MyPyramid

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MyPyramid
Created on 1/16/06 by Chris Sponseller and Jenn
Wilson

• Steps to a Healthier You

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Click here to print the activity sheet if
necessary. Click here to print the blank
MyPyramid if necessary
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Be Physically Active Every Day The person
climbing the stairs reminds you to do something
active every day, like running, walking the dog,
playing, swimming, biking, or climbing lots of
stairs.
Eat More From Some Food Groups Than Others Did
you notice that some of the color stripes are
wider than others? The different sizes remind
you to choose more foods from the food groups
with the widest stripes.
Choose Healthier Foods From Each Food Group Why
are the colored stripes wider at the bottom of
the pyramid? Every food group has foods that you
should eat more often than others these foods
are at the bottom of the pyramid.
Every Color Every Day The colors orange, green,
red, yellow, blue, and purple represent the five
different food groups plus oils. Remember to eat
foods from all food groups every day.
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Hi! Im Polly the Pyramid Pal. Did you notice
that Im running up the steps? Thats because
Ive got lots of energy from eating right and
exercising a lot. What do you do to exercise?
On the steps of your activity sheet write the
ways you stay active.
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Lets take a look at the MyPyramid for Kids Im
climbing. Its called MyPyramid for Kids because
its just for you. The Pyramid shows how much
food kids our age should eat.
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Do you know the food groups? Do you see the
orange stripe next to the steps? Thats the
grains group! Do you know what grains are?
Click on the bread in the orange stripe to find
out. Write the definition of grain on your
activity sheet.
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Now find out what type of foods are in the grain
group. Click on the bread again to view
examples. Click the blue View Grains Food
Gallery button on the website to see pictures of
the examples. Record at least 5 examples on your
activity sheet.
Click to Continue
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Learn how to eat whole grains in your everyday
meals. You need 6 ounces of grain each day. Click
on the bread to read some tips to help you eat
whole grains. Then write a few sentences on your
activity sheet telling how you can include the
grain group in your food choices.
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Now color and label the grains section orange on
your blank MyPyramid. Under the label, record
how much grain you should eat each day.
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Now look for the green stripe next to the grain
group. Thats the vegetable group! Do you know
what vegetable are? Click on the vegetables in
the green stripe to find out. Write the
definition of a vegetable on your activity sheet.
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Now find out what type of foods are vegetables.
Click on the vegetables again to view examples.
Click the blue View Vegetables Food Gallery
button on the website to see pictures of the
examples. Record at least 5 examples on your
activity sheet.
Click to Continue
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Learn how to eat vegetables in your everyday
meals. You need 2 ½ cups of vegetables each day.
Click on the vegetables to read some tips to
help you eat more vegetables. Then write a few
sentences on your activity sheet telling how you
can include the vegetable group in your food
choices.
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Now color and label the vegetables section green
on your blank MyPyramid. Under the label, record
the amount of vegetables you need daily.
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Now look for the red stripe next to the vegetable
group. Thats the Fruit group! Do you know what
foods are fruits? Click on the fruit in the red
stripe to find out. Write the definition of a
fruit on your activity sheet.
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Now find out what type of foods are fruits.
Click on the fruits again to view examples.
Click the blue View Fruits Food Gallery button
on the website to see pictures of the examples.
Record at least 5 examples on your activity sheet.
Click to Continue
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Learn how to eat fruit in your everyday meals.
You need 1 ½ cups of fruit each day. Click on
the fruit to read some tips to help you eat more
fruit. Then write a few sentences on your
activity sheet telling how you can include the
fruit group in your food choices.
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Now color and label the fruits section red on
your blank MyPyramid. Under the label, record
the amount of fruits you need daily.
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The yellow stripe on the pyramid identifies the
fat and oils that people eat. Fats and oils are
not a food group but you need some for good
health. Get your oils from fish, nuts, and
liquid oils such as corn oil, soybean oil, and
canola oil. Color the yellow stripe on your
MyPyramid now.
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Now look for the blue stripe next to the fats and
oils. Thats the Milk group! Do you know why it
is important to include food from the milk group
in your diet? Click on the carton of milk in the
blue stripe to find out. Tell why it is
important to include foods from this group by
writing a sentence or two on your activity sheet.
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Now find out what type of foods are in the milk
group. Click on the milk carton again to view
examples. Click the blue View Milk Food
Gallery button on the website to see pictures of
the examples. Record at least 5 examples on your
activity sheet.
Click to Continue
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Learn how to include milk in your everyday meals.
You need 3 cups of milk each day. Click on the
milk carton to read some tips to help you eat
more milk products. Then write a few sentences
on your activity sheet telling how you can
include the milk group in your food choices.
Click to Continue
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Now color and label the milk section blue on your
blank MyPyramid. Under the label, record the
amount of milk you need daily.
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Now look for the last stripe, the purple stripe.
Thats the Meat Beans group! Do you know why
foods from the meat beans group are important?
Click on the steak in the purple stripe to find
out. Write why these foods are important on your
information sheet.
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Now find out what type of foods are in the meat
and beans group. Click on the steak again to
view examples. Click the blue View Meat Beans
Food Gallery button on the website to see
pictures of the examples. Record at least 5
examples on your activity sheet.
Click to Continue
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Learn how to choose meats beans for your
everyday meals. You need 5 ounces from this
group each day. Click on the steak to read some
tips to help you eat more meat and bean products.
Then write a few sentences on your activity
sheet telling what you can do to make good
choices fro the meat and bean group.
Click to Continue
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Now color and label the meat bean section
purple on your blank MyPyramid. Under the label,
record the amount of meats beans you need daily.
Click to Continue
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Now find out how to make the new pyramid work for
you.

• Visit the website below. Type in your age,
  choose whether you are male or female, and choose
  the amount of exercise you do each day. Then
  press submit and you will see how much of each
  food group you should be eating each day.
• http//www.mypyramid.gov/mypyramid/index.aspx

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Chart Your Progress

• Ask your teacher for a chart to record your
  progress for two days.
• If one is not available, click here to print a
  worksheet that will let you chart your progress
  in using the food pyramid. Print one for today
  and one for tomorrow.

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For More Information
Click on a pyramid below to find check out more
cool information and activities about
MyPyramid. Kids Health- More information about
MyPyramid. MyPyramid Blast Off Game- Play a
game to practice using
MyPyramid. Learn to Be
Healthy- Check out the games on this site to
practice using your food pyramid
knowledge Health Trivia- Play this game to
test your knowledge of eating
healthy.