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Hand WashingThings You’ll Need��hand washing sinkwith running water and soap

��paper towels

Things You’ll Do��Guide the children inwashing their handsbefore all foodactivities.

��Explain to the childrenthat clean hands helpprevent the spread ofgerms that makepeople sick.

��Encourage children to wash their hands for 20 seconds.(Have the children sing Happy Birthday while washinghands—singing one verse takes about 20 seconds.)

Set the TableThings You’ll Need(for each child)��paper placemats ��crayons

��plastic serrated knives ��forks ��spoons ��napkins

Things You’ll Do��Give each child a paperplacemat.

��Ask the children to drawa picture of a knife, fork,spoon, and napkin.

��Draw the fork and napkin on the left and the knife andspoon on the right of their placemat.

��Encourage children to put their own utensils on theplacemat.

Mealtime Routines for Health and MannersPRELIMINARY SKILLS LESSON 1

Opportunities for Learning: Children will wash hands before setting the table or touching food; say “please,” “thank you,”and “you are welcome;” use napkins and utensils in an age-appropriate manner; clear the table and stack or dispose of dishes.

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Practice Good MannersThings You’ll Need��place settings from Set the Table Activity��bowl of orange slices��bowl of apple slices

��knife��fork��spoon

Things You’ll Do��Have children wash their hands before anyfood-related activity.

��The teacher passes the bowl of fruit tothe children; children practice taking foodwith tongs or other serving utensils andsaying “please,” “thank you,” and “youare welcome.”

��Make a game of it. The fruits are passed when the“magic” words (please, thank you, you arewelcome) are said.

��While at the table, play this game with the children.Holding up the knife, fork, and spoon, ask thechildren to fill in the blank when you say:

I eat my cereal with a ________. (spoon)I eat my meat with a ________. (fork)I eat my green peas with a ________.(fork or spoon)I eat my lettuce with a ________. (fork)I eat my yogurt with a ________. (spoon)I spread butter on my bread with a ________. (knife)I eat my soup with a ________. (spoon)

Clean UpThings You’ll Need��dishpan��disposable bag ��plastic scraper

��paper towels

Things You’ll Do��Put disposable bag or dishpan on thetable.

��Show the children how to scrape excessfood into a

disposable bag or dishpan using the plastic scraper. ��Sort and stack glassware, flatware, and dishes.��Have the children wash their hands at the sink withrunning water after handling the dirty dishes.

Note: It is okay if the table settings are less thanperfect.

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Books to ReadBerenstain Bears Forget Their Mannersby Stan and Jan Berenstain

Songs to SingHey Diddle Diddle

What Families Can DoTell families the skills the children will beworking on so they can help their childpractice the skills at home.

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The Food GroupsPRELIMINARY SKILLS LESSON 2

Opportunities for Learning: Children will learn the food groups. Children will prepare a sandwich with different kinds offoods.

The Food Groups BookThings You’ll Need��pictures of differentfoods from each of thefood groups (See list ofdifferent foods with thislesson.)

��6 pieces of colored constructionpaper for each child

��tape or glue �� pieces of yarn to tie togetherpages of the book

Things You’ll Do��Explain to the childrenthat they are going to

make a book, using pictures offood, colored paper, and yarn.

��Show children pictures of foods.Explain that foods can be groupedin many different ways: by color,shape, feel, or where the foodcomes from. Let children groupfood in their own way. Tape orglue food pictures on the coloredconstruction paper provided.

��Tie pages together with yarn.

The Food Groups TrainThings You’ll Need��7 one-half gallon cleancardboard milk cartonscut open on one side,

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one covered with black paper (for the engine), and theothers covered with assortedcolored construction paper

��Pictures of food from each foodgroup pasted on the train cars andadditional pictures or food modelsfor sorting

Discuss with the children that oneway to group foods is by what thefoods do for our bodies.

Protein foods build muscles.Show the children the picture of themeat and beans on the train.

Dairy foods make our bones andteeth strong. Show children thepicture of the dairy foods on thetrain.

Fruits help prevent colds and healcuts. Show the children the pictureof the fruit on the train.

Vegetables help our skin and eyes.Show the children the picture of thevegetable on the train.

Bread and cereals give us energy.Show the children the grain pictureon the train.

Fats and sweets add extra energyand taste to meals. These are“sometimes” foods. Show thechildren the fat and sweet foods onthe train.

Things You’ll Do��Have the children loadthe food group traincars with the additional

food pictures, matching thepictures to the ones on the cars.Help as needed.

Food Group SandwichesThings You’ll Need

INGREDIENTSWhole-grain breadsWhole wheat crackers

CucumbersTomatoes

ApplesBananas

Sliced meatsHard-cooked eggs

Cheeses

EQUIPMENTPlastic serrated knives (if appropriate)Tongs or forkServing traysNapkins

Cutting surfaceSmall plates

Food group labels

Things You’ll Do��Wash fruits andvegetables.

��Arrange slices offruits, vegetables,

hard-cooked eggs, and cheese on separate trays.

��Label each tray according to theappropriate food groups.

��Have children select the foods tomake a sandwich.

��Discuss how each of the foodshelp the body grow and stay

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healthy. For example: whole-grainbread and whole wheat crackersprovide energy for growth andactivity; meat and eggs buildmuscle; cheese (milk group) buildsstrong bones and teeth; and fruitsand vegetables fight infection, healcuts, and keep the eyes and skinhealthy.

Books to ReadThe Very HungryCaterpillar by Eric Carle

Songs to SingPease Porridge Hot

GrainsBagels NoodlesBiscuits OatmealBoston Brown Bread PancakesCereals Pita BreadCornbread RiceCorn Grits Rolled WheatCrackers RollsHominy SpaghettiMacaroni TortillasMuffins Waffles

VegetablesAsparagus MushroomsBeets ParsleyBroccoli PeppersBrussels Sprouts PotatoesCabbage PumpkinCarrots RutabagaCauliflower SauerkrautCelery SpinachCollards SquashCorn Sweet PotatoCucumber Swiss ChardEggplant TomatoesGreen Beans Tomato JuiceGreen Peas Turnip GreensJicama TurnipsLettuce WatercressLima Beans Wax BeansMustard Greens Zucchini

FruitsApple Juice Orange juiceApples OrangesApricots PapayaBananas PeachesBlueberries PearsCantaloupe PersimmonsCherries PineappleDates PlumsDried Plums Prune JuiceFigs RaisinsGrapefruit RaspberriesGrapes RhubarbHoneydew Melon StrawberriesLemons TangerinesMangos WatermelonNectarines

Protein FoodsBeef LiverChicken Peanut ButterDry Beans PorkDry Peas SalmonEggs SausageFish Sticks ShrimpGround Beef TunaHam TurkeyLamb

DairyButtermilk Dry MilkCheese of all kinds Evaporated MilkAmerican Fluid MilkCheddar WholeColby Reduced FatMonterey Jack Skim/NonfatMozzarella Ice CreamParmesan Ice MilkSwiss Yogurt

Cream

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SOME FOODS in the FOOD GROUPS

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Measuring ManipulationPRELIMINARY SKILLS LESSON 3

Opportunities for Learning: Children will explore the ideas of more and less.

MeasureThings You’ll Need��water ��rice ��beans

��flour ��spatula��several plastic bowls ��dry measuring cups ��liquid measuring cups ��measuring spoons

Things You’ll Do��Fill bowls with water, rice, beans, and/or flour (at least oneliquid and one dry ingredient).

��Let the children fill liquid measuring cups with water anddiscuss which cup has more or less water than another.

��Demonstrate how to fill measuring spoons with flour and level them offwith a spatula. Show 1 tablespoon is larger than the 1 teaspoon measure.

��Weigh 1 cup of each of the different ingredients so children can see that1 cup of one ingredient weighs less or more than another.

��Have children experiment on their own and practice differentmeasurements, focusing on which measure is more or less.

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Books to ReadFeast for 10by Cathryn Falwell

Songs to SingThere Was an Old WomanWho Lived In a Shoe

Kitchen TourThings You’ll Do��Take small groups ofchildren on a tour of thekitchen.

��Ask the children to name differentappliances and utensils and talkabout how they are used.

��Ask the children if they knowwhat an accident is. Tell childrenan accident is a mistake that hurtsyou or someone else. Ask childrenif they have ever had an accident,like falling off a chair or trippingwhen running.

��Tell them about the differentdangers of cooking, such as veryhot water, flammable objects nearthe range, appliances left on whennot in use, and turning pot handlestoward the front of the range.

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Kitchen SafetyPRELIMINARY SKILLS LESSON 4

Opportunities for Learning:: Children will name different kitchen appliances and utensils and will practice safe behaviorsto use in the kitchen.

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��Discuss the use of potholders.��Check for frayed cords and brokenplugs on electrical equipment.

��Make sure that children are awareof where the electric cords are sothey will not trip over them. Neverdrape a cord where children walkor play.

��Place electrical equipment on atable against the wall where thecord is plugged in for greatersafety.

Play KitchenThings You’ll Do��Role play with childrenin their “play” kitchenor in the regular

kitchen. �� Turn pot handle so it hangs overside of the range. Ask, “What iswrong?”

��Start to take something out of theoven and forget the potholder.Ask, “What is wrong?”

Work With UtensilsThings You’ll Need��hand washing sink withsoap, running water, andpaper towels

��plastic serrated knives ��cutting boards ��serving plates

INGREDIENTSCheese

1 Apple per childHummusCrackers

Things You’ll Do��Have children cutapples and cheese intoslices with adultassistance if necessary.Have children arrange

apples and crackers on servingplates and spread with hummus(Supervise children closely).

Books to ReadStone Soupby Ann McGovern

Songs to SingJack and Jill

Picture This!Things You’ll Need��small sticky pad orcolored dots for childrento put on the picture

��enlarged copy of the picture

Things You’ll Do��Enlarge the picture sothe children will beable to see it in a smallgroup.

��Ask the children to take turnsnaming something that is wrongwith the picture or could cause anaccident.

��Children can put a sticky padsheet or colored dot on the pictureto show something that is wrongor could cause an accident.

Note: Be sure to use empty potsand pans and a cool oven forthese activities.

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Picture This!

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Picture This!Answer Key

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Draw a Picture RecipeThings You’ll Need��poster board ��markers or crayons��pictures of kitchen

utensils and ingredients forfruit salad

��tape

Things You’ll Do��On poster board, tapepictures of ingredients.

��Assemble ingredients ahead oftime and put on plates arrangedon the table in the order theyshould be added.

��Next to the ingredients, draw apicture of how much of eachingredient should be added toeach child’s bowl (such as 2pieces or spoonfuls).

Make Fruit SaladThings You’ll NeedEach child will need: ��small bowl ��fork

��napkin ��plastic serrated knife ��cutting board

INGREDIENTSApples, cored and slicedOranges, peeled and sliced

Bananas, peeledPlain or flavored yogurt

Things You’ll Do��Explain that a recipe isa set of directions formaking something toeat.

How to Follow a Picture RecipePRELIMINARY SKILLS LESSON 5

Opportunities for Learning: Children will follow a picture recipe and make individual bowls of fruit salad.

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Each child should “read” thepicture recipe and ��Dice 4 pieces of apple and put inthe bowl.

��Cut 2 slices of banana and add tothe bowl.

��Add 1 piece of orange to thebowl.

��Top with 2 teaspoons of yogurtand mix.

��Clean up. ��Talk about the different colors,sizes, and shapes of the saladingredients.

��Talk about the importance of fruitfor energy and to help preventcolds and heal cuts.

��Enjoy the fruit salad as part of ameal or snack.

Books to ReadFeast for 10 by Cathryn Falwell

Cook-A-Doodle-Dooby Janet Stevens andSusan StevensCrummel

Songs to SingThere Was an OldWoman Who Lived ina Shoe

What FamiliesCan DoDiscuss withfamilies that the

children are learning about picturerecipes. Encourage families to lettheir child help follow a recipe athome.

My Great RecipesInclude recipes the children willenjoy making.