The Vitamin Collection: Vitamins

Activity:  (5-7 minutes)

• Begin by asking students: "What are vitamins, and why are they important?"
• Have students share their responses with a partner for 2 minutes and then share their ideas with the class.
• Show a quick visual quiz or matching activity with common vitamins and their food sources to activate prior knowledge.

Purpose: (10 minutes)

• Explain that today's lesson will cover key vitamins, their roles in the body, the effects of vitamin deficiencies and excesses, and the history of their discovery.
• Introduce the idea that some substances once considered vitamins have been reclassified.

Demonstration:

• Use the projector to show the "Molecular Expressions Vitamins Collection" website.
• Briefly explain what students will find on the site and how it visualizes vitamins in a unique, artistic way under the microscope.

Teacher Explanation: (15 minutes)

• • Discuss the importance of vitamins, breaking it down into categories such as:
    • Functions: How vitamins support the body’s processes.
    • Sources: Common foods where vitamins are found.
    • Deficiency & Excess: Health problems from not getting enough or getting too much.
    • History of Discovery: Share brief stories about how key vitamins were discovered (e.g., vitamin C and scurvy).

Guided Exploration:

• Project a couple of examples from the website, such as vitamin C or D, and go through the discovery, chemical explanation, deficiency symptoms, excess effects, and food sources together as a class.
• Encourage students to ask questions or share what they know about these vitamins.

Activity: Research & Analysis (20 minutes)

• Divide the students into small groups or pairs.
• Assign each group 2-3 common vitamins to research using the Molecular Expressions Vitamins Collection and the National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements websites.
• Each group will complete a table that includes the following information for their assigned vitamins:
  
  • Vitamin Name
  • Chemical Explanation
  • Discovery History
  • Deficiency Disease and Symptoms
  • Excess Effects
  • Food Sources
  • Function

Group Collaboration:

• After gathering information, students will create a short presentation (2-3 minutes) summarizing the key points for their assigned vitamins.

Group Presentations: (10 minutes)

• Have each group present their findings to the class, either through a verbal presentation or using digital tools (e.g., Google Slides).
• After each presentation, ask the other groups to provide feedback or ask questions, encouraging active listening.

Class Discussion:

• Conduct a brief class discussion on any interesting or surprising facts students learned, focusing on the impact of vitamin deficiencies and the importance of a balanced diet.

Individual Reflection: (5-10 minutes)

• Ask students to write a brief reflection on which vitamin they find most important in their own diet and why. They should consider any personal health goals or nutritional needs when making their decision.

Extension Activity:

• Have students plan a one-day meal that ensures they receive sufficient amounts of at least 5 different vitamins. Encourage them to research which foods are best for meeting these vitamin needs and share their meal plan with a classmate.