Family and Consumer Science

Laying Down the Law introduces students to the basics of laws and regulations, including the types of law, levels of law, and the important functions of law, namely maintaining order, resolving disputes, and enacting social change. It also teaches students where laws and regulations come from, what they do, and which ones are especially relevant and important to young people today. Equally important—or perhaps more so—students learn how to follow laws in their daily lives, to interact with law...

Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize and manage emotions in ourselves and others. EQ and You (Emotional Intelligence) includes a detailed explanation of the components of emotional intelligence. It also explains the importance of emotional intelligence in the business world and the benefits that it brings to the workplace. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a...

The right work behavior can help employees become more successful in the workplace. This LAP explains the characteristics of ethical work habits, why they’re so important, and how everyone can develop their own ethical work habits. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information about demonstrating ethical work...

Leading change is an important life and professional skill. Teach your students what it means to lead change with Start the Revolution. This LAP covers how anyone can lead change by taking action, the qualities of effective leaders, the importance of communication, and how to handle resistance. Videos of teen leaders in action offer inspiration. Activities include opportunities to identify effective leadership skills and examine situations that require change leadership. LAPs (Learning...

Your students regularly experience change, but how well do they deal with it? Go With the Flow explains how being adaptable can help students deal with new situations in positive ways that help them learn, grow, and achieve. They’ll also learn the negative consequences of resisting change. This LAP includes activities and videos explaining how a flexible attitude can help students achieve success in many areas of life. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages...

Finding the happy medium between aggressiveness and passiveness is the key to “win-win” situations in the workplace! This LAP explains why assertiveness is so important and explains the steps anyone can take to become more assertive. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information about assertiveness, a (So What?)...

Developing self-control requires a lot of self-discipline, patience, and practice, but it can be done! This LAP explains why keeping one’s cool is so important and also shows how to develop and exhibit self-control. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information about demonstrating self-control, a (So What?)...

When it comes to personal and professional success, attitude is everything. In this LAP, students will discover the many benefits of fostering and maintaining an optimistic attitude. They will be introduced to effective methods for improving their attitude, from “thought stopping” to gratitude journaling. In an accompanying activity, students will evaluate and analyze their own attitudes using personality questionnaires. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional...

What do honesty, respect, fairness, accountability, and courage have in common? They are the essential elements of responsible behavior! Use Make the Honor Role to teach your students about these must-have personality traits, the importance of acting responsibly, and how to be responsible at home, at school, and on the job. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student...

Initiative is an extremely important skill in all areas—school, work, home, relationships, and more! Teach your students about this crucial trait with LAP-EI-024—Hustle! (Taking Initiative). They’ll learn why initiative is necessary and how they can demonstrate it in all aspects of their lives. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission)...

Achievement-oriented people produce high-quality work, demonstrate leadership, and take responsibility. If these are skills you’d like your students to learn about, check out High Hopes. This LAP shows students why an achievement orientation is so important—and what they can do to develop their own. This LAP is packed with videos and activities that engage and inspire students to aim higher, accomplish more, and achieve personal goals. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive...

Stress is something we all deal with from time to time, but too much stress can lead to burnout. With this LAP, your students will learn what stress is, how it can be harmful, and how employees and employers can manage it. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information about stress management, a (So What?)...

Do your students understand the importance of developing empathy? Learning how to listen, speak tactfully, and consider others’ feelings can help your students become aware of how their actions impact the people they come into contact with every day. The ability to understand others’ feelings and life experiences can help your students succeed in their personal lives and in their future careers. The LAP Have a Heart provides a variety of videos and activities that engage students in...

Cultural sensitivity is an essential personal skill for improving relationships and creating a more accurate worldview. Being culturally sensitive is also important to succeed academically, professionally, and to compete in today’s global marketplace. With Getting To Know You (Cultural Sensitivity), your students will learn what cultural sensitivity is, why it’s important, and what they can do to become more culturally sensitive. LAPs are comprehensive instructional packages that include all...

Treating others with respect and dignity is an important skill to have, at school or in the workplace. This LAP explains the ways people are different and how to treat them respectfully, no matter what. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information about treating others with dignity and respect, a (So What?)...

Plain and simple, people need other people. This LAP explains interdependence, how to nurture personal and professional relationships, and the ways in which different management styles affect the work environment. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information about fostering positive working relationships, a (So...

Coaching is a life skill used to help others achieve more in life, not just on the court or on the field. Share Bring Out the Best with your students so they can learn the traits and skills needed to effectively coach others, as well as the coaching process itself. Videos of coaches in action from students to professionals show that anyone has the potential to coach others. Activities include reflecting on effective coaches, creating a coaching plan, and more. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages)...

Many skills—such as commitment, communication, sharing, controlling conflict, and encouragement—are necessary to become an effective team player. Use this LAP to teach your students about different types of teams, why teams are important, how teams are beneficial, and the ways that teamwork leads to success. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with...

Successful organizations have clear visions for their futures. But what makes a shared vision successful? This LAP explains the difference between organizational visions and team visions, shows what an effective vision looks like, and describes what team leaders can do to “sell” people on their company’s vision. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with...

Your students negotiate every day, whether they realize it or not. But not all negotiations are as simple as deciding what to have for dinner—what about important workplace negotiations, like advocating for a raise or bargaining with a coworker? With this LAP, you can give your students a leg up. They’ll learn how to negotiate with anyone—supervisors, coworkers, or customers. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a...

Our world has been shaped by influential people with visions—mental pictures of a better and brighter future. Consider Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech or Walt Disney’s vision of creating the happiest place on Earth. Both individuals had a vision for the future, and both spent their lives working toward creating that future. In this LAP, students will learn the benefits of having a vision, the components of a good vision, and how to create their own personal visions so that...

Responsibility is fundamental to success at school, at work, and in life. Teach your students about the benefits of being responsible, the consequences of being irresponsible, the traits responsible people possess, and the steps they can take to develop responsibility for their decisions and actions. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT!...

Accepting the uncertainty of life is an important skill for everyone to develop. Embrace the Unknown (Developing a Tolerance for Ambiguity) teaches students about ambiguity and why it is important to tolerate it. It also includes step-by-step techniques to develop and demonstrate tolerance for ambiguity in their personal lives, in school, and in the workplace. The relevant examples and activities will help them connect this topic to their own lives. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are...

Being ethical takes a lot more than just doing what’s legal. As this LAP explains, being ethical means doing what’s right, no matter what—even when no one is looking! The LAP also explains the importance of ethical principles, describes the consequences of unethical behavior, and explores the key principles that help with ethical conduct. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes...

All of us face ethical dilemmas, but what causes them? This LAP explains the difference between dilemmas and ethical dilemmas and describes some of the common reasons why ethical dilemmas occur. It also discusses the actions anyone can take to make the right decisions. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information...

How can you spot an ethical dilemma, and what can you do once you discover one? This LAP explains the importance of identifying ethical dilemmas and outlines the steps anyone can take to successfully respond to them. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information about recognizing and responding to ethical dilemmas,...

Assess Yourself guides students through understanding their own personal values and behavior. This LAP explains what values and behavior are and how they relate to one another. It emphasizes the importance of discovering and assessing one’s personal values and behavior, then acting in accordance with them. This LAP demonstrates the importance and impact that values and behavior have on students’ lives, both now and in the future. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive...

Fairness is the ability to make decisions and act without favoritism or self-interest. Teaching your students how to demonstrate fairness is essential to their long-term success in their careers and personal lives. Use this LAP to guide your students to understanding what fairness is, what personal traits contribute to fairness, and how to treat others fairly. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson...

Trust is at the very foundation of all our relationships—with family, friends, and coworkers. To be trustworthy takes work and commitment. Trust in Me (Building Trust in Relationships) teaches students about the characteristics of someone who is trustworthy and techniques to build trust with the people around them. Students will also learn about how trust and ethics are related. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a...

Be the Change explains how to develop ethical leadership skills. This LAP includes information about what makes an ethical leader and how ethical leaders respond to dilemmas in different situations. It also includes hands-on activities and current links that will make the concept of ethical leadership practical and relevant for students. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes...

Practice What You Preach (Modeling Ethical Behavior) provides students with the skills they need to model ethical behavior. This LAP explains why ethical behavior is important, demonstrates how people learn by example to behave ethically and provides step-by-step instructions so students can learn how to model ethical behavior. With engaging activities and relevant examples, students will gain the necessary skills to become ethical leaders in the future. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are...

Inspired people fill history books—from musicians and artists to world-class athletes, inspiration is the common factor uniting many successful individuals. In this LAP, students will discover the importance of inspiration within organizations and groups of all shapes and sizes. They will learn how to harness the power of inspiration to bring out the best in the people around them, improving their leadership skills and interpersonal relationships along the way. LAPs (Learning Activity...

From selecting a career path to participating in politics, learning how to consider different perspectives is an essential life skill. In this LAP, students will learn how to appropriately consider new and different ideas so that they can make well-informed decisions at school, at work, and in life. Students will gain hands-on experience with opposing opinions through the individual and group activities, where they will use the internet to research topics relevant to their own lives. LAPs...

Every choice you make matters. Teach your students about positive and negative consequences, the difference between short-term and long-term consequences, and the benefits of assessing the long-term value and impact of actions on others. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information about assessing the long-term...

Carrying out our lives with honesty and integrity is the best way to earn trust and respect among our family, friends, and peers. Failing to do so can alienate others and can have long-lasting consequences not just for others, but for ourselves. Teach your students about the power of building an ethical framework and living honestly. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a...

Employers have consistently ranked communication skills as one of the most desirable traits in new employees. In this LAP, students will learn the importance of effective communication skills as well as techniques for overcoming barriers to communication. Students will discover how communication plays a role in their everyday lives and how their ability to communicate can help them achieve their personal and professional goals. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional...

Increased self-esteem, more meaningful relationships, improved group morale… The benefits of giving praise are practically endless. In this LAP, students will learn how to give effective recognition, helping them develop the leadership and interpersonal skills they need to succeed in the modern workplace. For example, in The Gray Zone, students will examine the case of a restaurant manager who feels that praise is unnecessary—and determine for themselves just how important recognition really...

We all work best when we capitalize on our strengths and minimize our weaknesses. This LAP explains how self-assessments can help people increase opportunities for career success, ace their interviews, make better decisions, work well in teams, and more! LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information about assessing...

Everybody receives feedback, whether it’s in a report card, a performance evaluation, or simply a conversation with a customer. This LAP describes different types of feedback and explains how everyone can learn to better handle criticism. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information about using feedback for...

Leadership is important in many areas of life. We rely on strong leaders for ourselves, and often, others rely on us for leadership as well. Help your students explore the need for good leadership in the workplace. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information about leadership, a (So What?) discussion of why it's...

In any group situation, it can be hard for everyone to agree—that’s where consensus building comes in! This LAP explains what consensus is and isn’t, the advantages and disadvantages of using it, and the steps any group can take to build consensus. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information about consensus...

Persuading people isn’t the same as forcing them to agree with you—in fact, it’s a skill that requires effort, attention, and practice! This LAP explains the uses of persuasion, the steps it takes to become persuasive, and the techniques anyone can use to become more persuasive. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes...

Conflict is a natural part of life. From disagreements at home, at school, and at work, students are exposed to conflict practically every day. In this LAP, students will learn how to successfully resolve conflicts, helping them build positive, resilient relationships with their peers and coworkers. Students will discover their personal conflict management style—and learn how to interact with people that handle conflict differently. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive...

Don’t Jump to Conclusions! provides the essential knowledge students need to recognize and overcome their own personal biases. This LAP includes comprehensive explanations of bias, unconscious bias, stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination with real-life examples that students will relate to. It also teaches students how to identify and overcome their own biases so they can embrace diversity and treat others with fairness and respect. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive...

Help your students understand how their personal appearance impacts their self-confidence, self-concept, self-esteem, and the image they present to others. Look Good, Feel Good (Personal Appearance) teaches students the importance of a strong personal brand in interviews and for professional success. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT!...

Creativity is important in all aspects of life! Teach your students how they can enhance and develop their own creative skills. LAPs (Learning Activity Packages) are comprehensive instructional packages that include all elements of a performance-oriented lesson plan. This LAP includes a student handout (with CopyIT! permission) that includes information about demonstrating creativity, a (So What?) discussion of why it's important to learn, and a short (Gray Zone) case addressing ethical...

Decision-making skills are crucial for success in life, so prepare your students with Weigh Your Options (Decision-Making). Not only does this LAP teach students an organized way to make good decisions at home, in school, and at work, but it also explains the benefits of using a decision-making model. The LAP provides student activities that promote critical thinking and include opportunities to make hypothetical personal and business decisions in their daily lives. LAPs (Learning Activity...