Civics in a Digital Republic: A Transformative Curriculum

Lesson 1: Council for Economic Education: Financial Literacy for College Prep

200 FINANCIAL LITERACY E.1 COUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION FINANCIAL LITERACY FOR COLLEGE PREP SUMMARY These lessons are geared toward junior and senior high schools students who are interested in attending college. Educating our students of the pros and cons of financial aid and scholarships will help them make better, informed decisions. • GAFRI (Great American Financial Resources, Inc.) has partnered with USA TODAY to create Money Matters 101, a series of free lesson plans for educators to use in the classroom. Three articles from this series will be used to discuss financial literacy with regard to college. • Students will evaluate scholarships. • Students will discuss the pros and cons of applying for a scholarship • Students will assess their interest in state merit awards. • Students will prepare for the ACT by answering questions from the ACT organization. • Students will evaluate the financial costs of higher education. • Students will read about and identify the types of college financing. PROCEDURE • Prior to the lesson, the teacher needs to become familiar with the website and decide which articles and materials are appropriate for the class. • Read each article and determine which one you would like to discuss first. • Assign the articles to the students in groups of three or four. Council for Economic Education FINANCIAL LITERACY FOR COLLEGE PREP continued FINANCIAL LITERACY E.1 201 • Have the students respond the the discussion questions as a group. • Each article is equipped with discussion topics. • The students could expand the answers into a digital presentation. Differentiated Instruction • Students not familiar with computers may need extra attention. • Advanced students could work on researching more colleges and aid options . • Students that do not have a computer or Internet at home . . . make sure there is time for them to work at school. Collaboration • Students will work individually and in groups of three of four. Time Allotment • Two class periods. One hour per class. MATERIALS & RESOURCES Instructional Materials: • Article 1: Who Should Apply for College Aid? • Article 2: Merit Awards Make College Affordable • Article 3: Bill Aims to Topple College Obstacles • SallieMae Education Investment Planner Resources: • USA Today Articles • Computers • Curriculum Toobox • Great American Financial Resources, Inc (http://www.gafri.com/publicsite /global/index.aspx) Council for Economic Education FINANCIAL LITERACY FOR COLLEGE PREP continued FINANCIAL LITERACY E.1 202 • Council for Economic Education (http://www.councilforeconed.org/) STANDARDS & ASSESSMENT Next Generation Content Standards and Objectives for Social Studies in West Virginia • SS.12.E.8 Students will evaluate income,lifestyle,education,and employment decisions to make successful career choices: differentiate between gross and net income (e.g., taxes, insurance and pension plans), explore how benefits packages, unions, and professional organizations impact lifestyle, evaluate the impact of education on lifelong earning potential, examine the expectations and benefits of potential careers. National Council for the Social Studies National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies: A Framework for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment • Theme 4: Individual Development and Identity: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of individual development and identity. • Theme 5: Individuals, Groups, & Institutions: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of interactions among individuals, groups, and institutions. • Theme 6: Power, Authority, & Governance: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of how people create and change structures of power, authority, and governance. • Theme 7: Production, Distribution, & Consumption: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of how people organize for the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. • Theme 9: Global Connections: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of global connections and interdependence . Council for Economic Education FINANCIAL LITERACY FOR COLLEGE PREP continued FINANCIAL LITERACY E.1 203 • Theme 10: Civic Ideals and Practices: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of the ideals, principles, and practices of citizenship in a democratic republic. Assessment/Rubrics It is your professional opinion as to how you would like to grade your students on their responses to the articles. The articles should be used as an enhancement tool to a larger financial unit. ...