Summer Hydration in School-Age Children

To wrap up the school year, a local elementary had a health fair and I was asked to teach a class. My assignment was to teach the kids the importance of staying hydrated. I decided addressing second graders would be best if I used the Go, Slow and Whoa approach used by the We Can! campaign.

Here is a breakdown of the lesson, feel free to use it!

Lesson Plan: Summer Hydration in School-Age Children

Objectives and Goals: 
To introduce the concept of making wise beverage choices using the Go, Slow and Whoa approach.

The basic idea is to designate a variety of beverages into four categories (Go, Slow, Whoa and STOP) based on nutritional content. This is  a very basic list and numerous beverages can be discussed and added.

It is important to discuss that beverages in these categories are not "bad" just that sometimes we need to make choices based on what we are doing.

What to Create:

• a poster board of a traffic signal with black foam board and construction paper
• search google images and collected, printed and laminated all the drinks listed on the image above
• large Stop sign
• I got a large Stop sign poster from my local teacher supply store and taped a paint stick to the bottom for a handle. {picture below}

References to Read:

Sugary Drinks: A Big Problem for Little Kids

Go, Slow, Whoa Food Charts

Fluid Drinks Before, After and During Sports: Important for Children

Class Discussion:

Go: healthiest option and appropriate for everyday consumption.

Slow: occasional drinks, not everyday choices. These beverages usually contain added sugar.

Whoa: least healthy options. These beverages contain added sugar, fat and in some cases caffeine. They provide excess calories and should be chosen on special occasions and not weekly.

STOP: The STOP category lists 2 beverages that are not appropriate for school-age children to consume: coffee (cold or hot) and energy drinks. 

Handouts:

*Sports drinks are listed in both the Go and Whoa groups. Sports drinks are a GO when a child is actively participating in prolonged play or sports (at least 45 minutes of active play and when there is excessive heat and perspiration). It is a WHOA drink if chosen in place of water or during casual activities (watching TV or leisure activities like bowling, etc.).