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Title: ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA: INTERACTIVE NUTRITION EVALUATION

Author
item ECK, SARA - UNIVERSITY OF AUBURN
item STRUEMPLER, BARBARA - UNIVERSITY OF AUBURN
item RABY, ALICIA - UNIV SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI

Submitted to: Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/6/2004
Publication Date: 1/15/2005
Citation: Eck, S.M., Struempler, B., Raby, A. 2005. Once upon a yime in America: Interactive nutrition evaluation. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. 37:46-47.

Interpretive Summary: Fourth and fifth grade students have fun doing game quizzes while demonstrating what they have learned about nutrition behaviors from nutrition education lessons. This evaluation tool also strengthens social skills. *** The purpose of this research was to develop an evaluation tool to collect nutrition education program impact data from fourth and fifth grade students. Once Upon a Time in America, a developmentally appropriate pre- and post-assessment detected nutrition knowledge and dietary behavior changes that occurred as a result of participation in a six week nutrition education program. The Once Upon a Time in America evaluation tool is composed of two components used simultaneously by students. A nutrition evaluation questionnaire assessed personal nutrition food history and other social science concepts. Students were accountable for their own nutrition knowledge and dietary behavior as they individually completed the questionnaire. Concomitantly, collaboration and positive interdependence were used as students answered game questions in teams. In summary, Once Upon a Time in America is an engaging, age-appropriate, and easy-to-use evaluation tool. Nutrition educators using Once Upon a Time in America obtain programs impact data. Elementary teachers value the reinforcement of social science and nutrition concepts within Once Upon a Time in America. As well, students gain social interacting skills and nutrition knowledge.

Technical Abstract: Once Upon a Time in America (OUTIA) is an evaluation tool in which fourth and fifth grades can have fun while demonstrating personal nutrition knowledge and behavior and participating in game quizzes on food history and other social science concepts. The impact of nutrition education lessons can be assessed while strengthening students’ social skills through reinforcing social science teaching with easy-to-use age-appropriate materials.