Nutrition is the study of the development and health of the human anatomy. Nutrition courses are appropriate for home economics students of all levels. The goals of a nutrition course are to teach students about the chemical, nutritional, and functional values of different types of food in order to cultivate a healthy body. Other nutrition-related areas that you may wish to discuss include differences in nutrition across cultures, dieting, and food allergies.
Learning how to prepare food is one of the core topics in home economics curricula. Students learn about the mental activities that are required for food preparation, including planning and organizational activities, time management, and food preparation skills. Food preparation units may also include topics such as food aesthetics and safe cooking practices. Food preparation units tend to be hands-on, allowing students to actively apply the techniques and skills that they learn about.
Learning about child development is critical for any student that plans on becoming a parent someday, whether male or female. Child development units focus on teaching students about what psychologists have learned about the mental, emotional, and social growth of children. Child development units also teach students about being a parent, including informational topics focusing on the realities of being a parent, and skills-oriented topics focusing on child care techniques.
One primary goal of home economics curricula is to prepare students for the tasks that they must complete in order to responsibly maintain their life as an adult. Students learn about such day-to-day tasks as managing a checking account, paying bills, filing taxes, and doing laundry.
Many home economics curricula may also include a unit on clothing. These units frequently include skill-related lessons like knitting, weaving, or sewing. Students may also learn about topics such as the history of clothing, cultural differences in clothing and fashion, and economic aspects of clothing development.