Analysis and Design

of a Middle School
Nutrition Project

Laura Marroquin
 25 February 2015
EDTC 5465, SP1, 2015- Instructional Design
Kate Sprague

ANALYSIS

Needs Analysis

The purpose of this lesson is to get the students engaged in making healthy choices when

choosing what to eat. This is important because at this point in a childs life (ages 11-13) is when

they start making life decisions for themselves. Although parents are still a great influence when

making dinner or packing their childs lunch, theres more that a child internalizes now than

when they were much younger. Students at this age need to comprehend that what we put into

our bodies affects our overall physical health, mental health (there is such thing as brain food),

and even social health (think about body image and what others think).

For this project, Marroquin Middle School has not been doing so well in producing

healthy knowledgeable students. We have had many overweight and obese students come

through our school. It has occurred to the school district that we not only do we need to change

what we provide our students in the school cafeteria but we also need to change the focus of our

health/ physical fitness program to a more nutritional based curriculum.

Learning Environment and Resources

The learning environment for this lesson will be in the classroom, for initial instruction,

and then the schools resource center. Ideally, the resource center and library would be one in the

same or the resource center would be connected to the library ever so conveniently.
Materials/Resources/Equipment Needed

Things the teacher needs to present the lesson

Smart Board

Projector

Food!

Things the students will need to complete their project will include but not limited to

Approved resources to find recipes

o www.myplate.com

A chart that shows what counts as a cup of fruit.

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/fruits-counts.pdf

o MasterCook 14 software

o Fast Meals and Quick an online PDF booklet for teens:

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/HealthInfo/healthyliving/childfamily/Documents/
MO-NUPA-TeenCookbook.pdf

o This website is great to look at for kids with specific nutritional needs:
http://kidshealth.org/teen/recipes/

o Recipe books brought in from volunteers

Digital cameras for their how-to videos

This website called Glogster, is an innovative multimedia web tool that allows
users to make interactive posters using a multitude of resources.
http://edu.glogster.com/

Computers to do research and start putting together their Glogs

Task Analysis
The instructional goal of this lesson:

Students will learn to build a healthy nutritional menu.

The learning objectives are the following:

 Students will research recipes using resources and standards given to create a
Glog

Students will provide recipes using resources given that meet the 5 daily food
group requirements

Students will demonstrate how to prepare and cook a recipe with technology
support

Students will compile nutritional totals for each meal provided to include calories,
carbohydrates, protein, sodium and fats

The type of learning outcome that the end of this lesson should provide:

Students with the ability to differentiate between a healthy recipe and an unhealthy recipe

Students with the knowledge of the 5 daily food groups and how to transfer that into
preparing their meals successfully

Students with the understanding of nutritional facts and how they can use that to analyze
a recipe/meal

A prerequisite Analysis takes a look at what the students need to know in order to do this

lesson. This is done after the teachings of nutrition. At this point, the students will know the

basic knowledge of nutrition; enough to be able to create a nutritious meal of their own. They

should know how to calculate calories, identify food that is high in fat, carbohydrates, sodium,

and if something is high in protein. Students will also be familiar with recipes and interpreting

recipes such as how they can make a recipe healthier. Appendix 1 is an information processing

analysis based on the goal to be achieved. It is also an attachment.

Learner Analysis

The target group for this project, as discussed above, is that of a middle school health

course with roughly 80 students covering the four periods in a day.

 Cognitive Characteristics:

General aptitudes of the students are of average level but it seems that some of the

students dont really get it. Because this is relatively small town, they think that they have a

lot of worldly knowledge because of the TV they watch or because they surf the internet when in

reality, that is not true. Also, because its a small town the students dont really get out much.

Theres not much to do when living a mile or so from your peers. The students who are a bit

above average on worldly knowledge are those who have either moved there recently, or whose

parents put in the time and effort to help their child.

The specific prior knowledge that the students have isnt much. Since the majority of the

students are overweight, about to be overweight, or obese, this shows that that they and their

parents dont know much about nutrition and helping their child to be active.

Physiological Characteristics:

The students at this age are in the beginning stages of development. They are perceptive

and aware of their development both mental and physical. There general health overall is good

with the exception of nutrition. A lot of students do not have healthy teeth and are starting to

develop cavities because of the foods they eat. The ages of these tweens is 12-14

Affective Characteristics:

Students at this age are starting to discover their growth. They feel more therefore, get

hurt more. They feel misunderstood, misrepresented, they feel like life isnt fair and that they

should be able to make their own decisions and do what they want to do. Because the majority

of the students are overweight, theres a lot of low self-esteem and anxiety in the school. The

councilors have their work cut out for them. Some students think that obesity isnt an issue for
them because theyll grow out of it. Other students think that they wont be successful if they

are fat so this leads them to low motivation. This also cause of behavioral problems. The

students act out or rebel because they think others perceive them as not good enough. After the

introduction of the new nutrition program at Marroquin Middle School, there seemed to be a bit

more enthusiasm about wanting to learn and seemed to give some students hope.

Social Characteristics:

The students relationships with each other is strangely good. I say strangely because

even though you think thered be a lot of bullying, theres not. Students are actually very

supportive of one another. I think its because most everyone is going through the same thing or

they have a sibling who is obese. As I said earlier however, there is a lot of acting out, mainly

towards faculty. Some want to please because they want to be accepted in any way possible,

others arent sure how handle their obesity. I believe that the students at this age would have be

in Level one, Stage two; Pre-conventional morality- Individualism and Exchange and level three

Post-conventional morality stage five of Kohlbergs stage of moral development: Social Contract

and individual rights. Students understand the difference between right and wrong and want to

be perceived as being good; therefore the will try to be good. But because of the age level and

the tweens rebellious nature, they also begin to understand that they can choose the outcome of

their behavior. Students here in this small town are majority Caucasian but there is good mix of

Native Americans and Hispanics. I believe that this is another reason for the obesity and low

self-esteem. Students see themselves as minorities and believe that society doesnt accept them

like they do other races.

LESSON DESIGN
Introduction

Gain the Learners Attention I think that for a nutrition lesson for my middle schoolers, I need

to do something that would have probably grabbed my attention when I was that age and now!

For this lesson, I would ask the students some fairly simple questions like, who likes food?

What is your favorite food? Do you know how many calories are in your favorite food?

How many fats? Get a dialogue going with them about nutritious meals. Get them to start

opening their eyes to healthy alternatives when choosing what to eat. Then bring in a

smorgasbord of food. Make sure theyre nice and hungry! Let them know ahead of time not to

eat too much prior to class. Then start talking about what the food is and how its healthy or

unhealthy. What makes it healthy? What makes it unhealthy? Discuss nutritional facts about

the food and what they should be looking for. They will participate because they will soon get to

eat the demonstration!

Review Objectives The instructor for this lesson will convey to the student the lesson they are

about to be given. State the objectives and then break down in detail what they will be doing.

Heres a review.

Students will research recipes using resources and standards given to create a
Glog

Students will provide ingredients for recipes using resources given that meet the 5
daily food group requirements

Students will provide video on how to prepare and cook a recipe with technology
support

Students will compile nutritional totals for each meal provided to include calories,
carbohydrates, proteins, sodium and fats
Body

Stimulate Recall of Prior Learning While you are gaining the learners attention, you will also

be stimulating recall of prior learning. What have they learned so far? Do they really understand

it? Now we want to present the stimulus. Since the bulk of the lesson is hands on, present the

students with the materials they will be using that was listed above. Give a quick tutorial on how

to use the MasterCook 14 software and give them a tour of Glogster. Show them examples of a

student Glog; explore the website and show some good ones and then not-so good ones. Below

are a couple of links to try, including one that I did as an example.

http://www.fns.usda.gov/multimedia/Games/Blastoff/BlastOff_Game.html: This link is

to a website where students can play a nutrition game where you fill up your spaceship

with food for one day. You fuel up using all of the five food groups but watch your load

so that you dont go over. This will help them to understand bit about choosing the right

food every day.

http://lolasplace.edu.glogster.com/laura-marroquin/. Here is the link to an example I did.

The nutrition has not been filled out but those areas are where you fill in the calculated

nutrition content.

This lesson, even though it started out as supplantive, it winds up being more generative.

The teacher reviews with the students, provides a bit more information, and guides the students

in their research however, the actual learning that will result in the final product is because of a

generative strategy. The teacher lets the students come up with their own ideas on what recipes

to use and gives them guidance on how to make a recipe more nutritious.
Provide Guidance for the Learners Before the students start working on their own, the teacher

will provide them with a checklist (Appendix 2) as well as a rubric (Appendix 3) to keep them on

track on whats expected. Make sure they keep in mind that this is all about having a healthy

diet. Break the down the objectives, especially as they are working on the lesson.

Elicit Learner Performance Project based learning and collective learning is the basis for this

lesson. The students have an opportunity to manipulate software, access websites and use the

computer. They will be working collaboratively involving brainstorming and generating

questions based on the recipes they choose.

Provide Feedback As the lesson progresses, make sure to do quick knowledge checks to see if

the students are understanding. During the group work, check in once in a while and help a

group with their understanding and questions. As the next days class starts, begin the session

with a Q&A before they start to work on their projects again. Check for understanding. Ask

questions like, is there anything youre having difficulty with? What are you liking about the

project so far? Does having the checklist help? If there are questions, make sure to address their

concerns. If you need to go over something again, dont short change the students; check for

understanding once youre done.

Assessment

Assess Learner Performance There are three different ways that this lesson will be assessed.

Prior to assessment, during the monitoring stage, the teacher will make sure that the students are

on track with their learning and assignment. The students will have the teacher look at their

project prior to the presentation to let the students know whether or not they are fulfilling

expectations. Appendix 3 contains all three rubrics to assess the student. They will be evaluated
based on team work skills, the project itself and the presentation of the project. These items

should be constructed with regard to validity, reliability, and practicality.

Conclusion

Enhance Retention and Transfer Once all the projects have been viewed, this would be a great

time to discuss what the students had learned. Discuss new recipes or meals that they saw that

they would like to try at home. Have some of the students put together a meal book full of the

meals that the students showed in their presentations for a little extra credit. Ask them what

theyve learned in regards to what they eat at home and how they can make their meals healthier.

If there is more time, have the students bring in some of the meals that were presented. While

theyre eating, discuss what is healthy about the food, what of the 5 food groups it contains, and

the nutrients that are a part of the food. Make sure to include the parents! As a close to the

lesson/ unit, invite the parents to a potluck thrown by the students! The students can use that as a

way to discuss nutrition with them and the parents can see that maybe there are some changes

they need to bring into the household. At the potluck is where the recipe books could be handed

out. A great lasting motivational ending to a great lesson.

APPENDIX 1
APPENDIX 2
NUTRITIONAL GLOGSTER PROJECT CHECKLIST

Checklist for students.

Research resources given.

Choose 3 recipes
1. Breakfast
2. Lunch
3. Dinner

Dont forget your 2 snacks!

Check for a total of the 5 food groups.
1. Vegetables
2. Fruits
3. Grains
4. Protein foods
5. Dairy

Do you have the correct amount of all the food groups in your day menu?
Add the following nutrition information to each recipe.
1. Calories
2. Carbs
3. Protein
4. Sodium
5. Fat

Alter your recipes to match your daily caloric intake.

Once youve gathered all of your information together, start working on your Glogster.
1. Dont forget to check off this checklist once your Glogster is completed!

www.glogster.com

APPENDIX 3

Day Meals and Nutrition Rubric

CATEGO 0 None
RY 4 Excellent 3 Good 2 Fair 1 Poor
Meals All 3 Meals All 3 meals Not all 3 Not all 3 Not meals
and 2 and 1 snack meals and 1 meals and and no
snacks are are listed. snack is there are no snacks
listed. listed. snacks listed. provided.

Nutrition All Most Some Minimal No facts

al Facts nutritional nutritional nutritional nutritional are
facts for facts for facts for facts for presented.
every meal every meal every meal every meal
and snack and snack and snack and snack
are to are to are to are to
present to present to present to present to
include include include include
calories, calories, calories, calories,
carbohydrat carbohydrat carbohydrat carbohydrate
es, protein, es, protein, es, protein, s, protein,
sodium, and sodium, and sodium, and sodium, and
fat. fat. fat. fat.
Food The day The day The day The day No servings
Groups menu menu menu menu are
includes the includes the includes the includes the presented.
correct correct correct correct
servings servings servings servings from
from every from 4 of the from 3 of 1-2 of the 5
food group 5 food the 5 food food groups
to include groups to groups to to include
vegetables, include include vegetables,
fruits, vegetables, vegetables, fruits,
proteins, fruits, fruits, proteins,
dairy, and proteins, proteins, dairy, and
grains. dairy, and dairy, and grains.
grains. grains.
Healthy There is a There is a There is There is very There is no
Altering mutual mutual some little understand
understandi understandi understandi understandin ing and
ng on how ng on how ng on how g on how nothing is
recipes can recipes can recipes can recipes can reflected.
be altered be altered to be altered to be altered to
to become become become become
healthier healthier but healthier but healthier and
and it is is minimally is minimally is barely
fully reflected in reflected in reflected in
reflected in the group's the group's the group's
the group's recipes. recipes. recipes.
recipes.
 Collaboration Rubric
CATEGORY 4 Excellent 3 Good 2 Fair 1 Poor 0 None
Contributio Routinely Usually Sometimes Rarely Does not
ns provides provides provides provides useful provide ideas.
useful ideas useful ideas useful ideas ideas when
when when when participating in
participating participating participating in the group and
in the group in the group the group and in classroom
and in and in in classroom discussion.
classroom classroom discussion. May refuse to
discussion. A discussion. A Just does what participate.
definite strong group is required.
leader who member who
contributes a tries hard!
lot of effort.
Problem- Actively looks Refines Does not Rarely tries to Does not help
solving for and solutions suggest or solve problems at all.
suggests suggested refine or help others
solutions to by others. solutions, but solve
problems. is willing to try problems. Lets
out solutions others do the
suggested by work.
others.
Attitude Never is Rarely is Occasionally is Often is Is completely
publicly publicly publicly critical publicly critical inappropriate.
critical of the critical of the of the project of the project
project or the project or or the work of or the work of
work of the work of other other members
others. others. Often members of of the group.
Always has a has a the group. Often has a
positive positive Usually has a negative
attitude attitude positive attitude about
about the about the attitude about the task(s).
task(s). task(s). the task(s).
Focus on Consistently Focuses on Focuses on the Rarely focuses Isn't at all
the task stays focused the task and task and what on the task focused.
on the task what needs needs to be and what
and what to be done done some of needs to be
needs to be most of the the time. done. Lets
done. Very time. Other Other group others do the
self-directed. group members must work.
members pester to keep
can count on this person on
this person. task.
Working Almost Usually Often listens Rarely listens Doesn't listen
with always listens listens to, to, shares to, shares with, or share at all.
Others to, shares shares, with, with, and and supports
with, and and supports supports the the efforts of
supports the the efforts of efforts of others. Often is
efforts of others. Does others, but not a good
others. not cause sometimes is team player.
"waves" in not a good
the group. team member.

Multimedia Rubric
CATEGORY 4 3 2 1
Visual Makes excellent Makes good use Makes use of Use of font,
Presentation use of font, of font, color, font, color, color, graphics,
color, graphics, graphics, graphics, effects etc. but
effects, etc. to effects, etc. to effects, etc. but these often
enhance the enhance the occasionally distract from
presentation. presentation. these detract the
from the presentation
presentation content.
content.
Organization Content is well Uses headings Content is There was no
organized using or bulleted lists logically clear or logical
headings or to organize, but organized for organizational
bulleted lists to the overall the most part. structure.
group related organization of
material. topics appears
flawed.
Workload The workload is The workload is The workload The workload
divided and divided and was divided, was not divided
shared equally shared fairly by but one person OR several
by all team all team in the group is people in the
members. members, viewed as not group are
though doing his/her viewed as not
workloads may fair share of the doing their fair
vary from work. share of the
person to work.
person.
Oral Interesting, Relatively Delivery not Delivery not
Presentation well-rehearsed interesting, smooth, but smooth and
with smooth rehearsed with able to hold audience
delivery that a fairly smooth audience attention lost.
holds audience delivery that attention most
attention. usually holds of the time.
audience
attention.
 References Students Students Students Students did
included all included most included very not include any
references of references of few references references of
recipes, videos, recipes, videos, of recipes, recipes, videos,
and all other and all other videos, and all or any other
multimedia in multimedia in other multimedia in
their Glog. their Glog. multimedia in their Glog.
their Glog.

References

"BlastOff_Online." BlastOff_Online. USDA, 27 Feb. 2014. Web. 25 Feb. 2014.

"Build a meal game for kids- Have fun creating balanced meals virtual food game, choose

healthy foods for meals and snacks." Blog RSS. Nourish Interactive, Inc., 2008. Web.

25 Feb. 2015.

DoItOnaDime. "The BEST Eggplant Parmesan." YouTube. YouTube, 27 Oct. 2012. Web. 28 Feb.

2015.

MasterCook. Vers. 14. San Marino: Individual Software, 1992. Computer software.

"One Glog, Full Story." Glogster: Create and Explore Educational Content Online. N.p., 2007.

Web. 23 Feb. 2015.

Excellent, Laura! I really enjoyed reading your lesson design. I particularly liked the infusion of technology and creativity, which are
so important with the age group.
Kate Sprague 6 May 2015