Linking Food and the Environment (LiFE)

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Choice, Control, & Change (C3) (grades 6, 7, or 8)

Overview
Students first study their own personal food choices, reasons for their choices, and how human biology and our human create environment influence our choices. Then they learn about energy balance in the human body and collect food intake (energy input) and activity (energy output) data on themselves. Next, students learn about how food and activity choices relate to health and explore the reasons why obesity, diabetes, and heart disease are increasing in our society. From here they analyze their own food and activity data and discuss, debate, and defend any changes they would like to make to their own eating and activity. The last unit of this module confirms student understandings of the science connecting food and activity to health. Wrapping up their studies, students confirm their personal health commitments.

Click here for Lesson 15 Keeping the Flow

Driving Question:
Module: How can we use scientific evidence to help us make healthful food and activity choices?

Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Making Science Real, Meaningful, and Successful
Getting Acquainted with LiFE
Materials
Science Standards Matrices

Unit 1: Questioning Our Choices

Driving Question: What influences our food and activity choices?
Lesson 1: As a Matter of Choice
Lesson 2: What we Like
Lesson 3: Our Food Environment
Lesson 4: Research in the Community

Unit 2: Bodies in Motion

Driving Question: How can we make sure that we get the right amount of energy to help our bodies do what we want them to?
Lesson 5: Making the Case
Lesson 6: Inside Calvin
Lesson 7: Burning Up
Lesson 8: Balancing Act
Lesson 9: My Body

Unit 3: Moving Toward Health

Driving Question: How can we use personal data to help us make healthful food and activity choices?
Lesson 10: Energy In
Lesson 11: Energy Out
Lesson 12: Selecting Goal
Lesson 13: How to Do It

Unit 4: Body Science

Driving Question: Why are healthful food and activity choices important for our bodies?
Lesson 14: Keeping it Pumping
Lesson 15: Keeping the Flow
Lesson 16: Fighting Syndrome X
Lesson 17: For the Health of It

Unit 5: Maintaining Competence

Driving Question: How can I maintain my skills as a competent eater and mover?
Lesson 18: Bringing It All Together
Lesson 19: Sharing the Health

Bibliography
Resources
Glossary