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Mr. Meadows’ Classroom Edit display name

  • Gretna High School
  • Gretna, VA
  • More than three‑quarters of students from low‑income households

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"Life In..." is a family finance simulation experience for high school students. The simulation is designed to emulate the budgeting constraints typical households encounter when managing their finances. During the budgeting process, students first receive a paycheck for their new career area representing the average pay with taxes deducted. Students are provided with a spending plan worksheet to guide them through the decision making process for choosing housing, utilities, transportation, insurance, food, and other expenses such as personal care and entertainment for their new identity. Throughout the simulation experience, real life obstacles are presented to the students, which helps them connect to the material and remain engaged. They randomly draw credit card statements to tell them if they have credit card debt and the minimum monthly payments. In addition, students draw chance cards representing life obstacles which must be accounted for, but are difficult to budget. Each student will receive a binder, which includes a family scenario. The students inherits this new identity and we apply the 13 chapters we cover in personal finance to the families daily life. Tabs are needed to separate the sections of their final project, while the page protectors allow us to recycle the binders year after year, so pages wont be torn. The sticky notes allow them to make questions for me while they go throughout the 13 stages of the project. While the index cards allow me to me give the students feedback to their questions and allow the keep side notes for the project. All of the materials I have requested are an integral part of the class and this will allow all 144 students to participate at no cost.

About my class

"Life In..." is a family finance simulation experience for high school students. The simulation is designed to emulate the budgeting constraints typical households encounter when managing their finances. During the budgeting process, students first receive a paycheck for their new career area representing the average pay with taxes deducted. Students are provided with a spending plan worksheet to guide them through the decision making process for choosing housing, utilities, transportation, insurance, food, and other expenses such as personal care and entertainment for their new identity. Throughout the simulation experience, real life obstacles are presented to the students, which helps them connect to the material and remain engaged. They randomly draw credit card statements to tell them if they have credit card debt and the minimum monthly payments. In addition, students draw chance cards representing life obstacles which must be accounted for, but are difficult to budget. Each student will receive a binder, which includes a family scenario. The students inherits this new identity and we apply the 13 chapters we cover in personal finance to the families daily life. Tabs are needed to separate the sections of their final project, while the page protectors allow us to recycle the binders year after year, so pages wont be torn. The sticky notes allow them to make questions for me while they go throughout the 13 stages of the project. While the index cards allow me to me give the students feedback to their questions and allow the keep side notes for the project. All of the materials I have requested are an integral part of the class and this will allow all 144 students to participate at no cost.

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About my class

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