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Name of Activity:
Pedometer Calorie Counter Game
Purpose of Activity:
The purpose of this activity is to get kids to start thinking about the food and calories that they put in their bodies and how much work it takes to burn those excess calories.Prerequisites:
Students will need to know how to find nutrition information on food labels. They will need to know how to find the serving size and the calories per serving. They will also need to know how to enter their weight into a pedometer and how to read their calorie count on a pedometer.Suggested Grade Level:
3-5Materials Needed:
One pedometer per student (or 1 for every 2 students if needed), at least one food label per student, and equipment for activity (balls, ropes, hoops, etc.). Optional: a scale.Description of Idea
Start the lesson by reviewing a food label with the kids so that they remember how to find the serving size and the calories per serving. Next, explain that they are going to have the opportunity to pick a food label out of a food that they would like to eat or one that they have eaten or plan to eat that day. Show them how to put their weight into their pedometers. Have a scale out if they would like to weigh to see what their exact weight is, but they can estimate if they don't want to weigh. This can also be done with pedometers that don't have the weight option and we just skip that part and set the pedometer on the calorie count mode. The kids still get the general concept of the lesson.
Once they have entered their weight and set their pedometers on the calorie count mode, they are then free to pick out their label. Once they have their label and have found the information about serving sizes and calories per serving, they are free to pick the activities of their choice and get to work on burning those calories. The challenge is to try to burn the number of calories in one serving of the food that they chose before class is over. This activity is really eye opening for some students who didn't realize how hard it is to burn calories and the number of calories that some of their favorite foods contain. At the end of the lesson discuss whether or not their choice was a healthy one, and if not, we discuss what foods may have been a better choice. Also, talk about the fact that if we choose to put those extra calories in our bodies, we are going to have to work hard to burn them.
Assessment Ideas:
You could create a written test or journal assignment that incorporates the concepts learned in this activity.
Adaptations for Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities are still able to take part in this activity, you may need to attach the pedometer to some other body part and you will need activities that are adapted for them so that they can be active and burn calories as well.

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