Have you ever heard that saying “You are what you eat?” All too often I see my students complain of fatigue, stomachache and headache. Many hypotheses can be formed to explain their ailments, but could their diet possibly be to blame? I’ve had many conversations with my students, and in reflection of their complaints and my observations of their diets, I wonder if the food they eat could be to blame. The biology of food is a topic that not only could benefit our students but directly relates to our study of cells in 7^th grade science.

If a student knew the effect of food on their body, would they be more responsible in their food choices? In this 7^th grade science unit, the students will explore the chemical processes that our body uses to break down foods. The students will incorporate their background knowledge of cell structure and function in order to extend their current learning into the nutrition world. Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and amino acids are just a few key elements that our body uses on a daily basis to operate and function. How does our body use each of these key nutrients to successfully function, and what happens when our body is void of these elements? These are just a few of the questions that will be explored in this unit.