Category: Living on Your Own

Project ABC for ANY Topic

Sometimes you need a generic project that can be used as an individual student assignment when class sizes are small or a group project when class sizes are large. This is where Project ABC for ANY Topic comes in! Regardless of the topic you are teaching, this activity can be used as a review of materials or as an assessment of materials in ANY course, with any topic! It even includes a version that can be turned into a bulletin board or wall display afterwards.

43 Minute Lab Series: Hash Brown Patty Pizza

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. When possible, 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: Hash Brown Patty Pizza!

Cards of Kindness

When is the last time you received a thank you card…an actual card? So many people want to say thank you via an email or text. On the one hand, it’s great they are acknowledging the thought, words or actions that prompted it, but on the other, it’s so nice to receive that actual card, especially if they took the time to write it or better yet, make it! Cards of Kindness explores whether thank you notes still matter before students learn how to write a thank you note and then actually construct one from a variety of recyclable items!

Make Your Own Series: Flavored Finishing Salts

It’s been awhile since I shared a post in this series. So, in this Make Your Own Series, I’ll be sharing products that can easily be made from scratch, using common ingredients. Today I’m sharing…Make Your Own Series: Flavored Finishing Salts. Introduce your students to different types of salts, their characteristics and uses before creating their own finishing salts and experimenting with them in the lab.

Sheet Pan Meals

I don’t know about you, but I love quick and easy meals for a variety of reasons! With that being said, I thought that a lesson and lab on Sheet Pan Meals was a great topic to add to a culinary class. This activity has students exploring the concept of sheet pan meals, their pros and cons, formulas for putting them together and then creating one for their group to vote on and then prepare in the lab.

Sustainable Living Lesson

We all know that April celebrates Earth Day and if you’re in need of some fresh materials, I’ve got you covered. This Sustainable Living Lesson includes some of my favorite activities from hex blocks to bag assessments. To see what’s all included, read on!

Create Your Own Aioli & Wrap

I love a good aioli sauce especially in a wrap or on a burger!  Because of this, I was inspired to do a Create Your Own Aioli & Wrap mini-lesson and lab. Before students enter the lab to create their own sauce and wrap, they must learn more about aioli. Continue reading to see how this is done!

Cowboy Cookies

When teaching students measuring skills and then introducing them to the kitchens and labs, I often demonstrate a recipe. Demonstrations can be helpful because students see the measuring that needs to be done using the same equipment and tools that will be available to them. It also shows them the mixing procedures and what it should look like at various stages until it reaches the final product. This Cowboy Cookies recipe is one I’ve used over the years that students have enjoyed and is nut free. This recipe can easily be made by students and because I always had extra cookies, we shared them in the office for all faculty and staff to enjoy!  

Salary to Budget Hyperdoc

We all know that to manage our finances effectively, it helps to have a plan…aka budget.  With that being said, many high school students and young adults have no idea how to do this. If you teach any courses, classes or units that include adulting or financial literacy, this Salary to Budget Hyperdoc is a must to get them ready for life!  Initially, the hyperdoc puts the learning in the hands of the students as they independently work through the basics about budgets before applying what they’ve learned in a simulated budget, paper plate visual project, using a randomly assigned occupation and salary. Learn more as you continue reading.

Communication in the Workplace

We all know that communication is essential in the workplace, but do students realize how important it is? Thanks to Sasha Roble, a PA Cooperative Education Coordinator – Capstone for Cumberland Perry Area Career and Technical Center, for sharing this fun, engaging lesson. Communication in the Workplace will help students understand, not only the importance of communication, but the process, the causes of ineffective communication as well as forms of non-verbal communication.