The 4/5 students took an inside journey of "My Pyramid," visiting all seven bands. The first band was "Grains," where they learned about whole grains versus refined grain. After conducting a starch experiment on various foods, they were rewarded with the taste treat of a whole wheat bagel topped with nutritious apple-pear butter.

The second band they visited was "Vegetables and Fruits." The students
learned the difference between a vegetable and a fruit. For example, they learned that a tomato is really a fruit because it has seeds. They tasted guacamole with fresh vegetables and sipped on 100% fruit and vegetable juices.

Next they visited the "Milk" station. Here the students learned why calcium is so important for their bodies. They performed an experiment in which bones and eggs soaked in vinegar represented the acidic soda and caffeine drinks we put into our bodies that deplete our calcium levels. They tasted low fat natural yogurt topped with flax seed and string cheese.

Meat and beans was the fourth station visited. The students calculated how much protein their own body needs. They then read labels and chose five foods that would meet those requirements. The taste reward was pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

The "Fat and Oil" station was held in the cafeteria where the students learned about the good oils and fats to eat. They experimented by selecting various healthy foods from the cafeteria that meet the daily serving requirements. Here they sampled healthy fats and oils found in olives, along with whole wheat bread dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

The students then worked out in the lower gym by skipping for fiveminutes. This was the "Physical Activity" band. The importance of hydration was demonstrated in a fruit experiment. They learned to take their pulse and related it to their own basil metabolic rate. They were very shocked by how high their heart rates increased with activity. Thereward here was well deserved H20.

Finally they played "Pyramid Bingo." Everyone sampled granola that consisted of foods from the five food groups. (The granola was made up of Cheerios, dried pineapple, M&M's, sunflower seeds, wasabi peas, cranberries and currants.)

Says school nurse Patti Boynton, who organized the Nutrition Fair: "What really made the event such a success was the wonderful fourth and fifth grade parents who volunteered to man each station, teach the facts, and share their own everyday nutritional experiences with all of the students."