Encourage tinkering with ideas, relationships, connections. Set up situations where students have to find information not readily available in school texts. Provide opportunity for students to design open-ended explorations of the concept. Provide multiple options so students can plan a unique "proof" of learning.

Laboratory Experimentation #1

Objective: The students will explore their own personal feeding habits and analyze their choices to determine if their diet is nutritionally sound for their age group and needs.

Activity: Laboratory Experimentation #1
I have the students perform a chemical analysis of food for proteins, carbohydrates and fats. An excellent laboratory can be found in the CORD Nutrition book which is listed on the resource page provided with this unit. The experiment is entitled “What Nutrients Do Our Food Contain” and it is found on pages 78-81.

Have the students keep a food log of all that they consume (eat and drink) for at lest 3-5 days. Then, have the students analyze the calorie intake, fat gram and cholesterol quantities in their diet, and vitamin and mineral daily requirements. Students may find that their diet is lacking in some nutrients and excessive in others. Many teenage diets especially are high in sugars and fats, low in vitamins and minerals, and often, they skip meals or do not consume the calories needed for active teens.