Body Image and Nutrition - Grade 6

Body Image and Nutrition

Time Frame

This unit will take approximately 10 hours to complete. The exact time will vary from class to class.

Foundational Objectives and Learning Objectives

Level A - Extend Knowledge Base

Foundational Objective

Students will acquire and evaluate information about body shape and body image as well as healthy and unhealthy ways to change both.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• recognize that there is a wide and acceptable range in body type and that this range is healthy
• access and evaluate multiple sources of information to distinguish the techniques used by the media to influence our judgement and values about the way we look (CCT)
• explore ways in which some commercial weight loss/gain and fitness programs are designed to make consumers feel dissatisfied with the way they look
• explore a healthy balance of diet and physical activity as a natural way to maintain or improve body image
• consider drugs as an unnatural and unhealthy way to change body image
• explore the relationships among self-esteem, vulnerability, and body image.

Level B - Make an Informed Decision

Foundational Objectives

Students will understand the role of personal standards in making decisions about healthy and unhealthy ways to improve body image.

Students will develop the lifelong practice of making health-enhancing decisions about body size and shape.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• consider personal standards regarding natural and unnatural ways to improve body image
• list the short-term and long-term consequences of using drugs to improve body image (CCT)
• list the short-term and long-term consequences of combining healthy eating and physical activity as a way of improving body image (CCT)
• assess their current level of balance or imbalance between diet and physical activity
• establish a goal to maintain or achieve a balance of diet and physical activity in their lives, in order to maintain or improve their body image.

Foundational Objective

Students will design and carry out plans that include healthy and natural ways to enhance or maintain body image.

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• construct clear, achievable goals and plan to meet them (IL)
• design action plans that use healthy strategies to enhance or maintain body image
• carry out action plans in ways that affirm personal standards
• use specific criteria to evaluate the design elements of the action plans (CCT).

Unit At a Glance

Background Information for the Teacher

Body Image

Body image is the mental picture a person has of his or her body. It includes associated feelings, thoughts, and behaviours. A Canadian study revealed that approximately two-thirds of adolescent girls are dissatisfied with their body weight (Ewan, 1993 ). Another study found that 42% of adolescent boys were unhappy with their body weight and 32% were dissatisfied with their body shape (Moore, 1990).

Body image is learned. It is affected by a person's environment, the people in that environment, and social attitudes about size and appearance.

When young women have a distorted body image, they are at a greater risk for developing eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia nervosa. It is important to note that eating disorders are disorders of self-esteem.

For young men, there has been an increase in the use of anabolic steroids as a means of improving body image.

Physical Maturation

There are four phases of maturation (height and weight gain) from birth to adulthood:

• rapid gain in infancy and early childhood
• steady gain during middle childhood
• rapid gain during the adolescent growth spurt
• slow increases until adult growth is reached.

During middle childhood, children of both genders grow and develop at a slow and steady rate. There is little or no difference in fat mass between boys and girls at this stage of life.

During puberty, there is a swift increase in body size and a change in shape and body composition. Girls generally reach puberty about two years ahead of boys. For girls, the adolescent growth spurt is between ages 10 and 15. For boys, the growth spurt is between 12 and 17 years.

Boys experience an increase in lean muscle mass and a loss of body fat during puberty. Muscle mass increases from about 42% to 54% of body weight in boys between 5 and 17 years of age. In girls, muscle mass increases from 40% to 45% of body weight betw een 5 and 13 years, and then declines somewhat after age 13. The fat mass in girls continues to increase during adolescence, but in boys fat mass reaches a plateau or increases only slightly during adolescence.

At puberty, the shoulders grow wider in boys, whereas the hips widen more in girls. The growth of the hips in women is attributed to the fact that women require wider hips for giving birth.

An individual's pattern of growth is largely determined by genetics. The adult height of parents often reflects what the adult height of the child will be. Recently, researchers have also found that the amount of body fat a person acquires may be genet ic.

Media Influences Body Image

Television and popular magazines often equate thinness with beauty and the 'good life'. Advertisements in magazines and on television stress the importance of being beautiful, and being beautiful often means being thin. It is important for youth to rea lize that the ideal of attractiveness that is portrayed in the media is both unrealistic and unattainable.

The ideal body size and shape for women, as presented in the media, has undergone different cycles. At one time, the round and voluptuous figure of Marilyn Monroe was considered ideal. In the 1960s, the waif-like Twiggy was popular. The next cycle feat ured the more athletic, curved shapes of Christie Brinkley and Cindy Crawford. The current cycle returns again to the waif-like image of Kate Moss of Calvin Klein perfume and jeans fame.

The impact of models on our society has hit the male population. The media features extremely lean and muscular male models. Greater numbers of adolescent males are trying steroids in order to achieve the muscular, lean physique.

The weight loss/gain and fitness industries use commercials that promote unrealistic and unattainable ideals of attractiveness and thinness. These industries are billion dollar businesses and the media is a major player that advertises diet products an d other weight loss/gain products.

Nutrition

The right balance of food and activity helps individuals stay at a healthy body weight. Choosing a variety of foods allows a person to have an adequate intake of essential nutrients. Each food group is important because it provides its own set of nutri ents. Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating provides a wide range of servings for each food group.

The guide also provides a range of servings required for different people and for different lifestyles. The amount of food a person needs is based on factors such as activity level, age, gender, height, and weight. The male high school football player and the female gymnast in the video Body Image refer to healthy eating. For their active lifestyles, they need to consume the maximum or near maximum number of servings in each food group. Andrea Schwartz, also featured in the video, needs to be at the top end of the scale for number of food servings from each food group when she is training and competing. A 12-year-old in the middle of her growth spurt needs more than the minimum number of servings in the food groups even if she is only moderately active.

Physical Activity

Regular physical activity strengthens the heart, lungs, and muscles. Regular physical activity helps individuals deal with stress, makes them feel more energetic, helps them manage body weight, and helps them sleep better.

There is a lot of misinformation about physical fitness. Some businesses try to make money from such misinformation. One example is the idea of 'spot reducing' or doing an exercise such as sit-ups to reduce the fat around the abdomen. The fact is that the fat you burn when you do sit-ups comes from all areas of your body, not just the stomach muscles. It is true that the stomach muscles will get stronger, but you will not lose any more fat on your abdomen than you will in your leg or shoulder. It is im portant to know that the places where we deposit and lose body fat varies greatly from one person to another.

Students can influence their body composition by becoming more physically active. Increasing physical activity burns more calories. Fewer excess calories means less fat stored in the body. Increasing physical activity also leads to an increase in muscl e mass. More muscle mass means an increase in the metabolism rate. In other words, students burn calories at a higher rate. In short, physical activity influences body composition and is more effective and healthy than diet pills and/or steroids.

People of all ages commonly worry about their weight. Students who increase their level of physical activity and adopt a healthy diet are going to increase their muscle mass and decrease their fat mass. They may not see a change in their weight, but th eir body composition (amount of fat and muscle) is changing in response to the exercise and healthy diet.

The foundation of this unit is to help students understand that if they follow a healthy diet and are physically active, their bodies will be strong and healthy and that is what looking their best is all about.

Anabolic Steroids

Anabolic steroids are referred to as performance enhancing drugs. There are physical indications as well as behavioural indications of steroid use.

Physical indicators in males include the development of female breast tissue, premature baldness, impotence, shrunken testicles, and sterility. The video Body Image includes the consequences that are applicable to boys in grades 6-9.

Females using performance enhancing drugs will experience clitoral enlargement, deepening of the voice, increased body and facial hair, male pattern baldness, menstrual irregularities, and reduced breast tissue.

Acne, especially on the upper back, shoulders, and arms is experienced by both males and females who are using anabolic steroids. Both genders have difficulty sleeping; bone and joint pain, which may indicate abnormalities in bone growth; fatigue; sudd en and dramatic weight gain (particularly muscle mass gain); and yellowing of the skin and/or eyes, which may indicate liver problems. The physical indications that are most relevant to Middle Level students are included in the video Body Image.

Behavioural indicators of steroid use include aggressiveness and hostility, increased appetite, increased fighting or arguing, irritability, mood swings, preoccupation with changing body appearance, reduced tolerance to frustration, uncontrollable bout s of rage, and violent behaviour.

Instructional Strategies/Methods	Teaching Notes
Direct Instruction: structured overview	Provide an overview of what the Body Image Unit includes.
Indirect Instruction: personal reflection and Interactive Instruction: peer partner discussion	Randomly distribute copies of The Tall Girl and The Short Boy (see Appendix 6-C) ensuring that each class member receives either one or the other. Ask each student to pose as the doctor and respond, in writing, to the lett er. When each student has completed his or her written response, arrange students in pairs and have them share their responses. To debrief the activity, read aloud the doctor's responses to the letters. (See Appendix 6-D.)
Interactive Instruction: large group discussion	Display a number of pictures or photographs of male and female 12-year-olds. Discuss the differences and the similarities. Some observations may include: girls at this age are often taller and bigger than the boys girls usually begin to grow before the boys girls' bodies increase in body fat and muscle there is variation among girls of the same age there is less variation among the boys of this age as they have not started their growth spurt yet. Display photos or pictures of 14-year-old females and males. Discuss the similarities and the differences. Some to be noted are: boys are catching up to the girls in height and weight both the girls and the boys are getting taller and heavier boys are gaining muscle and girls are gaining fat some 14-year-olds will have undergone a great growth spurt, while others will not. Exhibit pictures or photographs of male and female 16-year-olds. Discuss some of the differences and similarities, including: in general, boys are taller than girls some girls are taller than boys of the same age there continues to be variation in height, weight, and shape. Debrief the discussion by presenting the following key points: everyone grows at different rates and at different times the growth spurt in girls is usually at 10-15 years of age the growth spurt for boys is usually around 12-17 years some adolescents change very quickly while others do not even when the growth period of adolescence is complete, there will always be variation in height, weight, and shape adult height, weight, and shape depend on many factors, such as heredity.

Instructional Strategies/Methods	Teaching Notes
Direct Instruction: guides for reading, listening, and viewing	Show the first portion of the video Body Image. Stop the video just before the eating disorders section, which begins with one of the characters saying, 'There are smart ways and dumb ways to change our body image.'. Have the students watch for two purposes: to review the variety of body shapes and sizes to introduce the techniques used by the media to influence the degree to which we are satisfied or dissatisfied with our appearance. At the end of this video segment, discuss the animation used in the video to depict the rapid changes of puberty and the variety of body shapes and sizes. Display 8-10 magazine advertisements that feature pictures of very thin or muscular models. Point out to the students that the advertisements use pictures rather than words to sell the product. The person(s) in the picture is usually thin, muscular, at tractive, and happy looking. The advertisers count on the viewer to assume that the people are successful and to conclude that their success is due to the product being featured in the picture. Discuss some of the strategies presented in the video and used by the media to influence our judgement about what is desirable and attractive: models are often 10 pounds lighter than the healthy range for their height some models have their back molars removed to achieve that hollow-cheek look sensationalism and exaggeration are used in commercials unsubstantiated claims are used in advertisements.
Interactive Instruction: discussion	As a visual support to this discussion, use an overhead projector to project an image of the Sample Checklist for Evaluating Health-related Sources of Information (Grade 6), Appendix 6-A. Using the criteria for the categor ies of author and source, compare the reliability of the video as a source of information about body image as compared to the 8-10 magazine advertisements. While the category of author is difficult to verify in the case of a video, the credits to consulta nts and advisors can act as indicators. Certainly, the advertisements rate badly when the critical consumer considers the source of the advertisement and the fact that the source is most interested in making a profit and cares very little about sharing ac curate health-related information.
Interactive Instruction: co-operative learning groups	Divide the class into small groups of three or four. Provide each group with a magazine that contains at least one weight loss or muscle gain advertisement. Ensure that each group has a recorder, a reporter, and a time keeper. Indicate how much time th e group has to answer questions, such as the following: What products or methods of weight loss/gain are being advertised? According to the advertisement, how does the product work? Does the advertisement use sound scientific facts to support its claims? Does the ad use ambiguous statements or claims? How much weight does the advertisement claim a person can lose/gain? Does the advertisement use testimonials of what others have said or done with no supporting facts or evidence? Does the advertisement use broad or vague generalities? What kind of models are used to promote the product? Do the models look like they need to use the product? Is sensationalism used to promote the product? What are some of the risks to a person using the product? Note: To add interest to this activity, include magazines from other countries, printed in various languages. Students are likely to find that their limited language ability does not prohibit them from understanding the messages included in weigh t loss or muscle building ads. Debrief the co-operative group activity by asking each small group reporter to present his or her group's answers to the questions that applied to their magazine and the advertisement they selected.

Student Assessment Techniques Students spent a lesson discussing, as a class, the techniques used in 8-10 magazine advertisements to influence how they feel about their appearance. They also spent a lesson, working in small groups, critically examining the techniques used by weigh t loss/gain and fitness programs to influence how they feel about their appearance. Before moving forward in the unit, it is appropriate to assess each student's ability to access and evaluate multiple sources of information regarding weight loss/gain and fitness programs. One way to do that is to provide each student with an advertisement they have not seen previously in class. The advertisement can be in print form, audio form, or video form. Ask students to list the techniques used in the advertisement to influence how they feel about the way they look. Another option is to provide each student with a copy of the Sample Checklist for Evaluating Health-related Information (Grade 6), Appendix 6-B, and ask them to indicate wh ich criteria are evident in the advertisement and to comment on their effectiveness. Advise students that their responses will be placed in their portfolio and used as part of their Level A evaluation for this unit.

Instructional Strategies/Methods	Teaching Notes
Direct Instruction: guides for reading, listening, and viewing and Interactive Instruction: discussion	Show the remainder of the Body Image video. Prepare students to view the video for two purposes: to learn what the narrator means when he refers to smart ways to change body image to learn about what he refers to as 'dumb' ways to change body image. To debrief the video viewing session, facilitate a class discussion that focuses on healthy ways to maintain or improve body image as well as unhealthy ways to maintain or improve body image. As students recall information from the video, record their ideas in two columns. Record healthy behaviours in one column and unhealthy behaviours in another. The suggestions in the healthy behaviours column are likely to include suggestions about healthy eating and increasing physical activity. This is the time to ensure that students understand what these mean.
Interactive Instruction: co-operative learning groups	Divide the class into five groups. Provide each group with one Food Group Information Sheet (see Appendix 6-E) and one copy of Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating. Have each group create a poster or a bulletin boa rd that features their food group. Elements of the poster or bulletin board may include: the name of the food group examples of food in the food group (e.g., from grocery store flyers) what represents one serving of that food group key nutrients in the food group the function of the food group. Have each group teach the rest of the class about the food group they have been assigned. Advise students ahead of time that their posters or bulletin board displays and their group presentation will be used as part of their assessment for this unit. B efore the five small groups begin their preparations, take the time to develop, as a class, the criteria that will be used to assess the posters and presentations. Assessing Group Presentations is a rating scale teachers might use as a guide. It can be fo und in the Templates for Assessment and Evaluation section of this curriculum guide.
Interactive Instruction: co-operative learning groups (pair activity)	The purpose of this portion of the unit is to ensure that students understand the full range of the term 'physical activity'. To some students, the term may conjure up images of exercise, sports, physical education classes, and/or recreation activities . Physical activity is all this and more. Begin by asking each student to create a short list of physical activities in which they enjoy participating. The list can be created by having students write each activity on a Post-it note. Ask students to select a partner and to develop a joint list of physical activities by moving each of their Post-it notes to a sheet of chart paper and forming a list that reflects all of their ideas. Debrief the peer-partner activity by drawing attention to the general categories included as physical activity. Using the student-developed lists, point out that physical activity includes all kinds of equipment (balls, racquets, helmets) or no equipme nt (walking, swimming). It can take place in special locations (courts, rinks) or natural locations (hiking in the hills, biking in the neighbourhood). Bring closure to the pair activity when students comprehend the following key points: the term physical activity includes a variety of activities different people prefer different physical activities. physical activity does not have to be competitive.
Direct Instruction: mini-lecture and Direct Instruction: guides for reading, listening, and viewing	In a mini-lecture, present the definitions featured in the opening footage of the Body Image video. Emphasize the final definition, self-respect. Playing the exact footage at the beginning of the video is one way of emphasizing the importance of self-respect. The female narrator refers to self-respect as never wanting to do anything to hurt or harm yourself. Use the novel, Walking a Thin Line, to demonstrate that one of the main characters, Andrea, lacks self-respect in her attempt to alter her body image. Unfortunately, Lauren and her friend Andrea both react to name calling by starting weight loss efforts and focusing on food. Andrea ends up with anorexia. Read the novel to your class to discover how Andrea's good intentions result in obsessive and compulsive behaviours because of her low self-esteem and lack of self-respect. Note: Other similar resources may be used in addition to, or instead of, this particular title. Bring closure to the novel by emphasizing the term 'balance', which was used repeatedly by young people in the video Body Image. Contrast the idea of a healthy balance of physical activity and healthy eating to the next portion of the unit that focuses on unhealthy ways to enhance body image.
Interactive Instruction: brainstorming	The Body Image video uses animation to outline some of the consequences of using performance enhancing drugs to improve body image. Ask students to generate a list of those consequences. Record their responses and when the brainstorming is compl ete, draw attention to the fact that some of the consequences are short-term and others are long-term, but they are all unhealthy consequences. Use the students' list of consequences as a link to the talking circle activity that can be used to bring closu re to Level A.
Interactive Instruction: talking circle/ circle of knowledge	Facilitate a talking circle or circle of knowledge activity to wrap up Level A, where the purpose is to extend the students' knowledge base about healthy and unhealthy ways to enhance or maintain their body image. Prepare the students to participate in the activity by having them list the healthy ways to change their body image as well as the unhealthy ways. Also, write the following three terms on the chalkboard and ensure that students understand them: self-esteem vulnerability body image. Ask each student, one at a time, to select any two of the three terms and explain how one might have an effect on the other. Remind the class members that they are free to 'pass' if their idea has already been contributed by a previous speaker. Alterna tively, students should feel free to repeat an idea as their explanation may be stated differently, thus offering new insights. Some students may talk about the relationship between self-esteem and body image while others may offer a comment on self-estee m and vulnerability. Fewer students may comment on the connections between vulnerability and body image. The teacher may have to define the word 'vulnerable'. For the visual learners in the class, a Venn diagram may be an effective visual to use in closing Level A. It depicts the relationships among the terms self-esteem, vulnerability, and body image.

Decision-making Process Level B - Make an Informed Decision 3. State the challenge. Explore alternatives and consequences. 4. Make a decision. Set a personal goal. Learning Objectives Students will consider personal standards regarding natural and unnatural ways to improve body image. Students will list the short-term and long-term consequences of using drugs to improve body image (CCT). Students will list the short-term and long-term consequences of combining healthy eating and physical activity as a way of improving body image (CCT). Students will assess their current level of balance or imbalance between diet and physical activity. Students will establish a goal to maintain or achieve a balance of diet and physical activity in their lives, in order to maintain or improve their body image.

Instructional Strategies/Methods	Teaching Notes
Direct Instruction: structured overview	Inform students that the next class or two will be dedicated to practising the skills of making healthy decisions about changing aspects of body size and shape that can be changed (e.g., we cannot change height, but we can change body composition). Remind students that personal standards are the focus of Health Education throughout grade 6. As a review, provide a list of personal standards as generated by the students early in the Decision-making Process Unit or as contained in resources used thr oughout that unit. Ask students to clarify their personal standards by participating in the following activity. Ask them to stand along a line, from strongly disagree to strongly agree, according to how they feel about the statements below: if you look and feel better, it does not matter how you do it people have the right to change their body composition or appearance to their own satisfaction using chemicals to improve your appearance for a short time, such as summer holidays or hockey season, is acceptable when you use anabolic steroids to win, it is cheating the system and yourself. Note: The statements are designed, intentionally, to be ambiguous. Read each statement, allow students the opportunity to position themselves along the line, and then ask them to take a minute or two to discuss, with the person standing beside them, why they c hose this position. Teachers might give students the option of doing this as a journal writing activity if they are uncomfortable with the group activity. Post the list of factors affecting decision making that was generated during the Decision-making Process Unit at the beginning of the school year. The class list, when grouped into categories, likely contained the following: adult role modelling advertising family influence felt need media peer pressure societal trends urgency values.
Interactive Instruction: discussion	Project the first scenario below on a screen or post it on flipchart paper. Have students briefly discuss responses to the questions in pairs, and then facilitate a class discussion that focuses on responses to the questions about factors that affect d ecision making. Situation One In the story, Walking a Thin Line, Andrea is teased a lot about her size. She goes on a diet and starts to exercise regularly. As time goes on, she eats less and less, and her family and friends notice changes in her behaviour. She comments, 'Y ou can never be too thin.'. Questions: How do you think Andrea feels about her body? What factors are affecting Andrea's body image? Following the class discussion, allow five minutes for pairs of students to consider the next scenario. Situation Two In the video, Body Image, a high school football player talks about the hard work and commitment necessary in the sport of his choice. He is very clear about his decision not to use drugs to enhance his performance. Andrea Schwartz, an Olympic swimmer who trained in Saskatchewan, is equally as clear about her position on drugs and competition. Questions: What factor(s) are affecting each of their decisions? In your opinion, what personal standards are evident in their decisions? Discuss as a class.
Direct Instruction: demonstration	Use the example Are you too fat, Ginny? (Appendix 6-F) to illustrate the process of getting accurate information from expert sources, listing alternatives, and considering consequences when making a decision that co ncerns body image.
Interactive Instruction: peer practice	When all students are clear on the expectations surrounding expert sources of information, alternatives, and consequences, ask each pair of students to select and work through one of the decision-making scenarios in Appendix 6 -G. Advise students that their recording of this process in written form or audio form will be used as assessment data for the unit.
Interactive Instruction: brainstorming	The students who worked through the decision-making scenario about Brook likely outlined an action plan of healthy eating and regular physical activity. Use those decisions as a way to initiate a brainstorming session of the short-term consequences and the long-term consequences of combining healthy eating and physical activity as a way of improving body image.
Independent Study: homework	As a means of having students assess their current level of balance between diet and physical activity, ask them to record the numbers of servings they eat from each food group and the kind of physical activity they experience in their day-to-day life. For grade 6 students, keeping a log for five days is a reasonable expectation. Start and finish in such a fashion that a weekend is included. The format of a sample log is included in Appendix 6-H.
Interactive Instruction: tutorial groups	When the students have completed their five-day log, arrange for small groups of students to work with the school public health nurse, the health promotion person and the nutritionist from the health district, and the classroom teacher. The adults can assist the students in analyzing their current level of balance or imbalance in their diet and physical activity. Adults can also help students establish a goal to maintain the balance of healthy eating and physical activity if the student demonstrated th at balance in his or her five-day log. If the student needs to improve the balance of healthy eating and physical activity in his or her life, the adults can help him or her establish an improvement-related goal. In all cases, the goal needs to be specifi c, realistic, attainable, and measurable. Possible illustrations from the five-day log and corresponding goal statements might include: A student who is physically active for an average of 30 minutes per day but does not eat adequate servings from the Vegetables and Fruit group may write a goal statement such as, 'My goal is to eat a daily minimum of 5 servings from the Vegetable s and Fruits food group and continue with at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day for one week.'. A student whose log illustrates very little physical activity and inadequate servings from the Milk Products group (because he or she does not like milk) might write a goal statement such as, 'My goal is to increase the amount of physical activity in my day to 30 minutes and eat three servings of cheese, yogurt, or frozen yogurt daily for one week.'. Note: Teachers may have students in their classes who do not eat meat or dairy products. Teachers can help these students write goal statements aimed at ensuring their nutritional requirements are met through healthy alternatives to meat and dairy products. The teacher might enlist the help of a nutritionist or other public health professional. Note: Volunteering is a very popular module within Wellness 10. Consider partnering grade six students and Wellness 10 students to analyze the younger student's log and formulate a goal.

Student Assessment Techniques It is important to keep records and data from all activities in each student's portfolio. The degree to which students understand the role of personal standards in decision making can be assessed by providing them with two or three scenarios and askin g them to identify the personal standard(s) reflected in each of the decisions made by characters within the scenarios. As the verb used in the second and third learning objectives of Level B is 'to list' short-term and long-term consequences of using dru gs to improve body image and short-term and long-term consequences of combining healthy eating and physical activity, case studies are an appropriate way to assess the degree to which students have attained the learning objectives. In each student's portf olio is located assessment data such as, the student's response to a decision-making scenario completed with a partner. Use the student's five-day log and goal statement to assess the degree to which the goal evolves from the evidence recorded in the log. Student Evaluation Techniques for Level B of the Decision-making Process Use the data collected throughout Level B to make a judgement and assign a mark that represents the degree to which the student has achieved the learning objectives of Level B.

Instructional Strategies/Methods	Teaching Notes
Direct Instruction: structured overview	Begin Level C by referring to the wall chart of the Decision-making Process. Use it to indicate the four things that each class member is going to set out to do with all that the class has learned about body image. Each class member is going to: design an action plan to meet their goal carry out their action plan for at least one week evaluate their plan at the end of the week revise their plan and make changes, if necessary, for long-term use.
Direct Instruction: mini-lecture	Review the elements of a well-designed action plan. These elements were listed in Level C of the Decision-making Process Unit for grade 6.
Interactive Instruction: tutorial groups	Arrange students in small groups according to their goal statements: One group might include people who want to enhance their body image through a goal of maintaining their current amount of physical activity in their day-to-day life and improving their eating habits. A second group might include students who want to change their body image by maintaining their healthy eating patterns and increasing the amount of physical activity in their day-to-day life. Another group might be quite comfortable with their body image but learned through their five-day log that there is room for improvement in the balance of physical activity and healthy eating in their day-to-day life. Ask the public health nurse and public health nutritionist from the local health district if they are willing to work with those students who are making changes in their diet to meet their goals. The Health Education teacher and Wellness 10 students mi ght work with the students who are increasing their physical activity level to meet their goals. Encourage the students and their adult tutors to incorporate the elements of a well-designed action plan. Provide them with the descriptors of a 'less effective' action plan and a 'more effective' action plan as they appear in Level C of the Decision-m aking Process Unit for grade 6.
Direct Instruction: mini-lecture	Review the traits of an effective support person. See Level C of the Decision-making Process Unit for grade 6. Encourage students to give careful consideration to selecting a support person who will work with them for one week as they carry out the act ion plan.
Independent Study: learning contract	A Sample Body Image Action Plan (Grade 6: Affirm Standards) is provided in Appendix 6-I. Teachers can use it or adapt it for their students' use in writing action plans. Before beginning their one-week action plan, student s need to get their support person's signature and the signature of their tutor or teacher who helped them develop the plan. Also, encourage students to set their first check-in date and time with their support person. Arrange for due dates when students will submit their action plans and their one-week logs or journals.
Independent Study: homework	The Sample Rubric for Evaluating the Elements of a Body Image Action Plan (see Appendix 6-J) can be used to evaluate each student's action plan design. Record the rating of each element on a separate sheet. Return action p lans to students along with the rubrics and ask students to rate each element of their action plans. Use the data gathered in both ratings to make a judgement and evaluate each student's plan. For the week-long log, teachers may wish to use the Sample Rating Scale for Assessing the Implementation of an Action Plan (see Appendix 6-K). In addition, teachers may wish to make general comments about effort, detail, w hat students were doing on each day, and how their activity was or was not contributing to their overall goal. More time will be spent in grade 7 on evaluating the implementation of action plans. The emphasis in grade 6 is on evaluating the design element s of action plans.

Student Assessment Techniques The student ratings and the teacher ratings make up the assessment data collected in Level C. Student Evaluation Techniques for Level C of the Decision-making Process Use the data gathered and make a judgement or assign a mark that represents the degree to which the student accomplished the four learning objectives of Level C.