Help teaching ideas?

zeebre12

For my 3rd/4th class I have decided that for the next few weeks that I am going to focus on the theme of 'healthy living' where I would do some yoga/meditation with the children, have a fun run, teach them about healthy eating, set up a 'healthy eating cafe' in the classroom where they can make their own healthy sandwiches. Does anyone else have any other ideas I could use in the classroom? Thanks

Crazyteacher

I'd definitely start by teaching them a proper hand washing technique if they'll be making their own sanswhiches. Where will they be preparing these? Another teacher was telling me they made smoothies in her class.

man_no_plan

zeebre12 wrote: »

For my 3rd/4th class I have decided that for the next few weeks that I am going to focus on the theme of 'healthy living' where I would do some yoga/meditation with the children, have a fun run, teach them about healthy eating, set up a 'healthy eating cafe' in the classroom where they can make their own healthy sandwiches. Does anyone else have any other ideas I could use in the classroom? Thanks

You need to define healthy eating. The way they're doing it with my kids is driving me mental, sweets are a treat, chocolate is bad, don't mention bread! It seems food is the new guilt trip now that we're over original sin. Then they give the kids sweets on Friday if they've been 'good'. Food is a necessity to live not a reward.

Yoga and meditation are great ideas and are more important than the eating thing to imo. If kids are happy in themselves they mightn't turn to food for comfort.

Its a minefield really. I deal with too many teenagers who are starving themselves to look a certain way.

I'm not getting at you OP, its the social pressure on kids, its the schools must tackle the obesity epidemic.

Interesting short article on the hallowed BMI. http://www.cutthewaist.com/bmi.html

Unless you're doing the shopping for them every week and cooking their meals you're fighting an uphill battle. Then there's the supermarkets whose special offers consist of rubbish at affordable prices while decent food is expensive.

Moderation has to be the key, the good v bad just sets up negative attitudes to food. Your body needs a balanced diet, even fat, imagine!!

happywithlife

Show them innovative ways to exercise inside - useful during the wet winter days. My children (similar age bracket to what you're talking about) put the timer on the iPad and run around the kitchen island for 10 mins or do skipping (watch out for light fittings - mine do in the hallway), use chairs to do squats lunges etc stretches, all sorts of stuff
In the age of screens ask them to come up alternatives they actually enjoy - maybe do a show and tell of relaxing hobbies
Make homemade lemonade - i did it with a class last year and they were horrified at how much sugar goes into it and it wasn't even that sweet. I didn't even realise when I was planning it myself but it was a great secondary benefit to the lesson.
Do a sleep survey - I'm always horrified by the lack of sleep some children get.