Running head: UNIT RATIONALE 1

Unit Rationale

Amy Box

Murray State University

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Unit Rationale

There is a significant need for young preschool students to learn about nutrition even if it

is an introduction to general information. Early intervention and exposure to nutrition may be

very beneficial for children around the ages of 3-5 years old so that he/she will learn what foods

will properly nourish the body. The audience for the unit plan is preschool students ages 4 and 5

years old. The lesson will be taught in a classroom setting at Kidz Academy in Hopkinsville,

Kentucky. There are six boys and eight girls totaling to fourteen preschool students. The content

to be taught will be Nutrition. The first lesson plan will be an introduction to MyPlate and what

food items belong to each food group category. The second lesson is Healthy versus Non-

Healthy Foods and how to differentiate between the two based on origin of food and overall

feeling after consumption. The purpose for the third and fourth lesson is to learn new

characteristics of foods and to extend the nutrition vocabulary.

Todays concern in our society is child obesity and diabetes. Its safe to assume that

many families in the United States strive for convenience because its possible that both parents

are working and the luxury of time is nearly nonexistent. So, convenient meals that do not

require a lot of preparation like processed foods and fast foods may be the preferred choice.

These types of foods are also inexpensive and easily accessible. It is important that preschool

teachers are confident in delivering and implementing healthy choices since children with

working mothers are at a higher risk for obesity (Derscheid, Kim, Zittel, Umoren, & Henry,

2014). May it be implied that with more working mothers it equates to more preschoolers

attending child care centers.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there has been a decline of

obesity among children around the ages of 2-5 years old from 13.9% in 2003-2004 to 9.4% in
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2013-2014 (Child Obesity Facts, 2017). While that is an improvement, there is still a need for

early intervention because obese preschool-age children are five times more likely to be

overweight during adolescence and more than four times as likely to be obese adults when

compared to their normal weight counterparts (Natale, et al., 2016, pg. 306). Many other health

concerns like type 2 diabetes, heart and bone related problems, asthma, and certain cancers may

very well be prevented if childhood obesity is addressed and corrected (Natale, Camejo, &

Sanders, 2016, pg. 306). So, according to the research findings mentioned above, obesity

prevention is possible by establishing a new outlook on healthy foods in child care centers for

preschool aged children. At Kidz Academy, the preschool children receive breakfast and lunch

with a meal plan that follow USDA guidelines for it is required of them to do so, according to

Kidz Academy director Eva Akpom (personal communication, October 26, 2017). Furthermore,

while receiving nutritional meals, teaching the preschoolers about nutrition will help positively

reinforce their understanding and reaction to healthy foods.

So, in order to ensure the wellbeing of a young childs future, introducing and

consistently speaking about wholesome nutrition is vital for a healthy life. That is the purpose of

the overall content being taught to preschool students. To achieve the goal and purpose of the

content, the developmental needs of the audience must be met. There will be differentiated

instruction such as multiple intelligences, tapping into interpersonal and intrapersonal learning,

as well as the different learning styles (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic). The national standards

for FACS will also support the purpose for the content being taught. There are three areas of

study from NASAFACS about nutrition, wellness, food science, dietetics, and child development

that will aid in providing proper information and instruction for preschool students to be well-

equipped. Specifically, NASAFACS 9.4.1 states that students will be able to analyze nutritional
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needs of individuals (NASAFACS, 2018). This standard will allow the teacher to help

preschool students understand differences in foods and its quality while promoting a new outlook

for a healthy lifestyle.

All in all, it is absolutely crucial to teach preschool students healthy eating habits so that

they may be well for many years to come. Early childhood is an important period for

developing dietary and physical activity behaviors, and practices of child care facilities can

improve childrens dietary intake, physical activity levels, and energy balance (Natale, R., Page,

M., & Sanders, L. 2014). So, again, having preschool students understand the importance of

nutrition is the goal of the Unit Plan. It will be accomplished by introducing MyPlate, teaching

the difference between healthy and non-healthy foods, and providing exposure to new concepts

and vocabulary to peak interest and excitement to be healthy.

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References

Childhood Obesity Facts. (2017, April 10). Retrieved October, 2017, from

https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html

Derscheid, L. E., Kim, S., Zittel, L. L., Umoren, J., & Henry, B. W. (2014). Teachers self-

efficacy and knowledge of healthy nutrition and physical activity practices for

preschoolers: Instrument development and validation. Journal of Research in Childhood

Education, 28(2), 261-276.

Natale, R., Camejo, S., & Sanders, L.M. (2016). Communities putting prevention to work:

Results of an obesity prevention initiative in child care facilities. Journal of Research in

Childhood Education, 30(3), 306-319.

Natale, R., Page, M., & Sanders, L. (2014). Nutrition and physical activity practices in childcare

centers versus family childcare homes. Early Childhood Education Journal, 42(5), 327

-334.

National Standards and Competencies. (n.d.). Retrieved October, 2017, from

http://www.nasafacs.org/national-standards-and-competencies.html