JA’s elementary school programs are the foundation of its K-12 curricula.  Six sequential themes, each with five hands-on activities, as well as an after-school and capstone experience, work to change students’ lives by helping them understand business and economics. 

Ourselves^® uses compelling stories read aloud by the volunteer, along with hands-on activities, to demonstrate helping, working, earning, and saving. Five required, volunteer-led activities.

Concepts–Barter, Benefit, Buying, Choices, Consumer, Costs, Earning, Entrepreneurs, Giving, Goods, Incentives, Income, Money, Resources, Rewards, Saving, Scarcity, Selling, Spending, Voluntary exchange, Wants, Work

Skills–Abstract thinking, Coin recognition, Coin valuation, Decision-making, Drawing, Following directions, Interpreting information, Listening responsively, Matching, Responsibility, Sequencing, Teamwork

Our Families^® emphasizes the roles people play in the local economy and engages students with activities about needs, wants, jobs, tools and skills, and interdependence. Five required, volunteer-led activities.

Concepts–Business, Choices, Consumers, Earning, Economic incentives, Economic institutions, Employment, Family, Human resources, Incentives, Income, Interdependence, Jobs, Money, Needs, Resources, Scarcity, Skills, Spending, Tools, Voluntary exchange, Wants, Work

Skills–Analyzing information, Decision-making, Differentiating, Drawing, Following directions, Interpreting symbols, Listening responsively, Making observations, Map reading, Matching, Recognizing symbols, Sequencing, Teamwork

Our Community^® explores the interdependent roles of workers in a community, the work they perform, and how communities work. Five required, volunteer-led activities.

Concepts–Ballot, Banking, Benefits, Business, Choices, Circular flow of money, Community, Defect, Division of labor, Economic institutions, Goods, Government, Incentives, Interdependence, Jobs, Money, Needs, Productivity, Quality, Resources, Services, Skills, Specialization of labor, Taxes, Trade-offs, Vote, Wants

Skills–Comparing, Critical thinking, Constructing data, Decision-making, Developing ideas, Displaying data, Formulating questions, Identifying choices, Interpreting data, Listening responsively, Making observations, Matching, Predicting based on data, Problem-solving, Role-playing, Teamwork

Our City^® studies careers, the skills people need to work in specific careers, and how businesses contribute to a city. Five required, volunteer-led activities.

Concepts–Banking, Business, Careers, City, City planner, Communication, Consumer, Decision, Economic development, Economic institutions, Entrepreneur, Incentives, Income, Interdependence, Jobs, Money, Producer, Quality, Resources, Skills, Specialization, Zones

Skills–Applying information, Applying thinking skills, Compiling data, Conducting research, Constructing data, Creating readable documents, Decision-making, Developing ideas, Drawing, Filling out forms, Following directions, Identifying zones, Interpreting data, Interpreting directions, Listening critically, Mapping information, Map reading, Making observations, Math computations, News writing, Reading data, Responding to written and oral presentations, Role-playing, Teamwork, Using scale

Our Region^® introduces the relationship between the natural, human, and capital resources found in different regions and explores regional businesses that produce goods and services for consumers. Five required, volunteer-led activities.

Concepts–Advantage, Business, Choices, Compass rose, Decision, Disadvantage, Economy, Exchange, Expenses, Financial report, Goods, Government, Incentives, Income, Interdependence, Investment, Loss, Opportunity cost, Products, Profit, Region, Resources, Risk, Scarcity, Services, Specialization, Taxes

Skills–Applying thinking skills, Building consensus, Comparing, Compiling data, Conducting research, Decision-making, Demonstrating economic networks, Describing an economy within a region and future economic consequences, Differentiating, Following directions, Giving reports, Identifying goods and services, Identifying and organizing resources, Identifying purpose of taxes, Interpreting data, Math computations, Predicting results, Problem-solving, Reading, Recognizing major geographical features, Teamwork, Understanding symbols

Our Nation^® examines how businesses operate in the United States. Students role-play business ownership, interview for jobs, and learn different methods of production while exploring various economic issues that affect business. Five required, volunteer-led activities.

Concepts–Advantages, Advertising, Business plan, Careers, Competition, Corporations, Division of labor, Employees, Entrepreneur, Goods, Jobs, Manager, Markets, Marketing, Partnerships, Price, Products, Production, Productivity, Profit, Quality, Resources, Salary, Services, Sole proprietorship, Specialization, Stock, Stockholder

Skills–Assembling products, Brainstorming, Building self-esteem, Conceptualizing and designing advertisements, Critical thinking, Decision-making, Drawing conclusions, Following directions, Formulating a plan, Giving reports, Interviewing, Listening, Making observations, Role-playing, Teamwork

JA Dollars and $ense™ teaches students about earning, spending, sharing, and saving money, and businesses they can start or jobs they can perform to earn money. Six required, after-school, volunteer-led activities.

Concepts–Advertising, Banking, Business, Business planning, Consumer, Deceptive, Deposit, Earn, Employee, Entrepreneur, Estimate, Expense, Good, Income, Interest, Job skill, Market research, Mentor, Money, Money management, Profit, Role model, Save, Self-employed, Service, Share, Spend, Start-up cost, Withdrawal, Work ethic

Skills–Active listening, Analysis, Applying information, Basic Math, Brainstorming, Chart data, Compare and contrast, Completing forms, Computation, Critical thinking, Deductive reasoning, Decision-making, Drawing, Evaluating data, Follow written and verbal instructions, Group work, Matching and classifying, Mind-mapping, Problem-solving, Recording deposits and withdrawals, Role-playing, Self-assessment, Taking turns, Teamwork, Vocabulary building

All JA programs are designed to support the skills and competencies identified by the Partnership for 21^st Century Skills. These programs also augment school-based, work-based, and connecting activities for communities with school-to-work initiatives.

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