Watertown Public Schools is committed to the optimal development of every student. Therefore, the district works toward ensuring that each student has access to healthful foods, physical activity, adequate hydration, and quality nutrition education to help them develop lifelong healthful eating habits.

To further provide quality nutrition education, Watertown Public Schools has partnered with Framingham State University Coordinated Program in Dietetics. On Monday, April 8^th, the students of Lowell Elementary extended day program welcomed student dietitian Samantha Manero to discuss the five food groups and MyPlate.

The second-grade students gathered on the carpet in front of a large white board. The lesson began with a song, “Alive With Five Groups,” and the students were instructed to listen carefully and report back with the five groups once the song ended. Samantha then led a discussion regarding each group and the nutrients that each group provides. The students then went around in a circle giving examples of their favorite foods and the group worked together to determine which parts of each food fell into each food group, or section of MyPlate. By the end of the lesson, each student understood which food group most foods belong to.

Samantha has helped to implement the nutrition education aspect of Watertown Public School’s Wellness Policy by providing age appropriate lessons regarding food and nutrition. A great deal of nutrition resources and lesson plans are available at The John C. Stalker Institute of Food and Nutrition Resource Center for students and educators to utilize.

Submitted by: Samantha Manero, FSU Graduate Food and Nutrition Student in the Coordinated Program in Dietetics