What were you really eating when you "chomped down" on that last burger & fries?     Does it really matter?  "Yes, I know the news is full of reports that more and more Americans are becoming obese, developing diabetes, heart disease & cancer from our eating habits.   But thats older people.  Ill start eating better someday-----but right now Im too busy."  If this sounds like you,  this web quest is for you. 

During this web quest, you will be asked to investigate nutrients that are in your foods and what these nutrients do for your body. 

Your company is competing for the job of writing and illustrating a booklet  on the nutrients in foods for 4th grade students.  Your companys job is to  prepare brief and accurate information on the main nutrients in foods.   Your are to prepare one page about each nutrient telling about what it does for the body, foods that are very good sources, and health problems related to that nutrient.   You may use drawings, magazine pictures, or clip art. 

Information is to be from the web sites listed.   You will have 3 class periods  to complete your book proposal.

1.  You will be assigned to a team of 3 students.

2.  Each group member is to choose one of these roles:

The Body Builder   You will investigate these nutrients & related questions: 

•  Protein --  What is the difference between complete proteins & incomplete proteins? What foods contain each?
• Carbohydrates --  What are the 3 types of carbohydrates?  Do they all do the same thing?  What are food sources of each?
• Fats --  Why are some fats considered good?  Others bad?  Others ugly?
• Water

The Vitamin Man - You will investigate the following vitamins:

• Vitamin A
•  B-Complex  Thiamine(B1), Riboflavin (B2), Niacin (B3)-  Include these three B vitamins on one page.  What similarities do you see for their functions?  Food sources? 
• Folic Acid
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D, Vitamin E,  & Vitamin K
•  

The Mineral Girl & Illustrator---You will investigate the following minerals:

• Calcium
• Iron
• Iodine
• Then assist other team members finding information & pictures for their pages.
•  

3.  Use these websites to  research your nutrients.  Your should take notes as you work. 

Intelihealth

 

Vita-men -- click Meet the Vita Men & Where to Find Them

 

Nutrition Analysis Tool Verson 2.0 --  You can analyze a single food or a whole days meals.

 

http://navigator.tufts.edu/--  this is a search engine for reliable nutrition web sites.

4.  Make  one page of the booklet  for each nutrient assigned. Be sure to include:

• Name of nutrient 
• The main function of this nutrient in your body.  ( what it does) 
• Foods that are very good sources of this nutrient (at least five). 
• Health problems related to too much or too little of this nutrient.  
• Use drawings or pictures to add interest.  Remember you are writing this booklet for 4th grad students. 
  

This rubric will be used to evaluate your book on nutrients..

CATEGORY	Excellent	Good	Satisfactory	Needs Improvement
Content - Accuracy	All facts in the brochure are accurate.	99-90% of the facts in the brochure are accurate.	89-80% of the facts in the brochure are accurate.	Fewer than 80% of the facts in the brochure are accurate.
Attractiveness & Organization	The brochure has exceptionally attractive formatting and well-organized information.	The brochure has attractive formatting and well-organized information.	The brochure has well-organized information.	The brochure's formatting and organization of material are confusing to the reader.
Writing - Organization	Each section in the brochure has a clear beginning, middle, and end.	Almost all sections of the brochure have a clear beginning, middle and end.	Most sections of the brochure have a clear beginning, middle and end.	Less than half of the sections of the brochure have a clear beginning, middle and end.
Knowledge Gained	All students in the group can accurately answer all questions related to facts in the brochure and to technical processes used to create the brochure.	All students in the group can accurately answer most questions related to facts in the brochure and to technical processes used to create the brochure.	Most students in the group can accurately answer most questions related to facts in the brochure and to technical processes used to create the brochure.	Several students in the group appear to have little knowledge about the facts or technical processes used in the brochure.
Graphics/Pictures	Graphics go well with the text and there is a good mix of text and graphics.	Graphics go well with the text, but there are so many that they distract from the text.	Graphics go well with the text, but there are too few and the brochure seems "text-heavy".	Graphics do not go with the accompanying text or appear to be randomly chosen.

As you develop the book about nutrients for younger students, you are learning the basics for evaluating whether nutrition claims you hear on TV or see in magazines is fact or fiction.
 
 
 

Credits & References
Graphics from:
    http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/kids/nutrition/story3/donut.jpg 
    http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/departments/publishingservices/gr/lunch.gifist 

Rubric prepared using www.rubistar.4teachers.org.