Author: K.Graybill

Kim Graybill is a veteran Family and Consumer Science teacher who teaches both middle and high school in Pennsylvania.

Parental Feeding Styles

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Until recently, I wasn’t aware that the parenting styles affected anything other than how children are treated in regard to following rules, handling misbehavior and discipline. Well, it turns out that parental feeding styles can also be applied to the way that eating patterns and habits are managed with children. This lesson incorporates this information and has students researching strategies to help children develop a healthy relationship with food. So, read on to learn more about how you can teach this concept and theory in your child development, parenting or nutrition classes.

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Bizarre Mystery Food Project

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On occasion I have shown episodes of Chopped in my classes.  My students and I are often amazed at the unusual foods that are selected for the challenges; many students have never heard of.  Knowing that these foods piqued my students’ interest, especially junior high, I decided to create an assignment around bizarre mystery foods that could be used as bell ringers, fillers for when class ends early or even as a before holiday or spring break activity to keep students engaged and interested! This assignment not only provides information on curious, bizarre foods, but also helps students navigate the world by showing where in the world these foods originate via Google Maps and helps build confidence during oral presentations as they WOW their peers with unique food curiosities!

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Masks, True Identity & Healthy Relationships

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It all started with a give away! Twisted Boards was giving away 3-D boards resembling masks. All I had to do was share back how I used them in my class. My students are still talking about this lesson…to me, to their peers and to other teachers! Since completing this lesson and project, I’ve seen a significant difference in my students as well. Many are coming out of their shells, volunteering to go first in oral presentations, sharing more about themselves and more importantly connecting the concepts to other lessons! Read on to see how I incorporated these masks/boards into my curriculum.

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Celebrating Mister Rogers: The Man Behind the Neighborhood

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I remember watching Mister Rogers Neighborhood on PBS when I was a child! I had no idea then that I would grow up and become a child development teacher, nor did I fully realize the influence and impact this man had on children’s programming, education and development! The following lesson is a tribute to this man and contains a variety of activities that can be used all together or completed individually depending on your time and classes. Even if you don’t use this lesson, I highly recommend watching the documentary “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” if you grew up with Mister Rogers like I did!

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Food Labeling Claims

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Do you know the difference between a health claim and a nutrition claim?  Most of my students don’t!  This lesson explores the difference between the two as well as why it is so important to understand what food labeling claims actually mean when reading a food label.  This lesson includes some informative and creative activities, incorporating the information learned so that others might be enlightened.

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Digital Version: Human Reproduction & Anatomy Breakaway

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Always wanted to do a breakout but didn’t have the locks or boxes to do so?  Now, thanks to Sahvanna Mease and Mary Mullikin of Colorado, you can do just that using Google Forms!  How cool is that…less prep, less expense, but just as fun!  Even cooler, the same materials are used as in the original version of Human Reproduction & Anatomy Breakaway!  Thank you for the adaptations, ladies!

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#ShowMeYourOvernightOats

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Oats are a staple most cooks cannot live without!  How many other whole grains pack as much healthful variety into their product?  The thing I love about oats is the fact that they can be customized in so many recipes from breakfast foods, baked goods, healthy snacks, and even used in place of bread crumbs when making things such as salmon patties or meatloaf!  I wanted my students to see, taste and appreciate the goodness that oats have to offer so when I saw a YouTube ad by Quaker Oats promoting an oats contest, I knew how I wanted to incorporate this information into my grain unit.  However, if you don’t teach a unit specifically about grains, no worries as this can easily be incorporated into a breakfast  or healthy snack unit!

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Characteristics of Development: Station Activities

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After teaching about P.I.E.S: The Areas of Development, I move directly into the characteristics of development because they tend to go hand in hand. This concept seems to be a bit more difficult for my students to wrap their brains around, so to help them better understand, I have  interactive stations set up throughout the room that they work through, completing activities that mirror each of the characteristics.  Students must utilize their notes to help discern between the answers. Students enjoy completing the activities and after discussing correct responses and showing the connections, most students have an easier time with the practice scenarios that follow.

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Halloween Wars

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Want a fun, creative and competitive way to incorporate Halloween themes into your foods class?  Check out the project shared by Beth Beattie, a FCS teacher from Missouri who incorporates various parts of Halloween Wars into her Food Science class at Montgomery High School. It started as a way to showcase professions within the program and after viewing Halloween Wars, students decided they wanted to make it a competition!

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Styles for Handling Conflict: Lesson & Activities

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Conflicts exist everywhere: at home, at school and at work!  No exemptions!  However, just as the problems vary so do the ways ways that people may deal with them. Check out the interactive lesson below on how you can teach your students all about the various styles for handling conflict in both their personal and professional lives.

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