Practical Living Class Improvements

The 2015-16 program review report card for Todd County Middle School showed Practical Living Studies needed improvement.  As a result, the Todd County NEP paraprofessional was invited to work with the 7^th and 8^th grade students in the practical living class during the 2016-17 school year.  The Todd County NEP paraprofessional taught 6 sessions each semester of “My Plate” to 7th and 8^th graders.  The students were taught how to select foods for a “My Plate” meal, how to keep foods safe, where to look for nutrition facts on a label, and the importance of making better beverage choices.  Prior to teaching, students completed a pre-test to determine their skill level and completed a post-test at the end.  Results showed:

92% improved their abilities to choose foods according to My Plate Guidelines. They learned to make healthy choices following My Plate Guidelines, and how the "Nutrition Facts" label guides them with serving size and calories.  They learned the importance of dairy for bone health as well as the amount of sugar in sugar-sweetened beverages.

65% of youth gained knowledge about improving their physical activity practices. They learned that they needed 60 minutes a day of physical activity and learned how physical activity will burn off calories and help you keep your body healthy.

53% of youth demonstrated an improvement in safe food handling practices and hand washing behavior. They learned the importance of using hand sanitizer when water was not available. However, at school, students do not have the opportunity to wash hands as often as they should due to limited time for lunch and between classes.

The Todd County NEP has been invited back for the 2017/2018 school year to teach “My Plate” to the next group of practical living students at Todd County Middle School.