Category: Living on Your Own

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.

Sustainability Case Study: The Wasteful Watts

Whether we want to admit it or not, we’re all guilty of being wasteful in some area of our lives!  In this Sustainability Case Study: The Wasteful Watts, students will explore ways the Watts family can make changes in their habits and lifestyle to be more eco-friendly, practice being green(er) and make better choices regarding sustainability!

Aging in Place

Growing older is inevitable and most older adults want to stay in their homes and be as independent as possible! This is called Aging in Place and in order for older adults to be able to do this successfully, they need to make sure their homes are safe. Read on to learn more about this topic and explore potential home safety options.

Sandwiches Lesson & Lab: UPDATED

I can’t believe that thirteen years has gone by since I shared my first sandwich lesson!  I guess the saying is true that “time flies when you’re having fun”!  Well since August is National Sandwich month, I thought it was high time that this lesson got a makeover!  As you read through Sandwiches Lesson & Lab: Updated, you will see that some core information about sandwiches never changes, but how it’s presented and the activities and labs used has!

6-1 Grocery Shopping Method

The 6-1 Grocery Shopping Method is a simple, effective way to ensure balanced and nutritious meals while managing your budget, especially with rising food prices! It’s a flexible system that works for both families and individuals, reducing time spent in the grocery store and helping you spend less while still making healthy choices. Read on to see how you can use this to your students.

How To Be….Advice Assignment

The “How to Be…Advice Assignment” series is a fun and insightful way for your students to explore various life stages and roles. This assignment offers guides on topics like being a baby, a teenager, a parent, or navigating adulthood. Each guide blends practical advice with humor, providing a unique perspective on everyday challenges. This would be a great culminating assignment for the end of a course after students have learned about the subject they will be writing about.

Make Your Own Series: Bread Crumbs & Croutons

I don’t know about you, but I love making my own bread crumbs and croutons in place of those that are conveniently made for us and sold at big box stores. Some reasons I like to make my own are they are generally cheaper, quantities needed can be easily adjusted based on the recipe, it can be made easily by students as part of a lab and then used in future labs and most importantly….I know exactly what is in the product!  No weird, unpronounceable ingredients! So in this Make Your Own Series, I’ll be sharing products that can easily be made from scratch, using common ingredients. Sharing…Make Your Own Series: Bread Crumbs & Croutons.

43 Minute Lab Series: Baked French Toast

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: Baked French Toast!

Food Spotlight: Musubi

If you’ve ever watched cooking shows or competitions, then you know there are some interesting foods out there; some you’ve heard of before and maybe some you haven’t. So, I’m starting a series called Food Spotlight where I pick an interestingly named food and highlight it as a mini-lesson and lab. The first of the series is “Food Spotlight: Musubi”. Check it out and if you have any interesting foods you’d like me to explore and develop, sent me an email.

Time Management Lesson

Time is an amazing thing! We all have equal amounts of it! It’s something we all need, however, we all view it and use it differently! Is your personal and family time balanced or is it a hot mess? This Time Management Lesson explores a variety of concepts associated with time management, culminating in an engaging family planning exercise that will have your students thinking critically as they organize life events for a family!