Biology

Science

Primary

Thinking about the scientific link between health and diet

Food adventurer Stefan Gates gets pupils thinking about the science linking their health and diet by preparing a crispy worm salad, in a video designed for use in Key Stage 2, 3 and 4 science and PSHE lessons. Gastronuts presenter Stefan Gates prepares and eats a salad using crispy worms, jellyfish and giant ants. Stefan makes the point that although people may eat very different foods around the world, they still contain essential nutrients like protein and vitamins. Stefan then explains how some foods are healthier than others, and he wonders if there's ever any reason why certain foods should be banned. This introduction to the idea of choice and restriction of food, and how diet and nutrition are linked to health, can be used to encourage primary and secondary pupils to think about healthy and unhealthy foods and to debate how much control there should be over the food we eat.

Eating Whatever You Like?

A fictional news report for KS2/3/4 announcing a ban on junk food

Use this fictional TV news report, announcing a proposed ban on under 16s eating junk food, to teach Key Stage 2, 3 and 4 PSHE and science lessons on healthy eating and nutrition. During the video, a news anchor explains that the fictional British Institute of Eating Control (BIEC) wants to ban under 16s from eating certain types of food deemed unhealthy, including pizza, chips, burgers and fizzy drinks. A BIEC representative gives reasons for the proposed ban and a reporter canvases the reaction of real people who would be affected if the ban were to be imposed, including a nutritionist, a parent, children, and a school cook. The video fits into a detailed lesson plan for primary and secondary science lessons at Key Stage 2, 3 and 4 and should prompt discussion, based on scientific evidence, about whether there should be any control over the food we eat.

News Report

How to run a good science-related discussion at Key Stage 2

Education consultant Matthew Tosh introduces tips on how to run a good science-related discussion in a Key Stage 2 classroom. The Junk Food Science lessons use a range of discussion-based learning approaches to engage students in structured conversation about food and healthy eating. As well as seeing the Junk Food Science lessons in action with groups of primary pupils, the teachers featured also give their comments on facilitating good discussions.

Running Discussions in a KS2 Class

Discussing the nutritional value of a fictional snack bar

Get Key Stage 2, 3 and 4 pupils thinking about the connections between health and diet with this classroom resource for science and PSHE lessons about whether a fictional snack bar should be banned, licensed or endorsed. A simulated video conference between the marketing executive and the developer of the new 'Fruit Munchy Square' is shown. The characters, played by actors, discuss the ingredients of the fictional snack bar and their marketing approach. There's also a spoof advertisement for the 'Fruit Munchy Square' as well as a video podcast by a representative of the 'Healthy Meals Cooperative', also played by an actor, who criticises the fashion for fast food. The video fits into a detailed lesson plan for primary and secondary science lessons at Key Stage 2, 3 and 4 and should prompt discussion, based on scientific evidence, about the effects of diet on health.

Snack Bar

How one primary school taught the News Report lesson at KS2

A primary school shows how it taught the News Report science and PSHE lesson on junk foods and healthy diets to a Key Stage 2 class, in this video resource for teachers. The News Report lesson encourages pupils to think about the science linking health and diet, can be taught. Science education expert Matthew Tosh provides analysis of how the lesson went. Alison Clough and Claire Caulfield from St Benet's Roman Catholic Primary School, County Durham, team-teach the lesson to Year 5 pupils. The class watch the fictional TV news report in which a proposed ban on the consumption by under 16s of certain foods, such as burgers, chips, fizzy drinks and most types of pizza, is announced. The pupils make notes on the arguments put forward by the different people interviewed in the news report and are asked to consider how they would feel if the ban were to be introduced. There's a lively class discussion which culminates in the pupils voting on whether or not they would support the ban. The video fits into a detailed lesson plan for primary science lessons at Key Stage 2 and should prompt discussion, based on scientific evidence, about the effects of diet on health.

Teaching the KS2 News Report Lesson

A Key Stage 2 role play lesson on the science of health and diet

A primary Key Stage 2 case study of a science lesson using role play based on the Junk Food Science News Report lesson, where pupils discuss about the links between diet and health. The lesson is based around a video of a fictional TV news report, which encourages pupils to think about the science linking health and diet. Teachers, Alison Clough and Claire Caulfield from St Benet's Roman Catholic Primary School, County Durham, team-teach the lesson to Year 5 pupils. Science education expert Matthew Tosh provides analysis of how the lesson went. The pupils watch the TV news report in which a proposed ban for under 16s on the consumption by of certain foods , such as burgers, chips, fizzy drinks and most types of pizza is announced. Challenged with creating their own news report pupils make notes on what they have seen in the video and plan and prepare scripts for their own reports. After rehearsing, pupils video their news reports which are screened to the rest of the class for feedback.

Teaching the KS2 Role Play Lesson

Teaching Key Stage 2 science pupils to think about their diets

Science education expert Matthew Tosh presents a Key Stage 2 science lesson focusing on the importance of a healthy diet, using the Junk Food Science Snack Bar videos and resources. This primary school case study illustrates how the Junk Food Science Snack Bar lesson, which encourages pupils to think about the science linking health and diet, can be taught. Alison Clough and Claire Caulfield from St Benet's Roman Catholic Primary School, County Durham, team-teach the lesson to a group of Year 4 pupils. A lesson plan, video and text-based resource all help encourage the pupils to think about healthy and unhealthy foods. The pupils are asked to take on the role of members of a Scientific Advisory Committee and decide if a new, fictional, snack bar should be banned, licensed or endorsed.

Teaching the KS2 Snack Bar Lesson

Discovering the sugar content in breakfast cereals for KS2/3/4

Food expert Stefan Gates does an explosive experiment to test the levels of sugar in breakfast cereals, in a video for use in Key Stage 2, 3 and 4 science and PSHE lessons looking at the links between diet and health. Gastronuts presenter Stefan is keen to know exactly what's in the food he eats and does an explosive experiment to find out just how much sugar is in two different breakfast cereals. This video introduces the idea of checking what food contains, and is designed for use with primary and secondary pupils. It can be used as part of a lesson discussing whether a fictional snack bar - the 'Fruit Munchy Square' - should be banned, licensed or endorsed by the fictional British Institute of Eating Control. The experiment shown in this video should not be attempted at home, and only carried out under careful and expert adult supervision.

Professional Development for Quality Teaching

Subjects

> Primary Science

> Biology