Preface: Using This Integrated Resource Package

This Integrated Resource Package (IRP) provides some of the basic information that teachers require to implement the Home Economics 8 to 10 curriculum. The information contained in this IRP is also available through the Internet. Contact the Curriculum Branch's home page: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/branches/pser/welcome.htm

The Introduction

The Introduction provides general information about Home Economics 8 to 10, including special features and requirements. It also provides a rationale for teaching Home Economics 8 to 10 in BC schools.

The Home Economics 8 to 10 Curriculum

The provincially prescribed curriculum for Home Economics 8 to 10 is structured in terms of curriculum organizers. The main body of this IRP consists of four columns of information for each organizer. These columns describe:

• provincially prescribed learning outcome statements
• suggested instructional strategies for achieving the outcomes
• suggested assessment strategies for determining how well students are achieving the outcomes
• provincially recommended learning resources

Learning outcome statements are content standards for the provincial education system. Prescribed learning outcomes set out the knowledge, enduring ideas, issues, concepts, skills, and attitudes for each subject. They are statements of what students are expected to know and be able to do in each grade. Learning outcomes are clearly stated and expressed in observable terms. All learning outcomes complete this stem: "It is expected that students will . . . "Outcome statements have been written to enable teachers to use their experience and professional judgment when planning and evaluating. The outcomes are benchmarks that will permit the use of criterion-referenced performance standards. It is expected that actual student performance will vary. Evaluation, reporting, and student placement with respect to these outcomes depend on the professional judgment of teachers, guided by provincial policy.

Suggested Instructional Strategies

Instruction involves the use of techniques, activities, and methods that can be employed to meet diverse student needs and to deliver the prescribed curriculum. Teachers are free to adapt the suggested instructional strategies or substitute others that will enable their students to achieve the prescribed outcomes. These strategies have been developed by specialist and generalist teachers to assist their colleagues; they are suggestions only.

Suggested Assessment Strategies

The assessment strategies suggest a variety of ways to gather information about student performance. Some assessment strategies relate to specific activities; others are general. These strategies have been developed by specialist and generalist teachers to assist their colleagues; they are suggestions only.

Provincially Recommended Learning Resources

Provincially recommended learning resources are materials that have been reviewed and evaluated by BC educators in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Skills and Training according to a stringent set of criteria. They are typically materials suitable for student use, but they may also include information primarily intended for teachers. Teachers and school districts are encouraged to select those resources that they find most relevant and useful for their students, and to supplement these with locally approved materials and resources to meet specific local needs. The recommended resources listed in the main body of this IRP are those that have a comprehensive coverage of significant portions of the curriculum, or those that provide a unique support to a specific segment of the curriculum. Appendix B contains a complete listing of provincially recommended learning resources to support this curriculum.

The Appendices

A series of appendices provides additional information about the curriculum and further support for the teacher.

• Appendix A lists the prescribed learning outcomes for the curriculum arranged by curriculum organizer.

• Appendix B contains a comprehensive, annotated list of the provincially recommended learning resources for this curriculum. This appendix will be updated as new resources are evaluated.

• Appendix C outlines the cross-curricular reviews used to ensure that concerns such as equity, access, and the inclusion of specific topics are addressed by all components of this IRP.

• Appendix D contains assistance for teachers related to provincial evaluation and reporting policy. Prescribed learning outcomes have been used as the source for samples of criterion-referenced evaluation.

• Appendix E acknowledges the many people and organizations that have been involved in the development of this IRP.

• Appendix F is a glossary of terms relevant to this IRP, including terms relating to approaches to instruction.

Explanation of Section		Curriculum Sub-Organizer as seen on the World Wide Web
Grade and Curriculum Organizer		Grade 8 - Addressing Needs and Wants
Prescribed Learning Outcomes		PRESCRIBED LEARNING OUTCOMES It is expected that students will: identify a range of resources that can be used to meet needs and wants of individuals and families give examples of ways in which needs and wants of individuals and families change over time describe how leisure time can be used to meet needs and wants of individuals and families suggest responsible marketplace practices for families describe how skills related to family life are transferable to the workplace
Suggested Instructional Strategies		SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES As a class, brainstorm needs and wants of individuals and families, classifying them as either physiological or sociological. Identify possible resources that can be sued to meet each need or want (e.g., money, time, energy, skills, raw materials, facilities). Have students interview people of various ages to find out how their present food- and clothing-buying habits differ from when they were younger and how their social activities may have changed over time. Students then summarize and share their findings. Have students create posters or videos showing possible leisure activities for family members (e.g., eating together, doing yard work, sharing housework, bicycling). Ask: How do these activities address physiological or sociological needs and wants? Collect articles about current consumer issues. Have each students select an issue for independent study and propose responsible consumer practices that families can follow (e.g., recycling to reduce waste, comparative shopping to deal with resource limitations). Ask students to research the working and living conditions of women, men, and children who produce consumer goods (e.g., T-shirts, running shoes, coffee) in various countries. Have students show that in the global economy, purchasing these items for home and family use can perpetuate such working and living conditions. As well, ask them to suggest consumer habits that can help translate awareness into action (e.g., reading labels). As a class, brainstorm family activities that use skills that are transferable to the workplace (e.g., preparing a meal, baby-sitting, selecting clothing). for each activity, ask students to identify the skills involved and suggest a workplace application. Encourage students to develop their workplace skills by offering one of these services to others.
Suggested Assessment Strategies		SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES To check on students' understanding of needs and wants, have them develop case studies in which they describe or invent families with at least three members. Then ask each of them to complete an outline or table describing each family member and the family as a unit, using the following headings: Needs and Wants Possible Resources Use of Leisure Time How These Might Change Over the Next Five Years Assess the extent to which their analyses are thorough, logical, and relevant. After students have created and shared their posters and videos showing family leisure activities, ask each to list five important ways that families can use leisure time to meet physiological needs and wants. Then ask each student to write a short paragraph about how he or she uses leisure time to meet personal physiological needs and wants. Look for evidence that students' responses are logical, relevant, and complete: When students research working and living conditions of workers in various countries, assess their reports and analyses for evidence that:: information about working and living conditions is clear, accurate, and relevant; sources are cited the connection between workers' conditions and consumers is clearly explained and shows awareness of consumer responsibility several consumer habits that could realistically lead to change are identifies Periodically ask students to analyse the connection between the skills they are developing and potential careers by each identifying two specific skills they learned or improved on in a specific activity or assignment. For each skill, have them identify two potential workplace or career applications.
Recommended Learning Resources		RECOMMENDED LEARNING RESOURCES Print Material Building Blocks to Better Relationships Product Testing Activities by Consumer Reports Video Supermarket Persuasion: How is Food Merchandised?
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