1 class periods of 60 minutes each
Social & Civic Responsibility
Following the story Yummers, students will use the food pyramid to evaluate what Emily Pig ate during her walk and find out why her walk made her sick. They will then participate in a walking game.
Students will practice comprehension skills as they make predictions while listening to the story and recall and sequence events. They will understand how a healthy diet and exercise can increase the likelihood of physical and mental wellness.
1. Read aloud the story Yummers and stop for students to make predictions.
2. Upon completing the story have students recall all that Emily ate and assign
students to draw or write a food until you have a record of all that she ate.
Do the same for what Eugene ate.
3. Draw two food pyramids on the board, one for Eugene and one for Emily, and
have students place their food on the pyramids.
4. Conclude that it was not the walk that made Emily sick.
5. Play a walking game. The book Walking Games and Activities contains
many. These are the directions for Pass Back and Walk Forward.
Working with the literature:
Do pyramids independently or in cooperative groups. Act out the story. Stop as you reread to list or draw foods if necessary. Read other books by the author.
Playing the game:
Change members of the group to keep the ability level better distributed. Match the stuffed animal or objects being passed with the time of year, holidays, or seasons. Rename the game accordingly (Pass the Pumpkin). Use plastic food models for the objects being passed since the whole lesson focuses on health. Encourage students to get through as many complete rotations as possible.
The rubric "Why Walk" may be used to assess student learning.
Marshall, James. Yummers. 1973.
Decker, June & Mize, Monica. Walking Games and Activities.2002.