Energy Math Fundamentals

Grade Level

9 (Ontario Curriculum)

Duration

61 minutes

Class Size

25 students

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Curriculum Alignment

Ontario Health and Physical Education Curriculum, 2019

• Overall Expectations:
  • A1.1 Analyse factors that influence food choices and eating habits.
  • B1.1 Demonstrate an understanding of factors that influence healthy eating and physical activity.
  • B3.1 Demonstrate an understanding of how physical activity affects the body and overall well-being.
• Specific Expectations:
  • B1.1 Assess how energy balance impacts physical health and fitness.
  • B3.2 Describe the relationship between nutrition, energy, and activity (e.g., calories as fuel).
  • A1.3 Examine the connections between physical activity, energy needs, and body functions.

Learning Goals

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Define calories as a unit of energy and contextualize it in daily life.
• Describe Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) and their significance.
• Calculate their own estimated maintenance calories (TDEE) using an online calculator and activity data.
• Explain the concepts of calorie surplus and deficit in muscle building and fat loss.
• Reflect on energy balance as a key factor in nutrition and physical activity.

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Materials Needed

• Whiteboard and markers
• Projector/screen for visuals
• Devices with internet access (e.g., tablets, laptops) – one per student or pair
• Printed worksheets with guided questions and BMR/TDEE formula explanations
• Calculators (optional)

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Lesson Breakdown

Introduction (10 minutes)

Hook:
Begin with an engaging question: "What if I told you food isn’t the enemy, but fuel for your body?"

• Brief whole-class discussion to surface perceptions about calories and food as ‘good’ or ‘bad’.
• Write students' answers on the board to revisit later in the lesson.

Explain:

• Define calories as a unit of energy (calories are the fuel we need to function).
• Connect to students’ lived experience: “Just like a car needs gas, your body needs calories to keep going—even when you’re resting.”

Direct Instruction (15 minutes)

Concept 1: Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

• Explain BMR as the calories you burn at rest—energy required for body functions while doing nothing (sometimes called “coma calories”).
• Illustrate using a simple analogy: "Your body’s engine idling."

Concept 2: Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE)

• Explain TDEE as BMR plus calories burnt during physical activities.
• Walk through a simple example on the board with numbers.

Concept 3: Surplus vs Deficit

• Explain using clear age-appropriate definitions that:
  • Surplus calories = more energy than used → often needed for building muscle.
  • Deficit calories = fewer calories than used → often needed for fat loss.
• Emphasize healthy balance and avoiding extremes.

Guided Practice (20 minutes)

Activity:

• Distribute worksheets explaining the BMR and TDEE formulas, with examples.
• Students use devices to input their age, height, weight, and activity levels into a pre-selected online calculator (guided and supervised by teacher) to find their estimated TDEE (maintenance calories).
• Students record their BMR and TDEE results and compare with peers in small groups.

Prompt discussions:

• What surprised you about your results?
• How did different activity levels affect your TDEE?
• How can understanding your TDEE support your goals for health or fitness?

Independent Reflection and Application (10 minutes)

• Students answer reflection questions on their worksheets:
  • Summarize what energy balance means to them.
  • Identify one lifestyle change they might consider based on their calorie needs.
  • Explain how understanding calories as energy—not ‘bad’—changes their perceptions or behaviour.

Closing and Assessment (6 minutes)

• Invite 2-3 students to share reflections aloud.
• Teacher summarizes lesson key points reinforcing the positive, science-based perspective on food and energy.
• Collect worksheets for assessment of understanding.
• Quick exit card: One takeaway sentence or question about energy balance.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Pair students needing support with peers during calculator activity.
• Provide calculators and formula sheets for students needing numeracy reinforcement.
• Challenge advanced students to research factors influencing BMR beyond the basic calculation (e.g., muscle mass, genetics).

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Assessment & Evaluation

Formative:

• Observation during class discussions and group work.
• Completed worksheets with reflection responses.
• Exit card responses.

Summative connection:

• Use knowledge gained here to inform future assessments on nutrition and physical activity linkages.

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Teacher Notes & Tips

• Emphasize positivity around calories to dismantle diet myths common in teen culture.
• Address harmful food stereotypes directly by normalizing the role of food as fuel.
• Reassure students on the variability and imperfection of calorie estimates—encourage balanced, flexible thinking.
• Use everyday examples (e.g., video game energy bars, car fuel) to anchor the abstract concept of calories.
• Ensuring privacy and sensitivity during weight/height data collection is essential; reassure students about confidentiality.

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This lesson plan tightly integrates Ontario’s Health and Physical Education expectations by focusing on critical understanding of nutrition and energy as fundamental to healthy living, while empowering students with practical calculation skills and mindset shifts appropriate for Grade 9.