Farm to Family & Consumer Sciences!

It’s harvest time across the Midwest.  Which means a couple things, slow-moving machinery, harvest moons, open fields, and an educational opportunity!  Farming is what led me to a career in Family & Consumer Sciences so many years ago.  I valued the love and labor my family put into feeding this country and knew I could be a part of that teaching by helping students learn to purchase, prepare, and preserve the commodities!

Being from small rural America I didn’t know when I entered this profession how many students would not know where their food comes from or how many products are derived from the grain yields of today’s farms!  I enjoy sharing these facts with the students....

Did you know that chewing gum is made of field corn?  

Click the chart below to learn more about what other items are made from corn.

Image from Iowa State University & National Corn Gowers Association

Did you know one United State's farm feeds about 165 people?  
Click the image below to learn more Farm and Food Facts.

Image from American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture

In the classroom, I seize the harvest season as an opportunity to teach students about the farm and how food is grown, shipped, and stored in addition to purchased, prepared, and preserved.  Since Family & Consumer Science programs outweigh Agriculture programs in today’s education system it is only fair to do our part to educate students using the farm to table platform. 

Farm Bureau is a national organization that speaks out on issues of concern for the nation’s farmers and ranchers, rural Americans, and consumers who care about maintaining our nation’s food security. This wonderful organization can help you bring this platform to your classroom.  The organization stands to support the nation’s food supply and has created an educational platform to educate everyone on agricultural related topics.  This service is provided through “Agriculture in the Classroom.”  The website and volunteers offer a wealth of educational resources that can be used in your classrooms. 

Check out these examples!

Farm to Table Video

Food & Nutrition Resources

Agriculture Careers

Energy Bar Exploration: Project-Based Lesson

Culinary Concepts: Project-Based Lesson

The quicker the better? Lesson

That is not it, there are many more!  Go check out their AWESOME "Ag in the Classroom" website and educate your students about our food network.  

In addition to the free items provided on the website, the organization has volunteers that will come speak to your students!  Reach out to your state program about availability in your area. 

Interested in learning more about Ag in the classroom?  Check out their annual conference – scholarships are available to help pay for this professional development!  Also, follow "Ag in the Classroom" on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter for new resource updates.

Do you have a partnership with your local Farm Bureau organization?

UPDATED: Child Development Planning Guide

Do you teach Child Development?  Do you LOVE teaching but don't have time to plan?  If you answered "YES" then grab this FREE download!  It's a Child Development Planning Guide, yes the full scope and sequence! 

Click the image to download your FREE copy!

This document was recently updated with new resources!  If you don't want to miss the release of new lessons be sure to follow my blog, Teachers Pay Teacher Store and/or Etsy Shop.  

Want to know more about the planning guide?  See my previous post by clicking the image below!

Click the image to view the previous blog post.

What lesson do you want to see me release next?  Did you know that in recent months I have been designing on request - don't hesitate to ask!

It’s Spooky, It’s Educational, It’s Halloween Fun!

As a high school teacher, I always leverage the holidays as a great way to incorporate a little fun into my curriculum, an opportunity to lighten the mood of the classroom and bring the joy of school back to the learning environment.  These small moments throughout the school year put smiles on the faces of my students and myself, especially when teaching child development! 

Halloween is one of those little spooky holidays that many high school students remember celebrating as a child.  So why not continue to howl and celebrate?  A little strand of wicked pumpkin lights across the whiteboard, a black tablecloth draped across my podium and let the kids do the rest!

Grab a pack of cheap paper plates, some paints, construction and tissue paper, party streamers, and string to get the midnight decorating started.  Have your students make a Halloween Paper Plate Craft to decorate the room. Need ideas? Visit the Crafty Morning Blog for some of my personal favorites!

Image from Crafty Morning Blog

This activity is a great craft for after a unit test or quiz.  Students can begin crafting quietly while others are still testing. When they are finished have them hang their masterpieces on the walls and/or from the ceilings to make your classroom a little haunted. 

In addition to decorating the classroom, I don’t miss the opportunity to celebrate!  On or near Halloween Day my Child Development class participates in a standard-based Halloween party!  The party if fun, educational, and most of all a great marketing tool!  

Activities included in the Child Development Halloween Party Lesson Plan include...

• Crafts
• Coloring
• Games
• Snacks

The Child Development Halloween Lesson Plan download includes printables, grouping labels, directions for activities, aligned national FCS standards, and a follow-up written assignment and rubric. 

You can purchase this great Lesson Plan by visiting my Etsy Store, TeachingSuccessFCS.   

Use the code: SPOOKYFUN to save 25% through midnight Monday, October 8th!

How do you celebrate

Halloween in your classroom?

Taking the Finish Line with FCCLA Professional Development

This past week I was very honored to be invited to present at the Indiana FCCLA Fall Rally Adviser workshop held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  This group of professionals works hard every day not just teaching but bringing the ultimate leadership experience to their students.

While students were learning about skills to help them win the 'race'.  I was able to work with both new and veteran advisers from across the state in 'pit row.' 


The first presentation focused on educating new advisers about FCCLA through an interactive presentation that incorporated the experience of veteran advisers.  Did you know FCCLA has 164,000 members and it takes just 12 for you to have your own chapter!

**Click the logo to view more facts about FCCLA**

We were able to 'start the race' with a simple icebreaker, click the image below to download a FREE copy to use at your next chapter meeting!

Click the image to download your FREE copy!  or visit TpT Store: Teaching Success with FCS.

Using Nearpod we discussed how to get an FCCLA chapter started by recruiting, affiliating and engaging 'the fans!'  This was followed by topics such as meetings, officers, planning events and fundraising - all the 'race day' essentials!

As part of the workshop, advisers were provided an agenda template to use at their next chapter meeting.  In celebration of this 'victorious' professional development, you can download a FREE copy too!

Click the image to download your FREE copy!  or visit TpT Store: Teaching Success with FCS.

In the afternoon training, advisers learned how to incorporate FCCLA STAR Events into their classroom.  The presentation explained how STAR Events meet students learning needs through standards-based teaching, differentiation, project-based learning, and many more current best teaching practices to 'win the race!'

Did you know that the My Career Plan and Career Investigation STAR Event are great companions?  Check out the FREE outline to 'fuel' your classroom!

Click the image to download your FREE copy! 

Do you need a speaker at your next FCCLA event?  Contact me to discuss how I could bring some of these learning opportunities to your group!