Liberty Middle School – LCSD/2012-13
COURSE/SUBJECT TITLE: Family and Consumer Sciences
INSTRUCTOR: Mrs. Marisa Bossert
GRADE LEVEL: 8th
LENGTH OF TIME: One 20-week semester, 42 minutes, daily.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: The eighth grade FCS class focuses on social behavior, personal responsibility, childcare,
consumer resources, community connections, career development, financial management and a simple sewing
machine project. All FCS classes provide opportunities for students to learn practical life skills that improve the well
being of individuals, their families and our communities.
ESSENTIAL OUTCOMES BY UNIT:
UNIT TITLE: Communication and Social Skills
Students will:
• Know the difference between poor and good listening behavior.
• Describe verbal and non-verbal cues that indicate when someone is actively listening.
• Interpret and dramatize messages that are clear and specific.
• Recognize that many people are shy and know techniques to overcome shyness.
• Demonstrate basic social skills.
UNIT TITLE: Making Decisions
Students will:
• Understand that different people will make different decisions in similar situations.
• Identify common external influences on decision-making.
• Use and apply the “Clarify, Consider and Choose” method when making important health related decisions.
UNIT TITLE: Assertiveness
Students will:
• Know the difference between assertiveness and aggressiveness.
• Practice and apply verbal and non-verbal assertive skills.
UNIT TITLE: Resisting Peer Pressure
Students will:
• Know the techniques used to persuade or pressure you.
• Demonstrate techniques to resist the pressure.
• Assess when an assertive response should be used to resist the pressure to use alcohol, drugs or tobacco.
UNIT TITLE: Coping with Anxiety and Anger
Students will:
• Recognize common situations that produce nervousness.
• Understand the value of positive thinking.
• Practice anxiety-reduction techniques.
• Know the physical symptoms of anger.
• Understand reasons for controlling anger.
• Demonstrate and practice techniques that control anger
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UNIT TITLE: Resolving Conflicts
Students will:
• Identify five ways to resolve conflicts.
• Know the basic steps to conflict resolution.
• Apply decision-making, communication and assertiveness techniques to conflict resolution.
UNIT TITLE: Child Care Basics
Students will:
• Identify and describe the four major areas of development: mental, physical, emotional and social.
• Understand and apply basic theories of early childhood development.
• Evaluate books and toys for age-appropriateness and safety.
• Understand constructive discipline methods.
• Identify and explain first aid and hazard prevention techniques.
• Understand and describe healthy food choices for children.
• Create a plan for safe, responsible babysitting experience.
UNIT TITLE: Intermediate Sewing Machine Use
Students will:
• Identify the name and function of basic sewing machine parts.
• Apply sewing machine safety guidelines to prevent injury.
• Develop and enhance hand-eye coordination.
• Comprehend and apply written and symbolic pattern directions.
UNIT TITLE: Housing and the Environment
Students will:
• Know the difference between needs and wants in housing.
• Identify individual styles of architecture and design.
• Establishing a safe and clean home environment.
• Understanding individual carbon footprint responsibility to the community and the Earth.
UNIT TITLE: Drug Abuse and Violence
Students will:
• Know the difference between drug abuse and use.
• Identify social factors promoting drug use.
• Understand a prevention strategy to drug use is to never start.
• Know the immediate effects of smoking and effects of drug use.
• Understand relationships between violence and drug use.
UNIT TITLE: Consumer Resource Management / Financial Management
Students will:
• Identify common advertising techniques.
• Analyze techniques used to advertise products to teens.
• Understand alternative ways of responding to ads in order to resist ad pressures.
• Develop individual entrepreneur project ad and product.
• Learn how to manage money.
• Identify ways to invest for the Long-Term
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UNIT TITLE: Exploring Careers
Students will:
• Identify common pathways to careers.
• Analyze techniques and skills needed in the workplace.
• Understand expectations and responsibilities in the world of work.
UNIT TITLE: Nutrition Management
Students will:
• Identify common eating patterns: non-healthy and healthy.
• Analyze techniques and skills needed to improve nutrition and build upon lifelong health.
• Understand responsibilities in the family to establish healthy, nutritious eating patterns for children.
• Identify Nutrients, Vitamins and Minerals, as well as, their functions.
• Plan, select and prepare healthy Nutritious Snacks.
• Analyze techniques and skills needed in the supermarket to save money and shop wisely.
UNIT TITLE: Culinary Skills
Students will:
• Establish culinary safety and sanitation procedures.
• Know first aid measures to prevent or minimize injury.
• Demonstrate proper equipment and technology usage.
• Identify common cooking techniques: Dry cooking, Moist cooking and a Combination of both.
• Discover Seasonings and Flavorings that strengthen and enhance a food's natural flavor.
• Preparation of the 3 main meals, as well as, timing, presentation, and serving techniques.
• Identify cultural differences in food preparation and regional availability.
• Plan and create appealing, healthy, nutritious meals for self and family.
• Baking... precise measurement and accuracy for professional results.
EVIDENCE/ASSESSMENT:
Content activity sheets, Evaluation and preparation of storybook, Lesson plan for preschool activity
First aid safety booklet, Babysitting memo, Tests, Babysitter’s bag, Entrepreneur product
TEXTS AND OTHER RESOURCES:
Applying Life Skill: Family & Consumer Science Skills, Glencoe/McGraw Hill, 2010
Food for Today, Glencoe/McGraw Hill, 2010
Teacher generated handouts, Educational films housed in Family and Consumer Sciences classroom
Library, Sewing machines, Culinary Labs.
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