"ONLY A TEACHER? THANK GOD I HAVE A CALLING TO THE GREATEST PROFESSION OF ALL! I MUST BE VIGILANT EVERY DAY LEST I LOSE ONE FRAGILE OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE TOMORROW."
- IVAN WELTON FITZWATER
Begin at the Very Beginning...
When students enter FACS class for the first time in the 6th grade, most of the students are experiencing the content and lessons for the first time. As an introductory class, many of the overall lesson objectives fall into the Knowledge, Comprehension, and Application levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Higher level thinking is applied with targeted questions throughout the lessons and activities. While units are repeated in each quarter within the year, I review and revise lessons and activities for effectiveness and engagement.
Progression
Since the middle level employs one teacher for three grade levels of elective classes, I have the opportunity to tailor my units and content to support the progression from sixth to seventh grade and from seventh to eighth grade. The South Dakota FACS standards are not broken down into individual grade levels; rather, there is a set of standards for the entire middle school level. If a student’s entire middle school career is at Simmons, I am responsible for ensuring their mastery of FACS concepts by the end of their 8th grade year. This can prove to be complicated when students transfer into the later years from a school that does not have a FACS program. In order to help these students to progress, I conduct interviews on their background knowledge of FACS concepts.
Regression
Another challenge that I face is regression. It is possible for a student to be slotted into FACS class in the first quarter of their sixth grade year, and then not again until the fourth quarter of their seventh grade year. The same issue applies to the transition from seventh to eighth grade as well. For this reason, a review of concepts from the previous year is needed. This review allows for those students who would benefit from extra review to have an opportunity to catch up on potentially lost content.
expansion
FACS content is expanded in the seventh and eighth grades, and the level of involvement and complexity advances with each grade. Seventh FACS, a nine week class, has units on sewing, kitchen safety and food preparation, and adds self-concept and basic nutrition. The eighth graders spend a trimester, 12 weeks, in FACS class. The extra time allows for more complex sewing unit, multi-day food preparation lessons, career exploration, and a detailed unit on nutrition.
Transition
The transition of FACS students from the middle level to the high school is on an individual basis. FACS is elective in the eighth grade, and continues to be a purely elective class at the high school. It is possible for a student to be slotted into FACS first quarter of their seventh grade year, and then not elect to participate in FACS in the eighth grade. Once a student moves to the high school, the choice to participate in FACS is solely on the student. Classes at the high school are more focused and are specifically structured around one particular content area. Many of the higher level FACS classes require participation in a prerequisite class. Here again regression can be an issue. If a student has not participated in FACS since their seventh grade year, and then elect to participate in FACS when they are sophomores, there is a large potential for lost content knowledge.
Classroom instruction strategies
Demonstration
-Recipe Steps
-Sewing Tasks -Food Preparation Skills |
Direct Instruction
-Step-by-step processes
|
Projects
-Sewing Projects
-Visual Displays -Recipes |
cooperative learning
-Sewing partners
-Foods lab groups -Collaborative discussions |
Discovery
-Student directed learning
|
assessment strategies
formal-Written exams
-Rubrics |
Informal-Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down
-3-2-1 Charts -Ticket out the Door -Observations of proper procedures |