Family Studies Department
Updates for 2024-2025 are pending on this page. See the course description guide for middle school information.
Culinary Arts I (Semester)
The field of Culinary Arts is rapidly growing. This course will enable students to develop various skills in food preparation and presentation. There will be the opportunity for weekly labs, enabling the students to demonstrate and improve their cooking skills (and eat the food they prepare), increase their knowledge of a variety of foods, and become self-sufficient in the kitchen. The curriculum includes nutrition, regional and international foods, the artistic presentation of foods, table settings and meal planning, purchasing food, sanitation, and safety. Several special projects are incorporated in this course such as Gingerbread Houses (fall), cake decorating (spring), and garnishing, pastries, and pasta making.
Prerequisite: None - A semester elective course open to all students.
Culinary Arts II (Semester)
This course will be offered once during the school year. Students will expand and improve their culinary skills. There will be an emphasis on international cuisine, studying a different country for one to two weeks. Food labs, culture, customs, and traditions from each country will be included in the course. This course will be very beneficial for students interested in pursuing a career in the culinary arts.
Prerequisite: Must complete a semester of Culinary Arts I to be eligible to take Culinary Arts II.
Developmental Psychology (Semester or Year)
Do you ever wonder how you came to be the person you are and what you will be like in the future? This course can help to answer these questions (and more) because the study of human development (how people change over time) can provide insights into self-understanding. While every stage of the life cycle is covered, there is an emphasis on child development. The curriculum includes several psychological and developmental theories, cultural diversity, and family traditions, and developing effective parenting skills. Students can increase their knowledge and understanding of children through a variety of experiences including various observations, interviews, and many exciting and fun projects such as the computerized doll, corresponding with elementary school pen-pals, and planning and hosting a pen-pal day.
Prerequisite: None - A semester or full-year elective course open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors.
Note: Communication skills credit awarded for 1 unit of Independent Living and 1 unit of Developmental Psychology. Developmental Psychology and Independent Living do not satisfy the Modern (Foreign) Language requirement necessary for admission to many colleges/universities.
Independent Living (Semester or Year)
Are you ready for life in the real world? This course is designed to help students meet the challenges of everyday, independent life with confidence. It provides students with information needed to manage their personal finances, buy, and take care of a house and a car, do their own laundry, understand basic child development, file a tax return, and safely cook a healthy meal. Students will also develop skills related to interpersonal and family relationships, the appreciation of cultural diversity, and the application of communication skills when interviewing for jobs. Independent living is a course designed for students who enjoy hands-on, real world learning.
Prerequisite: None. Enrollment in the Independent Living Class is limited to students who need the class to complete the Communication Skills/World Language requirement.
Note: Communication skills credit awarded for 1 unit of Independent Living and 1 unit of Developmental Psychology. Developmental Psychology and Independent Living do not satisfy the Modern (Foreign) Language requirement necessary for admission to many colleges/universities.