Author: K.Graybill

Kim Graybill is a veteran Family and Consumer Science teacher who teaches both middle and high school in Pennsylvania.

Snack Boards with Dips Dilemma

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Have you heard about the latest TikTok butter board craze? People spread butter all over a board and then decorate it with dippers such as meats, breads, fruits,
vegetables, flowers, herbs and spices. Conceptually, this is cool, but butter is not only expensive, it’s not very healthy! With this in mind, I created Snack Boards with Dips Dilemma as a twist on that trend. So, pull out those charcuterie boards and challenge your students to create their own unique snack board with cold dips that are visually appealing and a little healthier and perfect for the upcoming Super Bowl!

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Doodle Home Mini-Project

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Have you ever heard the quotes “to each his own” and “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”? Well, they certainly apply to the mansion that inspired this “Doodle Home Mini-Project”! As soon as I saw the article, I thought it would make for an interesting discussion and creative project which could be used to introduce personal style or would make a great sub-plan or filler project for those times when you just need a little something. So read on to see what this is all about!

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Problem Based Learning: Parenting Dilemma

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Problem based learning projects are a great way to engage your students and incorporate some rigor.  How, you ask?  Problem based learning projects incorporate
many, and sometimes all of the the 4 C’s; Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration and Creativity.  The Family Medical Leave Work Dilemma takes a real world problem inspired by a Washington Post article and provides just enough information for students to come up with a viable solution.  If you’ve ever wanted to try problem based learning in your family or parenting classes, why not start with this one?

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Canned Soup Challenge

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Canned soup may be viewed as a quick and easy meal, albeit boring, generic, and bland. However, who says that canned soup has to be eaten as is? With a bit of creativity and a few extra ingredients, possibilities are endless when it comes to kicking up a little ‘ole can of soup. Why not show your students how to do this by assigning them the Canned Soup Challenge and then let them loose in the kitchen? To round it out, bring in judges to taste and evaluate their final products.

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Fishbowl Game

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Do your students sit and stare at you? Is getting them to talk a challenge–especially at the start of a new semester or unit?  One way to combat that and include
some friendly competition is to incorporate the Fishbowl Game!  This game has become one of my favorite activities to engage students and get them to relax and open up. This minimal prep game can be used to introduce new content, vocabulary words, holiday fun and more.  It’s a great team building exercise that can also be used with adults if you have to share teaching ideas among your faculty!

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43 Minute Lab Series: Dutch Babies

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After noticing continuous requests for lab suggestions that are doable in 43 minute class periods, I’ve decided to do a recurring series, featuring recipes that can be completed from beginning to end in a 43 minute time frame. In some cases, longer recipes will broken into two day labs. In addition, I will include my pre-lab review questions that pertain specifically to the recipe. This helps to ensure that students are reading the recipe. It also allows me time to show any videos that may demonstrate the product or specific techniques. So, without further ado, I present the 43 Minute Lab Series: Dutch Babies!

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Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays

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Wishing all of you Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday and Wonderful New Year! May you take this time to reminisce and rejoice in time together with family and friends. Wishing you much rest, peace and joy as we move into the new year! Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for all of your visits, lesson contributions, comments and conference requests during this past year! Looking forward to an awesome 2023!

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Brain Puzzle

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Teaching about the brain is one of my all time favorite units in Child Development! I find it interesting and feel like I’m teaching students something new in a fun way. If you’ve used my Navigating the Brain lesson, you know that I had students create a Play-Doh brain. While I still like that assignment, I wanted something a bit more challenging. The Brain Puzzle is a creative, engaging way to apply the information learned and can be used as a review activity or an assessment!

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Hot Cocoa Cups

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If you are in need of a fun, festive holiday lab that is very creative and hands-on, why not give Hot Cocoa Cups a try? Not only are these fairly easy to make compared to actual cocoa bombs, but they taste delicious and make great little gifts or even fundraisers!

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Cookies, Cakes & Pies, Oh My!

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Cookies, Cakes & Pies, Oh My! is a subscription box template project. The original cookie subscription box idea came from Anna Hall, an Ohio FACS teacher. Upon receiving it, my brain immediately thought this project could extend to other desserts or foods and Anna graciously gave me permission to expand the project. So, if you’re looking for an extension project when teaching about desserts or other foods, this may be just what you’re looking for!

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