Making Healthy Choices
Helping first grade students understand how to make healthy eating choices
Overview
During the 2004-05 school year, Dairy Council of California conducted a formative evaluation of its first grade nutrition education curriculum, Healthy Choices, Healthy Me! (HCHM). This was a follow-up project to the 2003-04 school year evaluation when the first grade program was introduced. A summary of the prior evaluation results are available. WestEd, an independent evaluator, completed the survey development, data collection and analyses.
The HCHM program was designed to impact student outcomes via student workbook activities that teach students how to classify food into food groups and make healthy choices about eating and physical activity. The program was revised to enhance the learning opportunities for first grade students using the 2003-04 evaluation results.
Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 20 teachers and their students, and through in-classroom observations. The results suggest that the revised HCHM program positively affects students' knowledge and behaviors including a statistically significant increase in correctly classifying foods and identifying healthy snacks. Retention of knowledge of classifying foods into food groups was high, indicating the teachers reinforce the nutrition content throughout the school year.
Teacher Comments on Nutrition Lessons
Teacher program feedback was positive, indicating the revisions amply addressed comments on specific lessons from the original program. Teacher comments illustrate the flexibility of the program to fit in the classroom.
- "It was just so teacher friendly! I had no problems planning my lessons. It was also easy for the students, and they comprehended the lessons."
- "It gives practical application for the skills of classification and categorization."
- "I teach my first graders that they are responsible for their personal health, and this program goes right along with that philosophy."
- "We had an extension activity, a "Healthy Choice" party. Everyone selected their lunch, made it balanced and had one helping from the extras group. Parents were surprised to see their child eating vegetables. They didn't at home."
- "It was very easy and sequential—and a good idea to identify standards."
- "Quick to prep and allows for lots of oral English language development in a meaningful way."
Read complete program evaluation results.
View program materials.