Resources for Middle School Teachers of Low Income and At-Risk Student Populations: Teaching Nutrition and Physical Activity and Prevention of Tobacco Use*

We know that today's youth are bombarded by an overwhelming number of choices that challenge their ability to make good decisions regarding their nutrition, physical activity, and tobacco use. Come students are more at risk than others, particularly those that come from low-income or minority families.

Google "physical activity for adolescents" and you'll likely receive over one million hits. Who has time to sort through this information to find what works? Fortunately, we've done that for you. The following resources target middle-school students and are categorized by nutrition, physical activity, and tobacco cessation based on ethnicity. As a middle school teacher, you can impact these areas of health by selecting resources and curricula that were designed and tested with these students in mind. It's important to remember that one size doesn't fit all!

The program, strategies and best practices listed below are based upon existing research and practice with the 10-14 year old age group, and their use should create more culturally sensitive programs for low-income and ethnic minority students in Colorado.

*Developed by Savi Malik, as part of a Master's in Public Health thesis through the University of California, San Francisco campus during the summer of 2006, under the guidance of supervisors Bruce P. Guernsey at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and Karen Connell at the Colorado Department of Education.

You may access each individual area by clicking below:

Nutrition and Physical Activity Resources Targeting Latino/Hispanic Youth
Activity Resources Targeting African-American Youth
Activity Resources Targeting Alaskan Natives, Native American, and Asian American Youth
Resources Targeting At-Risk and Multi-Ethnic Youth
Targeting All Middle School Aged Youth
Activity Resources at the School or Policy Level
Food Security Resources
Tobacco Resources Targeting Latino/Hispanic Youth
Tobacco Resources Targeting African-American Youth
Tobacco Resources Targeting Alaskan Natives, Native American, and Asian American Youth
Tobacco Resources Targeting At-Risk and Multi-Ethnic Youth
Tobacco Resources Targeting All Middle School Aged Youth

Nutrition and Physical Activity Targeting Various Populations

*Nutrition and Physical Activity Resources Targeting Latino/Hispanic Youth*
NAME OF PROGRAM	TARGET AUDIENCE	WHAT’S INCLUDED	CONTACT INFORMATION WEBSITE (if available)
Cultural and Ethnic Food and Nutrition Educational Materials	Educators working with a variety of students	A Resource List (books, videos, cookbooks) for Educators	Food and Nutrition Information Center (301) 504-5414
Eating Disorders Information Sheet Latina Girls	Latina Girls	Information on how to help students with eating disorders and tools for the classroom	The National Women's Health Information Center 1-800-994-9662
The Latino Nutrition Coalition	Latinos	Latino specific food pyramid and recipes.	The Latino Nutrition Coalition (617) 421-5500
Delicious Heart-Healthy Latino Recipes	Latinos	Bilingual cookbook with Latino recipes reduced in fat, cholesterol and sodium.	The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (301) 592-8573
KidsHealth	Latino parents, kids, and teens	Articles and resources designed for parents, kids, and teens with resources in both English and Spanish.	The Nemours Foundation
The Children & Adolescent Nutrition and Fitness Program (CANFit) *	Latino and other youth ages 10-14	Lesson plans, resources, activities designed to build capacity to improve nutrition & fitness	CANFit (510) 644-1533
Girls Now +	Latina adolescent girls	Culturally appropriate nutrition and fitness curriculum.	Mission Neighborhood Centers Gloria Romero (415) 648-2826 No Website

Activity Resources Targeting African-American Youth
NAME OF PROGRAM	TARGET AUDIENCE	WHAT’S INCLUDED	CONTACT INFORMATION WEBSITE (if available)
Cultural and Ethnic Food and Nutrition Educational Materials	Educators working with a variety of students	A Resource List (books, videos, cookbooks) for Educators about specific ethnic populations	Food and Nutrition Information Center (301) 504-5414
The Five a Day Program	African- Americans	Lesson plans, background information about the recommended daily amounts of fruits, vegetables and physical activity.	U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 1-800-422-6237
African American Health and Dairy Foods	African- Americans	Fact sheet and resource list regarding calcium needs, dairy food advantages and ways to deal with lactose intolerance.	The National Dairy Council 1-800-366-1655f
Heart-Healthy Home Cooking African American Style	African Americans	Recipes that target the African American palate prepared in a heart healthy way.	The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute Heart Healthy Recipes (301) 592-8573
The Children & Adolescent Nutrition and Fitness Program (CANFit) *	African American Youth ages 10-14	Lesson plans, resources, activities, guides designed to build capacity to improve the nutritional and physical fitness of youth.	CANFit (510) 644-1533
Girls Now +	African American adolescent girls	Culturally appropriate nutrition and fitness curriculum.	Mission Neighborhood Centers Gloria Romero (415) 648-2826 No Website

Activity Resources Targeting Alaskan Natives, Native American, and Asian American Youth
NAME OF RESOURCE	TARGET AUDIENCE	WHAT’S INCLUDED	CONTACT INFORMATION WEBSITE (if available)
American Indian and Alaska Native People: Treat Your Heart to a Healthy Celebration!	Native American and Alaska Natives	Fact Sheet that provides heart disease prevention tips and ways to make healthy food choices	The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (301) 592-8573 Treat Your Heart to a Healthy Celebration
Pathways +	Native American students grades 3-5 (can possibly be adapted to middle)	*Pathways*, a research study funded by the NHLB Institute is a school-based health promotion program.	Pathways Sally M. Davis (505) 272-4462 smdavis@unm.edu
The Children & Adolescent Nutrition and Fitness Program (CANFit) *	Asian, Pacific Islander and Native American Youth ages 10-14	Lesson plans, resources, articles, activities, guides designed to build capacity to improve the nutritional and physical fitness of youth.	CANFit (510) 644-1533
Girls Now +	Asian American adolescent girls	Culturally appropriate nutrition and fitness curriculum.	Mission Neighborhood Centers Gloria Romero (415) 648-2826 No Website

Resources Targeting At-Risk and Multi-Ethnic Youth
NAME OF RESOURCE	TARGET AUDIENCE	WHAT’S INCLUDED	CONTACT INFORMATION WEBSITE (if available)
The Joy of Sports	At-risk youth grades K-12	Information on getting kids involved in physical activity after school	Joy of Sports Foundation (202) 548-0185
The Children & Adolescent Nutrition and Fitness Program (CANFit) *	At-Risk Youth ages 10-14	Lesson plans, resources, articles, activities, guides designed to build capacity to improve the nutritional and physical fitness of youth.	CANFit (510) 644-1533
Girls Now +	At-Risk adolescent girls	Culturally appropriate nutrition and fitness curriculum.	Mission Neighborhood Centers Gloria Romero (415) 648-2826 No Website

Targeting All Middle School Aged Youth
NAME OF RESOURCE	TARGET AUDIENCE	WHAT’S INCLUDED	CONTACT INFORMATION WEBSITE (if available)
Cooking up Fun	Youth ages 9-12	Lessons, ways to promote positive youth development to gain independent food skills.	Cornell University - Division of Food Services
Generation Fit *	Students 11-18 years old	Five service learning projects that promote healthier eating and physical activity.	American Cancer Society - Generation Fit 1-800-ACS-2345.
California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom	Kids grades K-12	Resources, teacher guides, lesson plans that can be integrated into existing curriculum using agricultural examples.	California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom (916) 561-5625 1-800-700-AITC
Family Nutrition Education Program	Kids in grades K-8	A list of children’s books that encourage healthy eating and activity and lesson plans using Mypyramid.	University of Missouri (573) 882-9760
Constructive Classroom Rewards	Suitable for children in grades K-12	Offers alternative solutions to pizza parties and non-nutritious foods as rewards.	The Center for Science in the Public Interest
Discovering the Food System	Middle school and high school students	Projects that show how food is grown and transported	Cornell University
Exercise Your Options +	Middle School students	A food choice and activity program that aligns with the 2005 Dietary Guidelines and USDA's MyPyramid	The Dairy Council of California 1-866-572-1359
The Food and Nutrition Information Center (FNIC)	Students and their families	Resources, reports, statistics and more.	Food and Nutrition Information Center
Healthy School Meals Training Materials Database	Educators	Database of nutrition curricula, kits, manuals and videos on creating a healthy school environment.	Team Nutrition - USDA (301) 504-5414
SPARK (Sports Play and Active Recreation for Kids) *	Kids in grades 6-8	Tested curriculum for middle school physical education promoting maximum activity during P.E.	SPARK
Body and Mind (BAM)	Kids ages 9-17	Activities, lesson plans and an interactive site for youth	Centers for Disease Control 1-800-311-3435
Nutrition Literacy Toolkit	Pre K-12	Addresses the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for specific populations.	Colorado Department of Education Judy Schure (303) 866-6654
America on the Move	Middle school students, health professionals, etc.	America On the Move - a national movement that encourages everyone to take steps towards a healthier way of life.	America on the Move 1-800-807-0077

Activity Resources at the School or Policy Level
NAME OF PROGRAM	TARGET AUDIENCE	WHAT’S INCLUDED	CONTACT INFORMATION WEBSITE (if available)
COPAN School Site Resource Kit	Schools, Educators	Resources for how to implement and maintain nutrition and physical activity policy in schools.	Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment COPAN School Site Resource Kit (PDF)
Steps to a Healthier Colorado	Schools, Educators, Communities	Grant funding for physical activity and nutrition programs.	Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment Steps to a Healthier Colorado
California Project LEAN (CPL)	Schools, Community Groups	Focuses on empowerment, policy and environmental change strategies, and solutions to increase healthy eating and physical activity.	California Project Lean
USDA Team Nutrition	Schools	Provides a clearinghouse of information on the components to consider when establishing local school wellness policy.	Team Nutrition - School Policy (301) 504-5414
The Center for Science in the Public Interest	Schools, Community Groups	Helps parents, health professionals, community groups, teachers and school administrators to improve the nutritional quality of the meals, snacks and drinks available to students.	The Center for Science in the Public Interest - Nutrition Policy
Centers for Disease Control - Healthy Youth - State-by-state statistics	Schools, community groups and other interested parties	Identifies strengths and weaknesses of their school's health promotion policies and programs.	Healthy Youth!
Local School Wellness Policy	Schools	Contains information and links to local policies and strategies for changing nutrition and physical activity programs.	The Colorado Department of Education Local School Wellness Policy
Southern California Public Health Association (SCPHA)	To improve the health of the people of Southern California by collaborating, educating and advocating with organizations and individuals who share this common vision.	Educates legislators about the issues of nutrition and fitness for children and adolescents.	Southern California Public Health Association

Food Security Resources
NAME OF RESOURCE	TARGET AUDIENCE	WHAT’S INCLUDED	CONTACT INFORMATION WEBSITE (if available)
Community Food Security Coalition (CFSC)	Schools, Teachers, Communities	Builds strong, sustainable, local and regional food systems that ensure access to affordable, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food for all people at all times.	Community Food Security Coalition
Community Food Security Assessment Toolkit	Schools, Communities	A toolkit of standardized measurement tools for assessing various aspects of community food security	USDA Economic Research Service USDA Economic Research Service Publications (PDF)
Know Hunger	Classroom Teachers, Schools	Curriculum offers a parallel program of community service to enable youth to help end hunger in their communities.	KNow Hunger

Tobacco Resources Targeting Latino/Hispanic Youth
NAME OF PROGRAM	TARGET AUDIENCE	WHAT’S INCLUDED	CONTACT INFORMATION WEBSITE (if available)
National Latino Council on Alcohol and Tobacco Prevention	Latino youth	Videos, articles and fact sheets and resources for educators about Latinos and smoking.	The National Latino Council on Alcohol and Tobacco Prevention
Hispanic/Latino Portal to ATOD Abuse Prevention	Latinos	Contains Hispanic/Latino focused materials, relevant materials for general public, national/international resources, and research tools.	Hispanic/Latino Portal for the Prevention of Alcohol, Tobacco, and other Drug Prevention

Tobacco Resources Targeting African-American Youth
NAME OF PROGRAM	TARGET AUDIENCE	WHAT’S INCLUDED	CONTACT INFORMATION WEBSITE (if available)
National Families in Action	African-American middle school students and other students as well.	Parent Corps - Drug Prevention Information	National Families in Action
National African American Tobacco Prevention Network	People of African descent	To serve as a national organization dedicated to facilitating the development and implementation of comprehensive and community competent tobacco control programs to benefit communities and people of African descent.	National African-American Tobacco Prevention Network
African American Church Toolkit and Training	African-American Men, Women and Youth	To assist African American/Black churches in enacting and implementing tobacco-free policies.	National African American Tobacco Education Network
National Association of African Americans for Positive Imagery Mobilizing Communities to a Healthier Lifestyle	African- Americans	To mobilize communities to live a healthy lifestyle, promote positive community and self images, and to foster environments free of health disparities.	National Association of African Americans for Positive Imagery

Tobacco Resources Targeting Alaskan Natives, Native American, and Asian American Youth
NAME OF PROGRAM	TARGET AUDIENCE	WHAT’S INCLUDED	CONTACT INFORMATION WEBSITE (if available)
The Native American Prevention Project Against AIDS and Substance Abuse(NAPPASA) *	American Indian youth ages 12-18	NAPPASA school curriculum consisted of a 24-session curricula that addressed multiple issues facing Native American communities	Native American Prevention Project against AIDS and substance abuse
American Indian Life Skills Development +	American Indian youth ages 14-19.	The American Indian Life Skills Development curriculum is a school-based, culturally tailored, suicide-prevention curriculum for American Indian adolescents.	American Indian Life Skills Development
Asian American Recovery Services	Asian American and Pacific Islander youth and adults	The purpose of Asian American Recovery Services, Inc. is to decrease the incidence and impact of substance abuse in the Asian and Pacific Islander communities of the San Francisco Bay Area.	Asian American Recover Services
National APPEAL Youth Leadership Program	Asian American and Pacific Islander youth 9-17	The National APPEAL Youth Leadership Program is the only national program that mobilizes youth to take action against tobacco’s impact on Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities across the nation.	National APPEAL Youth Leadership Program
Diineegwahshii +	Substance abuse prevention program targeting Alaska Native girls or American Indian girls ages 10-18	Family and Community gatherings, curriculum with philosophy based on native cultural values.	Diineegwahshii - Center for Substance Abuse Prevention

Tobacco Resources Targeting At-Risk and Multi-Ethnic Youth
*NAME OF PROGRAM*	*TARGET AUDIENCE*	*WHAT’S INCLUDED*	CONTACT INFORMATION WEBSITE (if available)
Too Good for Drugs * Pinellas County Schools - Florida	African American, Latino, Asian American and Caucasian youth ages 5-18	To provide quality resources and services promoting a safe, drug-free learning environment which enhances highest student achievement.	Too Good for Drugs
Strengthening Families Program * - Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention	Low-income youth and families from a variety of ethnicities	Effective family programs for prevention of deliquency	Strengthening Families Program
Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center*	Middle school students at risk for poverty and ethnic minority students	Keepin' it REAL -(Refuse, Explain, Avoid, & Leave) culturally grounded drug prevention curriculum for middle-school students.	Keepin' it REAL
Woodrock Youth Development Program (YDP) +	African American, Latino, Asian and Caucasian Youth ages 6-14	A school-based program designed to prevent or reduce alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) use among at-risk elementary and middle school minority youths and raise their awareness about the dangers of using such substances.	Woodrock Youth Development Program
The Wheel Council Storytelling for Empowerment +	American Indian and Latino middle school youth.	A national leader in storytelling for prevention and healing, as well as accelerated, multicultural learning.	The Wheel Council
The Wheel Council Storytelling for Empowerment	American Indian and Latino site that focuses on teens.	This new site focuses on teens and provides an outlet for teens to express themselves, prevention information, and prevention resources.	The Wheel Council - Teen Site

Tobacco Resources Targeting All Middle School Aged Youth
NAME OF PROGRAM	TARGET AUDIENCE	WHAT’S INCLUDED	CONTACT INFORMATION WEBSITE (if available)
The State Tobacco Education and Prevention Partnership (STEPP)	Communities, educators, schools	Grant money given to programs that are designed to address the human and economic tolls of tobacco use in Colorado.	Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment State Tobacco Education and Prevention Partnership
Get Real	Middle and high school age students	A youth movement against the tobacco industry	Get Real
Rocky Mountain Center for Health Care Promotion and Education Project Alert *	Middle school students in 6^th, 7^th and 8^th grade	Two years worth of lesson plans and activities and additional information, including Project Alert.	Rocky Mountain Center for Health Care Promotion and Education Rocky Mountain Center for Health Care Promotion and Education - Curriculum Project Alert
Life Skills Training*	Middle School Students 11-14 years old	A highly effective substance abuse prevention program that promotes positive health and personal development for teens.	LifeSkills
Towards No Tobacco (TNT) *	Students ages 10-15 years old, grades five through ten.	Comprehensive, classroom-based curriculum designed to prevent or reduce tobacco use.	Towards no Tobacco (TNT)
Head On: Substance Abuse Prevention for Grades 6-8 +	Middle School students	Delivers substance abuse prevention science to middle school-aged adolescents using computer-based educational technologies	Head On
Parents - The Anti-Drug	Middle and high school students	Resources Guide that give teachers ideas and resources to incorporate drug messages into the classroom.	Parents - The Antidrug
Kids Act to Control Tobacco!	Middle school students	Curriculum materials, teacher’s guide to promote tobacco-free environments at home, in school and in their communities	The National Education Association Health Information Network
Science, Tobacco and You	Middle school and high school	Hands-on, inquiry based activities related to anatomy and physiology and the impact tobacco has on body functions.	Science, Tobacco, and You

* Best Practice

+ Promising Practice

Resources for the General Student Population

For resources for the general student population click the following link: A General Overview of Physical Activity and Nutrition Intervention Programs PDF

For additional information, E-Mail: Karen Connell