Macmillan Natural and Social Science 4

UNIT 1
Dear Parent / Carer,

Your child is about to start unit 1 of their Science coursebook Macmillan Natural and Social
Science 4. The topic of this unit is Food and nutrition. In this unit, your child will

 learn to identify and classify food into different food groups

 learn to identify the nutrients in food and what our bodies need them for
 learn to understand the importance of a healthy, balanced diet
 learn to identify the parts of the digestive system and the digestive process
 learn to identify different types of teeth, their function and the importance of healthy
teeth
 learn to identify the different parts of the excretory system and their basic functions
 learn to listen to, read and understand a story about food
 learn to write a simple text about what you ate yesterday

Additionally in this unit, your child will investigate how the digestive system works. They will say the
Food chant. This chant allows your child to review the key vocabulary of the unit in context. Encourage
your child to listen and say the chant with you. Look at the Picture dictionary on pages 150 and 151 of
the Pupil’s Book together.

The food chant (CD track 2)

Fruit and vegetables …bread and cereals …milk and dairy …meat and fish …sugary foods.
Fruit and vegetables …bread and cereals …milk and dairy …meat and fish …sugary foods.

They will also say the Nutrients chant and sing the Nutrients rap.

The nutrients chant (CD track 3)

Vitamins …minerals …calcium …proteins …carbohydrates …fats.
Vitamins …minerals …calcium …proteins …carbohydrates …fats.

The nutrients rap (CD track 4)

Minerals, vitamins, proteins,
carbohydrates, fats.

Food with carbohydrates,

Rice, pasta and bread.
Energy for you and me,
Gets us out of bed!

Minerals, vitamins, proteins,

carbohydrates, fats.

PHOTOCOPIABLE

© Macmillan Publishers Limited 2011

Food with protein,
Beans, fish and meat.
Help us grow strong and tall,
That’s what we want to eat!

Minerals, vitamins, proteins,

carbohydrates, fats.

Food with vitamins,

and minerals too.
Vegetables and fruit,
five a day is good for you!

Minerals, vitamins, proteins,

carbohydrates, fats.

They will also say the Digestive system chant.

The digestive system chant (CD track 5)

Digestive system …mouth …oesophagus …stomach …small intestine …liver …pancreas …large
intestine …anus.

The homework for this unit is about food and a healthy, balanced diet. Your child will keep a food diary
for a day by completing a chart about what they ate at each meal and for snacks. They will then classify
the food they ate into different food groups to analyse whether they have a healthy, balanced diet. If
their diet isn’t healthy and balanced, help them to think of ways to improve their eating habits.

Thank you again for making your child’s contact with Science as enjoyable and successful as
possible. I hope that you and your child enjoy this unit and the whole course.

With best wishes,

Class Science teacher

PHOTOCOPIABLE

© Macmillan Publishers Limited 2011