Science lesson plan · 6th grade (Year 7 in England) · 60 minutes
Food groups, nutrients and what each one does
Human body and health
CCSS NGSS.MS-LS1-7England: KS3 Biology: Nutrition and digestion
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Food groups, nutrients and what each one does.
- 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: Food groups and a balanced diet
Leads to: Digestive enzymes and the molecules they make; Test foods for starch, sugar, protein and fat
Materials: Stopwatches, Body diagrams, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 6 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Food groups and a balanced diet). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- 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 / fish, rice and vegetables / only butter / chips, crisps and cake) → 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 / fish / olive oil / rice) → fishPrompt: Think about which group each food belongs to.
Hook · 6 min
- Ask everyone to find their pulse, then jump for 30 seconds and find it again.
- Share the objective: Food groups, nutrients and what each one does. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 12 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: Which nutrient group matches this: vitamin C for healthy skin and gums?
- Step 1: Vitamins and minerals are needed in small amounts to stay healthy.
- Step 2: So the answer is: vitamins and minerals
- Answer: vitamins and minerals
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 12 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 group matches this: store energy and keep the body warm? (vitamins and minerals / proteins / fibre (fiber) / lipids (fats and oils)) → lipids (fats and oils)Prompt: Energy, growth, stored energy, small amounts for health, or keeping the gut moving?
- A sandwich contains 23 g of carbohydrate, 9 g of protein and 2 g of fat. Carbohydrate and protein each release 17 kJ per gram; fat releases 37 kJ per gram. How much energy does it provide, in kJ? → 618 kJPrompt: Work out the energy from each nutrient separately.
You do: independent practice · 17 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 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 7 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- A teenager eats lots of white bread and sweets but few vegetables, and has constipation. What should they add? (more sugar / more fat / more fibre (fiber) / more salt) → more fibre (fiber)Prompt: Which nutrient keeps food moving through the gut?
- Which nutrient group matches this: needed for growth and repair of cells? (vitamins and minerals / carbohydrates / fibre (fiber) / proteins) → proteinsPrompt: Energy, growth, stored energy, small amounts for health, or keeping the gut moving?
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: Food groups and a balanced diet.
- 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: Digestive enzymes and the molecules they make; Test foods for starch, sugar, protein and fat.
- 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-6.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder