Audience: Parents/Caregivers

General program objective: Participants will recognize the importance of hydration of children in their care.

Specific program objective: Participants will identify the importance of hydration, sugar, and electrolytes for active children.

Behavior change strategy: Self-Efficacy

Educational activities:

• Elicit—have students write down and/or discuss what they understand are the importance of hydration, sugar, and electrolytes in the human body. (Option to present “Electrolytes” before this lesson.)
• Explain—play the provided video for the students.
• Expand—have the students reflect on how their previous understanding is different from that which is demonstrated in the video.
• Exit—have the students brainstorm and list other beverages that are appropriate for active children to drink.

Length of time to complete: 10-15 minutes, depending on length and depth of conversation.

Materials Required:

• Note paper and writing utensils
• Multi-media display (e.g. computer monitor, projector, or SmartScreen)
• Access to the internet and YouTube
• Optional: Printouts of “Hydration Bingo” for each student

Procedure:

• Request students to write and/or discuss in small groups what roles hydration, sugar, and electrolytes have in the human body.
• Ask the students these questions to help encourage understanding and discussion:
  • Why is it important to stay hydrated?
  • What does the body do with sugar?
  • Does anyone know what an electrolyte does?
• If the participants are unable to answer the questions above, offer some insights on the subject. Examples might include:
  • Water is used in almost every chemical reaction in the body; what does that mean to you about its importance?
  • Sugar is the primary source of energy for the brain, and the only source of energy for red blood cells; how does that change your beliefs about sugar?
  • Electrolytes help water do its job; how does this affect one’s health
• Introduce the short-form video and play for the students.
• Ask the students to write and/or discuss in small groups what the video described about hydration, sugar, and electrolytes.
• Allow the students to compare insights in small groups:
  • What do you understand differently after watching the short video?
  • What do you understand the same?
  • What questions do you still have?
  • Option to answer lingering questions.
• Have the students brainstorm (either individually or in small groups) a list of beverages that are appropriate for active children.
  • Note: Any beverage that does not exceed the daily limits of sugar (24g) or sodium (2,000mg) is arguably acceptable. (Option to present “Water Sucks” for drink ideas.)

     

Further enrichment:

Play “Hydration Bingo” with the class (attached to the lesson plan PDF.)