Home - Economics - Family Focus

Nothing Ever Stays the Same:
Thematic Unit
Home Economics:
Family Focus
Learning for Life and Work (MLD)
Writers’ Group
Nora O Baoil, Fleming Fulton School, Belfast (Editor)

Mura Kennedy, Fleming Fulton School, Belfast (Editor)
Avril Fryer, Rostulla School, Newtownabbey
Ruth McCreadie, Longstone School, Belfast
June Richardson, Cedar Lodge School, Belfast
Fionnuala Saunders, St Gerard’s Education Resource Centre, Belfast
Pauline Brady, Rathmore Guidance Centre, Antrim
Colm Hassan, Belmont School, Londonderry
Mary Connolly, Erne School, Enniskillen
Eileen McKeown, Erne School, Enniskillen
Mary McKendry, Castle Tower School (Loughan Campus), Ballymena
Associate Teachers
Denise Maguire, Newtownabbey Educational Guidance Centre
Bronac O’Connell, Sunlea Educational Guidance Centre, Coleraine
A CCEA Publication ©2009
www.nicurriculum.org.uk
Cover Photograph: Jupiter Images

Unit Title: Nothing Ever Stays the Same
Sub Theme: Home Economics: Family Focus
Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities: Working with Others
Curriculum Objective: To develop the young person as a contributor to society
Key Elements: Personal understanding, mutual understanding, personal health, moral character, spiritual awareness, citizenship, ethical
awareness, cultural understanding
Attitudes and Dispositions: Personal responsibility, concern for others, openness to new ideas, curiosity, tolerance, integrity-moral courage,
respect, community spirit, respect
Learning Experiences: Investigating and problem-solving, linked to other curriculum areas, relevant and enjoyable, offers choice, supportive
environment, on going reflection, enquiry-based, challenging and engaging
The Thematic Units connect the Learning for Life and Work subject strands of Personal Development, Local and Global Citizenship, Home
Economics and Employability and demonstrate how they contribute to the understanding of a central theme. They provide a number of
learning, teaching and assessment activities (and are accompanied by supporting resources) to help you address interpret and develop the
Northern Ireland Curriculum’s key elements and Statements of Minimum Requirement.
Each Thematic Unit contributes to the statutory requirement for Learning for Life and Work and also links to other Areas of Learning. In
addition, there are opportunities to develop learners’ Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities, incorporate Assessment for Learning principles
and make connections to the Cross Curricular Skills.
The units are not intended to be prescriptive and are not the only way to approach the Northern Ireland Curriculum. You do not have to follow
them rigidly. Instead, we encourage you to choose from the wide range of learning, teaching and assessment activities in the units and adapt
and extend them as appropriate for your classes.
1 Nothing Ever Stays the Same Thematic Unit Home Economics: Family Focus
2
Statements of Minimum Requirement

These are the Statements of Minimum Requirement that are addressed in this unit:
Home Economics Home Economics

Home and Family Life Home and Family Life
Explore the roles and Develop awareness of parenting
responsibilities of individuals skills
within a variety of home and
family structures
Home Economics Home Economics

Healthy Living Home and Family Life
Explore ways to achieve a Investigate some of the changing
healthy diet needs of family members at
different stages of the life cycle
Nothing Ever Stays the Same Thematic Unit Home Economics: Family Focus
Key Question Learning Intention Possible Learning, Teaching and Assessment Activities Skills and
Learners will have Capabilities
opportunities to …
Understand how
What is a family? … explore and appreciate Discuss together what the term family means to different people? Explain that all
actions and words
different family structures. families are special and can be described in different ways:
– An extended family consists of three or more generations living in the same affect others
household. This could mean grandparents, aunts, cousins or other members of a
family. Communication -
– A nuclear family is two generations of family members, usually parents and their listen to and take
children. part in discussions,
– A single parent family is a single parent and dependent children. explanations,
– Step-families are a type of family that involves parents, children of either partner role-plays and
from a first marriage and often children from the present marriage. (At least one presentations
in fourteen children live with step-parents.)
Communication -
Create a collage of photos of different families using magazines, catalogues, the
read a range of
internet, etc. Include as many different family structures and ethnic groups as possible.
texts for
Then, invite your learners to describe orally what they see. Record feedback on the information, ideas
board and discuss outcomes. Together, discuss the fact that to outsiders there can and enjoyment
be very little difference visually between nuclear, adoptive and step families.
Reinforce that although families can be different, each is special. Next, divide your
learners into small groups and have them fill in the table in Resource 1.
Resource 1: About Our Families
• magazines and catalogues
Resource Sheet in this booklet
Online Activity (OA) or PowerPoint Activity (PP) available from www.nicurriculum.org.uk
Skills tabs printed in orange are Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities
Skills tabs printed in yellow are Cross Curricular Skills
4
Communication –
What is a family? … explore and appreciate Use Resource 2 to record the differences in family size in your class. Have your
different family structures. learners create the bar graph to show these differences graphically. develop, express
and present
Resource 2: Family Sizes ideas in a variety
of forms and
formats, using
Introduce your learners to words used to describe family members. Ask them to
traditional and
call out as many names as they can think of (for example mum, dad, sister, brother,
digital resources,
grandfather, grandmother, aunt, uncle and cousin). Then, have them complete
for different
Resource 3 to identify the relationships in their family.
audiences and
purposes
Resource 3: Who’s Who?
Using
Allow your learners to use Resource 4 to construct a simple family tree. This could
Mathematics –
be done in class or as a home assignment. To consolidate this knowledge, ask your
read, interpret,
learners to create a book about their families using the PowerPoint.
organise and
present
Resource 4: My Family Tree
information in
mathematical
PP: My Family E-book
formats
Develop routines
Why is a family … examine how a family helps Explore with your learners the many functions a family has to cover, for example:
of turn-taking,
to fulfil our physical and – Loving: providing a caring stable environment in which children can develop;
important? emotional needs. – Economic: providing financial support and teaching money management; sharing and
– Protective: giving support to all the family; cooperating
– Social: helping young people to fit into society and helping them to be good citizens;
– Educational: providing a background where everyone can learn; Communication –
– Emotional: nurturing healthy relationships; and listen to and take
– Reproductive: having children. part in discussions,
explanations,
Next, reflect with your learners how they have changed since babyhood. Examine: role plays and
– how their physical skills have developed (for example walking, running, playing presentations
football and swimming);
– how their mental skills have developed (for example speaking, reading, solving
Communication –
problems and thinking things through); and
read a range of
– their emotional and social development skills (for example knowing how to be a
texts for
good friend and not crying if you don’t get first).
information, ideas
and enjoyment
Explain that the period from birth to death is called the lifecycle and that there are
six stages: baby, toddler, child, adolescent, adult and elderly. Talk to your learners
about the constant change in families as family members go through various stages
of the lifecycle. Discuss the stages at which we are dependent on others.
6
Why is a family … examine how a family helps Finally, using Resource 5 and magazine images, allow your learners in groups or Communication -
to fulfil our physical and pairs to create a lifecycle collage. Afterwards, divide your learners into six groups develop, express
important? emotional needs. to represent each of the stages in the lifecycle. Allow each group to choose a leader and present ideas
(who will act out the role play of a person in that lifecycle). Have the other groups in a variety of forms
ask the leader questions from Resource 6, but encourage them to think of their own and formats, using
as well. Then, have them guess what stage of the lifecycle is being role played. traditional and
digital resources,
Resource 5: Lifecycle for different
audiences and
Resource 6: Role Play Questions purposes
• magazines and catalogues
As well as looking after your needs, families can teach and form good habits,
healthy lifestyles, attitudes and responsibility. Discuss with your learners some of
the positive habits they adopted from home.
Listen actively
What types of food … investigate factors that Today’s families eat varied diets that are shaped by a lot of influences. Explore the
and share
influence diet. topic by showing the Family Eating PowerPoint to your learners.
do families eat? opinions
Afterwards, ask your learners: In what ways do you think television and advertising Using ICT –
have changed our eating habits? access and
manage data and
Explain to them that many mothers work full-time nowadays. How would this affect information
the foods families eat?
Communication –
Some supermarkets now sell a huge range of different foods (for example kangaroo develop, express
steaks, wild boar burgers and crocodile). How many families try these foods? and present ideas
Or do we tend to eat traditional foods (for example stew and fish and chips). in a variety of
forma and formats
Develop the discussion by asking your learners what kind of food they eat on holiday.
Using
If they were in France, would they eat frogs’ legs and snails or would they look for
Mathematics –
more familiar foods?
read, interpret,
organise and
Then, ask your learners how many of them have eaten in a Thai, Chinese, Indian,
present information
Mexican restaurant, etc. What did they think of the food?
in mathematical
formats
PP: Family Eating
8
What types of food … investigate factors that Investigate together your learner’s family food likes/dislikes and list these on the
influence diet. board.
do families eat?
You can make links to Using Mathematics by creating a bar chart to highlight the most
popular food choices.
From the findings, discuss which foods are healthy and unhealthy. Explain the
implications of unhealthy eating to your learners (for example obesity, heart
problems and high blood pressure).
Record cookery programmes from TV. Show these to your learners to highlight the
need to eat healthy foods such as vegetables and fruit, and the importance of having
a low salt, sugar and fat intake.
As a class, develop a cookbook. Highlight that recipes need to be healthy, relatively

easy to prepare, have versatile ingredients and appeal to a family group. Include
traditional local recipes (for example stews, fruit crumble and local breads) and
recipes from other countries (for example Italian, Thai, Indian and Mexican). Provide
a selection of cookbooks or recipe websites for your learners to select recipes from.
Alternatively, encourage them to share a family recipe.
Give your learners a copy of the cookbook to take home. Explain that helping to
prepare these healthy recipes at home is a good way to influence their family’s diet.
• cookbooks
Refer to these web links for information, games and recipes:

www.foodafactoflife.org.uk
www.nutrition.org.uk
Go to Education then to Cook Club.
What types of food … investigate factors that As an extension activity, you could allow your learners to work in groups or
influence diet. independently to collect a number of family recipes and create a family cookbook.
do families eat? See Resource 7.
Some of your learners could extend this activity by interviewing their grandparents
or an older person about popular and unpopular foods in their youth. Have them
make an audio recording or take notes of the interview. Ask them to present their
findings to the rest of the class as a short talk or PowerPoint presentation.
Resource 7: Family Cookbook
10
Respect the views

Who does what in … explore how roles and Discuss with your class the ways in which family life has changed over the last 50
and opinions of
responsibilities have changed. years. Explain that the traditional role for the man was to supply the only income,
your house? be the disciplinarian and to make all the major decisions for his family. The woman
others, reaching
agreements
was expected to take care of the home and look after the children and her husband.
using negotiation
These roles have now merged, reversed or are the sole responsibility of one parent.
and comprise
Next, divide the class into groups to explore why the changes have come about. Put
the following questions on the board to help prompt group discussion:
– Why do men and women have different roles in the family now? Communication –
– Who in your house has a job? Why? contribute
– Are all the chores in your house still done by hand? Why or why not? comments,
– Are all aunties and grown-up women you know married? Why not? Who takes ask questions and
care of them? respond to others’
points of view
Use Resource 8 to draw all the factors together as a class.
Resource 8: Changing Roles
Have your learners consider the roles performed in their homes by working through
Resource 9. Then have them complete Resource 10 to look specifically at the jobs
they do themselves within the home.
Resource 9: Who Does What In Your House?
Resource 10: What Do I Do In The House?
Adapt behaviour
Do people from the … develop an awareness of Explain to your class the concept of stereotyping: putting people into groups and
gender stereotyping. expecting them all to be a certain type of person or behave in a certain way. For and language
same group always example, all nurses are female and all football fans are hooligans. Encourage them to suit different
act the same way? to come up with some other common stereotypes and record theses on a flip chart. people and
situations
Next, ask your learners: What does it mean to act like a man? Look at the stereotype
examples of what boys shouldn’t do in Resource 11 and discuss as a class. What Using ICT –
names are boys who act like this often called? access and
Repeat the stereotype exercise for girls by looking at examples of what girls manage data
shouldn’t do in Resource 12. and information
Finally, use the PowerPoint below to reinforce learning about stereotypes. Using ICT –
research, select,
Resource 11: Act Like A Man
process and
interpret
Resource 12: Be Ladylike
information
PP: Talking About Stereotyping

Communication –
develop, express
Further Suggestions and present ideas
For an extension exercise, look at how fathers are portrayed on TV. Give each in a variety of
learner a copy of Resource 13 and, over a period of one week, have them record forms and formats
what they think are examples of good and bad dads from TV. Then, have your
learners share their observations in a class discussion.
You could also have them search the internet for information on stereotyping
and have them individually or in groups create a poster or pamphlet containing
appropriate information.
Resource 13: Television Dads

• art materials
12
Listen actively and

Is my role in the … develop an awareness of role Explain to your learners that good relationships are built on mutual support and
share opinions
and responsibility changes. respect within the family. Everyone has a role to play in helping each other and
family changing? should feel they can rely on one another. Explain that until the adolescent years,
Communication –
children are very dependent on their families for all their needs. However, it can
listen to and take
be a difficult stage for both adolescents and parents as young people move into
part in discussions,
adulthood. The young person is undergoing many physical and emotional changes,
explanations,
and their peers have a strong influence on them.
role plays and
presentations
As a class, discuss how your learners see their roles within their family changing.
For example, are they now expected to take on extra responsibilities, such as baby
sitting, household chores and making simple meals?
Record both the positive and negative ways expectations are changing. Likewise, are
they now trusted to do things and go places that they weren’t permitted when they
were young?
Next, discuss peer pressure. Use a white board to record positive and negative
influences of peer pressure from your learners. Examine whether this puts a strain
on their expected role in the family.
Emphasise to learners that their roles and responsibilities will continue to change
throughout life. Use Resource 14 to highlight that they may in the future have a
caring role for their parents.
Resource 14: Elderly Family
Take personal
Is it difficult to be a … explore the skills, attitudes Talk to your learners about how parents/carers are responsible for a child’s
responsibility for
and behaviours needed for good physical, intellectual, social and emotional needs.
parent/carer? parenting. work with others
Explain how attitudes and values are learnt from parents/carers and that, by setting and evaluate own
a good example, children can learn to be fair, confident, respectful, kind and patient contribution to the
from their parents. Add that, unfortunately, children can also learn intolerance, group
aggression, condemnation and bigotry from parents/carers.
Using ICT –
Using the Parents/Carers PowerPoint, discuss the range of influences and access and
responsibilities that parents/carers have for their children. It may be useful to use manage data and
role play before the PowerPoint if learners need help to understand what parents/ information
carers need to cope with. Discuss with the group the most common causes of
conflict between them and their parents/carers (for example coming in late, untidy Using ICT –
bedrooms and mobile phone use). Record the feedback and decide on role plays. research, select,
process and
PP: Parents/Carers interpret
information
Further Suggestions
Communication –
As an extension activity, encourage your learners to investigate different families
listen to and take
that they are familiar with from books, television, magazines, etc. Then as groups or
part in discussions,
individually, get them to create a poster, poem, short story, comic strip, PowerPoint,
explanations,
etc. of one family’s background and structure. Finally, have them present this to the
role plays and
rest of the class.
presentations
Resources
16
About Our Families Resource 1
Working in small groups, fill in the table below.
How many
How many children Name something
How many people generations of
are there in your special about your
are in your family? people live in your
family? family
house?
Boys Girls
My family
A friend’s family
Mayer Johnson PCS Symbols © Mayer Johnson LLC (contact Widgit Software www.widgit.com)
My family is different from my friend’s in the following ways:

[Example] I am an only child – my friend has two sisters.
.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
My family is the same as my friend’s family in the following ways:

[Example] We both live in Belfast.
.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Family Sizes Resource 2
How many members do you have in your family? Using the information to the left, use this bar graph to
How many family members do your classmates have? show the number of classmates and their family sizes.
Complete this chart to show how many family members
your classmates have. 12
11
Number of
Family Size classmates with 10
each family size
9
2 8
Classmates
3 6
4 4
3
5 2
1
6
0
2 3 4 5 6 more than
more than 6 6
Family Members
18
Who’s Who? Resource 3
Do you know how everyone in your family is related? Can you fill in the blanks in the sentences below?
Use the words provided to help with spelling – remember they will need to be used more than once.
grandfather grandmother aunt uncle cousins

My mother’s mother is my My mother’s sister is my
My mother’s father is my My father’s brother is my
My father’s father is my My father’s sister is my
My father’s mother is my My aunt’s children are my
My mother’s brother is my My uncle’s children are my
My Family Tree Resource 4
Grandmother Grandfather Grandmother Grandfather
Mother Father
Me
20
Lifecycle Resource 5
Cut out and paste in a photo of each stage of the lifecycle. Use the magazines provided or print images from the internet.
Baby Toddler
Elderly Child
Adult
Adolescent
Which stage of the lifecycle are you at?
Can you name a member of your family

for all the stages in the diagram?
Role Play Questions Resource 6
Ask the role play leader the following questions. Come up with your own questions and fill them into the blank spaces.
What do you do when you

What is your favourite food?
are happy?
What clothes do you like to wear? What music do you like?

How do you let other people What TV programmes do

know that you are in pain? you watch?
22
Family Cookbook Resource 7
Almost every family has a treasured recipe that reminds them of family get-togethers or a special festivity. You may have many such recipes handed
down through generations, taught to children or hidden away on index cards or scraps of paper. Ask your parents, carers, grannies, grandads,
aunties or uncles to help you collect the recipes.
Use the fill-in-the-blank recipe cards to remind people not to leave out important information like the cooking temperature. Encourage your family
to include a brief story about the recipe’s creator or a favourite family memory. You may also want to ask why they chose the particular recipe.
Recipe: .....................................................................................................................................................................................
Shared by: .............................................................................................................................................................................
Recipe History/Why it’s Special: ...................................................................................................................
Serves: ................................................................. Oven Temp: ....................................................................

Ingredients:
.............................................................................................. . ....................................................................................................
.............................................................................................. . ....................................................................................................
.............................................................................................. . ....................................................................................................
.............................................................................................. . ....................................................................................................
Instructions: ......................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................................................................................
Changing Roles Resource 8
SCHOOL
Equal opportunities for women, Care outside the home is now available
especially in education. for children and the elderly.
Smaller families – parents often Divorce is easier and there is an

choose to have a small family. increase in the number of single
parents.
Technological advances have helped

within the home and work, such as Women are more independent and
microwaves, shopping online, the do not always feel the need to get
washing machine and the tumble dryer. married. They own their own homes
Working from home has also become and have good jobs.
easier with computers/internet.
24
Who Does What In Your House? Resource 9
Put a tick beside the name of the person who does each role.
Role/ GRAND-
MUM DAD CARER SISTER BROTHER ME OTHER
Responsibility PARENT
washing dishes
ironing
mowing lawn
hanging up
clothes
shopping
hoovering
cooking
setting table
making beds
painting
plumbing
dusting
What Do I Do In The House? Resource 10
Put a tick beside the tasks you perform in your house.
What Jobs Do I Do
Role/Responsibility In The House?
washing dishes
ironing
mowing lawn
hanging up clothes
shopping
hoovering
cooking
setting table
making beds
painting
plumbing
dusting
What else could I do in the house?
26
Act Like A Man Resource 11
Boys are told from a young age what it means to “act like a man”. Below are examples of things some people believe boys
are not supposed to do. Do you agree with these ideas? Would you think less of a boy because he cried when something
sad happened?
Help at home
Cook at home
Hold hands
Boys do not
Play with dolls
Knit
Cry Wash dishes
Be Ladylike Resource 12
Below are examples of things some people believe girls are not supposed to do. Do you agree with these ideas?
If a girl likes to play football, is she different? Should girls always be neat, polite and agreeable?
Hit others
Mow the lawn Come first
Girls do not
Do DIY Play football
Fight Climb trees
28
Television Dads Resource 13
During one week, watch television and look for examples of good and bad dads in programmes and advertisements.
Record your ideas in the columns below.
Good examples Bad examples

Elderly Family Resource 14
As parents age and become less able to look after themselves, their children have to consider whether they can help.
Answer the questions below to get an understanding of the elderly in your family.
1. Who are my elderly relatives?.........................................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
2. What are their needs at the current time?. ..............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
3. What are their needs going to be a year from now? In five years?...............................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
4. How will their needs change in the future?..............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
5. What family help is available now?...............................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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Nothing Ever Stays the Same:

Nora O Baoil, Fleming Fulton School, Belfast (Editor)

A CCEA Publication ©2009

Cover Photograph: Jupiter Images

Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities: Working with Others

Curriculum Objective: To develop the young person as a contributor to society

Statements of Minimum Requirement

Home Economics Home Economics

Home Economics Home Economics

Resource 1: About Our Families

• magazines and catalogues

Resource Sheet in this booklet

Online Activity (OA) or PowerPoint Activity (PP) available from www.nicurriculum.org.uk

Skills tabs printed in yellow are Cross Curricular Skills

• magazines and catalogues

As a class, develop a cookbook. Highlight that recipes need to be healthy, relatively

Refer to these web links for information, games and recipes:

Resource 7: Family Cookbook

Respect the views

Resource 8: Changing Roles

Resource 9: Who Does What In Your House?

Resource 10: What Do I Do In The House?

PP: Talking About Stereotyping

Resource 13: Television Dads

Listen actively and

Resource 14: Elderly Family

About Our Families Resource 1

Working in small groups, fill in the table below.

My family is different from my friend’s in the following ways:

My family is the same as my friend’s family in the following ways:

Who’s Who? Resource 3

grandfather grandmother aunt uncle cousins

My mother’s mother is my My mother’s sister is my

My mother’s father is my My father’s brother is my

My father’s father is my My father’s sister is my

My father’s mother is my My aunt’s children are my

My mother’s brother is my My uncle’s children are my

Grandmother Grandfather Grandmother Grandfather

Which stage of the lifecycle are you at?

Can you name a member of your family

What do you do when you

What clothes do you like to wear? What music do you like?

How do you let other people What TV programmes do

Family Cookbook Resource 7

Shared by: .............................................................................................................................................................................

Recipe History/Why it’s Special: ...................................................................................................................

Serves: ................................................................. Oven Temp: ....................................................................

Smaller families – parents often Divorce is easier and there is an

Technological advances have helped

Who Does What In Your House? Resource 9

Put a tick beside the tasks you perform in your house.

What else could I do in the house?

Act Like A Man Resource 11

Cry Wash dishes

Fight Climb trees

Television Dads Resource 13

Good examples Bad examples

1. Who are my elderly relatives?.........................................................................................................................................................................

2. What are their needs at the current time?. ..............................................................................................................................................