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In this era of multi-cultural education, we think it is important to inform students that while the majority of Americans are meat-eaters, millions of Americans are vegetarians. Vegetarian children sometimes find themselves ostracized at school. Even adult vegetarians may encounter misunderstanding concerning their eating habits.
Many people are reducing meat consumption and increasing the number of fruits, vegetables and grains they eat for health as well as ethical reasons. Diet, exercise and mental health are all-important ingredients in creating a healthy life style.
Please use the attached lesson plan and coloring book with your class. Multiple copies of I Love Animals and Broccoli Coloring Book can be ordered from The Vegetarian Resource Group.
Sincerely,
Dr. Sheila Schwartz,
Director
HUMANE EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Box 445 – Gracie Station
New York, NY 10028
(212) 410-3095
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LESSON ONE Aim - to learn what foods vegetarian children eat and don't eat.
Materials - I Love Animals and Broccoli Coloring Book, assorted pictures of food.
Motivations - Ask children what they eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Procedure –
* Ask children to identify various pictures of foods.
* Tell children that some people (children and adults alike) called vegetarians do not ever eat meat, chicken, and fish.
* Write words vegetarian and meat on the board (or on a chart). Ask children to place the pictures of foods you have supplied in the correct column. Older children may be able to read or write these words.
e.g. Vegetarian Meat
juice hamburger
fruits chicken
vegetables steak
bread bacon
potatoes turkey
beans lobster
milk veal
cheese meat balls
eggs sausages
* Ask children why they eat meat. They eat meat because their
families eat meat. Eating meat has become a habit for their
families. They think they must eat meat to get the protein they
need. They like the taste.
* Ask why some children are vegetarians. They are vegetarians because their families are vegetarian. Their families believe that eating meat is not healthy because it has too much cholesterol and fat. They can get all the protein they need from other foods. They might not like the idea of eating animals. They might not like the taste of meat.
* Ask children which foods supply us with protein. Vegetables, beans, whole grains, potatoes, nuts, meat and dairy products all supply protein.
* Ask what a meat-eating child might have for breakfast.
orange juice tomato juice bacon and eggs waffles milk sausagesWhich of these foods are vegetarian? Which are meat?
* Ask what a vegetarian child might eat for breakfast.
orange juice tomato juice cereal waffles fruit jam milk milk (including low-fat and soy milk)* Look at picture one entitled "We Eat a Healthy Breakfast" in your I Love Animals and Broccoli Coloring Book. What foods do vegetarian children eat for breakfast? Some vegetarian children eat fruits, vegetables, breads, butter, cheese, and milk. Vegetarian children do not eat meats, including chicken and fish.
* Have children color picture.
Summary – Review what vegetarians and meat-eaters eat and do not eat. Children might be asked to bring pictures of food to school for follow-up lessons.
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LESSON TWO
Aim – to be able to identify fruits and vegetables.Materials – I Love Animals and Broccoli Coloring Book, assorted pictures of foods.
Motivation– Ask children to name their favorite fruits and vegetables.
Procedure –
* Ask children to select pictures of fruits and vegetables from assorted food pictures. Place pictures and/or words in columns marked "Fruits and Vegetables" on the board or on a chart.
e. g. Fruits Vegetables
apple corn
pear carrots
orange broccoli
pineapple lettuce
potato
* Ask children how fruits and vegetables help us to stay healthy.
Fruits provide vitamins, carbohydrates, fiber, and protein.
Vegetables provide these nutrients as well as minerals.
* Have children look at the picture on page two of I Love Animals and Broccoli Coloring Book entitled "Fruits and Vegetables Make Us Strong." Have them name the fruits and vegetables on this page. Peanuts are also pictured on this page.
Summary – Review the names of fruits and vegetables. A tasting party would be fun and educational.
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LESSON THREE
Aim – to identify foods that vegetarians do not eat.Materials – I Love Animals and Broccoli Coloring Book, assorted pictures of meats, pictures of "food animals."
Motivation – Ask children what meats they eat and what animal that meat comes from.
Procedures –
* Have children select out pictures of animals and pictures of the meat product that comes from that animal.
* Create a picture or word chart to show which meat comes from which animal.
e. g. Animals Food
cow hamburger, steak
pig bacon, sausage
chicken chicken
turkey turkey
* Discuss the fact that some people eat animals as food and some
people, called vegetarians, do not eat animals. Vegetarians do
not eat meat because people can get all the protein they need
from beans, nuts, grains, and vegetables. Vegetarians may believe
that meat has too much fat and cholesterol to be healthy to eat.
Some vegetarians do not like the idea of eating animals that must
be raised (and killed) for this purpose.
* Color page three in the I Love Animals and Broccoli Coloring Book. *
Summary – Discuss the fact that some people eat meat and some people do not. We are not dealing with the issue of right or wrong, good or bad, with first and second graders. We are dealing with the issue of individual choice and respect for individual differences. Children will become familiar with the idea that some people called vegetarians do not eat meat and that this is not strange or unhealthy.
ALDO APPLESAUCE by Johanna Hurwitz (Puffin paperback) is an excellent book for a follow-up lesson. In this book, two fourth graders, a girl named DeDe who wears a fake mustache to remind her of her dad who no longer lives at home, and Aldo Sossi, a vegetarian child, develop self-esteem and friendship.
* Some teachers may wish to change the heading on this page to read, SOME PEOPLE DON'T EAT MEAT. THESE PEOPLE ARE CALLED VEGETARIANS.
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LESSON FOUR
Aim – to identify snacks that vegetarians eat.Materials – I Love Animals and Broccoli Coloring Book, pictures of snack foods.
Motivation – Ask children what they eat for snack. Help children to decide which snacks contain a lot of sugar, a lot of vitamins, are healthy, have little or no health value. Include drinks (juices, soda).
Procedures –
* Have children select out pictures of healthy and unhealthy (or healthier, less healthy) snacks.
* Create a picture or word chart to list these snacks. Discuss the fact that sugar is not good for your teeth. Discuss the fact that sticky foods create tooth decay problems.
e. g. Healthier Less Healthy
raisins soda
popcorn lollipops
pineapple Have children list popular
applesauce candies that contain a lot
sunflower seeds of sugar.
pumpkin seeds
orange juice
pear
watermelon
Summary – Review which foods are healthier. Have a
"healthy snack party" in class.
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LESSON FIVE
Aim – to identify food that vegetarians eat at a salad bar.Materials– I Love Animals and Broccoli Coloring Book, pictures of assorted foods.
Procedures –
* Have children select out pictures of food they like to eat in a salad from your food pictures file.
* Create a picture or word chart of foods vegetarians put in salads as well as foods meat-eaters put in salads.
e. g. SALAD FOODS
for vegetarians for meat-eaters
lettuce same foods are
tomato put in salads by
carrots meat-eaters but
peppers they also include:
corn
raisins salami
seeds tuna
sprouts bacon
cheese chicken
nuts turkey
and other meats.
* Which foods do vegetarians and meat-eaters both put in salads?
* Which foods don't vegetarians eat?
* What foods might go into a fruit salad?
* Color picture Salad Bars Are Fun in I Love Animals and Broccoli Coloring Book.
Summary – Ask children to name salad foods vegetarians eat. Ask them to name salad food meat-eaters might eat. Which foods do both groups of people eat? What's the difference?
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LESSON SIX
Aim – to identify international foods that vegetarians eat.Materials – I Love Animals and Broccoli Coloring Book.
Motivation – Ask children to name foods they see on There are Vegetarians Like Me All Over the World page in I Love Animals and Broccoli Coloring Book.
Procedures –
* Tell children that there are vegetarian children as well as meat-eating children all over the world.
* Help children to identify origin of the foods on the coloring page.
e. g. spaghetti, ravioli = Italy
tortilla = Mexico
Chinese vegetables = China
* Ask children what other foods vegetarian children eat and
identify country/place of origin.
e. g. rice and beans = Puerto Rico
vegetable fritters with chutney = Indian
pita bread, falafel = Israel/Egypt
* Have children color page in I Love
Animals and Broccoli Coloring Book.
Summary – Review origin of international vegetarian foods. A tasting party would be a fun culminating activity.
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Last Updated August 24, 2000 |
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