Upper elementary is a critical time for students to understand and practice healthy eating habits since they are making more decisions on their own each day. This seven-lesson nutrition program aligns to education standards, uses a proven behavior-change model and helps students develop healthy eating habits that will help them succeed in the classroom and beyond!
Teachers love Nutrition Pathfinders because:
(free in California)
Nutrition programs are free to California teachers and available for a nominal cost for teachers from other states.
Access Teaching Resources
In addition to aligning to education standards, Nutrition Pathfinders underwent rigorous field testing with teachers and students to ensure that students gained knowledge and exhibited positive behavior change.
Read the summary evaluation report or the full report.
Nutrition Pathfinders includes the following components. Reorder student workbooks each year but use the supporting materials year-to-year.
Nutrition Pathfinders aligns to the following educational standards:
Teachers love that our nutrition curriculum works so well in the classroom. The nutrition lesson plans for fourth grade have undergone rigorous field testing to evaluate student outcomes. This process helps us to refine the lessons until they become teacher-friendly, fun for students and effective.
Here is what teachers are saying about these fourth grade nutrition lesson plans.
I use the program before state testing along with a sleep project to encourage my students to eat right and get plenty of rest. I am thrilled when students come back and tell me about reading labels at home and at the market, and their surprise as to an actual serving size.
Today a student in class told me that her mom put in six cookies in her lunch and she only ate two. I commended her on making the right decision. They are learning that each student has a choice in what they eat. I also notice they are much more aware of the importance of exercise in their lives.
It amazed me that this year’s 4th graders didn't know what food groups some foods went into like lettuce. They also weren't aware of portion sizes. I hesitated ordering the program this year thinking I wouldn't have time, but the information that is in the Nutrition Pathfinders is definitely worth finding the time to teach it to the students.
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Healthyeating.org is brought to you by Dairy Council of California. The mission of this website is to educate on issues of nutrition and healthy eating. For instance, our calcium calculator helps people decide how much of the recommended daily allowance of calcium they need (and are getting); our 'healthy eating quiz’ is a nutrition test and assessment tool or online nutrition app useful for parents and teachers interested in nutrition and health. Our free nutrition lesson plans help teachers from kindergarten to high school teach nutrition and healthy eating. And, of course, our milk nutrition and dairy nutrition facts offer information on topics such as milk and bone health and the health benefits of probiotics. While you're here, enjoy tips, online games, and quizzes to help get kids to eat healthy includingkid-friendly recipes!