Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade 2

Lesson Video

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Performance objectives

• Sort foods into 'Go', 'Grow', and 'Glow' groups.
• Explain why breakfast is an important meal.
• Give two reasons why we must drink clean water.
• Choose healthy foods for a lunchbox.
• Describe a balanced meal with one food from each group.

Lesson summary

This lesson introduces Grade 2 learners to the fundamental principles of healthy eating and nutrition. In a country like South Africa, where children come from diverse backgrounds, understanding basic nutrition is vital for their growth, development, and ability to learn. This topic is not just about food; it's about giving our bodies the right fuel to run, play, think, and fight off sickness. We will explore how different foods help us in different ways, why starting the day with a good breakfast is like giving your brain a super-charge, and the life-giving importance of drinking clean water.

Lesson notes

The Three Special Food Groups: Go, Grow, and Glow! Our bodies need different kinds of foods to do different jobs. Think of your body like a superhero team! Each member of the team has a special power. Our food works the same way.

We can put them into three super groups: GO Foods (Energy Givers)

What they do: These foods give us energy to run, jump, play, and even think in class. They are the fuel for our bodies, just like petrol is fuel for a car. Without GO foods, we feel tired and can't concentrate.

Why we need them: They are full of 'carbohydrates', which is a big word for the starches and sugars that our body burns for quick energy. South African

Examples: Maize meal (pap or umphokoqo) Bread (especially brown bread) Rice Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes (ubhatata) Oats and Mabele porridge Pasta GROW Foods (Body Builders)

What they do: These foods help us grow bigger and stronger. They build our muscles, bones, and teeth. They also help to heal our bodies when we get a cut or a scrape.

Why we need them: They are full of 'protein'. Protein is the building block for every part of our body. South African

Examples: Chicken and Meat Fish (like pilchards) Eggs Milk and Amasi (maas) Beans and Lentils Peanut butter GLOW Foods (Body Protectors)

What they do: These foods keep our bodies healthy and protect us from getting sick. They are like a shield against germs. They help our skin to glow and our eyes to see clearly.

Why we need them: They are packed with 'vitamins' and 'minerals'. These are tiny helpers that keep everything inside our bodies working properly. South African

Examples: Fruits: Oranges, bananas, apples, mangoes, grapes.

Vegetables: Spinach (imifino or morogo), carrots, tomatoes, pumpkin, cabbage, onions.

The Most Important Meal: Breakfast! Breakfast means 'breaking the fast'. A 'fast' is a long time without eating. When you are sleeping all night, your body is fasting. When you wake up, your body and your brain need fuel to get started for the day.

Why it's important: Eating breakfast wakes up your brain so you can listen and learn in class. It gives your body the first 'GO' energy of the day for playing during first break. Children who eat a healthy breakfast are often stronger and can concentrate better than those who don't. Examples of a Healthy 'GO' and 'GROW' Breakfast: Oats porridge with milk. Mabele (sorghum) porridge. Brown bread with a boiled egg or peanut butter. Weet-Bix with milk and a sliced banana. Water is Life (Amanzi ayimpilo) Our bodies are made up of a lot of water. We lose water when we sweat, breathe, and go to the toilet. We must put that water back!

Why we need it: It keeps our bodies cool: Especially on hot South African days.

It helps our brain think: A thirsty brain is a tired brain. It helps to clean our bodies from the inside: It flushes out all the bad stuff. It helps food move through our bodies. How much? We should sip clean, safe water all through the day. Don't wait until you are very thirsty. Fizzy drinks and juices with lots of sugar are not a good replacement for water. Guided Practice (With Solutions)

Question 1: The Food Sorting Challenge Look at this list of foods: Banana, Bread, Egg, Carrot, Amasi, Pap. Draw three columns on a page and label them GO, GROW, and GLO

W. Write each food in the correct column.

Worked Solution:

Commentary: We need to think about what each food does for our body. Does it give us energy? Does it help us grow? Or does it protect us from getting sick? | GO (Energy) | GROW (Body Building) | GLOW (Protection) | |-------------|----------------------|-------------------| | Bread | Egg | Banana | | Pap | Amasi | Carrot | Explanation: Bread and Pap are made from grains and give us lots of energy to run and play, so they are GO foods. Egg and Amasi come from animals and are full of protein to build strong muscles, so they are GROW foods. Banana is a fruit and Carrot is a vegetable. They are full of vitamins to keep us healthy and help us 'glow', so they are GLOW foods.

Question 2: Breakfast Power! Sipho says he is too busy to eat breakfast. He just wants to run out and play. In two sentences, tell Sipho why he should eat his breakfast first.

Worked Solution:

Commentary: We need to remember the two main jobs of breakfast: feeding our brain for learning and our body for playing.

Answer: Sipho, you should eat your breakfast so your brain has energy to learn new things in class. It will also give your body 'go' power so you can run faster and play for longer at break time.

Question 3: Design a Healthy Lunchbox Draw a picture of a healthy lunchbox.

You must include: One GO food. One GROW food. One GLOW food. One healthy drink. Label each item.

Worked Solution:

Commentary: The goal is to create a balanced meal that includes something from each food group. We need to pick one item for each category. (Example Drawing Description): A drawing of an open lunchbox containing: A sandwich with brown bread and cheese.