Welcome!

My name is Jennifer Blucas. I've been the FCS teacher at NSHS for over 20 years. I am also the PEP club adviser. My husband, Michael, is a special education teacher at the high school as well. We have 3 children, 2 dogs and live in Southmont. 

 

 

 

 

 

The classes I teach and descriptions are :

4951 Family and Consumer Sciences I

 

**THIS COURSE MUST BE TAKEN BEFORE ENROLLING

IN ANY OTHER FCS COURSES!!**

 

FCS I is a semester course; 9 weeks for foods and 9 weeks for sewing.  Students will learn manners, etiquette, how to be confident and how to make a good first impression.  Other subjects covered include laundry rules and care and ironing, food safety, recipe basics, as well as kitchen tools and equipment.

Units in nutrition, fitness, time management, planning and shopping for food, as well as hand and machine sewing techniques are planned. Students will construct 2 projects using their sewing skills. The nutrition portion of the course is especially important. Many teens are not meeting their nutrient requirements and exceeding their fats and sweets each day, which has proven to be a major roll in the increase of childhood obesity and diabetes.

 

Semester course – Five periods per week – 0.5 Credit

 

4953 Family and Consumer Sciences II

 

Prerequisite: Family and Consumer Sciences I

 

Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) II is a full year course for students that have completed the Level I course. The first semester is dedicated to foods and the second child development. Foods units covered are grains, dairy, poultry, salads and dressings, stocks, sauces, soups, yeast breads and cookies. Child Development units include becoming a parent, prenatal care and development, birth, and the physical, emotional, social, and intellectual development of the child. The class will watch many video clips from trusted websites. Some viewed include: the ultrasound, epidurals, birth in a variety of situations, the Apgar scale, breast feeding, burping and bathing a baby.

 The department has four parenting simulations for the students to work with. The simulations require the students to "parent" a computerized doll for two days and nights, as if it were real. We also have the Empathy belly pregnancy simulator. Students will be able to experience some of the symptoms of pregnancy including: weight gain of about 30 pounds, continual pressure on the abdomen and internal organs, bladder pressure and change in physical abilities.

 

Semester course – Five periods per week – 1.0 Credit

 

4954 Family and Consumer Sciences III

Prerequisite: Family and Consumer Sciences II

 

Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) III is a full year course for students that have completed the Level II course.  The first semester is comprised of foods.  Units and labs include a review of different cooking methods, legumes, nuts and seeds, sandwiches, meats, fish and shellfish, stir-fry’s and casseroles, cakes and candy, pies and tarts, and appetizers. Units in family living, stress, relationships, goal setting, housing, budgeting, and career opportunities are studied the second semester. We will also build upon our sewing skills learned in level one by constructing higher level sewing projects.

Semester course – Five periods per week – 1.0 Credit

 

4955 Cuisine

Prerequisite: Family and Consumer Sciences II or III

 

Cuisine is a semester course for students that have completed the Level II or III course. This is an advanced course and expectations are high. The course is designed for students to step out of their comfort zone and try flavors from around the world. Students prepare dishes from all countries with the goal of making the dish as authentic as possible. Students are required to compiling a class cook book of all the recipes prepared throughout the semester.

 

Semester course – Five periods per week – 0.5 Credit