You will learn
- Name healthy foods.
- Say why food is important.
- Say that we should eat many different foods.
- Choose healthy snacks.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Food gives us energy to move and learn.
- Fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, fish and eggs are healthy foods.
- We should eat a mix of foods.
- Too many sweets are not healthy.
Words to know
good for the body
having a good mix
a plant food such as spinach or carrot
a sweet food that is bad for teeth in large amounts
1. Discover: The lunch box
Lola opens her lunch box. She has rice, beans, a slice of mango and a boiled egg. Her friend has only sweets. “My lunch gives me energy for the whole day,” says Lola. “Sweets are okay sometimes, but not all the time.”
Think: Why is Lola’s lunch healthy?
2. Understand: Healthy eating
Idea 1: Why we eat
Food gives us energy to run, play and learn. Food also helps our bodies grow and repair themselves. Without food, we feel weak and tired.
Idea 2: Healthy foods
Healthy foods include fruits, vegetables, rice, beans, fish, eggs and milk. Eating a balanced meal gives the body a good mix of what it needs.
Idea 3: Foods to limit
Too much sugar, too many sweets and too many fried snacks are not good for our teeth and bodies. We eat them only a little, and we drink plenty of water.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Healthy lunch
Rice, beans and a mango.
- Rice gives energy.
- Beans help the body grow.
- Mango is a fruit.
Answer: This is a healthy, balanced lunch.
Example 2 (We do it together): Choose a snack
An apple or sweets?
- Which is a fruit? The apple.
- Which is better for the body? The apple.
- Sweets are for sometimes.
Answer: The apple is a healthier snack.
Example 3 (You try): What if there is no food?
A child has not eaten all day.
Show the steps and answer
- The body feels weak.
- It is hard to learn.
- Eat a healthy meal.
Answer: Food gives the body energy to learn and play.
Did you know?
Beans are rich in protein, a body-building food, and are eaten around the world.
Why this matters
Healthy food helps us grow strong, learn well and fight sickness.
4. Explore: Healthy plate
Draw or sort a healthy plate of food.
- Collect pictures of foods.
- Sort into healthy and sometimes foods.
- Draw a plate with four different healthy foods.
- Say why each food is healthy.
Think about it: what did you notice?
What did you notice? A healthy plate has a mix of foods.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- Food gives us ___.
- Rice and beans are ___ food.
- We eat sweets ___.
- We drink clean ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. Why do we eat food?
To get energy and grow.
Question 2. Name a healthy fruit.
Mango, orange or banana.
Question 3. Name a vegetable.
Spinach or carrot.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- Why do we eat food?
- Name a healthy fruit.
- Name a vegetable.
- Are sweets healthy?
- What should we drink?
Level 2: Grow
- Why do we eat a mix of foods?
- Name two healthy foods.
- Why are sweets limited?
Level 3: Stretch
- Plan a healthy lunch.
- Explain why breakfast is important.
- Sort healthy and sometimes foods.
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Science in everyday life
What healthy foods do you eat at home?
Show a sample answer
Rice, beans, fish, fruit and vegetables.
Another one. Tell a family member one thing from this lesson. Use the words you learned.
Show a sample answer
A clear sentence that uses at least one word from Words to know.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: A balanced mix is best.
Fix: Food gives us energy.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can name healthy foods.
- I can say why food is important.
- I can say that we should eat many different foods.
- I can choose healthy snacks.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Food gives us energy to move and learn.
- Fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, fish and eggs are healthy foods.
- We should eat a mix of foods.
- Too many sweets are not healthy.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: Drinking clean water. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Why do we eat food? [2 marks]
- Name three healthy foods. [3 marks]
- Why are sweets limited? [2 marks]
- Plan a healthy lunch. [3 marks]
- What should we drink and why? [2 marks]
Total: 12 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Energy [1]; to grow [1]
- Any three [1 each]
- Harm teeth [1]; not a balanced meal [1]
- A grain [1]; a fruit or vegetable [1]; a body-building food [1]
- Water [1]; it keeps us healthy [1]
Score guide: 11 to 12 = secure. 8 to 10 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 8 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- Why do we eat food?
- Name a healthy fruit.
- Name a vegetable.
- Are sweets healthy?
- What should we drink?
- Why do we eat a mix of foods?
- Name two healthy foods.
- Why are sweets limited?
- Plan a healthy lunch.
- Explain why breakfast is important.
Homework
Draw your lunch plate with four healthy foods. Tell your family why each food is good.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Why do we eat food? | To get energy and grow. | 1 |
| 2. Name a healthy fruit. | Mango, orange or banana. | 1 |
| 3. Name a vegetable. | Spinach or carrot. | 1 |
| 4. Are sweets healthy? | Only a little, sometimes. | 1 |
| 5. What should we drink? | Clean water. | 1 |
| 6. Why do we eat a mix of foods? | The body needs different things. | 1 |
| 7. Name two healthy foods. | Rice and beans, fruit, eggs. | 1 |
| 8. Why are sweets limited? | They harm teeth. | 1 |
| 9. Plan a healthy lunch. | A mix of foods. | 1 |
| 10. Explain why breakfast is important. | Energy for the day. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 To get energy and grow.; 2 Mango, orange or banana.; 3 Spinach or carrot.; 4 Only a little, sometimes.; 5 Clean water.. Level 2: 1 The body needs different things.; 2 Rice and beans, fruit, eggs.; 3 They harm teeth.. Level 3: 1 A mix of foods.; 2 Energy for the day.; 3 A sorted chart..
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Name healthy foods | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Say why food is important | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Say that we should eat many different foods | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Choose healthy snacks | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: “Sweets are the best food.” A balanced mix is best.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Use pictures. Choose a healthy plate.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child learns which foods are healthy and why a balanced diet matters. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Plan a healthy meal together.
- Ask, “Which food gives us energy?”
- Offer fruit as a snack.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: name healthy foods; say why food is important; say that we should eat many different foods; choose healthy snacks.
Prerequisite knowledge. None. Learners should be able to look, listen and talk about what they notice.
Materials. Food pictures, paper plates, crayons and chart paper. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Gather pictures of healthy and sometimes foods. Make a sorting chart.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Show two lunch boxes and ask, “Which is healthier? Why?”
Explanation (10 min). Teach healthy foods and balance.
Guided activity (10 min). Learners sort foods.
Independent activity (10 min). Learners draw a healthy plate.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. Is it healthy? Does it give energy?
Teacher explanation notes. Start with real objects and safe, hands-on observation. Then talk about what was seen, then draw and write. Always say “how do you know?”. Keep to the safety notes, and use local, safe materials.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use real objects and pictures, short sentences and a partner. Let learners point, show or draw instead of writing. Extension. Ask learners to find a new example at home and explain how they know.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. “Sweets are the best food.” A balanced mix is best.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 12-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Use pictures. Choose a healthy plate. Enrichment. Look for one new example near your home or school, draw it and explain it to someone. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Next Generation Science Standards, Cambridge Primary Science and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Research used to shape this lesson. Courseversity Science curriculum, Grade 1 Unit 5, topic 4; Next Generation Science Standards, from molecules to organisms (human body and senses); Cambridge Primary Science Stage 1, humans and animals; IB Primary Years Programme, who we are. These sources informed the lesson.