We have created an 8-lesson nutrition education curriculum for high school health educators that meets the National Health Education Standards. Over a two-year timespan we conducted research to inform the curriculum, and worked with health educators to co-create a curriculum that is evidence-based and applicable in real classrooms. Learn more about the curriculum by reading the curriculum overview. If you do use our curriculum we’d love to hear from you! Send us an email at efpope@uvm.edu to share your experiences.
Check out each lesson and link to lesson overviews, presentation slides, and worksheets in the sections below. We have also created a FAQ document that pairs with the curriculum.
Looking to teach a skills-based nutrition unit? Find resources for that teaching approach after the lesson descriptions.
Lesson 1: Macronutrients
In this lesson students learn about the essential nutrients needed to promote health and well-being. Students identify key macronutrients the body needs as well as examples of what foods these nutrients are found in.
Learning Objectives:
- Explain what nutrition is
- Identify sources of key nutrients (macronutrients)
- Identify how the macronutrients influence health and well-being
Lesson 2: Diet Culture
In this lesson students learn about diet culture and create strategies to support positive health and well – being . Students identify where they see diet culture and recommend strategies t hat advocate for their own health and well – being as well as that of others in their community
Learning Objectives:
- Develop strategies that promote positive alternatives to diet culture
- Define what diet culture is
- Identify where they see diet culture
Lesson 3: Health Inequity
In this lesson students learn about factors that affect their food choices. Students analyze how internal and external factors can influence food choice. Students work together to come up with solutions for improving health equity in their community.
Learning Objectives
- Analyze internal and external influences that can affect food choices.
- Recognize that body type and how a person looks are a consequence of many factors, not just the amount of food or the type of food they are eating.
- Develop solutions for improving health equity in their community.
Lesson 4: Nutrition Information
In this lesson students learn how to access reliable food and nutrition information that promotes health and well-being. Students identify food-related resources (i.e. social media, books, podcasts) that promote positive food experiences and how to apply strategies to manage misinformation.
Learning Objectives:
- Analyze internal and external influences that can affect food choices.
- Recognize that body type and how a person looks are a consequence of many factors, not just the amount of food or the type of food they are eating.
- Develop solutions for improving health equity in their community.
Lesson 5: Talking to Others About Food and Nutrition
In this lesson students learn how to effectively communicate messages about food and nutrition that promote health and well – being. Students identify key interpersonal communication strategies for talking about food and nutrition that supports the food choices of themselves and others.
Learning Objectives:
- Describe what interpersonal communication skills are
- Identify how to effectively communicate messages about food and nutrition through various modes
- Construct individual boundaries when talking about food and nutrition
Lesson 6: Nourishing My Body In A Gentle Manner
In this lesson students learn about building a healthy relationship with food . Students identify that factors such as hunger and fullness cues influence eating behaviors. Students learn about trusting their bodies to make food choices that feel good for them.
Learning Objectives:
- Begin to recognize that individual relationships with food can be complicated.
- Contrast the differences between what it feels like to be hungry and what it feels like to be full
- Create strategies for changing practices and behaviors around hunger and fullness
Lesson 7: Making Nutrition Decisions
In this lesson students learn effective ways to create a personalized nutrition plan that meets their individual needs. Students design an individual eating plan that is based on such factors as personal preference, food access and availability and physical and emotional needs.
Learning Objectives:
- Discuss how factors such as personal preference, food access and availability and physical and emotional needs influence what foods they choose during the day
- Design an eating plan based on their individual needs
- Develop a plan of action for implementing their eating plan
Lesson 8: Setting Goals
In this lesson students learn how to use goal setting skills around food and nutrition. Students identify how to set food and nutrition goals that support their own individual health and well-being. Students discuss facilitators and barriers that might influence their ability to attain their goals and come up with strategies to address these.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify how to set effective SMART goals
- List personal food and nutrition goals and use SMART criteria to evaluate them
- Choose one goal and address facilitators and barriers to meeting that goal.
Looking for a skills-based approach? We know many teachers use a skills-based approach to teach health education. In a skills – based approach, the skill forms the foundation of the unit. With this in mind, we’ve created a guide for how to adapt weight inclusive nutrition education for each of the SHAPE America National Health Education Standards (NHES). The one that we’ve focused most of our effort on is advocacy. The advocacy and nutrition unit is completely built out – you can find all the materials you need here including an Advocacy Project and Example Vermont Performance Assessment Template. If you planned to pair nutrition with a different skill, there are notes and ideas for how to adapt the primary curriculum for each of the other health skills. We encourage you to adjust the materials to suit your classroom.