Category: Personal Finance

Charitable Donations Mini-Lesson

by K.Graybill • December 1, 2017 • 0 Comments

Over the past year I have viewed many articles about how to tell the difference between real news and fake news which got me thinking about the legitimacy of charitable organizations and donations. The consumer rights explain how we need to be informed so we can make wise choices. This is true of making charitable donations as well! After all, people want to make sure their hard earned money is truly going to the cause when they make their contributions! This mini-lesson shows students how to investigate their charities of interest so they can make an informed decision when making charitable donations!

EverFi: FutureSmart Financial Literacy Modules for Middle School

by K.Graybill • June 30, 2017 • 1 Comment

I really wanted to incorporate financial literacy into my 8th grade rotation, but didn’t know how to consolidate it and still have enough time to cover the rest of my content in 30 days . Then, I discovered the digital FutureSmart Financial Literacy Modules for Middle School through EverFi and I was immediately sold on the program after talking to a representative. The 7 modules take about a week to complete and students work through them at their own pace. You can literally hear a pin drop in my room when students are engaged in this program! We set up the class on the first day and then students have a week of class time to work. My students must receive a 70% or higher, but after the initial week, I do allow my students to continue working to improve their grade until the end of the 30 day rotation. This puts students in the driver’s seat as they are in control of their final grade! They work hard and stay on task as they know I can see everything they do! So, what are you waiting for? Get in touch with a representative today….you won’t be disappointed!

Micro-Enterprise Curriculum & Fundraiser Option

by K.Graybill • December 30, 2016 • 0 Comments

Interested in an engaging curriculum that combines a shoe drive fundraiser with micro-enterprise and business? Wayne Elsey, Founder & CEO, of Funds2Orgs is sharing a full curriculum that has been aligned with Common Core for elementary, middle school, high school, and home school levels. The curriculum is an innovative approach that can be taught alone or be combined with a shoe drive fundraiser to understand the totality of the role of shoes in commerce and the environment.

College Loans Graphic Organizer Activity & Quiz

by K.Graybill • January 8, 2016 • 0 Comments

Students spend a lot of time researching and making comparisons on various colleges from location to majors offered and cost, so it only makes sense to spend some time looking at options of financing their ambitions. While I am no expert, going through this process with my daughter last year has at least upped my comfort level with the material and terms (at least a little bit). Because of this I wanted a simple way for students to learn what options were out there to help them afford college so they could at least have a starting point. This assignment asks students to take an article on college loans and not only read it, but create a graphic organizer around the theme to help them become more familiar with the information. While students often have additional questions specific to their circumstances, our school also offers a financial aid night for students and their parents which allows them to ask those questions and get the answers that I cannot afford them.

Living in Poverty Lesson & Activities

by K.Graybill • October 23, 2015 • 1 Comment

While listening to the news on the radio, it was announced that in Pennsylvania 1 in every 5 children lives below the poverty level. I’m sure this number varies from one state to the next but I thought it to be a rather scary statistic. This lesson and the included activities has students learning about poverty, what causes it, and an engaging simulation to see how easy it could be for some to live in poverty no matter how hard they try to avoid it.

The True Cost of a Habit

by K.Graybill • September 11, 2015 • 0 Comments

Habits are a part of life. Sometimes they creep up on us and sometimes we have to work hard to achieve them. For example, we don’t think about the fact that we might stop for coffee on our way to work every morning, but we certainly know how difficult it is to eat clean or exercise on a daily basis. Some habits are free and the benefits are priceless, but others are costly, not only to our wallets, but also to our health, our emotions and our relationships. This lesson has students looking at the true cost of the habits that might be part of their lives now or in the future. Hopefully, this activity will help them to really think about the consequences associated with habits before they decide to continue them or help them form healthier ones.

Simulating Life: Paychecks, Budgets & Taxes

by K.Graybill • April 3, 2015 • 0 Comments

Many of my students can’t wait to finish high school and enter the adult world. I try to encourage them to enjoy their lives as teens because with adulthood comes much responsibility! They truly understand that statement after completing the activities that one must be responsible for as adults such as calculating paychecks in order to create a budget and finally the one that everyone “loves” so much, paying taxes. These are all real life, practical skills that students are going to need to know how to perform once they are out on their own. This simulation was designed to give students a taste of what’s to come, using random jobs/incomes to do so. In the end, while students understood the need to know how to do all of the simulation, they weren’t quite as eager to be on the fast track to adulthood!

Diaper Cost Analysis Project

by M.Sandoval • January 3, 2013 • 2 Comments

What is the cheapest way to buy diapers? Do subscriptions to Amazon Prime or memberships to wholesale clubs really save you money on diapers? Why not do the math? This is a complex problem but easy enough to understand and develops student’s problem solving skills.

What is the best family cell phone plan? Problem Solving Lesson

by M.Sandoval • December 27, 2012 • 2 Comments

Problem solving is one skill that has to be taught. If you think about it, we really want students who can problem solve, not memorize a whole bunch of facts or methods for doing something. This lesson happens to be about cell phone plans since it is a problem that students can easily understand yet is more complex so even our brightest students will be challenged in figuring it out.

Is Sam’s Club Worth It?: A Practical Analysis of Club Shopping

by M.Sandoval • March 2, 2012 • 1 Comment

In adult life there are many practical questions that require problem solving skills and a little math. This lesson has students figure out the benefits and costs to joining a shopping club like Sam’s Club. Guide your students through a real life case study that requires lots of critical thinking, a little math and the chance to use Excel!

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