Pyramid Cafe®

Meet the Milk Group

Grade Level: 2nd Grade / Primary Elementary
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Meet the Milk Group
Students identify foods in the Milk Group and learn that Milk Group foods keep their bones and teeth healthy. They also start making a deck of Pyramid Food Cards and help LaMilka Bones unscramble The Pyramid Cafe's® Mixed-Up Refrigerator.

• Name at least three foods that belong to the Milk Group
• State how foods in the Milk Group help keep them healthy
• State the number of bones in the human body
• Explain the skeleton's function
• Classify Milk Group Food Cards according to personal criteria

• Meet the Milk Group PDF worksheet (1 per student)
• Make a sample set of Pyramid Food Cards #1 - 6
• Milk Group Food Cards PDF (1 per student) Save class time by having students prepare as homework
• Scissors; markers or crayons
• Food Card Sort PDF worksheet (1 per student)
• The Pyramid Cafe's® Mixed-Up Refrigerator PDF assessment (1 per student) Decide whether to use as a test, homework or seatwork.

• Open the activity by recapping The Story of the Pyramid Cafe® students read in the last lesson.
  
  • Who are the characters? Why are there five of them?
  • Why are they called Pyramid Pals?
  • What was the sequence of events, i.e. LaMilka Bones spoke first. She wanted to name the restaurant "Daisy's Dairy Diner" and serve milk, yogurt and cheese from the Milk Group.
  • Who spoke next?
  • What happened?

Continue until all Five Food Groups are reviewed. Tell students that today they're going to learn about LaMilka Bones' group - the Milk Group.

• Show students your set of Pyramid Food Cards and explain that they're going to make their own set. Distribute and review the Milk Group Food Cards worksheet. Have students color and cut them apart.
  • If they like yogurt a lot, put it in the "Smiley Face" box.
  • If they think yogurt is OK, put it in the "Neutral Face" box.
  • If they don't like yogurt, put it in the "Frowning Face" box.
  • If they've never tasted it, put it in the "Question Mark" box.
• Point out that not everyone likes the same foods, and that's okay. If they've never heard of or tasted a food before, that's okay too. Have students sort their remaining Milk Group Food Cards.
• Tell them to count the cards in each box. Do a quick survey:
  • Grin if most of their cards are in the "I like this food a lot" box.
  • Put their hands on their heads if most are in the "This food is OK" box.
  • Put their hands over their mouths if most are in the "I don't like this food" box.
  • Stand if most are in the "I've never tasted this food" box.
• Distribute the My Nutritious Food Picks worksheet. Have students locate the row titled "My Favorite Milk Group Foods" and record their three favorite Milk Group foods in the boxes.
• Have students look at their Meet the Milk Group worksheet again. Read the "Growing Strong Bones" section together.
• Move on to the "Growing Strong Teeth" section. Have students:
  • Raise their hands if they have any loose teeth.
  • Wave their hands if they have any permanent teeth.

Let students show each other any loose baby teeth. Have them answer the two questions on the worksheet. Read "La Milka's Good Health Tip" aloud.

• Distribute and have students complete The Pyramid Cafe's® Mixed-Up Refrigerator worksheet.
• Review the answers and have student make corrections.
• Optional: Distribute the Daily Food Guide Pyramid take-home handout.

Going Further
Little Milk Group Poems
As a class, generate words that rhyme with several Milk Group foods. Have students create two-line poems using the name of a Milk Group food and the rhyming word. Read poems aloud.

A Taste of Yogurt
Obtain a carton of vanilla yogurt and small plastic spoons. Ask student to raise their hands if they have tasted yogurt. Let them talk about different flavors they like. Ask if they have ever tasted vanilla yogurt. Offer students a little taste and have them describe what it tastes like.

Note: PDF documents require the Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you don't have Acrobat Reader, click here to download a free copy.

Note: This activity is from the Pyramid Cafe® student workbook. Pyramid Cafe® is available from your local dairy council. Click here for contact information.

Reviews

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Title: The Pyramid Cafe Rocks!
Submitted by: Ms. Heather Ryan

My class really loved this lesson. The play was a hit and we were able to create a food pyramid in art class to use as a prop for the play. Thank you for such a great teaching resource.