Ready for action?
Resources
Web links
Tangible Resources
fast prototyping materials, map, computers with internet
Preparation
Prepare paperwork for off-site visit if necessary; identify restaurants, kiosk, supermarket, fast-food chains in the area; prepare prototyping materials.
Goals, messages & concepts
Specific goals
- To find out the nutritional value of snack food available in the local community.
- To compare nutritional availability with nutritional needs, and represent the results in a 3D model.
Specific messages
- What is available is not always what your body needs.
- A healthy food option is often more expensive compared to a fast-food option.
Main terms
- health
- nutrition
- research
- graphs
Practices & skills
STEM practices
- Analysing and interpreting data
- Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
- Asking questions and defining problems
- Planning and carrying out investigations
Soft skills
- Teamwork and collaboration
Management skills
- Use of resources
Course of activity
step 1
Working in groups, students will map what is available in their community in terms of food- and snack-related shops/facilities within a 1.5km of their classroom. They will divide areas between groups and highlight facilities on a map.
step 2
Students will then explore their community and make an inventory of ready-made snacks. They will make a list of products that are available and bring this back to the classroom.
step 3
Next, students will research the ingredients and nutritional value of the ready-made snack products on their lists. They can use online calorie counting tools to calculate nutritional values.
step 4
Students will compare the results of their research with the knowledge they gained from meeting with the expert. Using this knowledge, they will investigate if what is available suits their bodies’ needs and present this to their peers in the form of graphs.
step 5
After presenting the graphs they will use fast prototyping materials to represent the graphs more tangibly as 3D models.