Individual and Family Life, also known as Teen Decision Making, is a one semester course for Freshman students. The course is designed to focus on a person's indivdual responsibility to build healthy families for a strong society, and a successful adult life.

Individuals use knowledge and skills in family studies to enhance personal development, foster high quality relationships, promote wellness of family members, manage multiple adult roles, and pursue careers related to these areas of study.

Along with the state TEKS for this course, students are required to care for the Baby Think It Over for one week-end during the semester. The Emapthy Belly is used during the pregnancy education unit.

Abstinence until marriage is the focus of this unit, utilizing edudational materials which support this focus.

Each student will write an essay titled, "My Dating Standards" in which he/she will use information studied in this course to support his/her individual decisions, and to explain how decisions he/she makes now will affect his/her adult lives.

Six lessons from Character Counts! trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship are also a part of the course.

Grading Criteria

Sign up to take the baby for a week-end when you do not have out of town trips or other activities planned. If you sign up for a week-end and you see that you are not going to be able to take the baby, please let me know in time for me to sign up another student in your place. We have just enough time for everyone to get the project done before the semester is over. Please be considerate of me and of your classmates.

Because of this situation, if you sign up to take the baby and you do not come and get it on Friday afternoon, or our agreed upon time, 10 points will be deducted from your grade when you do take the baby.

Grading:
Data downloaded from the baby's computer will give the student a grade for proper care. When the student responded to a need of the baby within the allowed time, a "proper care" will be given. When the student does not respond within the time allowed, "proper care" will not be given. Percentage of "proper care" is the student's grade for care.

Additional points are deducted for:
Shaken Baby
Rough Handling



Possible points for care 100
Possible points for diary 100
Part 2 of project 100
Grade is determined by averaging the 3 scores for care and diary and Part 2.
YOU MUST TURN IN ALL 3 PARTS!!!