Nutrient Tag - A Game for Life

The third life story in a series on this blog titled "Inspiring Profiles," readers were introduced to Linda Kelly, a woman who spent her career teaching physical education to children in the Boulder School District.  Now in retirement, she remains a woman with a passion to make a difference.  One who never stops learning, and applying what she has learned to educate children at an early age (second and third graders) about the importance of exercise and maintaining a healthy diet.


Linda developed the game of Nutrient Tag to teach kids the importance of nutrition, and have fun while learning.

The concept is to teach kids the five basic elements of nutrition.  Those elements are protein, carbohydrates, fat, water, and vitamins and minerals.

In the game, each element is given a color.  Each nutrient has a sign associated with it.  With a class of 25 students, 5 are designated as nutrient givers.  One is designated the nutrient thief.  Each player has a number of colored foam balls representing the 5 nutrients.


The game is based on the old dodge ball game (tag) and reinforces the knowledge of the five basic nutrients and an understanding of what they do to supply nutrition to the body.

Needed to Play:

• Five (5) buckets - One each of red, orange, yellow, green and blue.
• Pinnies: 5 of one color, and 1 of a different color.
• Foam Balls:  5 each of five colors - red, orange, yellow, green and blue.

 DAY ONE:

Introduce the five nutrients.

PROTEIN:

• Color, red (Use a 12" X 18" red poster with Protein as the heading and ways to move below).  (Visual Learning)

• Have the students repeat the words on the poster. (See and say for memory)

• Ask students what foods are mainly protein (meat, fish, and beans)

1. Protein is digested slowly, providing long lasting energy. (Auditory Learning)
2. The "Nutrient Users" may move by skipping, galloping, or sliding.
3. Play music with an uneven beat and have students move as mentioned above (Kinesthetic Learning)
4. Nutrient Users who have a red ball can change from skip to gallop or slide at any time.

CARBOHYDRATES:

• Color, orange (Use an orange poster for heading and ways to move)  Ask students what foods are mainly carbohydrates (sugar and sweet foods)
• Carbs are digested rapidly, providing quick energy.
• Nutrient users may jog when holding an orange form ball.
• Play music and hold up the carbohydrate poster while students jog.

FAT:

• Color, yellow (Use a yellow poster for heading and way to move)
• Ask students what foods are mainly fat (Fried foods butter, and oils)
1. Fat is digested slowly and is essential to brain function  (Important to explain that we all need fat, just not in excess)
2. Nutrient users may walk when holding a yellow foam ball.
3. Play music with a slow beat while students walk.

VITAMINS AND MINERALS:

• Color, green (Use a green poster)
• Ask which foods have the most vitamins and minerals (vegetables and fruit)
1. Vitamins and Minerals work with the foods eaten and activate digestion and increases the energy produced.
2. Nutrient users can jump, hop, or leap while holding a yellow ball.
3. Play music with a slow beat while students jump, hop, or leap.

WATER:

• Color, blue (Use a blue poster)

1. Water is essential for all bodily functions.
2. Nutrient users can walk fast while holding a blue foam ball.
3. Play music with a medium beat while students practice walking fast.

 DAY TWO:

The stage is set for the next Physical Education class.  Place posters of the five nutrients on the wall evenly spaced around the room.  Place a bucket of the same color under the poster with five foam balls in it and a pinnie by it.

THE GAME:

Choose one "Nutrient Thief" (The Tagger) who puts on the pinnie so designating them.  Everyone else is a "Nutrient User."  Nutrient users get in their own space and kneel on one knee which shows they are "Listless" and in need of a nutrient.

On the GO signal, the "Nutrient Givers" take one ball and walking fast, take it to a "Nutrient User."  The Nutrient User moves the way that nutrient is allowed, trying to avoid the Nutrient Thief (who may only fat walk fast).  If tagged by the Nutrient Thief, they fast walk back to the bucket to return the nutrient then find a space to kneel in.

Meanwhile, the Nutrient Givers are hurrying to give away their nutrients as quickly as possible.  They may only deliver one at a time and should try to give the nutrient to different people if possible.  Ideally, Nutrient users are "Listless" for only a few seconds and everyone in the game is physically active.

After three minutes (+/-), call time and change the Nutrient Givers and Nutrient Thief.  In a class of 24, everyone will have a "job" once in twelve to fifteen minutes.

Linda Kelly can be contacted for details on the game of Nutrient Tag at: kellylinda@hughes.net