Classroom Activities
The purpose of this unit is to learn about the harmful effect of high salt intake. It is important to see children consume less salt rather than excessive amounts. This unit will begin with building background information on salt. Activities and worksheets will be used to engage students about the issue of salt or sodium. The experiments with salt can encourage students to take steps in establishing healthy eating habits.
Summarizing
Summarizing requires extracting essential information from the text’s main idea and supporting details. It contains the writer’s decision on what to include (what is important in the text), what to eliminate (irrelevant text), how to paraphrase and how to reorganize information. In general, it’s about restating the main idea of the text in as few words as possible to confirm the summary is accurate to its original meaning. Summarizing helps students understand the text.
Day One & Two – Salt History
The lesson will begin with the introduction of salt history. The activity will focus on building the background of salt. Students will be able to authentically construct a short paragraph that includes the main idea and supporting details of the text. Divide students into groups of 4 or 5. Make copies of text features graphic organizer and main idea graphic for each student. Assign reading “A Brief History of Salt,” from TIME. The article’s organization is not formatted with section headings and we are still using the graphic organizer for flexibility. The layout involves three parts. First, students start with the right-hand boxes of the graphic organizer in the top box, titled “Important Ideas.” The student will write down what they think are important ideas using the text features “title.” Students will move below the box “Important Ideas” to the box titled “Important Vocabulary.” As they skim the text, students should notice some vocabulary words will be unfamiliar to them and enter those words. Students will use text features graphic organizer. The importance of using this approach is to spot words and know key words to understand the text section. Reviewing students’ responses in this section will give you a chance to understand what they are thinking and teach words the class had identified as relevant to the text. In the third step, students will fill in the box “Get the Gist” section with ideas on what they think the important text is about. To do so, students should read several paragraphs. Strategic readers scan text features before reading to get the main idea of what they are reading, and then they strategize a plan for their reading based on what they gather from the scan. If the material is unfamiliar, strategic readers will choose to how to read: may want to slow down, read some sections more carefully than others, or read paragraph by paragraph and then focus on understanding the text. The key to using a graphic organizer is to check in with teacher before they begin reading quickly and by doing so, you can assess their readiness to read text – and intervene if they are not ready with the vocabulary words.24 Students should be thinking, discussing, and collaborating with their groups before moving to the next step. This gives some time to correct the group’s misunderstanding and provide input and feedback. Once this graphic organizer is complete, students will use their scan text features notes to write the main idea and three supporting details. Again there will be an opportunity for thinking, discussion, and collaboration on the main idea and three supporting details. Students will be asked to present their results to their group.
Inquiry-Based Learning – Salt and Microscope
Inquiry-based Learning technique will be utilized, much like how scientists organize and use the information they gather to answer questions. Having students make predictions will help develop questions related to their observation and apply what they already know to form a hypothesis. Using observation skills will require the use of different senses to learn about an object and event. Finally students will state their results based on the analysis of the data gathered.
Chemistry of salt – the hands-on activity will focus on the physical properties of salt and its content. Students will investigate by observing substances under magnification and record detailed observations of shape and texture. This lesson comes from Science NetLinks.25 They have a unique way of teaching this section explaining salt’s shape and texture – (kosher, sea, and table salt).
This activity permits students to use simple experimentation methods of prediction, observation, recording data, and concluding the results. Each group will rotate through 4 stations. One group will be examining with the naked eye; a teaspoon of each of the different types of salt (kosher, sea, table salt) will be placed on a black construction paper. The second group will be observing the substances with a hand lens. The third groups will be observing with a microscope. The last group will be observing with an Electron Microscope. Students will compare and contrast the different scope use in each station.
Students will make their predictions at the beginning of each activity. The students are instructed to record data on the experiment worksheet “Salt: Up Close and Personal.” Students will be encouraged to make detailed observations; notes should be descriptive and draw what is being observed. They will be asked to think about what they have seen and try to infer the meaning. To end the activity is by having a group demonstrate their understanding of why something happens, how it behaves or what properties it contains? The groups coming together allows students to pin point their conclusion a lot quicker, so at the completion of each group rotation to the 4 station, they will meet, discuss and collaborate their findings before moving to the next station. Detailed notes should describe geometric shapes and simple description should be discouraged; such as “I see lots of dots.”
Vocabulary words: kosher, sea, salt, microscope, hand lens, slide, coverslip, properties, geometric shapes and figures, colors, description – adjectives.
Review skills: prediction, inference, drawing conclusion, recording data.
Materials
Kosher, sea, table salt
Black construction paper
Hand lens
Microscope
Slide and coverslip
Salt: Up Close and Personal worksheet
Pencil
At completion of the activity, students will return to their seats and reflect on their recorded data. They will use the questions on board to reflect. What are the most interesting difference seen with each magnification? How did the data sheet help you with this activity?
For assessment, look at each record data to see detailed notes on salt, in written form and drawing with as much detail. There should be noticeable differences in notes and drawing from simple to complex record.
Day Three & Four – Periodic Table
Dmitri Mendeleev is credited with developing the first periodic table, in which he arranged the elements by atomic mass. He soon found out that he could better predict the properties of missing elements if he arranged the elements by atomic number. His arrangement was further supported when the periodic table was used to predict the existence of noble gases before they were discovered. Many scientist have contributed to the formation of the periodic table.26
As they have learned about the shape and texture of salt on Day 3 & 4, students will familiarize themselves with the periodic table. For this experiment, make copies of the periodic table for each student, hand them out to the students and instruct them to review the table. Ask what properties are used to classify each element? What do you notice of its organization, name and symbols, atomic numbers, and colors? Explain the atomic number and the number of protons in an atom. The atomic symbol is the letters representing the element, and the atomic mass is the average mass of an element in atomic mass units. Have the students identify the different groups as reactive, metal, metalloid, or nonmetal and locate them on the table. Show examples of a few elements such as neon light, iron nails, a balloon filled with helium, a gold ring, nickel, penny, and sulfur from a rock kit. Divide the class into groups of five, assign each group by element and the student’s assignment is to research their element using the internet (Chromebooks). What are the characteristics of the element? How is it discovered? Draw the element? What is the element used for? What other interesting facts did you learn about the element? Students will create a poster of the element they are researching and present it to the class. An assignment extension is for students to take a poster home and find two or three examples of the elements at home or in their community. Have them take a photo of their example and present it to the class. This activity could take two days.27
Develop vocabulary by discussing the meaning of each word that goes along with the periodic table.
Vocabulary words: atom, molecule, nucleus, proton, neutron, electron, columns, rows, metal, nonmetal, metalloids.
Materials
Periodic Table
Chromebooks
Internet
Color pencils
Poster paper
Neon light, iron nails, a balloon filled with helium, a gold ring, nickel, penny, and sulfur from rock kit.
Science Journal w/questions for research
Day 5 – Salt To Dissolve or Not Dissolve
In this activity, students will investigate and identify some solids that dissolve in water. Students will observe if salt is soluble in water and what happens when things dissolve? In this experiment, students will be using prediction, observation, and conclusion for their results. Divide the students into groups of five and explain they will be mixing some solids with water. Start the lesson activity by developing vocabulary word(s), by writing the word on the board and using the word web format. The Word Web worksheet layout requires the student to predict what dissolve means? Allow for a short discussion by sharing one student’s prediction. Next, define the word and write the definition, parts of speech, syllable, affixes, synonym and antonym. The last entry will be by using the word in a complete sentence. Now they are ready to begin their experiment. Ask students if they know of anything that dissolves in water. While they are sharing their experience, hand out To Dissolve or Not Dissolve worksheet to record their prediction and observation. Students will begin with making the prediction first before mixing. With each group, there will be four clear glasses of water, a tablespoon of sugar, sand, glitter, and salt that they will test. They will begin mixing each solid by putting a teaspoonful and stirring it well. They will observe what happens and record their observation on the worksheet. They will repeat their testing with all solids. As students conduct their experiment, the teacher will monitor or have a conversation with the group about their discoveries. Listen to the groups’ conversations and check their results of the investigation. At the bottom of the handout, students will write what happened to the salt and sugar mixture. This will lead the group into what was going on with their mixture of salt and sugar. Next, students will watch a video “What happens when stuff dissolves?”28 At the end of the video, students will describe what happened using atoms and molecules.
Vocabulary words: atom, molecule, ionic, covalent bond, sodium, chloride, dissolve.
Materials
Sugar, salt, glitter, sand
Four clear cups
4 cups Water
4 Tablespoons
Dissolve or Not Dissolve worksheet
Pencil
Video “What happens when stuff dissolves?”
Day 6 & 7
Sodium in Snack Foods lesson
This activity came to mind when I observed last year’s student body requested snacks to share at class parties and noticed it was packed with high sodium. This was alarming! Of course, this is not the student’s fault. I also noticed at the local convenient stores that the stores stock food items with high sodium or sugar. In 2015, our Diné Nation government imposed taxing on junk food but this law did not make people think twice about purchasing snacks with high sodium or sugar. This contributes to the many Native American children facing high risk factors of chronic diseases.
In this activity, students will distinguish two types of snacking by learning how to read food labels to determine whether the snack is a healthy choice or not and the nutritional importance. It is important to look at the amount of sodium for each food snack and learn about the recommended amounts of sodium they should consume on a daily basis. The approach to this activity is sharing important facts about sodium and its consequences. The activity will use hands-on.
First students will learn “salt” and “sodium” do not mean the same thing. Salt is a crystal-like compound found to be plentiful in nature. As stated before, salt has a chemical name sodium chloride (NaCl). It is used to flavor and preserves food. Whereas, sodium is a mineral and one of the chemical elements found in salt. Surprisingly, most people consume too much salt, and salt contains sodium. Too much sodium can raise blood pressure which is a scary health consequences if not treated.29 According to the Dietary Guidelines for American 2015, the daily recommended sodium intake is below 2,300 mg per day. The average daily intake of sodium for two years and older is about 3,400 mg. Students need to understand their body only needs 1,500 mg per day from food and drinks. Students should understand the reason behind why FDA requires nutrition information about food printed on packages.30 Especially the content has a nutrient claim. The nutritional information of sodium on menu items in restaurants or retail food establishment is necessary. It is also important to inform students that some packaged foods and drinks hide sodium level, especially if the sodium is high. This is true if the food does not taste salty. For this reason, it is important to pay attention to the Nutrition Facts Label. The Nutrition Facts Label makes it known, content of sodium in Percent Daily Value (%DV) in one serving of food. This %DV is based on 100% of the DV for sodium, which is less than 2,400 mg per day. In reality, some packaged foods contain more than one serving. So, the person is consuming double the sodium per serving.31
As they proceed with the activity, students will be required to bring their favorite prepackage snack from home. Hand out copies of an example of a snack’s Nutrition Fact Label. Read the Nutrition Facts Label to demonstrate how much sodium is in the snack. Share important health effects of consuming too much sodium. Share research Figure 1, “Diabetes in Navajo Youth.”32 The research emphasizes that too much salt raises blood pressure; not only does it raise blood pressure, but it causes diabetes and other chronic diseases.
Begin the activity by engaging the students with the questions. What is sodium? What is the recommended daily limit for sodium? How much sodium does your body need to function each day? Next, have students look at their snack’s Nutrition Facts Label. Have students write the sodium on their science journal and compare it to the daily serving recommendation of sodium for each day and explain the amount of sodium their body needs to function each day. Tell them to study the numbers and ask what they think about the numbers. Students will discuss in small groups their thoughts and what they can do to reduce the daily sodium consumption. Each student will measure the salt content in mg of their snack and put it in a zip lock snack bag. They will then tape the bag of salt contents to their snack, and tape it to the chart on the board. Finally, students will look at 25 samples and rank the sodium content for each snack.
Day 8, 9, & 10 Cultural Food Experience
An essential part of the Diné Culture is storytelling. This teaching will embrace identity, history, and traditional methods and practices for addressing health lifestyles. Providing presentations about the traditional foods, the preparation of food, and how they are consumed portray people’s way of life and the environment they live in. Inviting a community elder to share their stories about food allows children to demonstrate the need to reclaim traditional diets. Elders are an excellent resource; their stories are about traditional food that is home grown and harvested locally. Lessons like these are important because they cover traditional ways of life; this is a disturbance for most folks because they now consume more processed and store bought foods rather than the organic traditional diet that protected them from certain illnesses which are now widespread among many Diné people today. For this reason, their health has suffered. This activity involves Speaking and Listening. Students will listen with some degree of empathy. Once the presenter shows up, students will sit in a circle on the floor. The presenter will sit on the chair. She will share her expectation of behavior and respect. Once expectation is established, she will introduce herself. The speaker will code switch as she presents – meaning there are some teachings said in Diné language which provides the concept in a meaningful way. At the end of the presentation, there will be some time for questions and discussion. Students will return to their seats and follow a 3-2-1 strategy. Write three things they learn, two things that were interesting, and 1 question.
Frybread “Salt to Taste”
The part of this unit is where the students begin their thinking on the chemistry of cooking. We open the unit up with sharing the Frybread recipe and introducing all the ingredients: Bluebird flour, salt, baking powder, and warm water. The experimental techniques are observing, recording, and drawing a conclusion. Students will learn about the sense of taste and explain using descriptive words. When students are using their taste sense, their tongue is experiencing sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and savory on all parts of their tongue. When they smell, students are using their mouth and nose. Now we will divide the class into two groups of 14 students. One group will make the dough by mixing all the ingredients and the other group will make the dough without adding salt. One student will volunteer to mix and knead the ingredients into a soft dough. In the meantime, other members of the group should be observing – taking notes and sketching. Once the dough is mixed, it will be set aside for the dough to set. In the meantime, students will be asked what food they had for breakfast and the different tastes.
Vocabulary words
Taste, smell, sweet, bitter, sour, and savory
Materials
Bluebird Flour, baking powder, salt, 2 glasses of warm water, 2 mixing bowls, measuring cups, teaspoon, 2 pans, 2 hot plates, large vegetable, paper plates, 2 aprons, four small paper cups, cube lemons, salt, sugar, 2 dark chocolate candy.
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