NUTRITION

THE QUEST TO BE OUR BEST

VOYAGE

1 of 3

TREK 3 Grade 7

Leading the Way

[as Agents of Change] 

Time Required: 

Three 40-minute sessions

Sample timing:

First Session – Investigate

Second Session – Challenge: Create a 

 Persuasive Campaign

Third Session – Evaluate and Reflect

Supplies: 

Notebooks, pens, pencils, laptops (optional), chart 

paper or poster-board (optional); Student Printable:

Spread the Word: Write a Healthy Motto. 

Standards:*

Students will...

English Language Arts

•	Present claims and findings, emphasizing

salient points in a focused, coherent manner 

with pertinent descriptions, facts, details, and 

examples. (7.SL.4)

•	 Include multimedia components and visual

displays in presentations to clarify claims and

findings and emphasize salient points. (7.SL.5)

•	Write arguments to support claims with clear

reasons and relevant evidence. (7.W.1)

Math

•	Understand that statistics can be used to gain

information about a population by examining a

sample of the population. (7.SP.1)

*Sources: Science education standards: National Academy of 

Sciences, Math and English Language Arts education standards: 

Common Core.

Questions for This Trek

Subject Focus: English Language Arts

Lesson Overview:

As teachers, we want to empower our students and enable 

them to make a difference. But middle schoolers often don’t

recognize the impact they can have on the world. In this lesson,

students will see how they can effect change by using the

survey results generated in Trek 2: Field Correspondents to 

make a plan to increase healthy eating at their school, and then

present that plan to school leaders. (Students who have not

completed Trek 2 can begin by creating their own survey.)

By the end of the lesson, students will have created their own

healthy living campaigns, and ideally will have seen results of

their campaigns in action.

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to...

•	 Explain how the school environment can influence healthy or

unhealthy eating.

•	Develop strategies for overcoming barriers to achieving a

healthier diet.

•	Advocate for healthy and appealing food choices at school.

•	 Educate family and peers about choosing healthy foods.

•	 Explain positive outcomes from choosing healthy foods.

1.	 What are the most and least favorite

foods at our school? Do students eat

enough fruits, vegetables, and whole

grains?

2.	 Does my school offer fruits, vegetables,

and whole grains in the cafeteria, 

vending machines, and school store?

Nutrition Voyage — The Quest To Be Our Best: Grade 7 Nutrition Voyage — The Quest To Be Our Best: Grade 7 http://teamnutrition.usda.gov http://teamnutrition.usda.gov

U.S. Department of Agriculture • Food and Nutrition Service • July 2012 • FNS-438-C • USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
TREK3 Grade 7 Leading the Way [as Agents of Change] / 2 of 3

Instructional Steps

1 Investigate

1. What are the most and least favorite foods at our 

school? Do students eat enough fruits, vegetables, 

and whole grains? Begin by reviewing why it is

important to eat fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. (If

you completed Trek 2: Field Correspondents, you may

skip to step #4.)

2. Does my school offer fruits, vegetables, and whole 

grains in the cafeteria, vending machines, and 

school store? Revisit your discussion of nutrient-dense

foods from Trek 1: The Path to Fruits and Veggies. If 

you did not complete Trek 1, discuss with students how

some foods and beverages are nutrient-dense. They

provide many nutrients per serving but contain relatively

few calories. All vegetables, fruits, whole grains, seafood,

eggs, beans and peas, unsalted nuts and seeds, fatfree/low-fat milk and dairy products, and lean meats

and poultry (when prepared without solid fats or added

sugars) are nutrient-dense foods. 

	 Explain that some foods and beverages contain extra 

calories from added sugars and solid fats. Foods high 

in added sugars and solid fats provide many calories,

but few, if any, essential nutrients (for example, vitamins,

minerals, or proteins). Solid fats and added sugars add 

extra calories to foods and beverages such as sodas,

energy drinks, sports drinks, candies, cookies, and ice

cream. 

So, the most important thing to remember is that 

nutrient-dense foods provide your body with the nutrients

it needs to grow and stay healthy without too many extra

calories.

3. Table Talk – School Survey. Next, invite students

to create a survey that will uncover classmates’

favorite foods, as well as how often students eat fruits,

vegetables, and whole grains. (Utilize the survey in Trek 2

“as is,” or use it to inspire your own.) The survey may be

conducted in person or distributed via email, blog, Web

site, or by hand. If distributing surveys, let respondents

know how, and by when, their surveys will be collected.

For example, participants can email them, print them out,

or fill them in by hand. Decide on a method beforehand

that will make it most convenient for your class and the

survey participants.

	 Ask whether students chose any fruits, vegetables, whole

grains, protein foods, and fat-free or low-fat dairy foods

as their favorites. See http://www.choosemyplate.gov

for examples of these foods. How often are students

choosing fruits and vegetables and whole grains (such as

whole-wheat breads and cereals, popcorn, and oatmeal) 

at school? Do students choose milk as a drink at school?

What are some reasons beyond taste (for example,

packaging, cost, convenience, time) that people choose

the foods they do?

4. Does my school offer fruits, vegetables, and whole 

grains in the cafeteria and in vending machines?

	 Ask students to inventory the food sources at your school

(for example: the cafeteria, vending machines, school

store). What options do these sources offer? How does

this analysis compare to the survey results? Are students

choosing less healthy options because those are what

is available? What’s the access to healthy food, and is it

presented in appealing ways? You might have students

conduct additional research by interviewing food service

staff or those responsible for vending machine selections.

Continue

U.S. Department of Agriculture • Food and Nutrition Service • July 2012 • FNS-438-C • USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Nutrition Voyage — The Quest To Be Our Best: Grade 7 http://teamnutrition.usda.gov
TREK3 Grade 7 Leading the Way [as Agents of Change] / 3 of 3

2 Challenge: Create a Persuasive Campaign 

5. Challenge small groups to brainstorm healthy changes.

	 Remind them to refer to survey results and conduct further

research, if needed. Each group should identify specific

foods they want to see more of, and why, as well as ways

to increase the amount of whole grains, low-fat dairy, fruits,

and vegetables students eat (both school- and student-led

solutions). Have the groups present their ideas to the class. 

6. Create a campaign for the school community. 

Have students use the Student Printable, Spread the 

Word: Write a Healthy Motto, to help jump-start their

campaigns. Then, challenge students to turn their mottos 

into a chant, rap, song, jingle, or some other form of creative

communication. You might share samples of existing songs

or videos designed to promote healthy eating (for example:

the videos available at http://fruitsandveggies.challenge.

gov). Share students’ work online or have them perform for

other groups of students and school leaders. Choose the

best ideas to form the basis of a healthy living campaign to

share with the entire school.

3 Evaluate

7. Analyze. After sharing students’ work,

discuss the reaction it received from

students and from school leaders. Do 

students think their presentation was 

effective? Why or why not? Encourage

students to brainstorm next steps.

8. Have students reflect in their journals about

their campaign. Ask them to consider:

•	Did they inspire change?

•	What improvements were made?

What barriers still exist?

•	Do they have any ideas for what they

can do next?

•	 How will the campaign influence their own

eating decisions?

4 Ref lect

End of Trek

Extension Ideas

•	 Have students meet with school leaders and food service staff to discuss

changes that can be made in the cafeteria, school store, and vending machines.

•	Make a Web video to inspire change beyond the school.

•	Read about other schools that have made a change. Start a school-to-school

communication campaign, sharing stories, ideas, challenges, and successes.

•	 Invite chefs and registered dietitians to visit the school and share healthy recipes.

U.S. Department of Agriculture • Food and Nutrition Service • July 2012 • FNS-438-C • USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Nutrition Voyage — The Quest To Be Our Best: Grade 7 http://teamnutrition.usda.gov
NUTRITION

THE QUEST TO BE OUR BEST

VOYAGE TREK3 Grade 7

Spread the Word: 

Write a Healthy Motto

How can YOU inspire change? 

Use what you’ve learned about eating well to create a catchy motto that will motivate your friends, family, teachers,

school leaders, and others in your community to embark on their own healthy expedition and do their best by choosing

nutritious foods. Cut out the word cards below to use as inspiration. Arrange and rearrange them until you discover a

powerful slogan. Use your own words, too—write them on the blank cards.

For example: “Eat Fruits and Veggies, Be Active, Love Your Life!”

Fruits Feel Live Delicious Life

Vegetables Best Champion Energy Be

Whole Grains Strong Winner Powerful Discover

Low-Fat Dairy Healthy Love Eat Balanced

Lean Protein Inspire Active Do Food

Conf ident Choice Cook Smart Fun

Colorful Energized Action Voyage Trek

 Write your ideas

Use your motto to create a chant, haiku, song,

rap, or jingle to help spread the word even

further! Film or perform your routine to share

with your classmates, teachers, and school

leaders. Post it to your class blog or Web site,

 or share with a local media station.