Veggie Vitamins - A lesson plan for 6-8th grade

Veggie Vitamins

A Lesson Plan for Vegetable Nutrition using Wikis

Grades: 6th-8th grade

Subject: Nutrition/Health Science

Duration: Students should be able to complete the project in 2-3 hours. Recommend dividing class time over 3-4 days. This allows for students to do further research (if desired) at home or in the library.

Materials: Computers, internet, instruction sheet

Objectives:

• The student will be able to identify the health benefits of their assigned vegetable.
• The student will understand how to grow and/or purchase their assigned vegetable.
• The student will demonstrate their ability to properly create a wiki online.
• The student will research a vegetable using the internet, textbook or library resources.

Activities/Procedures:
Prerequisite: Prior to teaching this lesson, students should be aware of what a wiki is and how to create one.

1. Create classroom e-mail accounts for each student.
2. Divide the class into pairs. Identify and assign a vegetable to each group to research.
3. Prepare a copy of the instruction sheet for each student. Pass out and have them write down the name of their assigned vegetable and their classroom e-mail address.
4. Read over the instructions with the students and make sure they all understand the assignment.
5. Remind the students they are to work together on the assignment using the internet, their textbook, or any library resource.

Assessment: Students will be graded on the following:

• How well they worked together as a team, each contributing equally.
• The thoroughness of their research and documentation on all required aspects of the vegetable
• The wiki’s design, appearance, and flow.
• How well all instructions were followed when creating the wiki and inviting the teacher to view it.

Technology Resources:

Will need one computer with internet access for each group of students.

Recommended online resources:

• NutritionData, know what you eat - http://www.nutritiondata.com/
• Vegetarians in Paradise - http://www.vegparadise.com/
• Nutrition Explorations - http://www.nutritionexplorations.org/kids/main.asp - sponsored by the National Dairy Council
  

Name:______________________________ Group#___________

Class E-mail:__________________________

Instructions for creating a Vegetable Wiki

Create a wiki using pbwiki.com. Create an anonymous account using the classroom e-mail accounts we created.

• Do not use your real name.
• Do not make it a public wiki.

Your wiki should include the name of your vegetable on the front page with a brief description. Using additional pages (minimum of 2) provide the following information:

• Nutrition, including vitamin content
• Growing conditions
• Where to purchase the vegetable
• At least one photo or clip art of the vegetable
• A page citing all resources
• For 10 bonus points, include a fun or historical fact about the vegetable
  

Here are a few internet resources to get you started.

• NutritionData, know what you eat - http://www.nutritiondata.com/
• Vegetarians in Paradise - http://www.vegparadise.com/
• Nutrition Explorations - http://www.nutritionexplorations.org/kids/main.asp - sponsored by the National Dairy Council

Once the wiki is completed, send me an invitation to view your wiki. My e-mail address is: MsSmith@school.edu.

(Artwork from Microsoft clipart collection)