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Estimated Time: <5 mins Explanation

OVERVIEW
After finishing both the Front of Box (marketing) & Back of the Box (ingredient list), students are now
ready to teach someone else to be a Food Detective!

LEARNING TARGETS
Students will be able to investigate a food product at home to analyze the ingredient list and
determine whether the product is being truthful in their marketing.

MATERIALS
• Printed worksheet

INTRODUCTION: Example Script
Alright class, now that you’re all experts at deciphering the Front of the Box and the Back of the Box,
your next mission is to train someone else to be a Food Detective. You can choose an adult at home,
a sibling, or a friend from the neighborhood. You’ll find a product and fill out the worksheet together.
I’ll walk you through it to ensure there’s no questions when you’re training someone else.

1. Find a Friend who would like to be Trained
• This can be an adult at home, a sibling, a friend from the neighborhood. Write down in
the worksheet how you know them.

2. Choose a Food Product
• Look for something you enjoy, like cereal, snacks, or a drink.

3. Complete the Worksheet
• You will fill work together to fill out this worksheet with several prompts.
• Write down the name of the product and a brief description of what it is.
• Look closely at the front of the package and list all marketing strategies you see.
• Remember the strategies we learned like bright colors, cartoon characters, health
claims, games/prized, celebrities.
• Think about who this product is aimed at. Circle one option from the list or write your
own.
• Explain your reasoning: Write a few sentences explaining why you think this is the
target audience. What clues did you find on the packaging that led you to this
conclusion?
• Next, look at the ingredient list. Together, you’ll answer whether it’s long or short and if
you can picture the ingredients in your head.
• The next question is a little tricky, because it requires you to look at the marketed flavor
on the front and if you can find that flavor in the ingredient list. For example, if
something has pictures of strawberries, does it actually have strawberries in the
ingredient list?
• The final questions asks you to thinking critically and answer if you think the product is
being truthful based on the marketing on the front of the package and what you see in
the ingredient list.
• Finally, have your trainee sign the back of the worksheet together.

4. Submit Your Worksheet
• Once you have completed the worksheet, please turn it in by the due date. Be prepared
to share your findings with the class!

ASSESSMENT
• To assess the Food Detectives @ Home worksheet, focus on the clarity and completeness of
students’ responses.
• Check that students accurately identify the food product and describe its marketing strategies,
noting the use of specific terms such as bright colors, health claims, and endorsements.
• Check that the students accurately identified the number of ingredients in the ingredient list
and assess whether it’s realistic that they can picture most of the ingredients in their head.
• Evaluate their reasoning as to why they feel like the product is being truthful in their marketing,
ensuring they provide thoughtful explanation.
• Provide constructive feedback to guide their understanding of marketing strategies and
ingredient list.

LEARNING STANDARDS

Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for 4th Grade ELA
1. Reading Informational Text:
• RI.4.1: Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says
explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
• RI.4.2: Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details.
2. Writing:
• W.4.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and
information clearly.

National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Standards for 4th Grade
• Standard 3: Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing
genres appropriately.
• Standard 4: Students use spoken, written, and visual language to communicate effectively.