Curriculum Package
The Family Spirit curriculum consists of 63 lessons to be taught between pregnancy and the child’s 3rd birthday. Each curriculum box includes an Implementation Guide, lesson modules, Health Educator Lesson Plans, a Reference Manual, and a sample Participant Workbook for the participating families. Evaluation materials and participant certificates are also included on a USB drive in the curriculum box.
Implementation Guide
The purpose of the Implementation Guide is to act as a “how-to” for implementing Family Spirit. It includes information about the Family Spirit Program history and its impact on several maternal and child health outcomes, as well as a description of the “essentials” for successfully implementing the program.
Lesson Modules (6 Modules)
The Family Spirit lessons are the main teaching materials used to present information to families. Also included with each Family Spirit lesson module is a Health Educator Lesson Plan booklet. The lesson plans provide Health Educators with a comprehensive overview for conducting each lesson with families.
Lesson modules overview
- Prenatal Care includes information to help an expectant mother prepare for the arrival of her baby, know what to expect during pregnancy, and how to take care of herself and her baby.
- Infant Care includes information to help families adapt to life with a new baby, take care of themselves, learn basic infant care skills, and how to respond to their baby’s various wants or needs.
- Your Growing Child includes information to help families track their child’s overall development from 7 months until the child’s 3rd birthday. They will also learn how to prepare their child for pre-school through various activities and play.
- Toddler Care includes information to help families build confidence in their parenting skills through daily routine and monitoring. They will also learn basic skills to help their child form healthy habits to last a lifetime.
- My Family and Me includes information to help families develop life skills that will positively influence themselves, their child, and their relatives and friends.
- Healthy Living includes information to help families address and cope with difficult situations. The lessons cover goal-setting, substance abuse prevention, family planning, and prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Reference Manual
The Reference Manual is divided into 3 sections that provide the home visitor and families with additional information related to the lesson topics. The first section includes detailed information that link back to specific lessons. The next section includes additional resources, many of them web-based resources. The final section is a glossary.
Participant Workbook
The purpose of the Participant Workbook is to provide families with handouts and worksheets to reinforce key teaching points. One sample Participant Workbook is included in the curriculum package, and additional copies can be purchased.
Evaluation Materials
A series of evaluation measures and screening tools developed specifically for the Family Spirit curriculum are included on a USB drive within each curriculum box. While not required to implement the curriculum, the evaluation materials are available for use as determined by program requirements.
Participant Certificates
Certificates are also included on the USB drive. The new baby certificate is awarded when a mother gives birth during the program. The breastfeeding certificate is for mothers who breastfeed their newborns for at least 2 weeks. The certificate of achievement allows home visitors to recognize general achievements along the way. The certificate of completion is awarded upon exit from the Family Spirit Program.