Where do we begin?

When you have made the decision to include a work of fiction into your FACS curriculum, the first logical step is to choose a novel that is appropriate for your students' age and maturity level.  Unfortunately, finding novels that will appeal to your students and also comply with your community standards isn't as simple as it might seem.

Today, novels written for young and teen readers are as likely to contain inappropriate language, violent content, and sexual references as those written for adults.  That being said, there are many teen novels that are classroom appropriate and tell stories of depth and character.

One precaution I always feel compelled to make when talking to teachers about bringing fiction into the FACS curriculum is that it is imperative that you read the novel from beginning to end before using it in your classroom.  You know your students, your administration and your community better than anyone else so you have a much better feel for what your audience will accept and respond to favorably.  It will take a little time, but carefully screening the novel(s) you select will pay big dividends in drama avoided.

The novels that appear on our website http://www.facsbythebook.com/ have been pre-screened by either myself or one of the members of our FACS Reading Team.  The members of this group are current or former FACS teachers who have volunteered to read and evaluate books for us.  Only novels that have passed their evaluation are included in our offerings. 

Let's get on the same page!
Ramona

A New Adventure

Welcome to our new blog based on our website http://www.facsbythebook.com/.  If you've read my profile, you already know that I'm a retired Family and Consumer Science teacher and that my husband and I own Fresh FACS Publishing.  We have been creating and publishing original educational resources for FACS teachers for about 10 years now from our website http://www.freshfacs.com/.  We strive every day to keep our resources fresh and up-to-date so that teachers can engage students on a new and unexpected platform.  Today's students are savvy and sophisticated and that means that educators need to go beyond the ordinary to capture and hold their attention.  That is what we endeavor to do in the resources we create.

FACS By the Book and this blog represent a full circle moment the life of our business.  The very first resource we ever published was Recipe for Reading.  This curriculum was based on integrating the novel Dying for Chocolate by Diane Mott Davidson into the FACS curriculum.  I had successfully used the activities in my own FACS classroom with some very encouraging results.  Students read the novel and they completed various activities I created based on the novel's content.  Since Dying for Chocolate is a culinary mystery, there are several original recipes included in the novel.  My students prepared the recipes in the book along with others that I adapted to reflect dishes mentioned in the novel.  Over the course a nine-week period we spent at least one class period each week on activities related to the novel.  At the end of that nine-week period, my students had read the entire novel and I had been successful in providing a positive reading experience for my students.  In short, it was a very successful launch into the world of FACS literacy.

My principal was so impressed with the success of the program that he arranged for me to present the project at a state conference.  The idea of blending reading and FACS was very well received, encouraging me to write Recipe for Reading.  We are currently offering the third revised edition of this popular resource, which is now based on Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke. 

In 2008 I created a second reading resource called A Novel Approach to FACS, Fiction in the FACS Classroom.  This resource is based on twelve different teen novels that have connections to the FACS curriculum.  There are several classroom activities related to each novel, making A Novel Approach both inventive and adaptable.  You can learn more about both of these reading resources on our websites.

That brings us to the creation of our companion website http://www.facsbythebook.com/ and this blog.  When selecting the books for A Novel Approach, I read tons of teen novels.  I came away with the realization that there are many, many wonderful teen novels that fit seamlessly into the FACS curriculum.  I felt compelled to share my discovery with my fellow FACS professionals!  You're welcome!

On FACS By the Book we offer ideas and strategies for incorporating reading into the FACS curriculum without disrupting the flow of classroom instruction.  On this blog I plan to share additional ideas, links, recipes, articles and novel discoveries that I hope will help you enhance your curriculum through integrating fiction.  Check back often or better yet, subscribe to this blog so that you'll automatically be notified of new posts.  I look forward to sharing this adventure in FACS literacy with all of you!

"Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow."--Ralph Waldo Emerson

Have a Fresh FACS Day!
Ramona