Clear Label Analysis

Overview

Students practise reading and interpreting nutrition information on food labels to make evidence-based judgements about nutritional value. They work with real or mock labels, identify key nutrients, and explain what the numbers mean for health.

Learning intentions

• Students will be able to interpret key information on food packaging (e.g., per 100 g and per serving) and calculate or compare nutrient amounts.
• Students will be able to describe how typical dietary recommendations relate to label information.
• Students will be able to analyse trade-offs (e.g., sugar, salt, saturated fat, fibre) and justify a conclusion.

Success criteria

• I can locate serving size and explain the difference between “per 100 g” and “per serving”.
• I can read and compare at least three nutrients from two labels and state which product has more/less and by how much.
• I can explain what a high or low value suggests for nutritional value using appropriate food terms.
• I can give a reasoned judgement about the better option for a specific goal (e.g., higher fibre, lower sugar).

Curriculum links

• Plan, carry out and interpret data from real-life contexts, including nutrition information, and explain findings clearly.
• Use appropriate mathematical reasoning to compare quantities, including unit rates and proportional comparisons.
• Communicate conclusions using evidence and accurate interpretation of information in context.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 min: Starter—Label snapshot Show one nutrition label (or a projected mock). Students do a 60-second “find and underline” task: serving size, calories/energy, sugar, salt. Quick share: what did you find first and where?

2. 5–15 min: Teach—How labels are structured Teacher models reading a label: “per 100 g” versus “per serving,” what energy means, and how nutrient panels are presented. Emphasise common interpretations: sugar and salt are often concerns; fibre supports digestive health; saturated fat is typically limited. Use dyslexia-friendly options: printed label with highlighted key lines; teacher reads while students track.

3. 15–30 min: Guided practice—Compare two products In pairs, students receive two similar items (e.g., breakfast bars, drinks, ready meals). They complete a short comparison table: serving size, energy, sugar, salt, saturated fat (if present), and fibre (if present). They must write one sentence using numbers (e.g., “Product A has 30 g sugar per 100 g, while Product B has 20 g, so A has more by 10 g.”). Teacher circulates for misconceptions about units and “per serving”.

4. 30–42 min: Skill focus—Calculate and justify Small group check-in: teacher prompts proportion questions such as converting between per 100 g and per serving when serving size is given. Students practise one calculation on their sheet and then decide: “Which is the better choice for a goal?” Provide a goal card (e.g., “lower sugar snack” or “higher fibre breakfast”). Students justify using at least two nutrient points.

5. 42–55 min: Independent analysis—Mini task Students choose an additional label from the set (teacher-selected to be age-appropriate). They produce a structured analysis:

• Key figures (3–5 nutrients)
• Comparison statement (more/less by how much)
• Judgement linked to a goal They may use sentence stems: “This label suggests… because…” and “For my goal, I would choose… since…”

6. 55–60 min: Exit ticket—Evidence-based conclusion Each student submits a 3-sentence response: identify serving basis, compare one nutrient using a number, and conclude for a given goal. Teacher uses these to check understanding of units and interpretation.

Resources

• Nutrition label printouts (real or mock), at least three different products per pair, plus one projected example
• Comparison worksheet with clearly separated sections (serving size, energy, sugar, salt, saturated fat, fibre)
• Dyslexia-friendly reading supports: paper labels with colour highlights for key rows; teacher-read audio script (optional)
• Sentence stems and a small goal card set (lower sugar, lower salt, higher fibre, balanced option)
• Calculator or phone-free calculation tools (pre-approved); rule: calculations must show working on the sheet
• Sample “good answer” model paragraph (teacher-made, short)
• Timer and grouping labels for pair work
• Whiteboard/slide for “per 100 g vs per serving” demonstration

Assessment

• Formative checks during guided practice: accuracy of unit interpretation and correct “more/less by how much” statements.
• Worksheet marking with a quick rubric: (1) correct basis, (2) correct comparisons using numbers, (3) quality of justification.
• Exit ticket to confirm students can make an evidence-based judgement aligned to a stated goal.

Differentiation

• Support: provide a reduced-label version (fewer nutrients to compare), colour-coded rows, and sentence stems; allow teacher reading support during the starter and independent task.
• Support for dyslexia: provide larger font, high-contrast prints, and a “highlighted key” overlay template students can place over the label.
• Extension: ask advanced learners to compare two labels with different serving sizes and to explain implications using trade-offs (e.g., “lower sugar but higher saturated fat”).
• Extension challenge: students create a short “label verdict” rating (e.g., lower/high in concerns) using a self-chosen weighting of nutrients and explain why.
• EAL: offer bilingual vocabulary support where possible (sugar, salt, fibre, per 100 g, per serving) and allow oral rehearsal before writing.

Extension (optional)

Not included (teacher did not request an extra extension beyond the lesson activities).