CTE & Child Delevopment

Posted Date: 02/02/2024

Several students at LHS had just had babies, and they all weighed four pounds! Mrs. Katie Pena's LHS Child Development class is experiencing authentic learning because they all made a new "sugar baby" to take care of for three weeks. Mrs. Pena #expectsexcellence and this CTE class project gives students real-life relevance for later in life! There are so many lessons learned with this baby lesson. They are learning about the responsibilities and problem-solving of parenting by taking care of their "sugar babies." They are learning about managing a family. They carry their babies with them everywhere, including meetings, athletics and concerts. These babies are even a psychology lesson to teach students that child development starts at home and that they must be there no matter what. Mrs. Pena challenged her students to design and create nurseries using technology for their babies, making them realize the cost of baby items and budgeting. They have had to keep logs of feeding, diapers, naps, baths, and more, just like a real parent would. They learned the importance of reading and vocabulary development to babies. Students studied viruses, made their own virus and found ways to avoid that infection! They have learned the effects of screen time. If the "mommy or daddy" is too busy to tend to their baby, they must find a babysitter and pay for the service! What a fun, project-based learning experience! Thank you, Mrs. Pena, for this powerful experiment that creates awareness of real-world concerns and situations.