Pyramid Tag

Objectives: To teach student's the healthy food groups of the food pyramid and the importance of eating from those food groups every day.

Teaching our students the importance of staying active is of utmost importance, but teaching our students healthy eating habits is just as important as daily exercise.

Equipment: No equipment is needed other than a safe open area where students can run and tag. A diagram of the food pyramid would be helpful, but is not necessary.

Lesson Focus: Explain how the pyramid diagrams the healthier foods at the bottom, grains, fruits and veggies, where the pyramid is the largest. The junk food is at the top, (cake, cookies, sweets, etc.) where the pyramid is the smallest.

Choose one student to be the Junk Food Junkie (JFJ) representing the top of the pyramid. We are to eat only these foods in moderation. The rest of students represent three of the healthier food groups on the bottom of the pyramid, the grains, fruits and vegetables.

Organization: Divide the class into three groups.

• Teams 1&2: The spaghetti heads…This group represents the Grain food group.
• Teams 3&4: The fruity fruits…… ..This group represents fruit food group.
• Teams 5&6: The veggie tales …… This group represents vegetables.

Formation: Student's line up on one side of the playing area facing the JFJ.

The teacher calls out a food group name. That group must move across gym using the locomotor skill chosen by the teacher, skip, slide, etc. from one side of the playing area to another without being tagged by the (JFJ). If a person is tagged or runs outside the playing area, than that person becomes a JFJ as well. Continue until all three food groups have been called. Repeat the game coming back the other way, calling one group at a time. I usually end the game here or until 8 or more students have been caught. Keep playing until that number is caught, you don't want to play until the last person. If no one has been tagged yet, I ask for a volunteer to help out the JFJ. As a safety precaution don't play until the last player is caught, as the students are more apt to collide.

Watch the sidelines closely for students crossing and getting close to the wall.

Play 3-4 games and take time to cool down by stretching in personal space and cool down walking before returning to class.