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Independent Living Launchpad

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Lesson Plan

Home Skills Handbook

Students will learn and practice basic independent living skills, including cooking, cleaning, and home maintenance, to prepare for managing their own living spaces.

Learning independent living skills is crucial for students' transition into adulthood. This lesson provides practical, hands-on experiences that empower students to confidently manage their future homes and daily lives.

Audience

9th-11th Grade Students

Time

90 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussions, hands-on activities, and practical application.

Materials

Whiteboard or projector, Markers or pens, Your Guide to Adulting Slide Deck, Cooking utensils and basic ingredients (for Kitchen Safety & Simple Recipes Activity), Cleaning supplies (for Home Maintenance Checklist Worksheet), Paper and pencils/pens, Kitchen Safety & Simple Recipes Activity, Home Maintenance Checklist Worksheet, and My New Home Skill Cool Down

Prep

Teacher Preparation

30 minutes

Step 1

Introduction: What Does Independent Living Mean?

10 minutes

  • Begin with a brief discussion: 'What does independent living mean to you?' (5 minutes)
    - Introduce the lesson objectives using the Your Guide to Adulting Slide Deck. (5 minutes)

Step 2

Slide Deck Presentation: Your Guide to Adulting

20 minutes

Step 3

Activity: Kitchen Safety & Simple Recipes

30 minutes

  • Distribute the Kitchen Safety & Simple Recipes Activity.
    - Lead a hands-on demonstration of basic kitchen safety and a simple recipe (e.g., grilled cheese, scrambled eggs).
    - Have students follow along or practice key steps in small groups if resources allow. (30 minutes)

Step 4

Worksheet: Home Maintenance Checklist

20 minutes

  • Distribute the Home Maintenance Checklist Worksheet.
    - Guide students through the worksheet, discussing common home maintenance tasks and how to perform them (e.g., changing a lightbulb, unclogging a drain, basic tidying).
    - If possible, demonstrate a simple cleaning task. (20 minutes)

Step 5

Cool Down: My New Home Skill

10 minutes

  • Distribute the My New Home Skill Cool Down.
    - Ask students to reflect on one new skill they learned or feel more confident about today and how they will use it in their future independent living. (10 minutes)
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Slide Deck

Independent Living Launchpad

Welcome to Your Guide to Adulting!

What does "independent living" mean to you?

Welcome students and introduce the concept of independent living. Ask a few open-ended questions to get them thinking about what it means to be independent.

Today's Mission: Home Skills Handbook

We're going to explore and practice essential skills for managing your own living space, including:

  • Basic Cooking
  • Simple Cleaning
  • Home Maintenance Basics

Explain the objectives of the lesson: learning practical skills for managing a home.

Kitchen Quest: Safety First!

Before we cook, let's talk kitchen safety:

  • Fire Safety: Know where the fire extinguisher is, keep flammable items away from heat.
  • Knives: Always cut away from yourself, use a cutting board.
  • Appliances: Read instructions, unplug when not in use.
  • Cross-Contamination: Keep raw meats separate from other foods.

Introduce the kitchen safety aspect. Emphasize fire safety and safe use of appliances.

Recipe Remix: Simple Meals

You don't need to be a gourmet chef to eat well! Let's learn some easy recipes:

  • Breakfast Basics: Scrambled eggs, toast, oatmeal.
  • Lunch Ideas: Sandwiches, wraps, salads.
  • Quick Dinners: Pasta with sauce, stir-fry, quesadillas.

Discuss simple, achievable cooking tasks. Encourage students to think about their favorite easy meals.

Clean Scene: Tidy Home, Tidy Mind

Why is keeping a clean home important?

  • Health and Hygiene
  • Comfort and Peace
  • Impressive to Guests (and yourself!)

Let's look at some daily and weekly cleaning habits.

Transition to cleaning. Highlight the benefits of a clean space and simple habits.

Cleaning Crew: Daily & Weekly Tasks

Daily Cleaning:

  • Make your bed
  • Wipe down kitchen counters
  • Wash dishes or load dishwasher
  • Quick tidy-up of main living areas

Weekly Cleaning:

  • Vacuum/sweep floors
  • Clean bathrooms (toilet, sink, shower)
  • Dust surfaces
  • Take out trash/recycling

Provide practical tips for common cleaning tasks. Keep it simple and actionable.

Home Hero: Basic Maintenance

Don't call a handyman for everything! Many small tasks are easy to do yourself.

  • Changing a lightbulb
  • Unclogging a basic drain
  • Checking smoke detector batteries
  • Knowing where the main water shut-off and electrical panel are

Introduce basic home maintenance. Emphasize that these are skills anyone can learn.

Your Launchpad to Independence!

You now have a foundational "Home Skills Handbook"!

  • Practice kitchen safety and simple recipes.
  • Develop a cleaning routine.
  • Learn basic home maintenance.

These skills will empower you to confidently manage your own space!

Summarize the key takeaways and encourage students to practice these skills.

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Activity

Kitchen Safety & Simple Recipes: Hands-On Practice

Part 1: Kitchen Safety Scenarios

Read each scenario and explain what the person should do to ensure kitchen safety.

  1. Scenario: You are cooking pasta, and the water starts to boil over. You panic and aren't sure what to do.



  2. Scenario: You're cutting vegetables, and the knife slips towards your hand.



  3. Scenario: You notice a strange smell coming from the toaster oven, and it's smoking slightly.



  4. Scenario: You've just finished cooking chicken and are about to chop lettuce on the same cutting board without washing it.



Part 2: My Simple Recipe Challenge

Teacher will demonstrate a simple recipe (e.g., grilled cheese, scrambled eggs). Follow along with the teacher's instructions.

Reflection Questions:

  1. What was one important kitchen safety tip you learned or remembered during the demonstration?



  2. What was the easiest part of making the simple recipe?



  3. What was the most challenging part of making the simple recipe?



  4. What is one simple recipe you would like to try making on your own at home?






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Worksheet

Home Maintenance Checklist: Becoming a Home Hero!

Taking care of your living space doesn't have to be overwhelming! This checklist will help you remember important tasks to keep your home happy and healthy.

Part 1: Daily & Weekly Habits

Check off the tasks you think you can realistically do daily or weekly in your future home.

Daily

  • Make your bed
  • Wipe down kitchen counters after use
  • Wash dishes or load the dishwasher
  • Tidy up main living areas (put things away)
  • Take out small trash (like from your room)

Weekly

  • Vacuum or sweep floors
  • Clean bathroom (toilet, sink, mirror, shower)
  • Dust surfaces
  • Take out main trash and recycling
  • Do laundry

Part 2: What Would You Do?

For each common home issue, describe what you would do to fix it or who you would ask for help.

  1. Issue: A lightbulb burns out in your lamp.



  2. Issue: The bathroom sink is draining very slowly.



  3. Issue: You hear the smoke detector beeping every few minutes.



  4. Issue: You spill juice on the carpet.



  5. Issue: You can't find your phone charger and your phone is almost dead. Your room is a mess.






Part 3: Essential Home Knowledge

  1. Where is the main water shut-off valve usually located in a house or apartment?



  2. What is the purpose of an electrical circuit breaker box, and where is it typically found?



  3. Why is it important to clean your refrigerator regularly?



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Cool Down

My New Home Skill: Reflection

Take a few moments to reflect on what you learned today about independent living skills.

  1. What is one specific new skill or piece of information you learned today that you think will be most useful for you in your future independent living?










  2. How do you plan to practice this skill or use this information in your daily life?








  3. What is one question you still have about independent living or managing a home?


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