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Fueling Your Body

High School, Science

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Description of Unit

In this Science/Health task, high school students will research aspects that make up an overall healthy lifestyle. Students will learn about the importance of nutrition, activity, mental wellness, and sleep in relation to overall health. Students will learn how a negative lifestyle can impact various aspects of life. Independently, students will choose one of the components of wellness and create either a nutrition plan, an exercise regimen, or a presentation on what mental wellness looks like in their life. 

This guide links the Fueling Your Body unit to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for high school students. Fueling Your Body is a science unit that allows students to study how nutrition, exercise, sleep, and mental health affect the body. Fueling Your Body also has interdisciplinary connection to English Language Arts and Reading TEKS. For example, students will gather, synthesize, organize, and present ideas and information. The following document includes the applicable TEKS and the details of the Fueling Your Body unit. The concluding section of this document presents the applicable Texas College and Career Readiness Standards adopted by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THEBC) on January 24, 2008. 

Phase I. Learning Experiences

  1. Introduce the unit by asking students to write down how they feel currently. It could be one word, a phrase, or even a picture. Ask students to reflect on why they feel that way. What contributed to that emotion or feeling? Now ask students how they would like to feel. Happy, healthy, excited, energetic? What might help them reach that goal?
  2. Nutrition: Watch the video, “What’s wrong with what we eat?”.
    • What are some negative consequences of bad nutrition on your health?
    • What are some negative consequences of bad nutrition for your community?
    • What are the main causes of bad nutrition?
    • How can we promote and partake in good nutrition?
    • How have diet fads changed throughout time?
    • How might someone of a different age, weight, or gender require different nutrition?

    3. Read the article, “How Does Healthy Eating Affect Physical, Mental, & Social Health?”.The article talks about metabolism slowing down when nutritional foods are not eaten.

    • What is the difference between complex carbohydrates and simple carbohydrates in relation to the metabolic process?

    Visit the website, choose my plate.Students can explore the website to learn what types of foods to eat and how much of each food to eat. Quizzes, article, body mass index (BMI) calculators as well as other informational tools are available through this website.

    Give students the task of tracking their food and activity using the SuperTracker. Students can create a free profile to save information and get a personalized plan. Based on the results after a week of tracking, ask students the following questions:

    • Based on the results of your meal entries, do you need to make any changes to what you are eating?
    • Was this an easy process?Was anything challenging?
    • Based on the results of your activity entries, do you need to make any changes?
    • How can the SuperTracker help you reach your personal health goals?

    Read the article Food Is the Body's Fuel Source for a better understanding of how the digestive system works:

    • What does it mean for the digestive system to “break down” food?
    • How does this happen in the mouth, stomach, and intestines?
    • How does the food move from the digestive system into the rest of the body?
    • In addition to the structural parts of the digestive system, various chemicals are also at work. Discuss the roles they play in digestion
    • How do healthy foods help digestion?
    • Why do fiber-rich foods like fruits, veggies, and whole grains, as well as drinking lots of water, help digestion?

    Give each student or each group a different part of the digestive system (e.g., mouth, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum) and have them write a brief explanation of what happens to the food in that stage of digestion. Put them all together to create a flow chart of the digestive process.

    Divide students into small groups to talk about how poor nutrition could affect various aspects of their lives (e.g., school, relationships, sports, future).

  3. Activity: visit website https://www.myplate.gov/. Students can explore the website to learn what exercise is, why it is important, how much exercise one needs, different forms of exercise, as well as other informational tools.

    4. Have students read a few of the short articles on fitness, choosing what is of interest to them:

    • What are some benefits of exercise in relation to appearance? Digestion? Overall health? Quality of life?
    • What is your favorite type of activity or exercise? Why?

    Divide students into small groups to talk about how lack of activity could affect various aspects of their lives (e.g., school, relationships, sports, future).

    Have students log their exercise for a week on the teen exercise log:

    • How much exercise did you get a day on average?
    • Did you get at least 60 minutes a day of exercise?
    • Do you think you need to adjust the amount of exercise you get?
     
  4. Mental Wellness: watch the video, “The importance of self-care” http://www.ted.com/playlists/2.... This TED talk highlights the importance of mental wellness or mental hygiene.
    • What are ways that you keep yourself mentally healthy?
    • Why is it important to take as good care of yourself mentally as it is physically?

    Have students read a few articles on a variety of areas to take care of your mind, such as healthy relationships, self-esteem, and emotions:

    • What type of things may hinder or harm your mental wellness?

    Divide students into small groups to talk about how poor mental wellness could affect various aspects of their lives (e.g., school, relationships, sports, future).

  5. Sleep: visit the national sleep foundationwebsiteand read the sleep facts. View the video “How Much Sleep Do You Need”.

    6. Have students keep a diary of their sleep patterns using a sleep diary:

    • Are there any patterns or hindrances that interfere with your sleep?
    • Is your bedroom a sanctuary for sleep?
    • Are there too many distractions?
    • Did your nap interfere with a good night’s sleep?
    • What aspects of your life are affected when you do not get enough sleep?

    Divide students into small groups to talk about how poor sleep habits could affect various aspects of their lives (e.g., school, relationships, sports, future).

Phase II. Independent Research

A. Research process

  1. Select a topic. Depending on interest, students select one of the interrelated topics examined during Phase II of the Fuel Your Body task to explore at a deeper level through independent research. These topics include the following:
    • Nutrition
    • Activity
    • Mental Wellness
  2. Ask guiding questions. Depending on the topic selected, students should develop 3–5 questions to guide their research proposals. Such questions might include:
    • What are the implications of your food choices today and in 40 years from now?
    • What type of diet is best for your body type, physical activity level, age, weight, etc.?
    • How do you determine if a snack is a healthy choice?
    • How do you stick to a diet regimen?
    • What type of exercise do you enjoy the most?
    • How much exercise should someone your height, weight, age, and gender partake in each day?
    • How does exercise benefit you?
    • What if someone has no exercise equipment or gym access?
    • What does it mean to be mentally and emotionally healthy?
    • What factors in your life affect your mental and emotional health?
    • How does your emotional health influence your relationships with others?
    • What effect does stress have on your emotional health?
    • What are strategies to prevent or minimize stress?
    • How can goal-setting strategies influence your mental and emotional health?
    • How does lack of sleep affect your life?
    • What current trends in society may have an impact on your plan?
    • Are there multiple perspectives on what constitutes good nutrition?
    • How has emotional-health research changed over time?
    • Are there unhealthy diet plans and products out there? How do you know if a diet plan or product is healthy?

    B. The product

    Each student will choose to create one of the following and present using multimedia (e.g., PowerPoint, Google slides, video, Adobe PDF):

    • Nutrition plan
    • Exercise regimen
    • Mental wellness plan

    C. Communication

    Each student will present his or her product. The presentation should identify which component of health the product addresses and explain why the product was chosen. Students will identify who the nutrition plan, exercise regimen, or mental wellness plan was created for and will explain the product in detail using some type of multimedia. Each presentation should allow for an impromptu Q&A session. If possible, students should present to a local nutritionist, exercise trainer, or health professional.

    D. A completed project consists of:

    1. The research proposal
    2. Research notes
    3. A multimedia presentation
    4. A bibliography of cited sources

This unit may address the following TEKS.

110.31, English Language Arts and Reading, English I

110.31(b)(1)
Reading/Vocabulary Development. Students understand new vocabulary and use it when reading and writing.
110.31(b)(9)
Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/Expository Text. Students analyze, make inferences and draw conclusions about expository text and provide evidence from text to support their understanding.
110.31(b)(13)
Writing/Writing Process. Students use elements of the writing process (planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing) to compose text.
110.31(b)(15)
Writing/Expository and Procedural Texts. Students write expository and procedural or work-related texts to communicate ideas and information to specific audiences for specific purposes.
110.31(b)(17)
Oral and Written Conventions/Conventions. Students understand the function of and use the conventions of academic language when speaking and writing. Students will continue to apply earlier standards with greater complexity.
110.31(b)(18)
Oral and Written Conventions/Handwriting, Capitalization, and Punctuation. Students write legibly and use appropriate capitalization and punctuation conventions in their compositions.
110.31(b)(20)
Research/Research Plan. Students ask open-ended research questions and develop a plan for answering them.
110.31(b)(21)
Research/Gathering Sources. Students determine, locate, and explore the full range of relevant sources addressing a research question and systematically record the information they gather.
110.31(b)(22)
Research/Synthesizing Information. Students clarify research questions and evaluate and synthesize collected information.
110.31(b)(23)
Research/Organizing and Presenting Ideas. Students organize and present their ideas and information according to the purpose of the research and their audience. Students are expected to synthesize the research into a written or an oral presentation that:
110.31(b)(25)
Listening and Speaking/Speaking. Students speak clearly and to the point, using the conventions of language. Students will continue to apply earlier standards with greater complexity. Students are expected to give presentations using informal, formal, and technical language effectively to meet the needs of audience, purpose, and occasion, employing eye contact, speaking rate (e.g., pauses for effect), volume, enunciation, purposeful gestures, and conventions of language to communicate ideas effectively.
110.31(b)(26)
Listening and Speaking/Teamwork. Students work productively with others in teams. Students will continue to apply earlier standards with greater complexity. Students are expected to participate productively in teams, building on the ideas of others, contributing relevant information, developing a plan for consensus-building, and setting ground rules for decision-making.

112.27., Science, Grade 7, Adopted 2021

112.27(b)(13)
Organisms and environments. The student knows how systems are organized and function to support the health of an organism and how traits are inherited. The student is expected to:

This unit may address the following Texas College and Career Readiness Standards.

Science:

S.I.D.1
Demonstrate literacy in computer use.
S.I.E.2
Use essential vocabulary of the discipline being studied.
S.III.A.1
Use correct applications of writing practices in scientific communication.
S.III.B.1
Read technical and scientific articles to gain understanding of interpretations, apparatuses, techniques or procedures, and data.
S.III.B.3
Recognize scientific and technical vocabulary in the field of study and use this vocabulary to enhance clarity of communication.
S.III.B.4
List, use , and give examples of specific strategies before, during, and after reading to improve comprehension.
S.III.C.1
Prepare and present scientific/technical information in appropriate formats for various audiences.
S.III.D.1
Use search engines, databases, and other digital electronic tools effectively to locate information.
S.III.D.2
Evaluate quality, accuracy, completeness, reliability, and currency of information from any source.
S.IV.B.1
Understand how scientific research and technology have an impact on ethical and legal practices.

Cross-Disciplinary Standards:

CDS.I.A.1
 Engage in scholarly inquiry and dialogue.
CDS.I.A.2
 Accept constructive criticism and revise personal views when valid evidence warrants.
CDS.I.B.1
 Consider arguments and conclusions of self and others.
CDS.I.B.2
 Construct well-reasoned arguments to explain phenomena, validate conjectures, or support positions.
CDS.I.B.3
 Gather evidence to support arguments, findings, or lines of reasoning.
CDS.I.B.4
 Support or modify claims based on the results of an inquiry.
CDS.I.C.1
 Analyze a situation to identify a problem to be solved.
CDS.I.C.2
 Develop and apply multiple strategies to solve a problem.
CDS.I.C.3
 Collect evidence and data systematically and directly relate to solving a problem.
CDS.I.D.1
 Self-monitor learning needs and seek assistance when needed.
CDS.I.D.2
 Use study habits necessary to manage academic pursuits and requirements.
CDS.I.D.3
 Strive for accuracy and precision.
CDS.I.D.4
 Persevere to complete and master tasks.
CDS.I.E.1
 Work independently.
CDS.I.E.2
 Work collaboratively.
CDS.I.F.1
 Attribute ideas and information to source materials and people.
CDS.I.F.2
 Evaluate sources for quality of content, validity, credibility, and relevance.
CDS.I.F.3
 Include the ideas of others and the complexities of the debate, issue, or problem.
CDS.I.F.4
 Understand and adhere to ethical codes of conduct.
CDS.II.A.1
 Use effective prereading strategies.
CDS.II.A.2
 Use a variety of strategies to understand the meanings of new words.
CDS.II.A.3
 Identify the intended purpose and audience of the text.
CDS.II.A.4
 Identify the key information and supporting details.
CDS.II.A.5
 Analyze textual information critically.
CDS.II.A.6
 Annotate, summarize, paraphrase, and outline texts when appropriate.
CDS.II.A.7
 Adapt reading strategies according to structure of texts.
CDS.II.A.8
 Connect reading to historical and current events and personal interest.
CDS.II.B.1
 Write clearly and coherently using standard writing conventions.
CDS.II.B.2
 Write in a variety of forms for various audiences and purposes.
CDS.II.B.3
 Compose and revise drafts.
CDS.II.C.1
 Understand which topics or questions are to be investigated.
CDS.II.C.2
 Explore a research topic.
CDS.II.C.3
 Refine research topic based on preliminary research and devise a timeline for completing work.
CDS.II.C.4
 Evaluate the validity and reliability of sources.
CDS.II.C.5
 Synthesize and organize information effectively.
CDS.II.C.6
 Design and present an effective product.
CDS.II.C.7
 Integrate source material.
CDS.II.C.8
 Present final product.
CDS.II.D.1
 Identify patterns or departures from patterns among data.
CDS.II.D.2
 Use statistical and probabilistic skills necessary for planning an investigation and collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data
CDS.II.D.3
 Present analyzed data and communicate findings in a variety of formats.
CDS.II.E.1
 Use technology to gather information.
CDS.II.E.2
 Use technology to organize, manage, and analyze information.
CDS.II.E.3
 Use technology to communicate and display findings in a clear and coherent manner.
CDS.II.E.4
 Use technology appropriately.

English Language Arts:

ELA.I.A.2
Generate ideas, gather information, and manage evidence relevant to the topic and purpose.
ELA.I.A.1
Determine effective approaches, genres, rhetorical techniques, and media that demonstrate understanding of the writer’s purpose and audience.
ELA.II.B.4
Make inferences about the denotative and connotative meanings of unfamiliar words using context clues.
ELA.II.B.3
Use reference guides to confirm the meanings of new words or concepts.
ELA.II.B.1
Identify new words and concepts acquired through study of their relationships to other words and concepts.
ELA.II.A.2
Use text features to form an overview of content and to locate information.
ELA.V.C.1
Integrate and organize material effectively.
ELA.V.C.3
Follow relevant rules governing attribution.
ELA.V.C.2
Use and attribute source material ethically.
ELA.V.B.3
Assess the relevance and credibility of sources.
ELA.V.B.1
Explore and collect a range of potential sources.
ELA.V.A.1
Articulate and investigate research questions.
ELA.V.A.2
Explore and refine a research topic.
ELA.V.A.3
Devise a plan for completing work on time.
ELA.V.B.2
Distinguish between and among primary and secondary sources.
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