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What's Really Fueling Your Superpower?

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Lesson Plan

Fueling Your Superpower

Students will identify how different foods impact their energy, mood, and academic performance, and develop strategies for making informed food choices.

Understanding the connection between food and well-being empowers students to make healthier choices, leading to improved energy, focus, and overall academic success. This knowledge provides a foundation for lifelong healthy habits.

Audience

Middle School Students

Time

45-60 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, slide presentation, and a debate activity.

Materials

Whiteboard or projector, Nutrition's Daily Impact Slide Deck, Energy Tracker Quick Check Warm-Up, and Power Plate Debate Discussion Guide

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

Step 1

Introduction & Warm-Up

10 minutes

  • Begin by asking students: "What do you think gives you energy?" Allow for a few responses.
    - Introduce the Energy Tracker Quick Check Warm-Up and have students complete it individually.
    - Briefly discuss student responses, connecting them to the idea of food as fuel.

Step 2

Nutrition's Daily Impact Presentation

15 minutes

  • Present the Nutrition's Daily Impact Slide Deck to the class.
    - Facilitate discussion using the prompts provided in the slide deck's teacher notes.
    - Emphasize the connection between macronutrients, micronutrients, and how they affect the body and mind.

Step 3

Power Plate Debate

15-20 minutes

  • Divide students into small groups for the Power Plate Debate Discussion Guide.
    - Provide each group with a debate prompt from the discussion guide.
    - Instruct groups to discuss and prepare arguments for their assigned prompt.
    - Bring the class back together and facilitate a brief debate or sharing of arguments from each group.

Step 4

Wrap-Up & Reflection

5 minutes

  • Conclude by reiterating the main takeaway: making conscious food choices directly impacts their energy, mood, and ability to learn.
    - Encourage students to try one new healthy food choice this week and observe how it makes them feel.
    - Ask students to share one thing they learned about fueling their superpower.
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Slide Deck

What's Fueling Your Superpower?

Your body is like a high-performance machine. What you put into it matters!

Welcome students and introduce the idea of food as fuel. Ask them to think about what they ate for breakfast or their last meal and how it made them feel.

The Big Three: Macronutrients

Carbohydrates:

  • Quick Energy! (Fruits, Grains, Pasta)
  • Think of it as the gas in your car.

Proteins:

  • Building Blocks & Repair! (Meat, Beans, Nuts)
  • Helps your muscles grow strong.

Fats:

  • Long-Lasting Energy & Brain Power! (Avocado, Olive Oil, Fish)
  • Keeps you full and focused.

Explain macronutrients (carbs, proteins, fats) and their primary roles. Give simple, relatable examples for each. Ask: "Can anyone name a food that gives us quick energy? How about long-lasting energy?"

The Tiny이지만 Mighty: Micronutrients

Vitamins & Minerals:

  • Body Boosters! (Fruits, Vegetables, Dairy)
  • Help your body fight off sickness.
  • Keep your bones strong and your eyes sharp.

Why are they important?

  • They help your body work properly!
  • Even small amounts make a HUGE difference.

Introduce micronutrients (vitamins, minerals) and their importance for overall body function, even in small amounts. Emphasize variety in diet. Ask: "Why do you think eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables is good for you?"

Food & Energy: The Ups and Downs

The "Sugar Rush" & "Crash"

  • Sugary snacks give you quick energy, but it doesn't last long.
  • Result: Feeling tired, unfocused, and grumpy.

Steady Energy

  • Whole grains, fruits, and proteins give you steady, lasting energy.
  • Result: Feeling energized, focused, and ready to learn!

Discuss the direct impact of food on energy levels. Contrast refined sugars with whole grains. Ask: "Have you ever felt super energetic after a meal, then crashed later? What kind of food do you think caused that?"

Food, Mood, & Focus

Happy Brain, Happy You!

  • Certain foods help your brain produce "happy chemicals" (like serotonin).
  • Example: Foods rich in Omega-3 (fish, walnuts) are great for brain health.

Steady Blood Sugar, Steady Mood

  • Eating regular, balanced meals helps keep your mood stable.
  • Result: Better concentration, less irritability, and improved learning.

Explain how food influences mood and concentration. Connect healthy fats to brain function and balanced blood sugar to emotional stability. Ask: "How does eating healthy food make you feel mentally?"

Fuel Your Superpower!

You are what you eat!

  • Making smart food choices gives you more energy, improves your mood, and helps you focus.
  • Your body, your choices! You have the power to fuel your best self.

Summarize the key takeaways and reinforce the concept of making conscious food choices. Encourage students to think about their "superpower" and how they can fuel it best. Ask: "What's one small change you could make this week to better fuel your superpower?"

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Warm Up

Energy Tracker Quick Check

Instructions: Briefly answer the following questions to reflect on your energy levels and recent food choices.

  1. On a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being super tired, 5 being full of energy), how do you feel right now?


  2. What did you eat or drink in the last 2-3 hours?





  3. How do you think what you ate/drank is affecting your energy and focus right now?





  4. What is one food that usually makes you feel energized and ready to go?


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Discussion

Power Plate Debate: Fueling Your Arguments!

Instructions: In your small groups, choose one of the debate prompts below. Discuss your assigned prompt, brainstorm arguments for and against the statement, and prepare to share your group's main points with the class.

Debate Prompts:

  1. Statement: "Eating sugary snacks before a big test actually helps you focus better."

    • Discuss: Do you agree or disagree? What evidence supports your view? What are the short-term and long-term effects?










  2. Statement: "It doesn't matter what you eat for breakfast, as long as you eat something."

    • Discuss: How important is the type of breakfast you eat? What are the benefits of a balanced breakfast versus a sugary one? How does it impact your morning?










  3. Statement: "Drinking energy drinks is a healthy way for students to get more energy for sports and homework."

    • Discuss: What are energy drinks? Are they different from other sugary drinks? What are the potential benefits and risks for teenagers?










  4. Statement: "Vegetarian and vegan diets are always healthier for growing students than diets that include meat."

    • Discuss: What are the nutritional considerations for different diets? Are there specific nutrients to be mindful of in a plant-based diet? How can all diets be healthy and balanced?










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