CAREERS & PERSONAL FINANCE-

Transcription

1 EXPLORATORY CAREERS & PERSONAL FINANCE- Grade 8 PITTSGROVE TOWNSHIP MIDDLE SCHOOL CURRICULUM PITTSGROVE TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT PITTSGROVE, NJ 2009

2 PITTSGROVE BOARD OF EDUCATION Fiore J. Copare, MD. President Cheryl Berwick, Vice President Melissa Conover Nedd Johnson Larry R. May Evans Robinson William H. Rumpp Guenter Schmidt Patricia Schneider Patricia M. Snyder DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION Henry Bermann, Superintendent of Schools Michael Brodzik, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction Suzanne Fox, Business Administrator SUPERVISOR OF MATH AND SCIENCE Yvette DuBois 2 of 10

3 Course Description: During this six-week exploratory Personal Finance class, students will be taught both the basics of good money management and the skills needed to create a positive financial future. The basis for this course is the Hands on Banking! curriculum developed by Wells-Wargo. Hands on Banking! for Teens is an interactive financial-literacy curriculum for students in grades 6 to 8. The lessons examine financial concepts and decision-making through illustration, real-life problems, and mathematical computation. The curriculum is relevant to students lives, and is designed to support their financial success. ( Teen Guide) Curriculum Overview: The on-line Teens curriculum of Hands on Banking! is divided into five units, plus an assessment. Each unit contains multiple lessons. Problem solving is woven into all of the program s units. Students apply both their understanding of basic banking concepts as well as strategies to solve challenging problems in different contexts. ( Teen Guide) Course Evaluation: Students will be evaluated by multiple criteria, which may include:! Quizzes! Class work assignments/investigations! Out-of-Class graded assignments! Enrichment projects! Class participation! Games! Performance Task 3 of 10

4 New Jersey Career Education and Consumer, Family and Life Skill Standards (2004): STANDARD 9.1 (Career and Technical Education) All students will develop career awareness and planning, employability skills, and foundational knowledge necessary for success in the workplace. Building upon knowledge and skills gained in preceding grades, by the end of Grade 8, students will: A. Career Awareness and Planning 1. Demonstrate the ability to distinguish between job, occupation, and career. 2. Outline the steps in the career planning process. 3. Apply research skills to career exploration. 4. Analyze personal interests, abilities, and skills through various measures including self assessments. 5. Explore careers using hands-on real life experiences within the sixteen States' Career Clusters. 6. Develop an individual career plan and include in a portfolio. 7. Plan and conduct a cooperative project that addresses one of the problems faced by the school and/or community. B. Employability Skills 1. Research local and state employment opportunities. 2. Develop an employment package that includes a job application, letter of interest, and resume. 3. Demonstrate job-seeking skills. 4. Describe and demonstrate appropriate work habits and interpersonal skills needed to obtain and retain employment. 5. Compare and contrast possible choices based on identified/perceived strengths, goals, and interests. 6. Identify and develop skills that are transferable from one occupation to another. STANDARD 9.2 (Consumer, Family, and Life Skills) All students will demonstrate critical life skills in order to be functional members of society. Building upon knowledge and skills gained in preceding grades, by the end of Grade 8, students will: A. Critical Thinking 1. Communicate, analyze data, apply technology, and problem solve. 2. Describe how personal beliefs and attitudes affect decision-making. 3. Identify and assess problems that interfere with attaining goals. 4. Recognize bias, vested interest, stereotyping, and the manipulation and misuse of information. 4 of 10

5 5. Practice goal setting and decision-making in areas relative to life skills. B. Self-Management 1. Develop and implement a personal growth plan that includes short- and long-term goals to enhance development. 2. Demonstrate responsibility for personal actions and contributions to group activities. 3. Explain the need for, and advantages of, lifelong learning. C. Interpersonal Communication 1. Demonstrate respect and flexibility in interpersonal and group situations. 2. Organize thoughts to reflect logical thinking and speaking. 3. Work cooperatively with others to solve a problem. 4. Demonstrate appropriate social skills within group activities. 5. Practice the skills necessary to avoid physical and verbal confrontation in individual and group settings. 6. Participate as a member of a team and contribute to group effort. D. Character Development and Ethics 1. Explain and demonstrate how character and behavior affects and influences the actions of others in the home, school, and community. 2. Describe and demonstrate appropriate character traits, social skills, and positive attitudes needed for the home, school, community, and workplace. 3. List problems and their causes, effects, and solutions that are faced in the home, school, and/or community. 4. Describe how personal ethics influence decision making. E. Consumer and Personal Finance Skills 1. Identify and demonstrate personal finance skills in checkbook maintenance and investing. 2. Construct a simple personal savings/spending plan. 3. Understand that people make financial choices that have costs, benefits, and consequences. 4. Explain the difference in cost between cash and credit purchases. 5. Compare prices of similar items from different sellers. F. Safety 1. Demonstrate appropriate safety procedures for hands-on experiences. 2. Demonstrate the use of recommended safety and protective devices. 3. Describe appropriate response procedures for emergency situations. 5 of 10

6 Unit/Lessons Overview: Hands on Banking!- Teens by Wells Fargo 1.) You and Your Money In these lessons, the concept that money is earned and used to buy things is reinforced. Students explore the meaning of buying power in order to make sound decisions about their own spending. Students also review the basic purposed of banks and banking. Finally, students consider how their education, skills, and career choices may influence their income. At the end of these lessons, students will be able to identify the real buying power of earnings and money, and the role banks and other financial institutions can play in assisting people to manage their money wisely. Section 1: Money and Banking What is money, how is it used in our society? What roles can banks and other financial institutions play in helping you manage your money? Section 2: Value Money has value, and individuals can make choices about how, when and where to spend their money to receive the most in return. Section 3: Earning Power An individual s education, skills, and career choices influence his or her income. 2.) Budgeting In these lessons, students are introduced to a personal budget. At the end of these lessons, students will be able to explain the purposes of budgeting and basic budgeting strategies. Students will be able to create their own personal budgets. Section 1: Understanding and Creating Budgets Individuals use budgets to itemize and manage their income, expenses, and savings. To be financially sound, it s important to spend less than you earn. Students identify fixed, flexible, and discretionary expenses. Students create a personal budget showing income, expenses, and savings. Section 2: Using a Budget Students apply what they know about budgets to make sound financial decisions. 3.) Savings and Checking Guide In these lessons, students explore and compare savings and checking accounts. At the completion of this unit, students will be able to explain how savings and checking accounts work, describe the benefits of using these basic accounts to manage their money, and complete the forms necessary for making deposits and withdrawals from these accounts. Students will do the necessary calculations to balance a checking account. Section 1: Savings Account Saving money is an important step toward financial well-being. In this section, students recognize the purpose of savings accounts, how to make deposits and withdrawals, and how to manage a savings account. Students will do calculations to compare simple and compound interest. Section 2: Checking Accounts Checking accounts are another tool banks provide to help individuals manage their finances. Students will investigate the basics of checking accounts and practice writing 6 of 10

7 checks. Section 3: Balancing a Bank Account Balancing a bank account is an important and basic financial skill. Students will perform the necessary computations to balance a checking account. 4.) Credit and You In these lessons, students will calculate and compare the total cost of paying for a purchase with cash compared to paying for it over time with a credit card. Students evaluate the characteristics of responsible borrowers. Section 1: Credit and Credit Cards Students will evaluate the costs associated with borrowing money. Students will recognize the advantages and disadvantages of making purchases with a credit card and paying for them over time. Section 2: Loans Students will distinguish between consumer loans and buying over time on credit cards. 6.) Smart Investing In these lessons, students will calculate and compare the returns on simple investments. Students computer the average of a given set of data. Section 1: Introduction to Investing Students will investigate different types of investments including stocks. Students will explore the concept of dividends. Section 2: Capital Gains and Losses Students will recognize the steps to responsible stock purchasing. Students will calculate capital gains and losses. 7 of 10

8 Performance Task: Proposing a School Budget (Hands on Banking!- Teens by Wells Fargo) 8 of 10

9 Learning Games: 1.) The Game of LIFE- Board Game by Hasbro Where will LIFE lead you? Choose a career, build a family, and grow your fortune in this amazing new version of the family favorite board game! Find out if you will retire at Countryside Acres or Millionaire Estates in Classic mode, or experience the all-new Enhanced mode with fun mini-games, bonus challenges, and loads of exciting surprises! Give the spinner a whirl in THE GAME OF LIFE by Hasbro today! 2.) Financial Football- Visa and the National Football League have teamed up to help teach financial concepts with Financial Football, a fast-paced, interactive game that engages students while teaching them money management skills. Teams compete by answering financial questions to earn yardage and score touchdowns. 2.) The Smart Money Quiz Show- Tests basic knowledge about banks and credit. Object of the game is to get yourself out of debt by answering questions about personal finance correctly. Test your money smarts with the Get-Out-of-Debt Quiz Show. Tackle topics as diverse as Internet banking and consumer scams to work your way out of $10,000 in debt. 3.) Road Trip to Savings- Meet the challenges of four weeks on the road as you steer your way to financial stability. This game requires players to make decisions about income, expenses and savings. Coming up short on cash means losing your wheels. 4.) Ed s Bank- Help Ed collect enough money to shop for his favorite things. This entertaining game provides a lighthearted way of teaching younger audiences about saving and differing money values. 9 of 10

10 Resources: 1. On-Line Learning and Teaching Tools: a. b Calculators: TI-34II 3. Print Resources: a. Hands on Banking!: Teens. Teacher s Guide 10 of 10