Let’s Make History

A feature story on the morning news today voiced concern over the poor performance of US students in the area of history.  The reporter speculated that a contributing factor was the emphasis on reading and math in the No Child Left Behind legislation.  However, an expert interviewed for the story also voiced concern that history is not being presented in the classroom as the story of real people and their day to day lives. 

I’m sure that both factors have contributed to our lack of proficiency and interest in history, but the question is, “What can be done to correct the problem?”.  I think that this is another area in which the value of FACS is being underutilized.  We can teach history through our curriculum in a way that students can understand and appreciate.

There are some wonderful historical novels that fit beautifully into the FACS curriculum.  Here are a few of my personal favorites.

• Bread and Roses, Too by Katherine Paterson
• Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson
• Penny From Heaven by Jennifer Holm
• The Sugar Camp Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini
• Leaving Gee’s Bend by Irene Latham
• Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

A couple of years ago I wrote a resource At Home With History, Project, Recipes and Fun Facts to Bring Social Studies to Life in the FACS Classroom.  In this resource I share lots of ideas for seamlessly incorporating American history into FACS.  Some of the activities in At Home With History include:

• My Family History Project
• Heritage Scrapbooking
• 50 recipes which have historical significance
• Profiles and activities for 20 FACS Pioneers
• Crafts and costumes
• Today in FACS History

Teaching American history can be fun and fascinating and it can be an integral part of the FACS curriculum.  I encourage you to look for opportunities to bring history into your classroom.  It’s an area where our students need a boost and like always, FACS teachers are ready and able to step up to the plate.  Show your administrator that you’re ready to get in the game!

Have a Fresh FACS day!

Ramona

Show Me the Money!

I know what it’s like trying to stretch the often meager budget you’re given by your school districts.  That’s why I thought I’d share a few money-saving ideas I’ve recently come across.  Hope you find something here that you can use.

I just finished the revisions to High Tech Home Ec Version 3.1 and two of the new sections I included use great tools from Calculated Industries:  KitchenCalc and Quilter’s FabricCalc.  Both of these amazing devices would be very useful in the FACS curriculum.  Learn more about these devices, go to http://www.calculated.com/  Click on the Quick Product Index to access product information.

Here’s the money-saving news.  Calculated Industries offers a very generous discount to schools on the purchase of their calculators.  Educators can purchase a single calculator for 25% of the MSRP.  The discount goes up to 36% off when you purchase six or more calculators for classroom use.  They also offer an Emulator that can be loaded on a computer to provide calculator functionality for use with SMART Boards and other interactive whiteboards.  To receive these discounts, you need to contact the company directly and ask for someone in the Education Division.  Call 775.445.6256 and ask for the Education Division or email Jeff Spector at jeffs@calculated.com.

Here’s an opportunity to apply for a grant to enhance your program through a gardening project.  Whole Foods Market is sponsoring a School Garden Grant Program and the application process just opened August 17th.  Whole Kids Foundation will grant 1000 schools $2000 each to build or expand a school garden.  Why not follow Alice Waters’ example and partner with your Agriculture department, local elementary school, community collect or community garden club and develop a school garden?  (Don’t know Alice Waters?  Learn more at http://www.chezpanisse.com/about/alice-waters/) Your students could learn so much from growing, harvesting, preparing and preserving fresh produce!  Grant information is available at: http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2011/08/apply-school-garden-grant/?utm_source=Responsys&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2011_08_17_Specials

For inspiration, check out these websites:

www.edibleschoolyard.org

http://www.ecoliteracy.org/change/school-gardens

I’ll continue to be on the look out for ways to stretch your FACS budget.  Do you have financial wisdom or insights to share?  We’d love to post them on this blog.  Just register as a user and send them along to share with your FACS friends.

Have a Fresh FACS day and a super weekend!

Ramona

The Face of FACS

If you are a fan of Fresh FACS on Facebook (If you aren’t a fan, I hope you’ll Like us today!), you probably saw my post about Julia Roberts yesterday.  In that post I referenced an article where Ms. Roberts shared that if she wasn’t an actor she would like to be a Home Economics teacher.  How cool is that??!!  Okay, I know that she used the old name for our field, but I’m happy to forgive her in return for the status her remark gives us!  Call me star struck if you want, but I think this is pretty cool!  If you haven’t checked out the article, you will find the link when you go to our Facebook page to become a fan.  http://www.facebook.com/FreshFACS  

(Wasn’t that a sneaky way to get you to visit our page?)

I’ve been thinking for some time that as FACS professionals we desperately need to shed the cloak of invisibility that surrounds us and show the world what we have to offer.  I’d even given some thought to the value of having a celebrity spokesperson as the face of FACS.  I must admit that I had never thought about Julia Roberts as that spokesperson, but wouldn’t that be great?! 

Some of the celebrities that I’ve considered for the coveted title of The FACE of FACS are Ashley Judd, Eva Longoria and Jennifer Garner.  They are all beautiful young women who have publically demonstrated their appreciation for the skills that we teach.  (I’ve seen each of them on the Martha Stewart Show at least once!)  An association with any one of them would definitely elevate the status of FACS to a whole new level, don’t you think?

Okay, so we have four great candidates to become The FACE of FACS!  Which of these stars would you select for the title?  Do you have other candidates to add to the list?  I’d love to hear from you on this important topic!  Let’s continue our FACS Makeover by selecting a celebrity spokesperson!  Don’t miss out on the fun!  Nominate your candidate today or show your support for one of the four current candidates!  We’re waiting to hear from you!

Have a Fresh FACS day!

Ramona

Summer Conference Wrap Up

Most of the month of July saw Fresh FACS on the road to several conferences around the Midwest.  It was our pleasure to meet and talk with teachers from Kentucky, our home state of Illinois, Michigan and Ohio.  We consider it a real privilege to be a part of events where FACS teachers come to share ideas, learn from their peers and presenters and to evaluate current classroom resources.  If you are part of a planning committee for your organization’s FACS conference, we would be honored to be invited to join you in 2012! 

The most photogenic location we visited on our recent travels was Frankenmuth, Michigan.  Hope you enjoy the snapshots of this quaint little town.  So pretty!

“Far away, there in the sunshine, are my highest aspirations.  I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them and try to follow where they lead.”—LOUISA MAY ALCOTT

Have a Fresh FACS Day!

Ramona