My Pyramid WebQuest

It isn't easy to eat healthy meals and snacks in today's world of fast-food restaurants, high calorie foods such as frozen prepared foods, confectionery and pre packaged foods. Government studies show that more and more Americans are not eating healthy and are becoming overweight or obese. Even young children are weighing more than ever before. Children who put on excess weight often eat an unhealthy diet and do not participate in daily physical activity of 30 minutes or more. In fact, one in four American children are becoming overweight or obese. According to the American Obesity Association, about 28 percent of U.S. men, 34 percent of U.S. women, and 15 percent of children and adolescents are considered obese.

Most of you have probably heard about the Food Guide Pyramid designed in 1992. Your health classes have been based on that pyramid. The USDA has provided us with a new My Pyramid with a whole new look and interaction web site in 2005. The new pyramid is intended to help everyone understand how and why Americans today are not living healthy lifestyles.

You will need to glance over the food diaries. Offer help if students seem to have difficulty listing everything they eat and drink during a day. Be careful not to embarrass any student if he/she lists too much or too little. This is a personal diary.

After students use the My Pyramid web site to study the new pyramid. Discuss and answer any questions students have to make sure they understand how to use each food area. Return the personal My Weekly Food Diaries for individual evaluation.

Have students individually list the foods they like best. Ask volunteers to list some of the foods they like. Then see if they can identify which area the food fits in My Pyramid. Make sure students understand how to identify those areas.

Now have students use their favorite foods and other foods to create menus and snacks for 7 days. Encourage students to use a variety of foods to complete the food diary. Suggest that they create menus they would want to eat. Your students might enjoy comparing their lists to the Ten of the Best and Worst Foods Kids Love.

Students may want to try to follow the 7 day food diary. If they decide to use them, be sure parents know about the diaries and give permission for students to try to follow their diaries. The parents especially need to agree to purchase foods so students are able to follow their weekly diary.

Food Timelines is an interesting history of some of the favorite foods kids love to eat. This site gives students the opportunity to practice reading and understanding timelines.

National Education Standards

Language Arts (Evaluating Data)

Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g. print and non print texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suite their purpose and audience.

Language Arts (Applying Language Skills)

Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information.

Technology

Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences.

Students use technology to locate, evaluate and collect information from a variety of sources.

Students use technology tools to process data and report results.

Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks.

Students use technology resources for solving problems and making informed decisions.

Students employ technology in the development of strategies for solving problems in the real world.

This page was developed by Barbara Irwin, reviewed by Lyndon and Barbara Irwin and is maintained by Missouri Farm Bureau.

Please address questions to Diane Olson at Missouri Farm Bureau or Dr. Lyndon Irwin at Missouri State University.

Competency	7 pts.	5 pts.	2 pts.	0 pts.
Weekly Food Diary	Includes and/or answers all the areas of the Food Diary with reasonable answers.	Includes and/or answers most of the areas of the Food Diary with reasonable answers.	Includes and/or answers few areas of the Food Diary with reasonable answers.	No attempt at including answers in any areas of the Food Diary with reasonable answers.
Self Evaluation of Food Diary	Answers completely and with insight all areas of what is right and what is wrong.	Answers most areas and with insight what is right and what is wrong.	Answers few areas without insight of what is right and what is wrong.	Not attempt at answering what is right and what is wrong.
Group Response and Final Food Diary	Cooperative and offers a goodly amount of important information--all is timely and relevant.	Mostly cooperative and offers a moderate amount of important information--most is relevant.	Little cooperation and offers a fair amount of important information--little is relevant.	No attempt to cooperate or offer relevant information.