Who knew something as simple as crayons could teach some important life lessons? The Crayon Life Lessons teaches students a variety of lessons about acceptance, diversity and uniqueness that can be used in all settings from home, to school, to work in a unique way. I used it in my child development classes, but it could be used in any class as an enrichment activity!
Sometimes teens think life and accomplishments are easy for everyone else but themselves. So not true! I love using examples of famous failures to show that sometimes one must fail in order to succeed, especially in the world of work. The Famous Failures & Mindset lessons and activities will help drive that message home.
Cleats For a Cause, was inspired by the NFL: My Cause Cleats program. Players select a cause they are passionate about and represent their selected organization via custom designed cleats. All proceeds raised go to their cause or charity. I wanted to adapt/recreate this creative project and connect it to charitable giving. This lesson and project provides both hands-on and digital components, keeping your students engaged while learning how to be responsible in choosing and supporting an important cause.
Arlene DeJoy Meckes (from Twins & Teaching) and I teamed up to bring you this Safe Sitter Breakout. This assignment is perfect for engaging students, especially middle schoolers around the importance of safety while babysitting. The beauty of this breakout is two-fold…one, it is completely digital, so there’s no need for physical locks and boxes. Second, it is an individual breakout so students do their own work, at their own pace. Check it out!
Beth Beattie, of Missouri, shares this $10 Meal Challenge Project inspired by the Iowa State Fair! During this past year, her sons were mesmerized by the Iowa State University Extension office’s $10 meal challenge offered to all 4-H members. This project is Beth’s reinterpretation of it. So, if you’re looking for an engaging project to combine food budgets, MyPlate and a family meal, be sure to take a look!
Wordle is all the craze! It is a web-based word game that has people of all ages hooked and challenged on a daily basis…that is, of course, if you play! Earlier this year my students asked me to do more activities that promoted soft skills, especially those that encouraged them to be social and to be leaders. What better way to accomplish this than to do “Wordle Wednesday” in class where each week one of them is in charge of coming up with a class related word and running the show!
Paycheck Stations is a digital activity created while we were remote last year to help students get a better understanding of the concepts asssociated with earning a paycheck. However, the materials associated with each of the paycheck stations can easily be printed and placed at actual stations within your room for completion. It’s a great way to get students engaged and moving!
Many young people today think they are going to go out there and have their “dream” apartment (like they see on TV), complete with top of the line furnishings, etc. Realistically, most will find they will be grateful for any free or hand-me-down furnishings (although they don’t realize that now). I wanted students to create a “dream” living room where money was no object. Their furnishings were based on their personal style, using the web-based technology Polyvore Home and they had to keep a list of expenses. Then, they had to replicate the room on a reduced budget as closely as possible using online department stores, again keeping track of their expenses. Not only did this project end up being an eye-opener for them in terms of cost, but they learned they could have a similar look, spending much less money. Oh, and did I mention, they also had a lot of fun “decorating and shopping” for a period or two!
In an effort to add gamification components to her courses and create memorable learning experiences for her students, Jennifer Estes, a North Carolina FACS teacher, created this WIC Healthy Meal Challenge. You’ll have to check out this lesson as it promotes student engagement, risk taking, creativity, critical thinking and problem solving, in addition to covering Jennifer’s course standards!
With so many children dealing with adverse conditions and trauma, this lesson is critical when teaching child development. The Brain & ACES Hyperdoc helps to understand the impact on a child’s development.
