| The student will investigate the relationship between fat grams and calories, and calculate an equations for approximating these values. |
| Time Frame: 2 - 3 days |
| Curriculum Integration: nutrition, linear equations, graphing, health issues, graphing calculators, slope, statistics |
| Materials: nutritional labels, graphing paper, graphing calculators |
| Applications: nutrition, statistics, heath related fields |
| Student grouping: Individual, pairs, or even small groups |
| (1) Students not prepared, by not bringing labels
(2) Students not familiar with graphing calculator |
| Project: (1) students collect data and arrange in chart
(2) students plot data on graph paper (3) students calculate equation both manually and with the graphing calculator (4) students make estimations on other foods |
| Journal: Explain the role fat grams and calories play in our life, and why is this information important to us. |
| Research: Have the students research what is a healthy number of calories and fat grams to maintain current weight, to loose weight, and to gain weight. Tell what factors play a part in these numbers. |
| 1. Have your students collect 20 nutritional labels from various
types of foods.
2. The students will then create a chart listing the type of product, # of calories, and # of fat grams. 3. Using graph paper the students will then plot the above values. 4. Using the graph, determine the slope and y-intercept, then write a linear equation for the data 5. Using the graphing calculator enter the data into the lists, and do a linear regression 6. Compare the equation created manually, and by the graphing calculator, write a journal entry explaining any variations between the two. If none also tell why. 7. Answer the following questions: (a) If a candy bar has 320 calories how many grams of fat would you estimate it to have? (b) If your diet allows you to have 20 grams of fat a day, how many calories can you have? (c) You and your friend decide to keep a record of what you eat all day. At the end of the day you have eaten 2200 calories, but your friend has eaten 17 grams of fat. What is the total number of calories eaten between both, and what is the total number of grams of fat eaten by you and your friend? |
| Have the students research what is a healthy number of
calories and fat grams to maintain the body. What factors in a person's
life could alter these numbers. list their references
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