Our district has a Home Ec type of class in 7th grade. I helped the neighbor girl pick out the items last year before school started. In the sewing portion, they make a pair of cotton boxer shorts.
I remember home ec in junior high in the mid 80's. My mom taught me to sew much earlier for 4-H sewing projects. I recall the home ec teacher getting a little exasperated because I kept zipping through all the assignments while my classmates were still working on the first couple of seams.