Conservation for Family and Consumer Sciences
Conservation for Family and Consumer Sciences is designed to assist family and consumer science teachers with integrating conservation concepts and understandings into their curricular areas. It includes many concepts already covered in the classroom. This unit extends the conservation message beyond the preservationist stage and represents conservation as an encompassing theme throughout the family and consumer sciences curricular areas. The lesson plans, accompanied by suggested teaching methods, activities and audio-visual aids, are designed for use with middle school through high school students. Provided in general format, without time constraints, the plans should be modified in content to meet the needs of the students, class and teaching objectives. Objectives are listed for the unit in general and more specifically in each lesson.
Lessons have been cross-walked with the Missouri Show-Me Standards. In addition, transparency masters, assignment sheets, job sheets and student handouts are included. A special effort was made to avoid duplication of materials existing within the Family and Consumer Sciences Frameworks. Point values for student assignments are left to the discretion of the individ-ual teacher.
Introduction
Many, if not most, Americans realize that the Earth's resources are limited. Publicity surrounding environmental issues has motivated many citizens to actively seek alternatives to wasteful use of natural resources. Homemakers are concerned. They realize that conservation has a direct and positive effect on the home, community, country, planet and quality of life for every individual. However, the best intentions will be short-lived without a back-ground and understanding of the principles that govern resource use and abuse.
The purpose of this instructional unit is to provide family and consumer sci-ences teachers with a sound base to incorporate conservation of natural resources into their existing programs, thus enhancing environmentally-based decisions by future homemakers.
Homemaking today requires the energy, knowledge and skill to establish a healthy, happy, livable environment—indoors and out. Natural resources are necessary to provide for the needs and wants of individuals, so how they are used is vital to the health and well-being of society and the environment.
The general objectives of this instructional unit are that each student should be able to:
- Differentiate between the preservation, restoration and management levels of conservation.
- Define and give examples of renewable and nonrenewable natural resources.
- Describe how lifestyles and conservation behaviors affect the use and availability of natural resources.
- Conduct at least one nature-related activity for children.
- Compare the advantages and disadvantages of natural and synthetic textiles.
- Identify conservation measures and environmental impacts when purchasing or disposing of goods.
- Design a home system for separating household wastes to maximize recycling potential and reduce solid waste.
- Plan a meal that includes a game animal (meat, fish or fowl) as part of the menu.
- Design a landscape plan that would provide wildlife habitat and attract small wildlife (birds, butterflies, small mammals, etc.) to their neighborhood or yard.
- Recognize the importance of considering conservation as a part of all homemaking tasks.
Objectives
Providing information and examples of environmentally responsible behaviors is the role of every teacher, but perhaps most importantly, that of the family and consumer science instructor. Carelessness, ignorance and greed are the antithesis of conservation. Overcoming such behaviors is not easy but they can be changed through effective education. There are no easy answers but there are three distinct efforts which can be demonstrated. First, set a good example in your own personal use of resources. Second, provide experiences which will enable youngsters to observe, both positive and negative, examples of resource use and make comparisons. Third, provide accurate, factual information untainted by emotional inferences while recognizing that those emo-tions play an important role in the character of the individual.
Preparing students to take on the challenges of the world while providing a quality life for themselves and their families is one of the most necessary and rewarding endeavors. Family and consumer science classes provide a link to the real world beyond the school years. The attitudes established now will be the catalysts which inspire future citizens to become true conservationists.
