Grade 9 Healthy Active Living (open)
C: Healthy Living Strand:
C1.1 Explain how active living and healthy eating contribute to a person’s physical health and mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being, and describe the benefits of a holistic approach to health
C2.1: apply their knowledge of basic nutrition principles and healthy eating practices to develop a healthy eating plan
C3.1: analyse the influence of social and environmental factors on food and beverage choices
Key Concepts for Student Learning
- Having a healthy attitude about food and eating means we can think about food, eating and bodies in ways that support our overall health, including our physical, emotional, and social wellbeing.
- Canada’s Food Guide outlines one way of eating. Canada’s Food Guide is a tool that can help you plan meals and snacks that provide nutrients your body needs. Other foods not part of Canada’s Food Guide can also be included based on preference, traditional or cultural foods, etc. Canada’s Food Guide also encourages eating behaviours such as cooking more often, eating with others, and enjoying your food.
- Planning meals and snacks ahead of time can be a helpful way to support you in eating a variety of foods and makes it easier to ensure you eat regularly throughout the day. For example, bringing a reusable water bottle can help to make sure you stay hydrated.
- Food choices are made for various reasons –hunger, culture, mood, tradition, taste, media, peer or social influences or personal health. Healthy eating is different for everyone; there is more than one way of eating that can promote health and wellbeing.
- Food choices are only one part of what influences our health. The social determinants of health (e.g., income, education, racism) impact our food choices and health.
NOTES:
Do not connect/relate body composition/body weight and physical activity or health (as suggested in the teacher prompt for A2.2). Instead, promote an inclusive environment for all bodies. Body size does not determine a person’s health.
Canada’s Food Guide is referenced multiple times throughout the curriculum. The guide outlines one way of eating; healthy eating looks different for everyone.
NOTE: Educators should be aware that Canada’s Food Guide messages and other related resources may not be appropriate for all students including those who are neurodivergent and/or have health, sensory or other exceptional needs that impact their relationship with food and eating. The SMHO Resource on Mental Health Promotion at Schools: Classroom Considerations – Supporting Mental Wellness Amongst Students with Special Education Needs offers tips that can support learning about food and eating at school.
Classroom Activities and Ideas
- Explore Canada's Food Guide
- Canada’s Food Guide website
- Guided discovery of Canada’s Food Guide (Dairy Farmers)
- Canada’s Food Guide website
- Class discussion: Canada’s food guide recommends “enjoying your food” - what does enjoying your food mean? What might the benefits be?
- Critique the food guide as a class, consider how healthy eating looks different for everyone. What foods are missing? Does the food guide represent foods from different cultures? What might be the impact of the foods that are included or not included on people using the food guide?
- Class discussion: Why is planning meals and snacks helpful? What are things you need to consider when planning meals and snacks?
- Activity: Plan out meals and snacks for a day. Consider where you are, what foods are available and what you would need to bring with you. Plan to eat regularly throughout the day. Include a variety of foods, including vegetables and fruit, whole grains and protein foods.
- Class discussion: Brainstorm all of the things that influence our food choices. What are the social determinants of health? How might they influence our food choices? Discuss food apartheids and how they affect food choices.
- Learn about mindful eating:
- Class discussion: Reflect on food traditions from different cultures and how they impact food choices. Discuss the importance of having access to traditional and cultural foods and how this can support overall health.
- Class Discussion: What barriers exist for students to bring foods from their culture to school?
- Resources:
- As a class, brainstorm ways to help address lunch box shaming in schools. What are some ways we can make our school environment more inclusive?
- Project Idea: Students create resources to encourage respectful and inclusive lunch rooms for elementary students. Visit the Healthy Respectful Lunchroom for ideas.
- Resources:
- Class Discussion: Discuss how food is a social justice issue. Why do some people have access to food and others don’t? What is food insecurity? Brainstorm possible solutions for food insecurity.