Lesson Plan
Nutrient Detectives Lesson Plan
Students will identify the five main food categories and their key nutrients by collaborating in a timed, team-based detective game.
Understanding food groups and nutrients empowers students to make healthier eating choices and builds foundational nutrition literacy.
Audience
4th Grade
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Interactive, game-based learning
Materials
Nutrient Category Cards, Food Categories Game Board, Nutrient Detective Answer Sheets, Timer (digital or classroom), and Whiteboard and markers
Prep
Prepare Materials
10 minutes
- Print and cut Nutrient Category Cards and Nutrient Detective Answer Sheets
- Lay out the Food Categories Game Board on a central table or wall display
- Gather a timer and ensure the whiteboard and markers are ready
- Review game rules and answer key to support student questions
Step 1
Warm-Up Discussion
5 minutes
- Write the five food categories on the whiteboard: Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Protein, Dairy
- Ask volunteers to name a favorite food in each category
- Briefly discuss one key nutrient found in each group (e.g., Vitamin C in fruits, calcium in dairy)
Step 2
Game Introduction
5 minutes
- Explain the rules of Nutrient Detectives:
- Students form teams of 3–4
- Each team draws a Nutrient Category Card and has 60 seconds to identify its category and a key nutrient
- Teams record their answers on the Nutrient Detective Answer Sheets
- Correct answers earn detective tokens placed on the Food Categories Game Board
- Demonstrate one sample round as a class
Step 3
Nutrient Detectives Game
15 minutes
- Start the timer and have teams take turns drawing cards and answering
- Circulate to prompt teams, ensure accurate nutrient identification
- Track points by placing tokens on the game board spots for each category
- Encourage teamwork and quick recall under time pressure
Step 4
Consolidation Share-Out
3 minutes
- Invite each team to share one category and nutrient they discovered
- Clarify any misconceptions and celebrate correct matches on the board
Step 5
Cool-Down Reflection
2 minutes
- Ask students to write one new fact they learned about nutrients on a sticky note and post it on the whiteboard
- Collect exit tickets to assess understanding and plan next steps
use Lenny to create lessons.
No credit card needed
Slide Deck
Nutrient Detectives
Join our fun game to learn the 5 main food categories & their key nutrients!
Welcome students and introduce the lesson as a detective mission to discover nutrients. Highlight the fun, team-based approach.
Objectives
• Identify the five main food categories
• Name a key nutrient in each category
• Collaborate in teams to solve nutrient mysteries
Read each objective aloud. Explain that today they will learn, name, and work together to solve nutrient mysteries.
Warm-Up: Food Categories
• Write Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Protein, Dairy on the board
• Ask for a favorite food in each group
• Discuss one key nutrient found in each category
Write the categories on the board. Prompt volunteers for favorite foods and guide the nutrient discussion: Vitamin C, fiber, etc.
How to Play: Nutrient Detectives
• Teams of 3–4 students
• Draw a Nutrient Category Card
• 60 seconds to name its category & key nutrient
• Record answers on Nutrient Detective Answer Sheets
• Earn detective tokens on the Food Categories Game Board for correct answers
Explain the flow clearly and point out where each material is used. Show sample card and how tokens move on the board.
Example Round
Nutrient Category Card: “Salmon”
• Category: Protein
• Key Nutrient: Omega-3 fatty acids
Model one round step by step. Ask a volunteer to read the card, call out category & nutrient, then place a token.
Food Groups & Key Nutrients
• Fruits → Vitamin C
• Vegetables → Dietary Fiber
• Grains → Carbohydrates
• Protein → Protein (muscle growth)
• Dairy → Calcium
Review each group and nutrient. Encourage students to remember these core pairings as they play.
Reflection & Exit Ticket
• Write one new fact you learned on a sticky note
• Post it on the whiteboard
• Hand in your exit ticket as you leave
Explain the reflection step and how exit tickets will be collected. Use their notes to guide future lessons.
Worksheet
Nutrient Category Cards
(Print and cut along the lines. Each card has one food item. Teams will draw a card, then record its category and key nutrient on the Nutrient Detective Answer Sheets.)
Apple
Banana
Grapes
Orange
Broccoli
Carrots
Spinach
Tomato
Rice
Bread
Oatmeal
Pasta
Chicken
Salmon
Eggs
Beans
Milk
Cheese
Yogurt
Cottage Cheese
Worksheet
Nutrient Detective Answer Sheets
Team Name: ____________________________
Date: _________________________________
Instructions: For each round, record the food item you draw, identify its food category and key nutrient, then mark your points earned. You earn 1 point for each correct answer.
| Round | Food Item | Food Category | Key Nutrient | Points Earned |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||
| 2 | ||||
| 3 | ||||
| 4 | ||||
| 5 | ||||
| 6 | ||||
| 7 | ||||
| 8 | ||||
Total Points: __________________ / 8
Game
Food Categories Game Board
Instructions: Place one detective token (e.g., a colored chip or button) on an empty circle each time a team answers correctly for that category. The first team to fill all circles in any one category earns a bonus point!
| Category | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fruits | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ |
| Vegetables | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ |
| Grains | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ |
| Protein | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ |
| Dairy | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ | ◯ |
Tip: Rotate the starting team each round so everyone has a fair chance to fill slots across categories.
Answer Key
Nutrient Game Answer Key
Use this key to check each team’s response. For each food item, follow the two-step reasoning: 1) Identify its food category 2) Name the key nutrient associated with that category.
Fruits
Apple
- Category identification: Apples develop from a flower’s ovary and contain seeds → Fruit.
2. Key nutrient: Fruits are high in Vitamin C (supports immune health).
Banana
- Banana grows on a flowering plant → Fruit.
2. Key nutrient: Vitamin C (with a boost of potassium, but Vitamin C is our core fruit nutrient).
Grapes
- Grapes grow in clusters on vines → Fruit.
2. Key nutrient: Vitamin C.
Orange
- Orange is the fleshy seed-bearing part of a citrus tree flower → Fruit.
2. Key nutrient: Vitamin C (especially high in oranges).
Vegetables
Broccoli
- Broccoli is the edible green plant stalk → Vegetable.
2. Key nutrient: Dietary Fiber (aids digestion).
Carrots
- Carrots are edible root vegetables → Vegetable.
2. Key nutrient: Dietary Fiber.
Spinach
- Spinach is an edible leafy green → Vegetable.
2. Key nutrient: Dietary Fiber.
Tomato
- Tomato is the edible fruit of a garden plant, used as a vegetable → Vegetable category.
2. Key nutrient: Dietary Fiber.
Grains
Rice
- Rice is the seed of a grain plant → Grain.
2. Key nutrient: Carbohydrates (primary energy source).
Bread
- Bread is made from wheat flour (grain) → Grain.
2. Key nutrient: Carbohydrates.
Oatmeal
- Oatmeal comes from processed oats (a cereal grain) → Grain.
2. Key nutrient: Carbohydrates.
Pasta
- Pasta is made from milled wheat → Grain.
2. Key nutrient: Carbohydrates.
Protein
Chicken
- Chicken is lean meat from poultry → Protein.
2. Key nutrient: Protein (essential for muscle growth).
Salmon
- Salmon is fish meat → Protein.
2. Key nutrient: Omega-3 fatty acids (heart-healthy fats).
Eggs
- Eggs are laid by birds and contain protein-rich whites → Protein.
2. Key nutrient: Protein.
Beans
- Beans are seeds of legume plants → Protein.
2. Key nutrient: Protein (also contain fiber).
Dairy
Milk
- Milk is the nutrient-rich fluid from mammals → Dairy.
2. Key nutrient: Calcium (builds strong bones).
Cheese
- Cheese is curdled and pressed milk solids → Dairy.
2. Key nutrient: Calcium.
Yogurt
- Yogurt is cultured milk product → Dairy.
2. Key nutrient: Calcium.
Cottage Cheese
- Cottage cheese is fresh cheese curds → Dairy.
2. Key nutrient: Calcium.
Warm Up
Food Categories Warm-Up
Time: 5 minutes
Today, we’ll kick off by thinking about the five main food categories and the nutrients they provide.
Instructions: For each food category below:
- Write one favorite food you like to eat.
- Name one key nutrient you think that food group gives us.
| Food Category | My Favorite Food | Key Nutrient |
|---|---|---|
| Fruits | ____________________ | _________________________ |
| Vegetables | ____________________ | _________________________ |
| Grains | ____________________ | _________________________ |
| Protein | ____________________ | _________________________ |
| Dairy | ____________________ | _________________________ |
After you finish, we’ll share a few answers and discuss why these nutrients are important for our bodies.
Quiz
Nutrient Detectives Kahoot