this knowledge by creating a nutrition “food pyramid” that supports safe, informed choices for health and wellbeing.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• complete a pre-test to show what they currently know about nutrition basics
• explain what macronutrients are and why they are important for the body
• explain what micronutrients are and how they support health and wellbeing
• sort foods into categories and create a simple food pyramid
• reflect on one new learning by sharing an exit-ticket response

Success criteria

• I can name the macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats).
• I can name at least two micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) and explain they help the body work properly.
• I can place foods into the correct levels of a food pyramid using a provided template and my reasoning.
• I can describe one new thing I learned and how it might help my food choices.

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 (focus: applying nutrition knowledge to support wellbeing).
• Health and Physical Education: AC9HP8P02 — analyse the impact of changes and transitions, and devise strategies to support themselves and others through these changes (focus: using nutrition basics to support body changes during adolescence).
• Health and Physical Education: AC9HP8P06 — analyse factors that influence emotional responses and devise strategies to self-manage emotions (focus: recognising food choices as part of wellbeing and self-management).
• Health and Physical Education: AC9HP8M06 — design and justify strategies to increase physical activity levels to achieve health and wellbeing outcomes (focus: linking nutrition to energy for active days).

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–8 min · Do Now: Food types quick quiz. Teacher displays 6 food cards (e.g., fruit, chips, yoghurt, nuts, soft drink, chicken) and asks students to classify each as “everyday”, “sometimes”, or “rarely”. Students answer individually on a mini-answer sheet (no discussion yet).

2. 8–15 min · Pre-test: Nutrition knowledge check. Teacher explains this is not graded learning data, then distributes a short pre-test with 8–10 questions (multiple choice and two short responses) about nutrition, energy, and nutrient types. Students complete the pre-test quietly; teacher walks to check understanding and collects.

3. 15–28 min · Direct teach: Macronutrients vs micronutrients. Teacher uses a simple slide or board diagram:

• Macronutrients: carbohydrates (energy), proteins (growth/repair), fats (energy + cell health)
• Micronutrients: vitamins and minerals (support body processes; examples can include iron, calcium, vitamin C) Teacher emphasises: “All nutrients matter, but the amounts and frequency differ.” Students take structured notes using a two-column table: “Macronutrients” and “Micronutrients”, adding examples from teacher prompts.

4. 28–40 min · Guided practice: Build the pyramid. Teacher introduces a pyramid template with 5 tiers (top to bottom) to represent:

• Energy-giving foods (carbs) as a foundation for active bodies
• Protein foods (for growth and repair)
• Healthy fats (in smaller amounts)
• Fruit/vegetables (include micronutrients)
• Sugary/salty foods and drinks as occasional choices Teacher models placing 2–3 foods and verbalises reasoning (e.g., “chicken: protein + some fats; fruit: micronutrients + fibre; soft drink: low nutrient value, high sugar”). Students, in pairs, place a set of 12 food cut-outs onto the pyramid and justify placements using stems: “I placed this because…”

5. 40–50 min · Create: Final food pyramid. Teacher hands out a fresh template and a food card pack or worksheet list. Students create their own pyramid including at least:

• 2 foods from protein tier
• 3 foods from fruit/vegetable tier
• 2 foods from carbohydrate tier
• 1 food from healthy fats tier
• 1 food from “sometimes/rarely” tier Teacher circulates to correct misconceptions (e.g., sugary drinks not as “daily”).

6. 50–57 min · Share and check. Teacher invites 4–5 students to share one food choice and their reasoning; classmates use “warm feedback” sentence starters: “I noticed…”, “I agree because…”, “I wonder…”. Students share briefly and adjust their pyramids if needed.

7. 57–60 min · Exit ticket: One new learning. Teacher asks: “Write one new thing you learned and one question you still have.” Students complete exit ticket on paper and hand in.

Resources

• Pre-test paper (8–10 items) and mini-answer sheet for the Do Now
• Food cards/cut-outs or printed food list (mixed categories)
• Food pyramid template (per student) and pair template (optional)
• Coloured pencils/markers for tiering
• Board/slide showing macronutrients vs micronutrients
• Marker pens, timer, and collection envelopes

Assessment

• Formative: Do Now food-type quiz to identify common misconceptions about food frequency.
• Formative: Pre-test responses to measure baseline understanding of macronutrients/micronutrients.
• Formative: Teacher observations during pyramid construction using a quick checklist (correct categories, ability to explain “because…”).
• Exit ticket: One new learning + one question to guide lesson 2 planning.

Differentiation

• Provide sentence starters for reasoning (“I placed ___ here because it gives the body ___.”).
• Offer an additional word bank (carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, sometimes/rarely) for students who need support.
• Extension for fast finishers: add one “healthy swap” (e.g., soft drink → water, chips → popcorn/nuts) and write a one-sentence justification.
• Ensure visuals are clear and large; allow students to work in pairs to reduce cognitive load during the first pyramid.