Lesson Plan - Taste Testers

Watch the Video
Watch the video “What’s for Lunch?” and discuss: What are some of the criteria officials need to consider when planning school lunch menus? Why is each factor important?

Preview Words to Know
Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know.

• federal
• incentives

Set a Purpose for Reading
As students read, have them think about what they would like to add to their school lunch menu.

1. How do kids help at the New York City Public Schools test kitchen?
Kids help at the New York City Public Schools test kitchen by sampling four or five meals. They vote on whether they like each one and give feedback. If 70 percent of the students who try a food like it, that food may appear in school lunches.
^{RI.4.2 Main Idea and Key Details}

2. How does the article support the idea that it is important for schools to serve lunches that kids will like?
The article supports the idea that it is important for schools to serve lunches that kids will like by explaining that when kids do not like a school lunch meal, they often end up tossing the food in the trash. The article states that “U.S. public schools produce about 530,000 tons of food waste each year.”
^{RI.4.8 Reasons and Evidence}

3. How does the sidebar, “What’s on Your Plate?,” support the article?
The sidebar, “What’s on Your Plate?,” supports the article by giving more information about the federal guidelines for school lunches. It shows the minimum amount of each food elementary schools must serve each day.
^{RI.4.7 Text Features}

Featured Skill: Summarizing
Use the skill builder “Super Summary” to review the elements of an effective summary. Have students evaluate the sample summary and then write their own summary of the article. 
^{RI.4.2 Summarizing}