Skip to main content
California Department of Education Logo

Exercise Your Options


Description

Middle school students assess their nutrition and physical activity knowledge in this curriculum that aligns with education standards and is based on a behavior-change model. The program helps students apply decision-making skills to real-life issues that influence their health. The nutrition lessons are skills-based to help students apply problem-solving, reasoning, and critical thinking techniques, making them successful in the classroom and beyond. Ideas for extension activities, questions, and projects for students are included. The media disk provides common scenarios faced by students, such as making choices from food court menus in shopping malls and choosing realistic portion sizes. Other lesson topics include eating disorders, sports nutrition, bone health, and body image.

What’s Inside

A teacher guide, student activity booklet, and a media disk with eight video segments that introduce the key issues in each lesson.

Activity Highlight

In lesson 5, Keep Moving, Keep Fit, students recall the amount of moderate to vigorous physical activity recommended daily, classify a variety of activities as moderate or vigorous or low levels of physical activity, evaluate a record of their physical activity, and make a plan to increase their physical activity levels to meet the recommendations.

  • Key Content Areas: After School, Cafeteria Connections, Integrated subjects, MyPlate, and Physical Activity.  

  • Originator of Resources: Dairy Council of California

  • User of Resource: Teachers and Physical Education Teachers

  • Audience: Grades 6–8

  • Languages: English

  • Number of lessons: 8

  • Amount of time per lesson: 45–60 minutes

  • Format: Downloadable and Supplemental DVD

Resource

To access the curriculum, visit the Dairy Council of California Healthy Eating Made Easier web page External link opens in new window or tab..

Contacts

If you have any questions, please visit the Dairy Council of California Contact Us web page External link opens in new window or tab..

Questions:   Nutrition Services Division | 800-952-5609
Last Reviewed: Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Related Content
Recently Posted in Nutrition
  • Webinar: Tuesdays @ 2 School Nutrition Town Hall (added 15-May-2026)
    School Nutrition Town Hall webinar for School Nutrition Program Operators and Food Service Directors on May 26, 2026.
  • Expanded Capital Expenditure Approved List (added 12-May-2026)
    The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved the California Department of Education’s (CDE) request to expand the Capital Expenditure Approved List. This expansion contains equipment commonly purchased by School Food Authorities (SFAs).
  • USDA Farm to School Grant Informational Webinars (added 12-May-2026)
    School districts may apply for three federal grants that can support farm to school, the Farmers Market Promotion Program, the Local Food Promotion Program, and the Regional Food Systems Partnerships grant.
  • Updated Resources Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act (added 06-May-2026)
    Updated Resources Due to the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025.
  • USDA Grants to Support Farm to School (added 06-May-2026)
    School districts may apply for three federal grants that can support farm to school, the Farmers Market Promotion Program, the Local Food Promotion Program, and the Regional Food Systems Partnerships grant.