What’s Lurking in Your Fast Food?

A few months back, I chartered into some new teaching territory. Working alongside the wonderful team at Discovery Education, we developed another exciting STEM lesson and brought it to life!  With the bright lights and cameras on me, I starred in my first digital lesson for TGR EDU: Explore. After a long day of filming and playing actress for the day, the end result is an engaging training video based on the lesson plan, What’s Lurking in Your Fast Food?, that offers educators a step-by-step guide to setting up this hands-on lesson in their own classroom.

Americans have been dependent on the fast food industry for quick, tasty and inexpensive meals dating back to the early 1920’s. Nearly one third of children and adolescents are eating fast food on a given day. Consumption of fast food is linked to weight gain, obesity and poor diet quality in children and adults. As a society we need to make a change soon, and it needs to start with our children.

Now available on TGR EDU: Explore, our latest video lesson, What is Lurking in your Fast Food?, educates students on what exactly they are putting into their bodies. This hands-on lesson uses chemistry to allow students to dive deep in the ingredients commonly found at fast food restaurants. Students build an understanding as to what exactly they are consuming when they eat these convenient meals.

The lesson also allows for students to investigate the link between these troublesome ingredients often found in fast food and common diseases in the United States.

The goal of the lesson is for the participating students to have that “AHA” moment and realize what the fast food is slowly doing to their bodies. As a group, students can discuss healthier choices, and while not totally cut out fast food, keep in mind the health risks that come along with the ingredients.

Visit TGR EDU: Explore to watch What is Lurking in your Fast Food? now and download the free, accompanying lesson plan.

Redefining what it means to be a champion.