Science lesson plan · 2nd grade (Year 3 in England) · 30 minutes
Food groups and a balanced diet
Human body and health
CCSS NGSS.5-PS3-1England: KS1 Y2 Animals, including humansEngland: KS2 Y3 Animals, including humans
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Food groups and a balanced diet.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Body parts and the five senses
Leads to: The digestive system; Nutrients and the jobs they do in your body; Food groups, nutrients and what each one does
Materials: Stopwatches, Body diagrams, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 4 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Body parts and the five senses). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Which body part do you use for tasting honey? (tongue / eyes / ears / nose) → tonguePrompt: Is it about seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting or touching?
- Which of these do you do with your tongue? (smelling a flower / seeing a rainbow / hearing a drum / tasting a lemon) → tasting a lemonPrompt: Act out each one. Which body part are you using?
- Our senses: which statement is true? (Smell helps us taste food. / Only fingers can feel touch. / We hear with our eyes. / Each part of the tongue can only taste one flavour.) → Smell helps us taste food.Prompt: Think about what each body part does.
Hook · 3 min
- Ask everyone to find their pulse, then jump for 30 seconds and find it again.
- Share the objective: Food groups and a balanced diet. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 7 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: Which nutrient is olive oil a good source of?
- Step 1: Butter and oils are mostly fat, a store of energy; we need only small amounts.
- Step 2: So the answer is: fats (stored energy)
- Answer: fats (stored energy)
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 6 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- Which nutrient is fish a good source of? (carbohydrates (for energy) / protein (for growth and repair) / fats (stored energy) / vitamins and minerals (to stay healthy)) → protein (for growth and repair)Prompt: Is it a starchy food, a meat or bean, an oil, or a fruit or vegetable?
- Which plate is the most balanced meal? (only sweets / chips, crisps and cake / only butter / fish, rice and vegetables) → fish, rice and vegetablesPrompt: A balanced meal has foods from several groups.
You do: independent practice · 7 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 3 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- Which plate is the most balanced meal? (fish, rice and vegetables / only butter / chips, crisps and cake / only sweets) → fish, rice and vegetablesPrompt: A balanced meal has foods from several groups.
- Which food is a good source of protein (for growth and repair)? (carrots / eggs / pasta / lard) → eggsPrompt: Think about which group each food belongs to.
Watch out for
- Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
- Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Body parts and the five senses.
- Use concrete materials: stopwatches.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Move on to: The digestive system; Nutrients and the jobs they do in your body; Food groups, nutrients and what each one does.
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-2.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder