Sweden Åk 8 Curriculum - Home and Consumer Studies

This course covers the older Lgr11 curriculum, as the newer Lgr22 applies from Autumn 2022 onwards. For students starting Åk 8 before Autumn 2018, the older Lgr11 curriculum applies. For students starting Åk 8 from Autumn 2018 onwards, the newer Lgr22 curriculum applies.

Lgr11 Curriculum (for students starting Åk 8 before Autumn 2018)

Course Overview: Life at home and with family is of central importance. Habits at home affect the well-being of individuals and families, as well as society and nature. Knowledge about consumer issues and housework provides important tools for creating a functional everyday life and making informed choices as consumers with consideration for health, finances, and the environment.

Course Aims: The course aims to develop knowledge and interest in work, finances, and consumer choices within the home. Through a process combining thought, sensory experience, and action, students develop skills related to food and meals. The course promotes initiative and creativity in cooking, meal creation, and other household tasks. Students develop awareness of the consequences of household choices for health, well-being, and shared resources. They also gain knowledge about consumer conditions, payments, savings, credit, and loans. This equips them to make informed financial decisions and handle various problems young consumers face. The course also develops knowledge and reflection on norms, equality, and the division of labor in the home, as well as cultural variations and traditions in different households.

Central Content (Åk 7-9):

• Food, Meals, and Health: Comparing recipes, calculating quantities, creating own recipes, baking and cooking methods, how method choice affects process and results, planning and organizing work, using tools and equipment functionally and safely, hygiene and cleaning, individual needs for energy and nutrition, meal composition for different needs, arranging meals and their importance for community and well-being.
• Consumption and Finances: Youth finances (online shopping, loans, credit, subscriptions), household finances (calculating costs for housing, consumption, travel, credit), consumer rights and responsibilities, influence of advertising and media on consumer habits, evaluating products based on price, quality, and sustainability.
• Environment and Lifestyle: Production and transportation of goods and their environmental and health impact, conserving resources, washing and cleaning routines and methods, division of labor and equality, current social issues related to personal finance, food, and health, different food traditions.

Grade Requirements (End of Åk 9): See the Skolverket comparison document for detailed grade criteria (A-E) for the end of Åk 6 and Åk 9.

Lgr22 Curriculum (for students starting Åk 8 from Autumn 2018 onwards)

Course Overview: Similar to Lgr11, the Lgr22 curriculum emphasizes the central role of home and family life, highlighting the impact of household habits on individual, societal, and environmental well-being. It equips students with knowledge about consumer issues and housework to promote a functional everyday life and sustainable development through conscious consumer choices.

Course Aims: The curriculum aims to develop students' knowledge and interest in household work, economics, and consumer choices. It encourages a process where thinking, sensory experiences, and practical skills combine, particularly in relation to food and meals. Students develop initiative, creativity in cooking, meal planning, and other household tasks. The curriculum fosters awareness of the impact of household choices on health, well-being, and resources. It also covers consumer rights, financial literacy (payments, savings, credit, loans), enabling informed financial decisions and responsible consumerism. Furthermore, it addresses norms, equality, division of labor within the home, and cultural variations in households.

Central Content (Åk 7-9):

• Food and Cooking: Cooking for various needs and contexts, food properties and uses, choosing ingredients and cooking methods, creating meals (seasonal, using leftovers), following instructions and recipes, sensory experiences in cooking, using tools and equipment safely, hygiene and food safety.
• Personal Finance and Consumption: Youth finances, budgeting, credit, subscriptions, loans, savings, differentiating between consumer information and advertising, consumer rights and responsibilities (warranties, complaints, returns, online vs. in-store purchases).
• Lifestyle Habits: Composing balanced meals, adapting to individual needs, the social aspect of meals, food traditions, division of labor and equality, resource management, sustainable consumption, cleaning and laundry routines.

Grade Requirements (End of Åk 9): See the Skolverket website for detailed grade criteria (A-E) for the end of Åk 6 and Åk 9.