Nutrient Tally

Overview

Using the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s “Nutrient Database,” the students will compete to predict which vegetables or fruits grown in the school garden contain the highest levels of specific nutrients, graph the results and research the value of those nutrients to their growth and health.

Objectives

Students will:

1. Identify and quantify their nutritional needs using the electronic calculator indicated.
2. Define what various nutrients are, what they are needed for and identify the sources of the nutrients.
3. Use the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s “Nutrient Database” to determine how much of specific nutrients are in produce from the school garden.
4. Compete to predict which vegetables or fruits grown in the school garden contain the highest levels of specific nutrients.
5. Graph the results of their findings.
6. Research the value of those nutrients to their growth and health.
7. Describe fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins and make a list of which vitamins fall into each category

Duration

• Introduction: 45 minutes
• Activity One: 45 minutes
• Activity Two: 45 minutes to one hour to research and create posters,  45 minutes to view posters and complete handouts
• Activity Three: one hour
• Activity Four: one hour
• Activity Five: 45 minutes