It's Tuesday night and dinner is just finishing up at the
Brown home. Mom says, "Benny, don't forget to finish your
milk!"
"But Mom, I hate milk! Do I have to drink it?"
"Not if you can tell me how you plan on getting enough calcium
in your diet?" she said smugly.
"I'm doomed!" said Benny.
Suddenly a door opened and in flowed Mr. Calcium. "No you're
not, Benny. Let's work together to keep you healthy, happy, and
restore the peaceful dinnertime."
In this WebQuest, you will help Benny present his Mom with a healthy way to replace the milk he dislikes so much.
As you discover the answers to the following questions, record them on your worksheet.
1. Benny has studied the food pyramid many times during his school year. He knows that milk has calcium in it , but in order to replace his milk at dinner he needs to find out more about calcium and what it does for the body.
Go to: Ohio State University-Calcium (http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~ohioline/hyg-fact/5000/5557.html) to find out answers to the following questions.
What is calcium?
What does it do for our bodies?
2. Benny wonders what will happen to people who don't get enough calcium throughout their lifetime.
- Go to: Health Direct (http://www4.viaweb.com/healthdirect/abcorcal.html ) and
- Times Union: Increasing your Calcium Intake (http://www.timesunion.com/life/food/stories/calcium.stm#top).
Find out 7 health concerns connected to low calcium in a diet.
3. Now that he knows the importance of calcium, Benny wants to find out how much calcium people of different ages need daily. He thinks he should let his parents know so they can be sure everyone in the family is getting enough calcium.
Go to: Calcium Requirements (http://www.hhp.ufl.edu/FIT/article/calreq.htm)
On your worksheet, list all of your family members and their approximate ages. Using the information at the website, find out how many milligrams of daily calcium each member of your family needs.
4. If Benny wants to drink less milk, how will he still get the calcium he needs.
- Go to the following sites to discover other foods which provide calcium.
- Times Union: Increasing your Calcium Intake (http://www.timesunion.com/life/food/stories/calcium.stm#top)
Calcium and Vegan Diets (http://www.enviroweb.org/AnimaLife/fall96/calcium.html)
Ohio State University-Calcium (http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~ohioline/hyg-fact/5000/5557.html)
Name five dairy products and five non-dairy products which have significant supplies of calcium.
5. Benny knows how many milligrams of calcium he needs every day. Find out what he should eat to replace it.
Go to:Ohio State University-Calcium ( http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~ohioline/hyg-fact/5000/5557.html)
and Calcium Check List (http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/nutrition/348-019/348-019.html#L6)Write a list of foods which will give Benny a one day's supply of calcium without drinking milk. Include the food items and their calcium supply. Double check to make sure your total equals what Benny needs.
Use what you have learned to design a 12 inch by 18 inch poster of Mr. Calcium. Each of the body parts you draw must be a food item which is a significant source of calcium. Remember, Benny doesn't like to drink milk. Label each food item in your drawing.