Materials & Prep
Prepare one handout per student with the two product labels below, including each product’s front claims and Nutrition Facts. Students may use calculators, but calculations can also be completed by hand. No special room setup is needed.
Opening
Display two portions: one large cookie and two small cookies. Ask students to decide which portion likely contains more food and to explain what they looked at. Accept estimates based on size and amount. Then ask: “Would counting cookies alone be enough?”
ConnectStudents used the amount of food, not just the number of items, to make a comparison. Explain that a Nutrition Facts number also describes a specific amount of food. Today’s label work begins by identifying that amount instead of trusting the package front.
Direct instruction
Display these teacher-created labels
Product A: Berry Burst Granola Bar. Front claim: “Natural.” Serving size: 1 bar, 40 g. Calories: 190. Total fat: 7 g. Sodium: 180 mg. Total carbohydrate: 29 g. Dietary fiber: 3 g. Total sugars: 12 g. Includes 10 g added sugars.
Product B: Fruit Oat Bar. Front claim: “No added sugar.” Serving size: 2 bars, 60 g. Calories: 210. Total fat: 6 g. Sodium: 90 mg. Total carbohydrate: 36 g. Dietary fiber: 5 g. Total sugars: 14 g. Includes 0 g added sugars.
Think aloudFirst I identify the serving size. Product A’s numbers describe 1 bar, or 40 g. Product B’s numbers describe 2 bars, or 60 g. A common error is to compare 190 and 210 immediately. That comparison is only valid if the serving amounts are equivalent. They are not.
Worked exampleCompare total sugar per 100 g so the products are measured equally. Product A has 12 g sugar per 40 g: 12 ÷ 40 × 100 = 30 g per 100 g. Product B has 14 g sugar per 60 g: 14 ÷ 60 × 100 = 23.3 g per 100 g. Product B has less total sugar for the same mass, even though its listed serving contains 14 g and Product A’s contains 12 g.
Confront“No added sugar” means 0 g added sugar on this label, not 0 g total sugar. “Natural” does not provide the nutrient comparison by itself. The label information, serving size, and purpose for the comparison must guide the decision. Different people may reasonably prioritize different nutrients or serving amounts.
Guided practice
Have students complete a comparison table with these columns: nutrient, Product A amount per listed serving, Product B amount per listed serving, serving-size difference, and evidence-based comparison.
ModelComplete calories together. Product A lists 190 calories for 40 g. Product B lists 210 calories for 60 g. Ask whether the listed serving comparison is fair, then calculate calories per 100 g: Product A, 190 ÷ 40 × 100 = 475; Product B, 210 ÷ 60 × 100 = 350. Product B has fewer calories per 100 g.
Turn and talkStudents compare sodium and dietary fiber. Prompt: “The serving sizes are different because . To compare equal amounts, I .” Invite students to justify whether they would compare per serving or per 100 g for a particular choice.
Check for understandingStudents hold up A, B, or “not enough information” for this question: “Which product has less sugar per listed serving?” Then require the evidence: Product A has 12 g and Product B has 14 g, so A has less per listed serving. Ask why that answer differs from the per-100-g comparison. Listen for students naming serving size rather than simply repeating a front claim.
ScaffoldProvide the calculation frame “nutrient amount ÷ grams in serving × 100” and let students annotate the serving size directly on the label. Students who need reduced language may first circle the serving size and underline the nutrient before calculating.
Independent work or discussion
Students write a short comparison: “If someone wanted to reduce sugar, which product would provide the lower amount per 100 g? Which product has less added sugar per listed serving? Use at least two numbers from the labels and explain why the serving sizes matter.” They must show one calculation.
ExtensionStudents compare sodium per 100 g for both products and determine the difference. Product A: 180 ÷ 40 × 100 = 450 mg per 100 g. Product B: 90 ÷ 60 × 100 = 150 mg per 100 g. They then explain why a recommendation should name the person’s goal rather than declare one product universally best.
CirculateCheck that students use grams from the serving size, not the number of bars, and that they distinguish total sugars from added sugars. Ask, “What exactly is being held equal in your comparison?”
Closing
Exit ticket“Using the labels, compare the products for total sugar per 100 g. Show the calculation for each, state which product is lower, and explain why comparing only the front claims or listed serving amounts could lead to a different conclusion.” A complete response identifies Product A as 30 g per 100 g, Product B as approximately 23.3 g per 100 g, and explains the role of serving size.