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Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices Through Storytelling

 

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Curriculum Level: K-5

By Maura Carroll, Carolina Forest International Elementary, Onslow County Schools, North Carolina

OVERVIEW OF LESSON:
Students will learn how Indigenous people address healthy lifestyle choices through storytelling by focusing on characters, themes, and personification. Students will use the YouTube version of the Eagle Book Series written by Georgia Perez. The Eagle Book Series allows young readers to see healthy lifestyle choices. The author developed these books to combat the lack of resources for diabetes prevention for Indigenous children. These books provide a positive message to children about healthy eating, physical activity, and diabetes prevention awareness.

SUGGESTED GRADE LEVELS: Grades 3 and 4

SUBJECTS: English Language Arts, Science, Social Studies

CORRESPONDING NATIONAL AND/OR STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA STANDARDS:

North Carolina Third Grade ELA Standards 
RL.3.3 Describe characters in a story and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.

RL.3.9 Compare and contrast the themes, settings, and plots of stories written by the same author about the same or similar characters.

North Carolina Third Grade Social Studies Standards 
3.B.1 Understand how values and beliefs of individuals and groups influence communities.

Fourth Grade ELA Standards 
RL.4.2 Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.

RL.4.9 Compare and contrast the use of similar themes and topics and patterns of events in stories, myths, and traditional literature from different cultures.

Fourth Grade Science Standards
4.L.2 Understand food and the benefits of vitamins, minerals, and exercise.

ESSENTIAL QUESTION:

  • How do Indigenous people use storytelling to convey their message around healthy lifestyle choices and healthy eating?

LESSON OBJECTIVES:

  1. Students will be able to compare two texts based on the theme of the story.
  2. Students will be able to describe the difference in healthy eating habits and non-healthy eating habits.
  3. Students will be able to identify the meaning of personification.
  4. Students will be able to provide examples from the text that support personification.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR THE EDUCATOR or RESOURCES TO EXPLORE FURTHER:

SPECIFIC STUDENT STRATEGIES & ACTIVITIES:

Teacher will use the Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices Through Storytelling Slide Deck

Day 1 (45 minutes):

 Teacher will:

  • Introduce the lesson by asking the students “What do you consider a healthy eating habit?”
  • Brainstorm with students on an anchor t-chart what is considered healthy eating habits and unhealthy eating habits.

Students will:

  • Use a copy of the t-chart to fill it in along with the teacher.

Teacher will:

  • Show slide #3 with the list of foods for students to sort through on their t-chart.

Students will:

  • Sort through the list of foods on their t-charts.

Teacher will:

  • Tell the students that for the next six days they will be discussing four books in the Eagle Book Series that tell the reader about healthy lifestyle habits including healthy eating, movement, and lowering the risk of diabetes.
  • Display slide #4 that says, “What is Diabetes?”
  • Ask students to brainstorm what they think diabetes is and how it can affect a person.

Students will:

  • Discuss with a peer what they think diabetes is and how it affects people.
  • Raise their hands and answer the question about diabetes.

Teacher will:

  • Display slide #5 which gives the definition of diabetes along with the video link, ABC’s of Diabetes Video
  • Play the video for the students to watch.
  • Ask the students who are affected by diabetes.

Students will:

  • Answer the question by raising their hands.

Teacher will:

  • Display slide #6 which goes through the percentages of all the different ethnicities that diabetes affects.
  • Tell the students that diabetes is a disease that affects a lot of people in the world we live in.
  • Go through each group and discuss with the kids all the people diabetes affects.
  • Say that some people want to make this very well known, and one of those people is named Georgia Perez.
  • Tell the students that Perez has written books to help support Indigenous children understand the importance of diabetes and ways to support their bodies.
  • Discuss with the students that these books are written by a person who lives in New Mexico and that she is Indigenous. She wants to support children in learning healthy habits through storytelling, which is a way Indigenous people pass ideas down from generation to generation.
  • Ask students what they think the word Indigenous means (slide #7)

Students will:

  • Raise their hands and brainstorm the meaning of the word Indigenous when it comes to people.

Teacher will:

  • Show the students slide #8 which includes the definition of the word Indigenous and how it relates to people.
  • Discuss the slide and allow students to ask any questions.

Students will:

  • Look and listen to the slide while the teacher is discussing the slide.
  • Ask questions if need be.

Teacher will:

  • Introduce the next activity, which is going to be conducting research on Indigenous peoples in the United States using two websites: Ducksters and the National Museum of the American Indian.
  • Pass out the website research page handout to each student.
  • Go through the paper, suggesting links and pages to click on to gather information on Indigenous people and their lifestyles.
  • If able, display the website for all students to help guide their research when they start going through the paper independently. (slide #9)
  • Allow students to ask questions while doing the research.

Students will:

Teacher will:

  • Walk around and answer any questions that students may have.
  • Get students’ attention with two minutes remaining to close out the lesson.
  • Explain to the students that they will read a book each day to discuss healthy lifestyle choices, storytelling, personification, characters, and themes.

Day 2 (45 minutes):

Teacher will:

  • Introduce the character chart and pass out the character chart handout that will be used later in the lesson.
  • Show the students slide #11 on personification.
  • Discuss with students that personification is used in the books they will read for this lesson.
  • Show the YouTube video of the book for that day, Through the Eyes of the Eagle (slide #12)
  • During the read-aloud, consider pausing the video as needed to support students with comprehension of the text.

Students will:

  • Watch the video of the read-aloud.

Teacher will:

  • Guide the students in filling out their character charts by using an anchor chart that looks like the chart given to the students.
  • Ask the students who are the characters introduced to us in the book.

Students will:

  • Answer the question about who the characters are.

Teacher will:

  • Go to the next column and ask the students about the characters’ motivations in the book (why the characters did what they did in the story)

Students will:

  • Answer the questions about the characters’ motivations.

Teacher will:

  • Discuss the next column about the character traits for each character in the story.

Students will:

  • Give their ideas about character traits for those characters.

Teacher will:

  • Discuss the last column in the character chart, feelings.
  • Ask the students about what the characters are feeling in this book.

Students will:

  • Answer the question about the characters’ feelings throughout this book.

Teacher will:

  • Ask the students about the storytelling elements within this story that help us understand the topic of the book.
  • Guide the students’ thinking by asking about the personification in the story and how that supports the book’s message.

Students will:

  • Brainstorm their ideas about the storytelling elements and how they support the book’s message to the reader.

Teacher will:

  • Tell the students to put the character chart away for the next day.
  • Show slide #13, which has some possible theme ideas for the students to look through.
  • Tell the students that a theme in a book is the lesson, moral, or message in the story.
  • Show slide #14, which has some morals/lessons ideas for the students to look through.
  • Ask the students based on what we read today, what they think the theme and moral/lesson may be out of all the ones on the slides.

Students will:

  • Discuss with a peer what they think the theme is for the story.
  • Answer the question about the theme of this story.

Teacher will:

  • Write down the story’s theme for today on an anchor chart for all the students to see.
  • Keep the anchor chart up for the next three days to allow students to see the themes throughout all the books.
  • Show a new anchor chart to the students about healthy lifestyle choices.
  • Ask the students, “What are some ways the great bald eagle said people can do to stay healthy?”

Students will:

  • Answer the question about healthy lifestyle choices the great bald eagle said in the story.

Teacher will:

  • Write down the students’ ideas that they produce from the story.
  • Tell the students they will build on this chart as the week continues.
  • End today’s lesson by telling the students tomorrow they will continue by reading the second book in the series.

Day 3 (45 minutes):

Teacher will:

Students will:

  • Watch the video of the read-aloud.

Teacher will:

  • Guide the students in continuing the character chart by using an anchor chart made on Day 2.
  • Ask the students who are the characters introduced to us in the book.

Students will:

  • Answer the question about who the characters are.

Teacher will:

  • Go to the next column and ask the students about the characters’ motivations in the book (why the characters did what they did in the story)

Students will:

  • Answer the questions about the characters’ motivations.

Teacher will:

  • Discuss the next column about the character traits for each character in the story.

Students will:

  • Give their ideas about character traits for those characters.

Teacher will:

  • Discuss the last column in the character chart, feelings.
  • Ask the students about what the characters are feeling in this book.

Students will:

  • Answer the question about the characters’ feelings throughout this book.

Teacher will:

  • Ask the students about the storytelling elements within this story that help us understand the topic of the book.
  • Guide the students’ thinking by asking about the personification in the story and how that supports the book’s message.

Students will:

  • Brainstorm their ideas about the storytelling elements and how they support the book’s message to the reader.

Teacher will:

  • Tell the students to put the character chart away for the next day.
  • Show slide #17, which has some theme ideas for the students to look through.
  • Tell the students that a theme in a book is the lesson, moral, or message in the story.
  • Show slide #18, which has some morals/lessons ideas for the students to look through.
  • Ask the students what they think the theme and moral/lesson may be out of all the ones on the slide.

Students will:

  • Discuss with a peer what they think the theme is for the story.
  • Answer the question about the theme of this story.

Teacher will:

  • Write down the story’s theme for today on the anchor chart from Day 2 for all the students to see.
  • Keep the anchor chart up for the next two days to allow students to see the themes throughout all the books.
  • Show the anchor chart to the students about healthy lifestyle choices.
  • Ask the students, “What are some ways the great bald eagle said people can do to stay healthy in today’s story?”

Students will:

  • Answer the question about healthy lifestyle choices the great bald eagle said in the story.

Teacher will:

  • Write down the students’ ideas that they produce from the story.
  • Discuss with the students that staying active through exercise is a good way to stay healthy.
  • Ask students about the ways they stay active in their lives.

Students will:

  • Tell their classmates about ways they stay active in their lives outside of the classroom.

Teacher will:

  • Tell the students that there are many ways to stay active and it is not always a sport.
  • Walking, riding a bike, and dancing are all good forms of easy exercise.
  • Add all the exercise/movement ideas to the anchor chart for the students to see.
  • Tell the students they will build on this chart as the week continues.
  • End today’s lesson by telling the students tomorrow they will continue by reading the next book in the series.

Day 4 (45 minutes):

Teacher will:

Students will:

  • Watch the video of the read-aloud.

Teacher will:

  • Guide the students in continuing the character chart by using an anchor chart made on Day 2.
  • Ask the students who the characters are that are introduced to us in the book.

Students will:

  • Answer the question about who the characters are.

Teacher will:

  • Go to the next column and ask the students about the characters’ motivations in the book (why the characters did what they did in the story)

Students will:

  • Answer the questions about the characters’ motivations.

Teacher will:

  • Discuss the next column about the character traits for each character in the story.

Students will:

  • Give their ideas about character traits for those characters.

Teacher will:

  • Discuss the last column in the character chart, feelings.
  • Ask the students about what the characters are feeling in this book.

Students will:

  • Answer the question about the characters’ feelings throughout this book.

Teacher will:

  • Ask the students about the storytelling elements within this story that help us understand the topic of the book.
  • Guide the students’ thinking by asking about the personification in the story and how that supports the book’s message.

Students will:

  • Brainstorm their ideas about the storytelling elements and how they support the book’s message to the reader.

Teacher will:

  • Tell the students to put the character chart away for the next day.
  • Tell the students they need to determine the theme today for the story all by themselves.
  • Tell the students that a theme in a book is the lesson, moral, or message in the story.
  • Ask the students what they think the theme may be based on our conversations the past two days and today’s reading.

Students will:

  • Discuss with a peer what they think the theme is for the story.
  • Answer the question about the theme of this story.

Teacher will:

  • Write down the story’s theme for today on the anchor chart from Day 2 for all the students to see.
  • Keep the anchor chart up for the next day to allow students to see the themes throughout all the books.
  • Show the anchor chart to the students about healthy lifestyle choices.
  • Ask the students, “What are some ways the great bald eagle said people can have on their plates to stay healthy?”

Students will:

  • Answer the question about healthy eating choices the great bald eagle said in the story.

Teacher will:

  • Write down the students’ ideas that they produce from the story.
  • Discuss with the students that having a balanced meal on their plates will allow them to stay healthy.
  • Ask students about foods they can have on their plates to keep them healthy.

Students will:

  • Tell their classmates about foods that make their plates colorful and healthy.

Teacher will:

  • Tell the students that their plates should be very colorful with every meal.
  • It is all right to not have all the colors of the rainbow, but the more the better in their healthy lifestyle choices.
  • Tell the students they will build on this chart as the week continues.
  • End today’s lesson by telling the students tomorrow they will continue by reading the third book in the series.

Day 5 (45 minutes):

Teacher will:

Students will:

  • Watch the video of the read-aloud.

Teacher will:

  • Guide the students in continuing the character chart by using an anchor chart made on Day 2.
  • Ask the students who are the characters introduced to us in the book.

Students will:

  • Answer the question about who the characters are.

Teacher will:

  • Go to the next column and ask the students about the characters’ motivations in the book (why the characters did what they did in the story)

Students will:

  • Answer the questions about the characters’ motivations.

Teacher will:

  • Discuss the next column about the character traits for each character in the story.

Students will:

  • Give their ideas about character traits for those characters.

Teacher will:

  • Discuss the last column in the character chart, feelings.
  • Ask the students about what the characters are feeling in this book.

Students will:

  • Answer the question about the characters’ feelings throughout this book.

Teacher will:

  • Ask the students about the storytelling elements within this story that help us understand the topic of the book.
  • Guide the students’ thinking by asking about the personification in the story and how that supports the book’s message.

Students will:

  • Brainstorm their ideas about the storytelling elements and how they support the book’s message to the reader.

Teacher will:

  • Tell the students to put the character chart away for the next day.
  • Tell the students they need to determine the theme today for the story all by themselves.
  • Tell the students that a theme in a book is the lesson, moral, or message in the story.
  • Ask the students what they think the theme may be based on our conversations the past two days and today’s reading.

Students will:

  • Discuss with a peer what they think the theme is for the story.
  • Answer the question about the theme of this story.

Teacher will:

  • Write down the story’s theme for today on the anchor chart from Day 2 for all the students to see.
  • Keep the anchor chart up for the next day to allow students to see the themes throughout all the books.
  • Show the anchor chart to the students about healthy lifestyle choices.
  • Ask the students, “What were the terms that the great eagle used when categorizing food?”

Students will:

  • Answer the question about the food categories in the book today.

Teacher will:

  • Write down the students’ ideas that they produce from the story.
  • Discuss with the students that everyday foods are foods that they can enjoy every day because they are healthy and support their healthy lifestyle choices.
  • Sometimes foods are foods that are not the best for us, and we only need to enjoy them sometimes.
  • Ask the students about foods that were not in the book that could fit in either category.

Students will:

  • Tell their classmates about foods that fit in either the everyday category or the sometimes category.

Teacher will:

  • Write down the students’ ideas about the different foods they produced.
  • Discuss that sometimes foods are treats that should not be eaten often, but it is still okay to have them in moderation.
  • Tell the students that they will be using this chart for tomorrow’s activity.
  • End today’s lesson by telling the students that tomorrow they will use their knowledge from this week in the final activity.

Day 6 (30 minutes):

Teacher will:

  • Discuss with the students what they have learned through the Eagle Book Series
  • Guide the discussion by asking about healthy lifestyle choices, storytelling elements, characters, and themes.

Student will:

  • Discuss with a peer what they have learned over the past five days.
  • Write down their findings on a sheet of paper to be ready to discuss with the class.
  • Share out their ideas to the class and discuss what they agree upon about what they have learned.

Teacher will:

  • Have the students complete the writing activity comparing all the themes from the four books read in this lesson.
  • Explain to the students that they need to use the anchor chart from this week to write a paragraph comparing all the of themes.
  • Tell the students that there will be similarities and differences between all the themes, and they need to include all themes in their paragraph writing.
  • Pass out the Healthy Lifestyle handout for the students to use in their writing.

Students will:

  • Take their ideas from the beginning of the lesson and use it for their writing.
  • Write down their paragraphs about the themes.

ASSESSMENTS:
Students will write two paragraphs on the Healthy Lifestyle handout about healthy lifestyle choices they can make and how storytelling can make a topic more interesting. The teacher will use the provided rubric to assess the students on their writing and they have grasped the concept of healthy life and storytelling to make an important point in life.

LEARNING EXTENSIONS:
After the lesson, students can create their own recipe for an easy healthy meal. Students can research healthy meals and recipes used within North Carolina’s Indigenous communities. Once all the recipes are finalized, the teacher can have a cookbook made for the class to have with healthy meal options.

MATERIALS:

REFERENCES:

A plate full of color. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2024, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpDv8zOylOE

Knees lifted high. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2024, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jt_ce2aKO8

Native American history for kids. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2024, from https://www.ducksters.com/history/native_americans.php

The ABCs of diabetes for children. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2024, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPZuXL4su3E

Through the eyes of the eagle. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2024, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKMKyvjZbIE

Tricky treats. (n.d.). Retrieved March 15, 2024, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Muw-NDXVgrs

Perez, G., Rolo, P., & Fifield, L. (2010). Through the eyes of the Eagle. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Diabetes Translation, Native Diabetes Wellness Program.

Perez, G., Rolo, P., & Fifield, L. (2015). Knees lifted high. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Diabetes Translation, Native Diabetes Wellness Program.

Perez, G., Rolo, P., & Fifield, L. (2010a). Plate full of color. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Diabetes Translation, Native Diabetes Wellness Program.

Perez, G., Rolo, P., & Fifield, L. (2010c). Tricky treats. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Diabetes Translation, Native Diabetes Wellness Program.

Native knowledge 360°—Native american literature in your classroom. (n.d.). Retrieved May 1, 2024, from https://americanindian.si.edu/nk360/informational/native-american-literature-in-your-classroom

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