Instructional Guide

How can an insufficient diet lead to chronic diarrhea?

Use this outline when talking about diets and health. This can be used to teach students the importance of a balanced diet and why they need to eat the foods that they need to eat. This can also be used to encourage students to become more involved with their parents/guardians when it comes to meal planning and cooking.

Intended grade level

This lesson is intended for grades 3rd – 5th. Students should have a basic understanding of diarrhea, which will be reinforced in presentation, upset stomachs, and diets.

Student learning objectives

• Learners will be able to explain generally what diarrhea is
• Learners will be able to identify foods that could cause chronic diarrhea if they do not eat enough of them
• Learners will be able to explain how they can tell what their food contains

Lesson Format

Link to student page

Students can independently, or as a class watch a video about what causes diarrhea. Afterwards, there will be a short presentation on what chronic diarrhea is and what foods can lead to chronic diarrhea. This presentation will include foods that are good to eat that contain the vitamins and minerals that can lead to chronic diarrhea if insufficient. Once students have gone through the presentation there is a short summary check, to ensure that students have gotten key information out of the presentation.

Once the presentation is over, students can independently work through a short assessment that evalutes what they have learned during this module.

Common misconceptions and challenge points

• Instructor should be prepared to elaborate on Kahoot! questions that require application of content
• Instructors should be prepared to explain the differences between normal bowel movements and diarrhea and the distinction of chronic diarrhea