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What’s Your Fruit?

Grades: 
3, 4, 5
Author(s): 
Subjects: 
Health and PE
Social-Emotional Learning
Keywords & Concepts: 
Nutrition
Cooperation
Community
healthy habits
Common Good
Advocacy

Students learn about nutrition for healthy bodies and encourage others to make healthy choices. Students learn about healthy choices by playing a group game. In the end they learn that when everyone is healthy, we are all able to do our best.

Duration 
PrintOne 45-Minute Class Period
Objectives 

The learner will:

  • learn fun facts about fruits.
  • compare healthy vs. unhealthy habits.
  • survey other students about healthy eating habits and needs at school.
Materials 
  • 8.5" x 11 piece of paper for each group (For each small group write in large letters FRUIT on one 8.5” x 11 paper and FICTION on another)
Reflection 

Why is it important for each of you to be healthy? Why is it important for others to be healthy? What can we do to promote good health in our community?

Related Resources 

Instructions

Print

  1. Anticipatory Set:

    Before playing Fruit or Fiction, tell students that fruits are one of the food groups that help us to maintain a healthy body. Ask them to tell what they already know about the health benefits of fruits.

    In this game, students work in teams to answer questions about fruit. If the team determines the statement to be true, they hold up the sign that says “fruit” and if they determine the statement to be false, they hold up the sign that says “fiction.”  Remind them to use their healthy community habits of respect and cooperation to make the game fun for all.

  2. Read each statement, allow groups time to confer and hold up a sign. Keep score of correct responses for each team. Fruit statements:

    1. A tomato is a vegetable. (fiction: technically a fruit because it has seeds)
    2. The peach is the state fruit of Georgia. (fruit/true)
    3. Oranges, apples, lemons and limes are citrus fruits. (fiction: not apples)
    4. Ketchup is a vegetable because it has tomatoes in it. (fiction: not enough to have nutritional value)
    5. Oranges are packed full of vitamin B to help fight colds. (fiction: vitamin C)
    6. Avocados are high in fat and calories and are therefore not good for you. (fiction: they are high in a fat that is healthy in moderation)
    7. New York City is sometimes called the Big Potato. (fiction: big apple)
    8. A nectarine is a variety of peach without the fuzz. (fruit/true: it is a hybrid of peach and plum)
    9. Strawberries are members of the Rose family. (fruit/true)
    10. A well-known saying goes, “An apricot a day keeps the doctor away!” (fiction: it’s an apple)

  3. Determine the winning group and celebrate their healthy knowledge. Ask the following reflection questions:

    • What was the most interesting thing you learned about fruits in this game? (Answers will vary.)
    • Why do you think eating fruit is important? (students may search the Internet for specific benefits)
    • What are your favorite fruits and your favorite ways to eat them? (recipes)
    • What would encourage your friends and family to eat more healthy foods? (Answers will vary.)

  4. Students discuss why it is important to encourage other people to practice good health. Refer to the previous session’s discussion about healthy community.

  5. Students create healthy-living flyers or bookmarks promoting good health to be posted and/or distributed. Healthy messages might include fun slogans, drawings of favorite healthy foods, information about fruits and vegetables, or pictures of fun ways to exercise. Students determine how to share their flyers with others.

Philanthropy Framework

  1. Strand PHIL.I Definitions of Philanthropy
    1. Standard DP 01. Define Philanthropy
      1. Benchmark E.1 Define philanthropy as the giving and sharing of time, talent, or treasure intended for the common good.
    2. Standard DP 02. Roles of Government, Business, and Philanthropy
      1. Benchmark E.2 Explain the difference between wants and needs.
      2. Benchmark E.6 Explain why acting philanthropically is good for the community, state, nation, or world.
  2. Strand PHIL.II Philanthropy and Civil Society
    1. Standard PCS 07. Skills of Civic Engagement
      1. Benchmark E.1 Explore and research issues and present solutions using communication tools.
      2. Benchmark E.2 Discuss an issue affecting the common good in the classroom or school and demonstrate respect and courtesy for differing opinions.
  3. Strand PHIL.III Philanthropy and the Individual
    1. Standard PI 01. Reasons for Individual Philanthropy
      1. Benchmark E.4 Give an example of how citizens act for the common good.