Preschool: Health and Nutrition
Teaching young children about healthy lifestyle habits is an
important adult responsibility. When children learn these skills as
part of their daily activities, they are more likely to continue
practicing them throughout their lifetime. In this chapter, you
will learn how to develop and implement meaningful learning
experiences for children. As you watch the video, carefully note
the strategies this teacher incorporates in the lesson to reinforce
learning.
Why should learning activities include children's
involvement?
Do you think the teacher's approach to learning about "good"
and "bad" foods is an effective instructional method? How would you
change this activity to improve learning and retention?
Video Transcript:
>> In this preschool classroom children are brushing and
flossing their teeth by learning how to keep their teeth healthy.
By learning about dental health, children gain self care skills
that form a foundation for additional skills related to health,
safety and nutrition. Each child has small bag with a soft tooth
brush and disposable flossers. Hard or medium toothbrushes are too
rough on children's gums and disposable flossers are much easier
for preschoolers to hold than floss wrapped around their fingers.
These preschool children are brushing their teeth as their teacher
demonstrates good brushing, technique with a large toothbrush and a
model of teeth.
>> Everybody can you brush the chewing side, the part
where your teeth hit each other? On the bottom and on the top we
get to floss
>> Preschool children are more likely to floss their
teeth thoroughly if they can spent some time flossing while they
listen to a story or watch an adult demonstrate this skill. The
teacher also reminds children that they should brush their teeth
after meals and snacks to prevent tooth decay. Now the teacher
introduces a new game. On the table are bowls of play food and a
clown box. When a child feeds the clown a food which is healthier
for teeth, she shows the class the happy tooth. When the child
feeds the clown a food which is bad for teeth, she shows the class
the decay monster. The children are encouraged to brush the clowns
teeth after they feed him a bad snack. The teacher gives very
simple instructions so that the children can concentrate on what
foods make a happy, healthy tooth and what foods make the decay
monster appear.
>> What it is?
>> A cookie?
>> It's a cookie. Is a cookie good for our teeth?
>> No
>> No. Ok put it in, you can feed it to Mr. Clown. Feed
it to Mr. Clown ok. And then can you brush his teeth. We say decay,
decay go away, don't come again another day.
>> When preschoolers are actively involved in learning,
they are more likely to remember what they are taught. The tooth
brushing demonstration encourages children to brush all sides of
their teeth without rushing through the task. The happy tooth,
decay monster game encourages children to participate as they learn
to distinguish between foods that are healthy for their teeth and
those that lead to decay.
==== Transcribed by Automatic Sync Technologies ====