Lesson 5: Balancing Our “Inputs” and “Outputs” for a Healthy Mind & Body

Age Group: 8-year-olds
Duration: 45–60 minutes

Learning Objectives

  1. Understand how balancing what we “take in” (food, thoughts) and “put out” (actions, feelings) keeps us healthy.
  2. Practice simple ways to choose “good fuel” for our bodies and minds.
  3. Learn how paying attention to our thoughts and actions helps us feel calm and strong.

Materials

  • Paper plates, magazines, or printed images of food/activities (for sorting).
  • A “mind jar” (clear jar with water, glitter, and glue – shake to show busy thoughts settling).
  • Simple emotion cards (happy, sad, angry, calm).
  • Art supplies for a “Well-being Garden” poster.

Lesson Structure

1. Introduction: The Garden in Our Body & Brain (10 mins)

  • Story: “Imagine your body and mind are like a garden! To grow strong flowers (health), we need good sunshine/water (good things we take in) and pull out weeds (bad things).”
  • Ask: “What ‘good stuff’ helps YOU grow? What ‘weeds’ make you feel yucky?”

2. Physical Health: Fuel In vs. Energy Out! (15 mins)

  • Activity: Sort images into “Good Fuel” (fruit, veggies, water) and “Sometimes Fuel” (chips, lollies).
    • Discuss: “Why do we need more broccoli than biscuits? What happens if we eat too much sugar and don’t play?”
  • Māori Connection: Introduce hauora (holistic health) – “Our body (tinana) needs balance to stay strong!”
  • Movement Break: Do 5 minutes of “energy out” (jumping, dancing) to balance the “fuel in.”

3. Mental Health: Thoughts In vs. Actions Out! (15 mins)

  • Mind Jar Demo: Shake the jar – “This is a busy brain! How do we calm it?” Watch the glitter settle.
    • Teach: “Taking deep breaths helps our thoughts slow down, like the glitter.”
  • Emotion Role-Play: Use emotion cards. Ask: “If you feel angry, what’s a GOOD way to ‘put that energy out’?” (e.g., draw, talk, stomp outside).
  • Key Idea: “Just like food, thoughts can be ‘good fuel’ (kind words) or ‘weeds’ (mean thoughts). We choose what to grow!”

4. Create a “Well-being Garden” (10 mins)

  • Group Poster: Draw a garden. Add:
    • “Good Fuel” Flowers: Write/draw healthy foods, happy thoughts, calm breaths.
    • “Weed Patrol” Tools: Scissors to cut out “weeds” (junk food, unkind words).
  • Share: “How will YOU keep YOUR garden healthy this week?”

5. Conclusion & Karakia (Closing) (5 mins)

  • Recap: “Balance keeps our gardens (bodies and minds) strong! We’re the gardeners!”
  • Karakia: Say a simple Māori blessing for health, e.g., “Kia ora, kia kaha, kia maia” (Be well, be strong, be brave).

Curriculum Links

  • Health & PE: Personal well-being (hauora), managing emotions.
  • Science: Basic needs of living things.
  • Te Ao Māori: Hinengaro (mental health) and tikanga (practices).

Assessment

  • Observe participation in sorting activities and role-play.
  • Review “Well-being Garden” posters for understanding of balance.

🌟 Take-Home Task: Draw or write one “good fuel” and one “calm action” to try at home.

This lesson uses relatable metaphors and hands-on play to simplify complex ideas. 😊