What’s on Your Plate?

Arlin González

Tier 1

Lesson Plan

Plate Analysis Blueprint

Students will analyze their daily meals to identify key food groups and nutritional imbalances, then propose a healthier modification for one meal.

Building personal nutrition awareness fosters lifelong healthy habits, empowers informed food choices, and reduces future diet-related risks.

Audience

9th Grade

Time

45 minutes

Approach

Hands-on analysis & collaborative discussion

Materials

Nutrition Detective Slides, My Meal Makeover, Pens or Pencils, Blank Paper, and Highlighters

Prep

Material & Tech Setup

10 minutes

Review Nutrition Detective Slides to refresh key points on MyPlate and common teen diet gaps.
Print one copy of My Meal Makeover per student.
Prepare a simple rubric or checklist to assess meal analyses and exit tickets.
Gather pens, pencils, highlighters, and extra blank paper.

Step 1

Warm-Up Discussion

5 minutes

Ask volunteers to share what they ate for breakfast yesterday.
Introduce the USDA MyPlate model and its five food groups.
Pose: “Why does balance matter?”
Differentiation: Provide picture-card examples of foods for EL or struggling learners; offer sentence starters (e.g., “I ate _____ which is a _____ group.”).

Step 2

Slide Presentation

8 minutes

Project Nutrition Detective Slides and walk through each food group and recommended portions.
Highlight common teen diet gaps (low vegetables, high sugars).
Check for understanding by asking quick oral prompts (e.g., “Name one source of whole grains.”).

Step 3

Individual Meal Logging

12 minutes

Distribute My Meal Makeover.
Students record all foods and beverages from one full day, categorizing each under the five MyPlate groups.
Scaffolds: Offer sample filled-in logs for students needing extra support; allow use of mobile photos for visual prompts.

Step 4

Small-Group Analysis

10 minutes

Form groups of 3–4 students.
Compare individual logs and identify common imbalances (e.g., too little protein, few vegetables).
Groups record 1–2 top gaps on blank paper.
Extension: Advanced students suggest micronutrients (vitamins/minerals) to track next.

Step 5

Meal Makeover Proposals

7 minutes

Each student revises one meal from their log to improve balance, swapping or adding foods to cover missing groups.
Encourage creativity: smoothies, wraps, mixed-grain bowls.
Provide an extension prompt: “Design a full day of balanced meals using your makeover strategy.”

Step 6

Wrap-Up & Exit Ticket

3 minutes

Invite 2–3 students to share their makeover idea briefly.
Distribute exit ticket: “Name one change you’ll apply this week and why.”
Collect tickets and use the rubric/checklist to gauge understanding and plan follow-up.

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Slide Deck

Nutrition Detective: Uncovering Balanced Eating

• Understand the USDA MyPlate model
• Learn the five food groups & portion recommendations
• Identify common teen diet gaps
• Prepare to analyze your own meals

Welcome everyone! Introduce yourselves and set the stage: “Today we become Nutrition Detectives and learn to build balanced meals using the USDA MyPlate model.” Briefly review the objectives.

USDA MyPlate Model

• Visual guide divided into five food groups
• Emphasizes balance and portion control
• Fill ½ your plate with fruits & vegetables
• Use the MyPlate graphic as your meal blueprint

Explain that MyPlate is the current nutrition guide from the USDA. Point out each colored section on the graphic as you talk.

Food Group: Fruits & Vegetables

• Provide vitamins, minerals & fiber
• Aim for ½ of your plate each meal
• Examples: apples, spinach, carrots, berries

Discuss why fruits & vegetables matter—vitamins, minerals, fiber, disease prevention. Ask students for examples of their favorite produce.

Food Group: Grains

• Make up ¼ of your plate
• Choose whole grains when possible
• Examples: brown rice, whole-wheat bread, oats

Highlight whole grains for energy and fiber. Contrast whole vs. refined grains and ask for examples they see at home.

Food Group: Protein

• Fill ¼ of your plate
• Supports muscle & cell health
• Examples: chicken, beans, tofu, nuts

Emphasize protein’s role in muscle repair and growth. Include both animal and plant-based sources in your explanation.

Food Group: Dairy

• Aim for 1–2 servings per meal
• Provides calcium & vitamin D
• Examples: milk, yogurt, cheese, fortified soy milk

Explain dairy’s calcium and vitamin D benefits. Mention non-dairy alternatives for lactose intolerance.

Portion Size Visuals

• 1 cup fruits/veggies = your fist
• 1 oz grains/protein = cupped hand or deck of cards
• 1 tbsp oils = tip of your thumb
• Always check nutrition labels for serving sizes

Share simple visual cues to help estimate portions without a scale or measuring cups.

Common Gaps in Teen Diets

• Low vegetable intake
• Excess added sugars & sugary drinks
• Skipping breakfast or meals
• Overreliance on processed foods

Point out typical teen nutrition pitfalls and why recognizing these gaps matters for health.

Check for Understanding

Which MyPlate section should be half your plate?
Name two whole-grain examples.
What visual cue helps you gauge 1 cup?

Engage students with a quick check: have them shout out answers or turn and talk to a partner.

Your Mission: Analyze Your Plate

• Record everything you eat & drink for one day
• Categorize each item under the five MyPlate groups
• Identify imbalances or missing groups
• Get ready to propose your Meal Makeover

Transition to the hands-on phase: “Now it’s your turn to log and analyze your own meals using the next activity.”

Activity

My Meal Makeover

Objective: Log and categorize everything you eat in one day, identify nutritional imbalances, and redesign one meal for better balance.

Part 1: 24-Hour Meal Log

Record each eating occasion and check off which MyPlate food groups apply. Estimate portion sizes as best you can.

Time/Meal	Foods & Beverages	Fruit	Vegetable	Grain	Protein	Dairy	Other/Sugary/Fatty	Portion Notes
Breakfast
AM Snack
Lunch
PM Snack
Dinner
Other (drinks, extras)

Totals: Servings by Food Group

Food Group	Total Servings
Fruits
Vegetables
Grains
Protein
Dairy

Reflection: What patterns or imbalances do you notice in your daily intake?

Part 2: Meal Makeover

Choose one meal from your log above to improve. Use the prompts below.

1. Original Meal:
Describe what you ate/drank.

2. Missing or Underrepresented Food Groups:
List any groups you didn’t include or had too little of.

3. My Balanced Makeover:
Redesign the meal to include all five groups (Fruit, Vegetable, Grain, Protein, Dairy). Be specific!

4. Why This Is Healthier:
Explain how your changes improve balance and benefit your health (nutrients, energy, satiety).

Extension (Optional)

Design a full day of balanced meals using your makeover strategy. Sketch out Breakfast, AM Snack, Lunch, PM Snack, and Dinner with all five food groups.