Lesson Plan 4: Toxic Diet Culture

It is normal for preteens to gain weight during rapid growth periods, such as puberty. Regardless of its normalcy, many teens feel pressure to be thin and often resort to dieting. In this lesson, students will learn about the physical and emotional ramifications of dieting and its direct effect on depression, lower self-esteem, and fatigue. Students will uncover the toxicity behind diet culture and learn strategies to pursue their optimal weight in a healthy, balanced way.

Grade level: 6 - 8 

Prep time: 20 min

Lesson Duration: 60 min + Optional Extension Activities (20 min)

Learning Outcomes:

It is expected that students will:

• Recognize that weight gain during puberty is normal.
• Identify and explore ways to pursue their optimal weight without resorting to restrictive dieting.
• Demonstrate an understanding of how pursuing health and a positive body image is a powerful way to achieve their goals, instead of resorting to toxic diet culture.

Lesson includes:

• Activate, Acquire, and Apply Activities
• If We Want A Better World, We’ve Got To Kill Diet Culture (video link)
• Poodle Science: Association for Size Diversity and Health (video link)
• The Science of Body Image (video link) 

Materials required (not included)

• Screen & speakers for viewing videos
• Pens and paper

NB: Purchase includes access to downloadable resources for 6 months.