Author: K.Graybill

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

Nursery Rhyme Project

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Do you remember learning nursery rhymes as a youngster? Many of us do, but a lot of youth today vaguely remember hearing them, let alone recalling them from memory. It wasn’t until I started teaching child development that I realized the full benefits of nursery rhymes on the developing child. Studies show that nursery rhymes benefit children in a variety of ways. Such benefits include teaching children the art of storytelling, brain development and social skills. In addition, they help lay the foundation for literacy skills such as speech, language and reading. I always discussed nursery rhymes and their benefits in class, but now I have an interactive activity to go along with it thanks to Mary Smith of Manila High School, Arkansas. Check out the wonderful project she has designed around this timeless topic!

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Roll an Ugly Sweater with the Elements of Design

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What started out as a crazy contest for holiday parties, has evolved into a huge seasonal highlight! So, why not incorporate a little “ugly sweater” into your classroom fun? Students are always a little hyper, energetic (aka bouncing off the walls) and enthusiastic this time of year anyway, so why not encourage them to put those energies into creating an “ugly sweater”? The thing is, this activity is actually meant to be somewhat educational, incorporating the elements of design. However, I’ve taken a few creative liberties with them in order to stay consistent with the theme and the time of the year! So, give it a try and if you have any suggestions to make it better, please let me know in the comments below.

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Reading List for the FACS Classroom

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Many schools are encouraging their students to read beyond the English class. This can easily be done in the FACS classroom as there are so many great books that can be incorporated into the various content areas of family consumer sciences. Below you will find a compiled list of books recommended by content area. If you have any additional “reads” that you use in your FACS classroom that should be included, please add them in the comment section below.

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Health Challenges: Diabetes

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This in-depth lesson and project was shared by Nikki Heflin of Westfield High School, in Westfield Indiana. This lesson was designed for the course Advanced Nutrition and Wellness. This series of activities and projects is part of a unit called Dietary Issues and Health. The health issue most focused on is Type II Diabetes. The way that things are going, statistics show that 1 in 3 students will be affected by this disease, yet many have very little knowledge of what Type II Diabetes is or how to prevent it. This lesson introduces students to health challenges with a focus on dietary needs throughout the life-span, and has students do a research project on Type II Diabetes, create an online poster for a school-wide Stop Diabetes Campaign to raise awareness, and concludes with a group lab experience where students re-create a healthier version of popular comfort foods.

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Ramen Noodles: History & Make-Over with Homemade Noodle Bowl Lab

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Ramen noodle soup packages have been around forever and seem to be the “go to” snack or meal for most young adults because they are cheap and easy to make. I wonder how many have actually read the nutrition facts label and ingredients list? Scary! I set out to prove to my students that Ramen noodles could be reinvented to be nutritious without sacrificing flavor.

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Toddler Unit: Part 2–Emotions

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Emotions! We all have them, we all experience them, especially toddlers! So how can we teach our students about toddler emotions in a fun, creative way? Look below to see my attempt at a fun, interactive lesson plan and activities, including a clip from the hit movie “Inside Out”.

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Toddler Unit: Part 1–The Simulation

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Many would describe toddlers as terrible, trying, impatient, busy, curious, picky and emotional! While at times those descriptions may be true…toddlerhood (ages 1-3) is all about being curious and becoming independent. It includes a colorful set of changes (especially emotionally) that differ from any other time in life. In order to fully understand the roller coaster range of abilities and emotions these little people experience, we need to put ourselves in their shoes. The lesson and activities in this unit hopefully give your students better insight as to why these little people react the way they do during this challenging, but fun phase of life!

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Halloween in the FACS Classroom

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You may ask yourself “How does Halloween fit into the FACS classroom?”, but actually there are a variety of ways and areas you can incorporate this event or holiday into your classes. If you have any additional ideas after perusing the list below, please share via the “Be A Part” tab above or the comment section below. Happy Halloween!

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Types of Fat: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

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Fats can be very confusing to teach because there are so many different types; some that are good, some that are bad, and some that are downright ugly for your health and body. I wanted to teach my students about the different types of fats in an interactive and simplistic way. So, below you will find ways to teach about fats which can be used as is or easily be adapted for use in an interactive note book. In addition, you will find a lab incorporating a healthy fat that also ties directly into the advice of MyPlate, encouraging the consumption of seafood.

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Off to College Series: College Roommates

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Being randomly assigned a college roommate is akin to opening a box of chocolates! To quote Forrest Gump, “You never know what you’re gonna get!” I like to “try” to prepare my students for this because it can make or break their college experience. The saying that “you really don’t know someone until you live with them” is completely true. I was fortunate in my college experience to have great roommates, whom I got along well with, but not everyone is so lucky! This lesson tries to prepare them for the various types of “roomies” they could encounter and how to deal with each in a constructive way.

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