Skip Navigation
Search

Evaluating Promotional Materials

Evaluating Promotional Materials

TEKS Objective

The student is expected to evaluate the accuracy of the information related to promotional materials for products and services such as nutritional labels.


Essential Understanding

The student uses critical thinking and scientific problem solving to make informed decisions.

Science Background

Labeling and Nutrition: US Food and Drug Administration (website) - Links to the latest FDA food labeling rules and announcements, and to additional sites with information about food labeling and safety.

Labeling and Nutrition
US Food and Drug Administration, www.fda.gov

Food Labels: Sentry Health Monitors (website) - Useful information regarding food labels (including mistakes often made when reading them), serving sizes, language commonly used on labels and more.

Food Labels
Sentry Health Monitors, www.lifeclinic.com

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

How Much Fat is Hidden in Your Favorite Foods? BioEd Online (website) - 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

Sugar Seekers: Learn NC (website) - There are many different types of sugar in the processed foods we eat, especially packaged cereals. This lesson teaches students that the healthiest foods are those that have no added sugar and are rich in dietary fiber.

Sugar Seekers
Learn NC, www.learnnc.org


Consumerism, Food Labeling: Utah Education Network (website) - Students learn the importance of food labels and learn to use information on the labels to make food choices that meet dietary guidelines and promote good health.

Consumerism, Food Labeling
Utah Education Network, www.uen.org

Elaboration Lessons and Extensions

How Clean is Clean? Testing Detergents and Analyzing Product Claims: New York Times (website) - To evaluate the marketing claims on product labels, students analyze the information on labels of popular dish detergents, and then test a variety of laundry detergents, and determine which are most effective.

How Clean is Clean? Testing Detergents and Analyzing Product Claims
New York Times, www.nytimes.com

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

Temperature: Heating Up and Cooling Down. Stille, Darlene (ISBN-13: 978-1404803459)

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: 978-1888997370) http://www.k8science.org/resources/files/Food_Bk_s.pdf

Related Science TEKS

(5.1A) Science Safety
The student is expected to demonstrate safe practices and the use of safety equipment as described in the Texas Safety Standards during classroom and outdoor investigations.

(5.1B) Recycling/Disposal of Science Materials
The student is expected to make informed choices in the conservation, disposal, and recycling of materials.

(5.2A) Design/Conduct Experiment with One Variable
The student is expected describe, plan, and implement simple experimental investigations testing one variable.

(5.2B) Ask Questions, Formulate a Hypothesis
The student is expected to ask well-defined questions, formulate testable hypotheses, and select and use appropriate equipment and technology.

(5.2C) Collect Data
The student is expected to collect information by detailed observations and accurate measuring.

(5.2D) Analyze Evidence and Explain
The student is expected analyze and interpret information to construct reasonable explanations from direct (observable) and indirect (inferred) evidence.

(5.2F) Communicate Conclusions
The student is expected communicate valid conclusions in both written and verbal forms.

(5.2G) Graphs, Tables, Charts
The student is expected construct appropriate simple graphs, tables, maps, and charts using technology, including computers, to organize, examine, and evaluate information.

Related Math TEKS

5.12B    The student is expected to use experimental results to make predictions.
5.14D    The student is expected to use tools such as real objects, manipulatives, and technology to solve problems.
5.15A    The student is expected to explain and record observations using objects, words, pictures, numbers, and technology.
 

Additional Resources

Using Nutrition Labels: US Department of Agriculture (website) - Links to many resources, including handouts, pamphlets and online tools, that can help you create effective lessons about food labels.

Using Nutrition Labels
US Department of Agriculture, www.usda.gov

Close Comments Button

Comments

Post a Comment
Close Comments Button