Lesson 7:

Chef

Challenge

TOTAL TIME REQUIRED: 185 minutes / 3 sessions

Session 1: Getting Started 30 min (Math);

 Activity I “Kitchen Measurements” 

 40 min (Math)

Session 2: Activity II “Taste Your Colors” 

 40 min (English Language Arts)

Session 3: Activity III “Chef Challenge” 

 60 min (Health);

 Reflect 15 min

Key Message:

Taste a tomato, crunch a carrot, or 

savor a sweet potato. With their bright 

colors and flavorful tastes, they’ll steal 

the show!

Subject Connections:

Math, English Language Arts, Health

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to...

• Identify and choose appropriate units

for liquid and dry food ingredients.

• Demonstrate an understanding of unit

relationships (proportion) and fractions.

• Explain the amount of fruits and 

vegetables 5th and 6th graders need 

each day.

• Convert measurements and make

calculations between units of volume

and mass.

Supplies:

• Access to sink with warm, running water 

and soap

• Garden Journals

• Student handouts (pp. 82-84):

1. Kitchen Measurement

2. Chef Challenge

• Dig In! poster – Veggie Rock Stars

Additional Supplies and Preperation: 

See full instructions to the right.

Featured Fruits and Vegetables:

Carrot, Tomato, 

and Sweet Potato (baked)

Cut up and provide enough samples of 

raw carrots and tomatoes for students to 

try in the tasting activity on pp. 49-50, and 

enough to prepare the recipe on p. 84. 

Bake slices of sweet potatoes (discuss with 

school food service) or prepare a second 

variety of raw tomato. Provide water (and 

cups) for students to drink as they taste the 

vegetables.

46 Dig In! • Grades 5-6 • http://teamnutrition.usda.gov

LESSON OVERVIEW:

In this lesson, students will work with kitchen measurements, conversions, 

and calculations. They will use their math knowledge to prepare a recipe 

with red and orange vegetables. Students will discuss the recommended 

amount of fruits and vegetables kids need each day and explore physical 

activity in the garden.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: What tools or equipment do we use to measure liquids

 and solids? What units are used? How do we make conversions between

 units? How many fruits and vegetables do I need each day?

ADDITIONAL SUPPLIES AND PREPARATION:

For Measurement Excercise (for every four to five students)

Dry beans, water (provide 2.5 cups per station), liquid and dry measuring 

cups, measuring spoons, a clear beverage cup with at least an 8-oz 

capacity, a plate, and a bowl. A variety of food and beverage containers 

(for example, dry ingredients – dry beans, canned vegetables, bag of rice; 

liquid ingredients – can of tomato sauce, bottled water, vegetable oil). 

Foods for measuring (optional): bag of baby carrots, bag of salad greens, 

strawberries, sample school lunch portions.

Equipment Needed for Recipe 

Can opener, plates, forks, napkins, plastic gloves, and aprons (for each 

student)

Additional Ingredients for Rainbow Pasta Veggie Salad

Recipe on p. 84 serves 4; adjust as needed: cooked whole-grain 

spiral (rotini) pasta (rinsed and drained), a variety of rinsed vegetables 

(for example, chopped carrots, broccoli florets, green peas, chopped 

tomatoes, seeded and diced red or orange bell peppers, canned 

low-sodium chickpeas), light Italian-style dressing (olive oil and lemon 

juice can be used instead), salt and pepper. Optional: low-fat shredded 

mozzarella cheese, chopped cooked chicken. 

TEACHING PROCEDURE:

GETTING STARTED (30 minutes, Math)

1. Explain that MyPlate provides information on how much people need 

to eat each day from each food group to be healthy and, for kids, to 

grow. Explain that the amounts of each food group people need each 

day depends on their height, weight, gender, age, and physical activity 

level. Ask: How do you think your activity level affects the amount of 

food you need? How might it compare for athletes and nonathletes? 

 
47

Explain that people who are more active need more nutrients than people who LESSON 7

are not active at all. Share with the class that most moderately active 5th- and 

6th-grade students need 11⁄2 cups of fruit and 21⁄2 cups of vegetables each 

day. Does that sound like a lot or a little? Explain that an active 11-year-old girl or 

boy who gets more than 60 minutes of physical activity each day needs more: 

2 cups of fruit and 3 cups of vegetables.

2. How much is a “cup” of vegetables? What does 1 cup of fruit look like? Show

 students the following measurements by using dry beans and water. Place the

 beans on a plate after measuring and the liquid in a clear beverage cup. Explain

 what counts as a cup of fruits and vegetables according to MyPlate.

 • 1 cup vegetables = 1 cup of most raw or cooked vegetables or vegetable

 juice. Two cups of raw leafy greens counts as 1 cup of vegetables.

 • 1 cup fruit = 1 cup of fruit or 100% fruit juice. A half-cup of dried fruit

 counts as 1 cup of fruit.

3. Sometimes it’s hard to know how much a portion is just by looking at it. Give 

 students a better understanding by providing a variety of dry and liquid ingredients 

 to measure. Divide the class into groups of four to five students per measuring station.

 Identify the equipment at each station: dry and liquid measuring cups, a set of

 measuring spoons, scale, plate, bowl, and dry and liquid ingredients (e.g., beans,

 water).

If possible, have students investigate the following (you may also try measuring

 portions from that day’s school lunch, with assistance from school food service):

 • How many baby carrots equal 1 cup? (About 12)

 • How many cups of salad are in the portion you normally would serve 

 yourself? (Answers will vary; remember that 2 cups of salad greens are 

 equivalent to 1 cup of vegetables from the Vegetable Group.) 

 • How many large strawberries equal 1 cup? (About eight) 

How many cups of vegetables are in a portion served for school lunch? Of fruit?

 Encourage students to relate the way 1-cup and 1⁄2-cup portions look on a plate

 to the size of common objects. (For example, 1 cup of vegetables might appear

 like the size of a baseball.)

4. Ask students: What are some ways you could eat 11⁄2 cups of fruit during the

 day? How could you split this amount up into smaller portions at meals and

 snacks? (For example, 1⁄2 cup at breakfast, 1⁄2 cup at lunch, and 1⁄2 cup as an 

 after-school snack.) What portion size of vegetables would you need to eat at

 meals and snacks to total up to 2 1⁄2 cups for the whole day? Remind students

 that one easy way to help ensure that they are getting enough is to make half

 their plate fruits and vegetables at meals. Explain that the MyPlate icon

 serves as a visual reminder to eat more fruits and vegetables at meals. 

5. Ask students to think about why a person might need to use math and 

 measurements when choosing which foods to eat or when preparing a meal 

 in the kitchen. Ask if they have baked or cooked anything. Why is accurate 

 measuring important? Invite students to share their ideas. Explain that proper

 measurement of ingredients ensures that a recipe comes out correctly. (For 

 example, when baking bread, the correct amount of ingredients will make 

 the bread dough rise and taste right.) 

DIG DEEPER!

MORE MATH 

IN THE KITCHEN 

(MATH)

Have students look up the amount 

of sodium and saturated fat in fruits and 

vegetables and compare it to amounts 

in salty snacks, such as chips. Use USDA’s 

SuperTracker Food-a-Pedia to look up 

the nutritional content of various snacks: 

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/

foodapedia.

CALCULATIONS 

IN THE GARDEN 

(MATH)

Extend your students’ 

practice and understanding 

of measurements and volume 

into the garden. There are many ways 

to measure, collect, graph, and 

analyze data, including:

Track the growth rates of 

various plants. Measure how 

the plants grow week by week.

Record the temperature of 

the air and soil in fahrenheit 

and centigrade.

Measure the rainfall 

each week to determine 

the watering schedule.

Calculate the amount 

of fertilizer needed 

per quart and 

per liter of water.

Dig In! • Grades 5-6 • http://teamnutrition.usda.gov 47
LESSON 7 LEARNING ACTIVITIES 

Activity I. Kitchen Measurements (40 minutes, Math)

Prepare: Display a variety of food and beverage containers with labels for 

students to study. (For example, dry ingredients – dry beans, canned 

vegetables, bag of rice; liquid ingredients – can of tomato sauce, bottled 

water, and vegetable oil.)

1. Write the following measurement abbreviations on the board: mL, g, oz, 

Tbsp. Do your students know what the abbreviations stand for? (This step 

will help you assess prior knowledge.) Next, write “volume” and “weight”

on the board. Invite students to try to define each before you explain (see 

sidebar).

2. Distribute the Kitchen Measurement handout (pp. 82-83). Review the 

measurement abbreviations and discuss the differences and 

relationships between the U.S. (a.k.a. standard) and metric system.

3. Have students work in pairs to study the food and beverage containers 

provided. Do food packages include any units of measurement? Have 

them write down in their Garden Journals any units of measurement they 

find, and categorize them by volume or weight.

Show how they can find measurements in at least two places: on the front 

of the package/container (the Net Weight [Net Wt.] of the entire contents in 

ounces and grams); on the back or side of package/container 

(Nutrition Facts label). Ask them to notice any differences between 

the units of measurement of liquid and dry ingredients (see sidebar).

4. Explain that we look at the Net Weight of a food product when 

calculating the ingredients needed in a recipe. For instance, a recipe may 

call for 16 ounces of pasta or require a 15.5-ounce can of beans. 

5. Sometimes, a recipe will use different measurement units. Conversions 

to another unit (for example, cups to milliliters) can be made by multiplying 

or dividing measurements. Ask students to first measure out 1 cup of liquid,

then identify how many milliliters it is (240 mL). Next, give students 20 

minutes to measure the liquid and dry ingredients and complete the math 

problems on their handout using the measurement and conversion chart.

6. As a review, ask students to demonstrate their understanding of this lesson 

by asking: What is the difference between weight and volume? (Weight 

measures the heaviness of an object, and volume measures how much a 

container can hold or how much space an ingredient occupies.) Hold up 

several packages or cans of food used in the lesson, one at a time. Ask: 

What is the weight of this food? What is the volume of this food?

48 Dig In! • Grades 5-6 • http://teamnutrition.usda.gov

ANSWER KEY: 

KITCHEN MEASUREMENT 

HANDOUT

 1. Answers will vary – but 1 cup 

 is roughly the size of a baseball.

 2. Once in a mixing bowl, a dry cup

 may look different (more than 

 a liquid cup) because dry 

 ingredients take up more space. 

 3. 1.5 cups fruit/day = 360 mL (1.5 x 240)

 2.5 cups vegetables/day = 600 mL 

 (2.5 x 240)

 4. 15.5-oz can of beans = 1.9 cups of 

 beans with liquid (15.5 / 8)

 5. 8-oz of cooked pasta = 1 cup

 cooked pasta

 6. 1.5 cups fruit = 24 Tbsp 

 (1.5 x 16)

 7. 2.5 cups = 20-oz (2.5 x 8)

 8. 32-oz = 2 lb (16 x 2)

 9. Answers will vary according to 

package.

10. Answers will vary according to 

package.

11. Answers will vary according to 

package.
49

The Nutrition Facts label: Point out the Nutrition Facts label and have LESSON 7

students note the serving size and servings per package. Explain that people use 

this information to make healthy choices about food. The nutrition information on 

the label is for one serving of the food item. But the whole package of the food 

may contain more than one serving. (For example, a box of crackers might 

contain 30 crackers, but the “serving size” on the Nutrition Facts label is for only 

five crackers.) Explain that if people eat more than the serving size listed on the 

Nutrition Facts label, they are getting more of each nutrient listed on the label, 

which can include saturated fat and sodium (salt). So, if they eat two servings, 

they will be eating double the amount of saturated fat and salt listed on the label.

Sodium: While our bodies need sodium, too much is not good. Sodium (or salt) 

is added to foods for flavor and to preserve it. It’s found in many processed foods 

such as chips, canned soups, lunch meats, and hot dogs.

Saturated Fats: These are types of solid fats that are solid at room temperature.

They are found in foods such as hot dogs, bacon, regular cheese, whole milk, 

cakes, cookies, and other baked goods. Eating too much solid fat is not good 

for our hearts. 

Activity II. Taste Your Colors (40 minutes, English Language Arts)

Prepare: Rinse tomatoes, carrots, and sweet potatoes under cool, running water.

Scrub carrots and sweet potatoes with a vegetable scrub brush. Peel the carrots 

and cut them up into sticks. Cut the tomatoes into small wedges or slices. Peel 

and slice a sweet potato into thin slices, then bake (if possible, ask for assistance 

from a local chef or school food service staff). If you cannot bake sweet potatoes 

to sample, provide two varieties of tomatoes to do a taste comparison (for example, 

a grape tomato versus a Roma tomato). Provide enough samples for each 

student on plates, along with forks and napkins. Provide drinking water in cups 

for students to sip between tastings.

1. First, have students follow hand-washing procedures (see p. 5). Then,

 provide each student with samples of carrots, tomatoes, and sweet 

 potatoes. Students should note the color, texture, and taste of each

 sample and record their observations in their Garden Journals. Before they

 begin tasting, remind them of the class Tasting Etiquette Guidelines

 (established in Lesson 1) and brainstorm appropriate vocabulary 

 (descriptive adjectives) that will help them with their observations. (For

 example: crunchy, sweet, soft, creamy, hard, tangy, and tender). Have 

 them divide a page, as shown below, using different columns to organize

 their notes. Encourage them to close their eyes and chew slowly to savor

 and observe the taste of each red and orange vegetable.

 Teacher Tip! Display the poster Veggie Rock Stars in a 

 visible location in the classroom. Challenge students to identify the 

 red and orange vegetables in the poster. How many have they tried? 

 Can they identify any dark-green vegetables in this poster?

CARROT Appearance Texture Flavor

TOMATO Appearance Texture Flavor

SWEET POTATO Appearance Texture Flavor

VOLUME

is the amount of threedimensional space something 

occupies, or the amount an 

object can hold. Volume is 

measured in the 

following units:

Metric:

Teaspoon (tsp)

Tablespoon (Tbsp)

Cubic Centimeters/

 Cubic Meters (cc/cm)

Milliliter (mL)

Liter (L)

U.S.: 

Fluid Ounce (fl oz)

Pint (pt)

Quart (qt)

Gallon (gal)

Cup 

Bushel

WEIGHT

is the heaviness, or downward 

force on an object caused 

by gravity. Weight is measured 

in the following units:

Metric:

Grams (g)

Kilograms (kg)

Tonnes

U.S.:

Ounces (oz)

Pounds (lb)

Tons

Dig In! • Grades 5-6 • http://teamnutrition.usda.gov 49

(Note: A list of all vegetables pictured in the 

poster can be found at: http://teamnutrition.

usda.gov/Resources/dig_in.html)
LESSON 7 2. Ask students to share their observations. Have students share a meal 

or snack they have had that has at least one of the featured vegetables:

carrot, tomato, sweet potato. Make a list on the board. Collaborate 

on additional ideas. Discuss preparation. (For example, can it be

baked? Eaten raw? What goes well with it?)

Activity III. Chef Challenge (60 minutes, Health)

 *Allergy Alert! See p. 2 for more information on food safety 

and allergies before starting this food preparation activity. 

Prepare: Read through the Chef Challenge handout (p.84) and assemble 

the supplies and ingredients needed for the Rainbow Veggie Pasta Salad

recipe your class will prepare, working in groups of four students. Cook, 

drain, and chill enough pasta in advance (see sidebar), and have an 

assortment of colorful vegetables chopped up ahead of time. As an 

additional option, provide chopped grilled chicken and low-fat shredded 

cheese. Ask food service staff or parents for assistance.

1. Divide the class into groups of four to five students. Distribute the 

Chef Challenge handout (p.84) with a recipe for Rainbow Veggie

Pasta Salad. Explain that students will work in teams to prepare

the recipe featuring colorful fruits and vegetables of their choosing.

Have students read through all the instructions, and assess their 

stations to make sure they have what they need. Have students 

discuss what colorful vegetables they want to include.

2. Explain that they will first need to note and adjust the yield of the 

recipe to the number of students in their group, according to whether

they are cooking for the entire class or cooking for a smaller group of

students. They will need to also adapt the measurements of the 

ingredients. They should write down their new measurements 

on the handout. 

3. Review the food safety and preparation steps carefully with students

before cooking begins (see pp. 4-5). After they have washed 

their hands and put on aprons and plastic gloves, have them begin the 

preparation of their recipe. Arranging th ingredients in an assembly 

line will make the process easier and allow everyone in the group to

participate. 

Recipe

COOKING PASTA

FOR RAINBOW 

VEGGIE 

PASTA SALAD

Prepare pasta according to package 

directions. Different types of pasta yield 

different amounts.

50 Dig In! • Grades 5-6 • http://teamnutrition.usda.gov

 IMPORTANT FOOD 

 SAFETY STEPS! 

Please see p. 4 for a reproducible 

handout to post in a visible location in 

your classroom. It is important that you 

follow these steps to keep yourself, your 

students, and any parents or volunteers 

safe and healthy. 

Hand Washing:

All persons participating in the food 

preparation activity (teachers, students,

volunteers, parents) should wash hands

before and after preparing, handling, or

sampling foods. 
51

LESSON 7

ACTIVE GARDENING

(PHYSICAL EDUCATION)

Just as there are recommended daily 

servings of fruits and vegetables, 

there’s a recommended amount 

of physical activity that kids need 

each day, and that’s at least 60 

minutes – most of which should 

really get your heart beating. 

Everything counts – even short 

bursts of activity throughout 

the day will add up!

GARDEN TEAMS

There are many ways to be active 

in the garden. Have students think 

about and create a list of gardening 

tasks that gets them moving (for 

example, weeding, raking, shoveling, 

watering, pushing a wheelbarrow, 

planting). Assign garden teams 

to a task. Students should spend 

approximately five minutes performing 

each, and then rotate with another 

team so that they are given an 

opportunity to engage in all tasks. 

Host a garden-themed “field day” 

with fun activities like a wheelbarrow 

race, grasshopper jump, or 

water-can relay.

4. When they finish preparing their salad, have students clean up their

 stations, throw away waste or compost the food scraps in the school

 garden’s compost bin, and wash the dishes and all surfaces (including

 utensils and appliances) carefully with hot, soapy water. 

Note: If refrigeration is possible, cover and set aside the completed

 recipes to taste later. If not, save cleanup for after the next step.

5. Celebrate by sharing and eating the prepared pasta salad recipes

 together as a class. Have students wash their hands before eating. 

 Provide each student with a plate and fork and a small sample of each

 dish. Have students write down, either in their Garden Journals or on

 index cards, their thoughts about each recipe dish using the following

 questions:

Recipe:

 • Featured red and orange vegetable:

 • Additional vegetables:

Taste:

 • What do you like about this recipe?

 • Do you have an idea of how it could be improved?

Ask students to share their thoughts with the class. Encourage students 

to say one compliment about each dish, starting with the phrase, “My 

compliments to the chef! Your dish was....”

Note: Make sure to document the process and the final presentations – 

this activity will guarantee some great photos!

REFLECT (15 minutes)

Ask students to reflect in their Garden Journals on the following questions, 

then share with the class for a discussion: Why is it important to eat the 

recommended amounts of fruits and veggies each day? How do the 

different parts of a meal work together? Which red and orange vegetable do 

I eat the most? What surprised me the most about the recipe I made and 

tasted in class?

EXTENSIONS

Cafeteria Scale. Have students interview the school Food Service Director 

to learn how to calculate the amount of a particular fruit or vegetable 

prepared in the cafeteria each day. For instance, how much spinach is 

needed to make salads for the school lunch? How many salads does this 

amount make? How much spinach is in each salad? How does that 

compare to the volume of what the student might prepare at home? 

Students will find the difference in scale astonishing! 

Dig In! • Grades 5-6 • http://teamnutrition.usda.gov 51