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Vitamin C*

CONCEPT: General Nutrition

 

BRIEF SUMMARY

Child learns about vitamin C during a puppet show and discussion.

 

OBJECTIVES

After completing this activity, children will be able to:

• state that vitamin C is needed every day for a healthy body
• name three good sources of vitamin C
• verbalize the need for their formula, to provide vitamin C plus many other nutrients

 

METHODS

Puppet Show
Explain to the children, "Today we are going to learn about vitamin C."

Choose three volunteers to perform the puppet show called, "The Scurvy Story." Give them each a puppet (Tomato, Orange, Green Pepper) and a copy of the puppet show script.

Discussion
After the puppet show, lead a discussion about the puppet show and vitamin C facts. Use the food models or pictures of foods high in vitamin C and the Vitamin C Fact Sheet.

Ask them questions such as:

• Why did the sailors get scurvy?
• How did they "cure" scurvy?
• Can people today get scurvy?
• How can we prevent scurvy?
• What other things does vitamin C do for our bodies?
• Name three foods that contain vitamin C.
• Can we get vitamin C from anything besides fruits and vegetables? ( Yes, our formula!!) Stress the importance of their formula as the best source of vitamin C, as well as many other nutrients.

Worksheet
Distribute the activity sheet to the children.

 

MATERIALS

• Puppets--Tammy Tomato, Ollie Orange, Peter Pepper (cut out the tomato, orange, and green pepper, enlarge them if desired, and brightly color them)
• Puppet show stage
• Puppet show script: "The Scurvy Story"
• Food models or pictures of foods high in vitamin C
• Vitamin C Fact Sheet
• Activity Sheet: Vitamin C Brain Maze
• Pencils

 

HOME ACTIVITIES

• Provide fruits and vegetables that are good sources of vitamin C at meals and snacks (refer to the Vitamin C Fact Sheet for ideas).
• Did you know? Vitamin C can be destroyed by heat and exposure to air. It is also water soluble and can be lost in the cooking water. To preserve the vitamin C in foods:
• CUT and PEEL only as much as needed
• COOK in steam or small amounts of water
• USE a tight fitting lid
• COOK until crisp-tender
• SERVE as soon as possible
• STORE juices in closed or air-tight containers
• SLICE or DICE raw fruits or vegetables just before serving

* Adapted from the Connecticut Nutrition Education and Training Program, University of Connecticut and State Department of Education Child Nutrition Programs, 1984.

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