For many of us, our pets become part of our family and we want to love on them by giving them toys and treats! Sadly, there are many pets in need of love especially at organizations such as the SPCA, Rescue Pet Centers, and Best Friends centers. Pet Based Service Projects can be creatively included in your curriculum via labs, sewing or non-sewing projects and even repurpose projects to help those organziations. Read on to see a variety of ways to do this on the cheap!
Toys purchased from stores can be expensive only to have children play with them for a brief period of time before setting them aside for something else. Empty boxes and containers, on the other hand, make great toys and allow for way more imagination and creativity. Better yet, they don’t cost you anything extra as you were probably going to recycle them anyway! Let students learn about the value of cardboard toys as they explore and engage in the following lesson.
Have you ever been a fast fashion junkie needing to update your wardrobe on a regular basis? Many of us probably have at some point in our lives! Fast Fashion: A Talking Points Lesson & Activity has students exploring this concept and its impact, as well as learning about some things they can do to make a difference!
In need of some new or different sewing resources? Check out the compiled list of resources for use in a sewing class, unit or lesson. As always, if you have other suggestions, please send them my way and I’ll update the list.
Some of you may remember the Late Show with Dave Letterman! One of his regular features included his infamous top 10 lists in descending order from 10 to 1, adding his own a touch of humor and sarcasm as he shared! I have been using written top 10 lists for years and was excited when Matt Miller of Ditch That Textbook shared his version utilizing Flipgrid. This Top 10 Lists…Video Style post shares how to present the lists via Flipgrid with some of ideas for topics. Help add to the list by sharing additional topics!
I don’t know about you, but I love teaching about topics that have two sides and sometimes a bit of controversy to them. Having read several articles about organic vs non-organic foods, I created this Organic vs Non-Organic Foods Dilemma where students had to research both sides of the argument and form a response that supported their position.
Do you teach a Housing or Interior Design class? Are in need of an end of the year project? If you answered “yes,” you must check out this impressive 3-D “Housing Final” project created and shared by Katelyn Propper of Indiana. Now, more than ever, students need a break from their screens and this hands-on housing project delivers that and more!
Upcycling gives us the opportunity to turn items, otherwise deemed trash, into something creative and functional! And thanks to Missouri FACS teacher Amy Harkey, baby wipe lids can be repurposed into an educational child development activity! Amy shares her adapted and interactive “Upcycled Wipe Container Project” with us! Read on to see what she has her students creating!
A while back, I read an article in the Wall Street Journal about old ties. What was once an everyday staple of many a man’s wardrobe may now be hanging dust collectors! Because more workplaces are moving to casual attire, the tie rarely surfaces on a day to day basis. So what does one do with a closet full of dormant ties? Afterall, how many does one man need? Enter the FACS classroom! Clever and creative FACS teachers, teaching any kind of sewing unit, would benefit from the donation as their students work at repurposing the necktie into another functional piece of fashion or art!
I recently watched an episode of Adobe for Education and Matt Miller author of Ditch that Textbook (affiliate link) was on as a special guest. This episode focused on being creative while teaching remotely. His advice was to think outside the box, provide a fun twist when asking students to recall or share what they’ve learned about a particular topic. He suggested students share what they’ve learned in an unboxing video! How creative is that! My wheels started turning and I thought of so many ways that this could be used in our content. So join me, if you will, as I share “Unboxing Video Topics for the FACS Content! As always, if you have other ideas or you develop a specific project or assignment, please share and I will add them to the list!
