Enjoy learning about the aspects of human development, the satisfactions and strategies for caring for others. Units will explore parenting; teen pregnancy; prenatal development, care, and childbirth; physical, emotional, social, and cognitive growth of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers; child abuse; childcare options; and more. Child observations, field trips, guest speakers, and projects reinforce learning.

Get creative with sewing for purpose. Learners will make projects based on sewing for a cause, sewing “green”, sewing for a living, and learning by sewing. Learners will strengthen academic skills, provide community service, learn about careers, and be stewards of the environment while sewing “non-garment” items.

If you want to learn what it would be like to work in the world of culinary arts and hone your chef skills, Culinary Arts I will give you a taste of the industry. Whether that is your career path or not, you will learn higher level skills in the kitchen while learning the basics of the hospitality industry. Learners will follow the national ProStart I curriculum that is offered by the National Restaurant Association. The course may include guest speakers, field trips, and a college tour. Food labs will allow learners to work in a professional manner while preparing food for a target market.

Culinary Arts II uses the ProStart II curriculum that is sponsored by the National Restaurant Association. This industry-driven curriculum launches students into their restaurant and foodservice career. Students will extend their professional skills into areas such as breakfast food and sandwiches; salads and garnishes; meat, poultry, and seafood; desserts and baked goods; and global cuisine. Students will also learn to market their products.

Discovering Foods is a fun introductory course in nutrition and food preparation. Learn preparation techniques of cookies, pastry, breads, eggs, milk, grains, fruit, vegetables, poultry, and meat. Food labs for each unit, guest speakers, and a variety of learning activities are included in this course. Learners will learn to apply the principles of good nutrition to their diet and to practice food safety and sanitation skills.

Through hands-on experience, learners will become acquainted with the job opportunities, personal qualifications needed, and responsibilities of various careers related to the care of children. After enhancing their understanding of preschool-age development, learners will attain the knowledge to set up a preschool environment and how to create and teach an optimal Pre-K curriculum. Learners will create a teaching portfolio to be used as they practice their early childhood skills in the laboratory Pre-K in our school, WFHS Pre-K, teaching various lessons to children ages 3-5. In addition to WFHS Pre-K, each learner will be placed at multiple community early childhood facilities to volunteer service as a field experience student. In addition to practical experience, learners will learn about special education, developmentally appropriate practice (DAP), early childhood assessment, emergent literacy, and the business side of early care and education. A learner who successfully completes this program is qualified for employment as a childcare aide and earns a certificate of completion from the North Dakota State Board for Career and Technical Education.

Fashion and Clothing focuses on making the most of your appearance through fashion, as well as on becoming a wise clothing consumer. In this laboratory class, learners will be taught the basics of clothing construction while completing two fashion projects. The course provides a creative outlet for learners and teaches logical thinking skills, and how to improve their personal image.

Sharpen your cooking skills through labs to prepare food from the past, present, and for the future. Join us to see how food affects us socially, environmentally, and for healing. We will learn to modify recipes to suit different food lifestyles. Learn to throw dinner parties! Field trips and guest speakers are a possibility. There are lots of opportunities for learner choice in this class. Come along for the adventure! 

This class will introduce learners to housing styles, design techniques, and housing elements, such as furniture, backgrounds, and floor plans. Learners will enjoy a variety of field trips during the course. A final project will involve using the computer to design and decorate a home, with learners being responsible for everything from choosing wallpaper, paint, and carpet to arranging furniture and fixtures. This course will sharpen creativity skills and give learners a better understanding of various aspects of housing.

Take a trip around the world by learning about food customs from foreign countries and the USA and by preparing their traditional dishes. Labs will focus on combining the familiar with the exotic to create foods of the world. Field trips and guest presenters will enhance this experience. This class will improve food preparation skills by incorporating a 1–2-day food lab into each unit.

This course is a study of the teaching profession, including historical, philosophical, and social foundations of education. Learners will have opportunities to apply knowledge and skills through peer teaching activities and required 30-hour field experience at an elementary or secondary school site. Emphasis is placed upon the knowledge and skills needed to prepare pre-service educators to become knowledgeable-based decision makers can provide learning experiences for K 12 Learners effective use of planning, implementing, evaluating, and reflecting. (Optional dual credit: VCSU EDU299)

Living on Your Own is a course on developing skills for living on your own. You will experience guest speakers, field trips, and a variety of hands-on activities. Learners will be taught about decision-making, career planning, financial decisions (budgeting, checking accounts and credit), car buying, home buying, renting apartments, furnishing apartments, and decisions about food, insurance, and consumerism.

This course is an extension of the Intro to Education course to fulfill 40> hours of field experience toward college teacher education coursework. The program is designed for learners who are interested in working with young people, or who are interested in teaching as a career. Application for a particular grade level or subject preference and school is make through the COURSE coordinator. Up to five periods per week are spent in one of the West Fargo Public Schools observing, working with children, and assisting the classroom educator by correcting papers, making bulletin boards, locating materials, and performing other classroom duties. (VCSU ECUC252)