Food Sort Learning Center Material
Children identify and sort food cards on the plate.
Children identify and sort food cards on the plate.
What you'll need
- Food Sort LCM (see Resources)
Step by step
Step 1
Print and bring out the Food Sort LCM. Carefully cut out the food cards, and place them facedown in a pile next to the sorting board.
Step 2
Invite children one at a time to draw a card. Ask them to identify the food item. Then, help them figure out where the food belongs on the plate. Have the child place the card on the correct section of the plate, and encourage the next child to take a turn.
Step 3
Continue until all of the foods have been sorted on the plate.
More ideas
Individualize: If you have younger children in your setting, omit the board for this activity. Focus on food identification for each card. You can display the board on a wall in your setting as a poster to introduce the USDA MyPlate concept.
Playful questions
Do you ever help plan meals with your family? What are your favorite things to suggest eating? Share them with us!
Which foods in the Food Sort materials do you like most? Why?
Learning outcomes
Math
Measurement and Data
With adult support, collects and records information in different ways across learning domains (discussion, maps, charts).
Develops growing abilities to collect, describe, and record information to answer simple questions across learning domains.
Math
Patterns, Sorting/Classifying, Reasoning
Shows increasing ability to match/sort/classify by color, size, shape; classifies by one attribute and makes comparisons across learning domains.
Matches/sorts/classifies by color, size, shape, texture; describes sorting rules; classifies by more than one attribute into two or more groups across learning domains.
Physical Development and Health
Physical Health, Growth
Begins to identify healthy and unhealthy foods; tries new foods, expressing preferences for some foods over others; explains that some foods help our bodies grow and remain healthy; begins to help with food preparation (mixing, etc.)
Exhibits knowledge about healthy eating and good nutrition; expresses some benefits of a healthy diet; tries new foods; shows willingness to eat a well-balanced diet; interested in various tastes, colors, and textures of food; helps with food preparation (mixing, measuring, etc.)
Social-Emotional Development
Trust and Relationships
Interacts with one or more children; develops special friendships; participates in group song, dance, acting/role-play; uses play to explore and practice social roles and relationships; seeks and accepts adult help to solve conflicts with peers
Begins to participate as a member of a group; takes turns and shares; sustains interaction by helping, cooperating, expressing interest; plays cooperatively with others; resolves some conflicts, uses constructive language; offers and seeks help from peers
Social-Emotional Development
Self-Regulation
Demonstrates increasing self-direction, independence, and control; calms self with minimal adult support; increasingly handles transitions appropriately
Manages own behavior and shows age-appropriate self-regulation; calms self and shares strategies with others; considers social standards of environment before responding to emotions or actions of others
Language/Literacy
Expressive Language (Speaking)
Speaks more clearly and is understood by most familiar adults; asks simple questions to extend conversation; begins to use some verbal and nonverbal conversational rules; listens to and repeats words in world languages and sign language.
Speaks clearly and is understood by most familiar and unfamiliar adults; initiates asking questions and responds in conversation with others; shares opinions, experiences, and ideas with others; uses most verbal and nonverbal conversational rules appropriately; listens to, repeats, and recalls words expressed in world languages and sign language.
Converses with a rapidly expanding vocabulary; understands words and meanings from growing number of topics and learning domains; demonstrates understanding of some opposite concepts.
Demonstrates understanding and use of rapidly expanding vocabulary, including language of specific learning domains and more abstract concepts; identifies word pairs that describe opposite concepts.