Key Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

• identify services provided by financial institutions and understand when/how the services are used.
• explain debit cards and their uses.
• define interest and credit.
• understand the cost of credit.
• explain the advantages and disadvantages of using credit.
• list the risks and benefits involved in saving and investing.
• identify the impact interest rates have on investment value.
• read stock quotes and determine stock value.

Key Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

• define the differences among sales, income, and property taxes, and the purpose for each type of tax.
• identify the basic principles of Social Security.
• define NMI and demonstrate how it is calculated.

Unit Three: Budgeting

Students learn the importance of creating and maintaining a personal budget. Students create their own personal budgets and evaluate other budgets through case-study analysis.

Key Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

• understand who uses a budget and why.
• identify the components of a successful budget.
• evaluate the effectiveness of sample budgets.
• develop spending plans and practice making budget decisions.

Unit Four: Preparing for the Visit

Students prepare for their visit to JA Finance Park by defining their schedule, conducting pricing research, and assessing investment. They also gain knowledge about budgeting by evaluating hypothetical life situations and prioritizing budget items.

Key Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

• create a personal budget.
• calculate net monthly income.
• conduct pricing research.
• assesses investments.

Unit Five: The Visit

Students spend one day at JA Finance Park, where they apply classroom learning by making important spending decisions and maintaining a balanced budget.

Key Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

• create a typical family budget using hypothetical life situations.
• use percentages to calculate minimum and maximum spending allowances.
• evaluate stock holdings.

Unit Six: After the Visit

During their visit to JA Finance Park, students participate in a reflective assessment of their accomplishments, including feedback from parents.

Key Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

• demonstrate integration of classroom instruction to the simulation experience.
• perform a credit-card and investment assessment.
• conduct self-reflection regarding their visit.

Unit Seven: Career Goals

Students identify their abilities, interests, work preferences, and values. Based on their newly acquired financial knowledge, students consider the type of lifestyle they would like and what goals they must set to achieve this lifestyle. Students determine the training they will need to achieve these goals.

Key Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

• differentiate among abilities, interests, work preferences, and values.
• identify their personal characteristics.
• rate their abilities, interests, and work preferences.
• identify their career interests.
• perform career choice research.
• write a letter of application to a prospective employer.