Topic: Vitamins, water and mineral salts

Author: Elżbieta Szedzianis

Target group

7th grade students of an eight‑year elementary school.

Core curriculum

7th grade

4. Digestive system and nutrition. Student:

3) presents sources and explains the meaning of nutrients (proteins, sugars, fats vitamins, mineral salts and water) for the correct functioning of the body, as well as plans and conducts an experiment that is aimed at detecting the presence of selected nutrients in foods.

Lesson objective

The students explain the sources of vitamins and mineral salts, as well as their meaning for the correct development and functioning of the body.

Key Success Criteria

• you will present foods that have a lot of mineral salts and vitamins;

• you will describe the functions of selected vitamins and mineral salts in your body;

• you will explain the significance of water for the body.

Key Competences

• communicating in the mother tongue;

• communicating in a foreign language;

• mathematical competence and basic competences in science and technology;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn;

• social and civic competences.

Methods/Forms of work

Work with text, instant information method, text with mixed sentences, a talk.

Individual work, work in pairs and work in groups.

Teaching measures

• abstract;

• interactive or traditional whiteboard;

• tablets/computers;

• mixed sentences text.

Lesson plan overview (Process)

Introduction

The teacher tells the topic of the lessons, defines the purpose of the course using simple language and shows students the criteria for success.

Realization

1. The teacher asks the students to read the fragment titled “Vitamins” and try to memorize as much information as they can. Then, working in pairs, they check their knowledge.

2. The teacher divides the students into 4 groups. The members of each team sit in a circle and, using instant information method, they talk about the vitamins mentioned in the abstract. One vitamin must be analyzed by at least 5 people. The first vitamin is drawn.

3. Each group gets a mixed sentences text, prepared by the teacher based on the table that presents the occurrence and significance of chosen micro- and macroelements. The students match foods to the elements they have and the functions the elements have in the body.

4. The teacher asks the students to divide the nutrients they know (proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, mineral salts and water) into:

• spare;

• energy providing;

• building;

• regulating the work of the body.

The students create a table that includes this division, and then they write down the definition of vitamins in their notebook.

5. The teacher asks the students if they know any dietary supplements and why do we take them. He fills in their explanations and corrects potential mistakes.

6. The teacher asks the students to pay attention to the illustration that presents the nutrients in a pepper (Average‑sized paprika covers the daily value for selenium, vitamin C and E) and form conclusions about the need for supplementation.

Summary

1. The teacher lists various foods and the students describe the nutrients they include.

2. The students talk about minerals and vitamins that can be found in products presented on the interactive illustration.

3. Then, he asks the students to finish the following sentence: “During this class, I have learnt that...”.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Vitamins, water and mineral salts

Vitamins are regulatory compounds which are necessary for the life processes to happen correctly. Some of them can be created in the organism. These are vitamins K and of the B group, which are produced by the bacteria living in our digestive tract. Vitamins D and A are produced in our body from the so‑called provitamins. Vitamin D appears in our skin under the influence of sun rays, whereas vitamin A is produced from carotene that is included in orange vegetables and fruits. Other vitamins are compounds which cannot be produced by our body, which means they have to be provided with food.

Both lack of vitamins (hypovitaminosis) and too much vitamins (hypervitaminosis) are dangerous for our health. Hypovitaminosis can be the cause for growth disorders, problems with development and renewal of cells, lower immunity and problems with how our nervous system works. Hypervitaminosis can lead to organ damage (too much of vitamin A or D can damage our liver).

Vitamins that are soluble in fats can be stored, which is why it is not necessary to provide them daily. Vitamins that are soluble in water are expelled from the body with urine, so their presence in our daily diet is necessary.

Water and mineral salts are inorganic compounds that are eaten by humans and necessary for the correct functioning of our body.

Water composes around 60% of the body mass, and its amount decreases with age. It is the main component of cells and organs. For example: muscles have around 75% of water, brain: 70‑80%, while teeth and bones - 20%. Water in our body is a universal solvent of chemical compounds, a substrate and product of reactions that take place in the system, it participates in thermoregulatory processes and it drains the products of metabolism. Daily demand for water is 2,5 liters and depending on the age, type of work we do and the temperature of our surroundings. Water is provided together with food we eat – 1l, with drinks we drink – 1.2 l. It is also produced in our body as a product of metabolism in cells – around 0.3 l a day. Water loss is connected with excretion (with urine – 1.5 l, faeces – 0.1 l, sweat – 0.45 ; the air we exhale – 0.45 l). The amount of water we intake and excrete should be balanced.

Mineral salts are present in small amounts and are constantly excreted (with sweat, faeces and urine), which is why they should be replenished. If there is a shortage of mineral salts, the body starts using the supply that is stored in organs, e.g. by using calcium from our bones and teeth.

Vegetables, fruit, milk and diary, wholemeal bread are very rich in mineral salts. They have numerous elements from which 30 are vital for the correct growth and functioning of our body. They have building function (calcium in teeth and bones, iron in hemoglobin), regulatory function as ingredients of hormones (iodine in thyroid), they participate in conducting nervous impulses (sodium, potassium). The amount of fluid in the body is also dependant on them (sodium, potassium).

• Nutrients are organic compounds: proteins, sugars, fats, vitamins, and inorganic compounds – water and mineral salts.

• Vitamins and mineral salts are the ingredients that regulate the functions of our organism.

• In order for our body to function correctly, it must be provided with around 2.5 l of water daily.