you’re like me, you don’t always want to teach things the same way; you want a refresh! When teaching about prenatal development and the changes associated with both mother and baby, the Prenatal Mystery Bags assignment offers just that…a refresh! This ready to teach assignment is one I did years ago, but decided it needed an update so, in this post, you will find two different ways to use this with your students. Choose the one that works best for you and incorporate many of the 4 C’s (communication, critical thinking, collaboration and creativity) as your students work through the activity!
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Snack Boards with Dips Dilemma
Have you heard about the latest TikTok butter board craze? People spread butter all over a board and then decorate it with dippers such as meats, breads, fruits,
vegetables, flowers, herbs and spices. Conceptually, this is cool, but butter is not only expensive, it’s not very healthy! With this in mind, I created Snack Boards with Dips Dilemma as a twist on that trend. So, pull out those charcuterie boards and challenge your students to create their own unique snack board with cold dips that are visually appealing and a little healthier and perfect for the upcoming Super Bowl!
Doodle Home Mini-Project
Have you ever heard the quotes “to each his own” and “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”? Well, they certainly apply to the mansion that inspired this “Doodle Home Mini-Project”! As soon as I saw the article, I thought it would make for an interesting discussion and creative project which could be used to introduce personal style or would make a great sub-plan or filler project for those times when you just need a little something. So read on to see what this is all about!
Problem Based Learning: Parenting Dilemma
Problem based learning projects are a great way to engage your students and incorporate some rigor. How, you ask? Problem based learning projects incorporate
many, and sometimes all of the the 4 C’s; Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration and Creativity. The Family Medical Leave Work Dilemma takes a real world problem inspired by a Washington Post article and provides just enough information for students to come up with a viable solution. If you’ve ever wanted to try problem based learning in your family or parenting classes, why not start with this one?
Canned Soup Challenge
Canned soup may be viewed as a quick and easy meal, albeit boring, generic, and bland. However, who says that canned soup has to be eaten as is? With a bit of creativity and a few extra ingredients, possibilities are endless when it comes to kicking up a little ‘ole can of soup. Why not show your students how to do this by assigning them the Canned Soup Challenge and then let them loose in the kitchen? To round it out, bring in judges to taste and evaluate their final products.
Fishbowl Game
Do your students sit and stare at you? Is getting them to talk a challenge–especially at the start of a new semester or unit? One way to combat that and include
some friendly competition is to incorporate the Fishbowl Game! This game has become one of my favorite activities to engage students and get them to relax and open up. This minimal prep game can be used to introduce new content, vocabulary words, holiday fun and more. It’s a great team building exercise that can also be used with adults if you have to share teaching ideas among your faculty!
Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays
Wishing all of you Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday and Wonderful New Year! May you take this time to reminisce and rejoice in time together with family and friends. Wishing you much rest, peace and joy as we move into the new year! Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for all of your visits, lesson contributions, comments and conference requests during this past year! Looking forward to an awesome 2023!
Brain Puzzle
Teaching about the brain is one of my all time favorite units in Child Development! I find it interesting and feel like I’m teaching students something new in a fun way. If you’ve used my Navigating the Brain lesson, you know that I had students create a Play-Doh brain. While I still like that assignment, I wanted something a bit more challenging. The Brain Puzzle is a creative, engaging way to apply the information learned and can be used as a review activity or an assessment!
Hot Cocoa Cups
Cookies, Cakes & Pies, Oh My!
Cookies, Cakes & Pies, Oh My! is a subscription box template project. The original cookie subscription box idea came from Anna Hall, an Ohio FACS teacher. Upon receiving it, my brain immediately thought this project could extend to other desserts or foods and Anna graciously gave me permission to expand the project. So, if you’re looking for an extension project when teaching about desserts or other foods, this may be just what you’re looking for!