Tag: Jr. High

Which Bag is Best?

Earth Day is right around the corner and if you’re in need of a lesson and activity around sustainability, then you definitely want to check out “Which Bag is Best?”. In this lesson, students explore various types of bags and then use their critical thinking skills and the decision making model to make an informed decision. Additionally, students will make an earth-friendly repurposed bag from a t-shirt in class that can be used for their gym clothes or shopping.  Don’t have sewing machines?  Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered!

Multiple Intelligences with Potato Head Toys

If you teach about the multiple intelligences, you may want to give this one a try. Multiple Intelligences with Potato Head Toys will not only engage your students because this is a hands-on activity, but you may even get a smile or two out of your students as they “play”—oops, I mean “learn” about this topic!  So, if you have some of these classic toys stashed away, it may be time to dig them out and give them a new life and purpose in your classroom!  If not, I’ve linked them below.

Home, House & Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

I’ve heard many say “come to my home”, while others say “come to my house”. While similar, the two terms are different in meaning as well as how each meet our
needs.  Home, House & Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs addresses all of these as it explores the similarities and differences between the two along with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. This lesson provides an overview while engaging students in a variety of ways. So, if you teach about factors that influence our home and house selections, this may be a new way to go about it!

Clothing Influences

Think about your closet full of clothing…what prompted you to buy all of these items?  Our clothing decisions are often influences by a variety of things.  This lesson on Clothing Influences is a great way to explore what guides our choices when it comes to clothing. Use this as an intro lesson to your clothing or fashion course or unit or as a stand alone overview lesson in a comprehensive FACS class or middle school program when you need to explore various FACS content areas in a short period of time. Be sure to check out all of the engaging ideas as you continue to read this post!

Importance of Small Talk

There was a time when keeping students quiet was a challenge because all they wanted to do was talk! Now, not so much! Sadly, many students want to avoid
talking to you, their peers or anyone else at all costs. Importance of Small Talk is a great lesson to use with students at the beginning of the school year, new semester or even as part of a communication unit. Not only does this lesson give insight on the importance of small talk, but it encourages small talk among students and helps build relationships as they get to know each other! Continue reading to learn more…

Careers in the Food Industry

The food industry contains many careers for individuals to investigate and pursue. However, many careers are unfamiliar and go unnoticed. There are more jobs in
the food industry than you would imagine! Careers in the Food Industry, created by Nicole Brown from Illinois, allows students to dive deeper into careers within the food industry and all they encompass.  Continue reading to learn more…

Knife Skills Interactive

Put the initial learning in the hands of your students with this Knife Skills Interactive assignment.  The entire assignment is not only digital, but breaks down important knife information by topic and section. I used this with my upper level students in my foods class.  For many, it was a review of information they had learned in junior high or other courses of mine. However, for those students who were new to the school or I didn’t have me in junior high, it gave them all of the basics about knives they needed before we headed to the kitchen to practice.

Fexting: Good Idea or Bad Idea?

Are you guilty of FEXTING?  Yes, you read that correctly!  I bet your students are!  What is it you ask?  That’s exactly what this lesson, “Fexting: Good Idea or Bad Idea?”, will explore!  I’ll give you a hint…it has to do with handling conflict.  So, if you teach about ways to handle conflict in relationships, you may want to mix in this extension assignment. Read on to learn more.

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!

Children’s Book Journal

If you incorporate reading children’s books into your Child Development classes, this Children’s Book Journal, shared by Anna Hall from Ohio, may be just the activity you’re looking for! This can be used in a variety of ways including bell-ringer activity, early finishers, in-class activity for shortened period days when there are assemblies or even as a sub-plan when you know you have to be absent! Check it out!