LESSON PLANS - LANGUAGE ARTS

The Write Chef: A Lesson in Recipe Writing

Duration: 40 - 50 minutes

Objective: Students will be able to write for a purpose. They will be able to write a recipe, and demonstrate the necessity of the scientific method.

Materials:
1 loaf of bread
1 jar of peanut butter
1 jar of jelly
1 knife
recipes

Key Questions:
" Why is it important to put directions in sequential order?"
" How does a recipe format help a user?"

Procedure: 
1. The teacher shares recipes of common items with the students and discusses the format.

2. Upon completion, the teacher shows the class an already made peanut butter and jelly sandwich and proposes the question, "How do we make this?"

3. The teacher selects an individual to make a pb&j sandwich. 

4. While that student is making that sandwich, the others are writing step-by-step each thing she does. 

5. When she is finished making the sandwich, another student is selected to make a sandwich STRICTLY following the steps they wrote. Students will quickly see how important it is to have detailed directions in the correct order. 

6. Revisit the recipes the teacher brought in to share. Discuss the standard layout most recipes follow. Now, have students must turn their steps into a recipe following a recipe format. 

Assessment: For homework, have students make their own healthy snack and write a recipe for it.

Standards:
Language Arts: 3.1.12, 3.1.16, 3.2.7, 3.3.3, 3.3.15, 3.4.3
Math: 4.1.6, 4.11.1, 4.14.5, 4.14.9
Science: 5.1.2, 5.2.8

Getting the Word Out: Writing a PSA

Duration: 40 - 50 minutes, with additional time needed for assessment

Objective: Students will be able to write a public service announcement.

Materials:
Samples of Public Service announcements (e.g. television, radio, print)

Key Questions:
"What is the purpose of a PSA?"
"What similarities will you find in all PSAs?"

Procedure:
1. Introduce the lesson by sharing the samples of public service announcements with the students.

2. Discuss with the students the similarities, purpose and goals of these announcements.

3. After the discussion, explain to the students that together, they will create a sample PSA on the chalkboard.  The PSA should be focused on encouraging their peers to eat a healthy breakfast each morning.  When finished, discuss the results.

Assessment:
Students will need to brainstorm their own topic for a PSA promoting some level of healthy eating.  Once they have a topic, students will write their own PSA.

NOTE: You can carry this as far as you wish.  You may choose to have your students record their PSA.  They may even want to add music or sound effects.  You may choose to have your students work independently or in groups.  Make arrangements to have the PSA's read during your school's morning announcements.

Standards:
Cross Content Standards:  3.11, 4.3, 4.10, 4.11.
Language Arts: 3.1.14, 3.1.15, 3.1.18, 3.2.8, 3.3.8, 3.3.10, 3.3.11, 3.3.12, 3.3.14, 3.4.18, 3.4.19, 3.5.11, 3.5.14, 3.5.15.
Science:  5.1.4.
Social Studies:  6.7.10.

The Choice Challenge: Keeping a Food Journal

Duration: Ongoing

Objective: Students will maintain a daily record of food they eat and organize the intake into the groups of the food pyramid.

Materials: 
Student Journal
Food Pyramid Chart
Student Worksheet

Key Questions: 
"Do I make wise nutritional choices?"
"Do I consume an adequate amount of foods from each food group in the food pyramid?"

Procedure: 
1. In their journals, students will maintain a daily food chart (student worksheet).  Students will also be expected to answer key questions posed by the teacher.  This should take approximately 10 minutes each day.  NOTE: Teachers may want to have the students spend time free writing in their journals. 

2. After one week of recording, students will tally their food groups. NOTE: Class would need to complete the "Quantity and Quality" lesson before they tally. 

3. Students will create individual graphs depicting their food intake after the week of journaling.

Assessment: Using the students weekly total intakes, the class will average the choices on a bar or circle graph and will determine the nutritional value of their choices.

Standards:
Cross Content:  3.7, 3.12, 4.10.
Language Arts:  3.2.7, 3.3.3, 3.3.14, 3.5.8.
Mathematics:  4.1.6, 4.1.8, 4.1.12, 4.3.2, 4.4.2, 4.11.6, 4.12.1, 4.12.3, 4.12.9.
Science:  5.2.1, 5.2.4, 5.2.8, 5.5.4.
Social Studies:  6.6.4.

EXTENSION LESSON
Making Them Believe: Writing A Persuasive Paragraph

Duration: Ongoing

Objective: Students will be able to write a persuasive paragraph. 

Materials: 
1 drinking glass 
1 can of soda (minute maid orange, Coca-Cola, pepsi. etc.)
3 chicken bones
student journals

Key Questions: 
"What do you think a can of soda does to the inside of your body?"
"What effect does soda have on your teeth?"

Procedure: 
1. Teacher will fill a glass with soda.

2. Place chicken bones into the glass of soda.

3. Leave undisturbed for several days.

4. In their journals, students will observe effects of soda on chicken bones.

5. The class will discuss those effects as it relates to the body.

6. Students will write a persuasive paragraph as to why or why not one should drink soda.

7.  Students share their paragraphs with classmates.

Assessment: Teacher will evaluate the paragraphs. 
 

This project has been developed by teachers from Public Schools No. 8 and 18 in Paterson, New Jersey in conjunction with CIESE at Stevens Institute of Technology, Bank Street College, and Saint Peter's College with support through an Eisenhower Professional Development Program that is administered by the New Jersey State Department of Education.