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Evaluate Promotional Materials

Evaluate Promotional Materials

TEKS Objective

The student is expected to draw inferences and evaluate accuracy of product claims found in advertisements and labels such as for toys and food.


Essential Understanding

The student knows that information, critical thinking, scientific problem solving, and the contributions of scientists are used in making decisions.

Science Background

Reading Nutrition Labels: American Heart Association (website): Information on how to read and evaluate the components of nutrition label.

Reading Nutrition Labels
American Heart Association, www.heart.org

Bouncing Balls: Exploratorium (website) – Information about why balls bounce and how to test this property.

Bouncing Balls
Exploratorium, www.exploratorium.edu

Signature Lesson

Using Food Labels: BioEd Online (website) - To promote healthful food choices, students learn about, and evaluate the accuracy of food nutritional labels. The activity also includes information about serving sizes and an investigation of the amount of sugar present in common soft drinks.

Using Food Labels
BioEd Online, www.bioedonline.org

Supporting Lessons

Predicting the Behavior of a Bouncing Ball: Science Online (website) – Balls of different types of materials are compared by how high they can bounce.  Students discuss how each ball has certain properties specific to the sport it is made for.

Predicting the Behavior of a Bouncing Ball
Science Online, scienceonline.tki.org.nz

Elaboration Lessons and Extensions

How Much Fat is Hidden in Your Favorite Foods? BioEd Online (PDF) - See page 6 of this informational student booklet for a simple hands-on activity in which students investigate the relative amounts of fat in different products. Compare similar products, such as white and wheat bread, sugar free and regular cookies, etc. Relate results to the information on the food labels. The booklet contains other fun, useful information and activities related to food labels and nutrition.

How Much Fat is Hidden in Your Favorite Foods?
BioEd Online, www.bioedonline.org

Assessment Ideas

Healthy Snacks: BioEd Online (website) - Students use information on food labels to rank sample foods, from most to least healthful. Students then write short essays to explain their rankings. Student pages presented in English and Spanish.

Healthy Snacks
BioEd Online, www.bioedonline.org

Literature Connections

Looking at Labels. Burstein, John (ISBN-13: 978-0778739357)

Food Labels. McCarthy, Rose (ISBN-13: 978-1404216334)

The Mysterious Marching Vegetables. Tharp, B., Dresden, J., Denk, J., Moreno, N. (ISBN-13: 978-1888997378) 

The Mysterious Marching Vegetables.
BioEd Online, www.bioedonline.org

Related Science TEKS

(3.1A) Science Safety
The student is expected to demonstrate safe practices as described in the Texas Safety Standards during classroom and outdoor investigations, including observing a schoolyard habitat.

(3.1B) Recycling/Disposal of Science Materials
The student is expected to make informed choices in the use and conservation of natural resources by recycling or reusing materials such as paper, aluminum cans, and plastics.

(3.2A) Plan and Implement Descriptive Investigation
The student is expected to plan and implement descriptive investigations, including asking and answering questions, making inferences, and selecting and using equipment or technology needed, to solve a specific problem in the natural world.

(3.2B) Collect Data
The student is expected to collect data by observing and measuring using the metric system and recognize differences between observed and measured data.

(3.2C) Graphs, Tables, Charts
The student is expected to construct maps, graphic organizers, simple tables, charts, and bar graphs using tools and current technology to organize, examine, and evaluate measured data.

(3.2D) Analyze Evidence and Explain
The student is expected to analyze and interpret patterns in data to construct reasonable explanations based on evidence from investigations.

(3.2E) Value of Repeated Experiments
The student is expected to demonstrate that repeated investigations may increase the reliability of results.

(3.2F) Communicate Conclusions
The student is expected to communicate valid conclusions supported by data in writing, by drawing pictures, and through verbal discussion.

(3.4A) Tools for Collecting and Analyzing Information
The student is expected to collect, record, and analyze information using tools, including microscopes, cameras, computers, hand lenses, metric rulers, Celsius thermometers, wind vanes, rain gauges, pan balances, graduated cylinders, beakers, spring scales, hot plates, meter sticks, compasses, magnets, collecting nets, notebooks, sound recorders, and Sun, Earth, and Moon system models; timing devices, including clocks and stopwatches; and materials to support observation of habitats of organisms such as terrariums and aquariums.

(3.4B) Safety Equipment
The student is expected to use safety equipment as appropriate, including safety goggles and gloves.

Related Math TEKS

3.13A  The student is expected to collect, organize, record, and display data in pictographs and bar graphs where each picture or cell might represent more than one piece of data.

3.13B  The student is expected to interpret information from pictographs and bar graphs.

Additional Resources

Advertising Claims: Federal Trade Commission (website) - Scroll down to the “Nutrition Emporium” link for an interactive activity in which students investigate advertising claims. In the process, they learn that ads are not always accurate.

Advertising Claims
Federal Trade Commission, www.ftc.gov

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