Classroom Activities
Nutrient Scavenger Hunt
2-4 Players
Objective:
Have students read labels on different drinks to compare nutrient content and assess their own current nutrient intake from beverages.
Materials Needed:
- Juice "drink" box
- Soft drink bottle
- Milk carton
- Nutrient Scavenger worksheet (Click here to download)
Method:
- Calcium and Vitamin D are both necessary for building strong bones. If kids get enough calcium when they are young, they'll have a better chance of avoiding the bone-thinning disease, osteoporosis.
- This activity can be extended to both math and science. For a math activity, invite students to track their beverage consumption as a class and calculate the percentage of students who meet their daily calcium requirements. Can they make a connection between beverage consumption and meeting the requirements? As a science activity students can explore bone health and osteoporosis prevention.
- To continue the learning experience, click here to order a "Free Think Your Drink" reproducible master. "Think Your Drink" features nutrient bar graphs of eight popular beverages, making it easy for your students to read the nutrient pluses and minuses of their favorite drinks.
Recommended Calcium Amounts:
- Children ages 1 to 3 - 500mg (three Milk Group servings/day)
- Children ages 4 to 8 - 800 mg (three Milk Group servings/day)
- Teens ages 9 to 8 - 1,300mg (four Milk Group servings/day)
Courtesy of New England Dairy and Food Council