0. Welcome to JA Finance Park Teacher Orientation

1. JA Finance Park – Middle and High School
JA Capstone Program
Capstone is the culmination of classroom study. It provides experiential activities that allow students to apply knowledge they learned in classrooms to real-world situations.
JA Finance Park – Middle and High School
Capstone programs are designed to be much more in-depth for greater student impact and learning. Capstone programs are different from standard JA programs ; the more in-depth curriculum correlates to a greater number of lessons and teacher engagement. JA Finance Park integrates technology, blended learning, and cutting edge topics that align with the Common Core.

2. Orientation Objectives
By the end of orientation, you will understand:
The purpose of JA Finance Park.
How to effectively use the curriculum.
Teacher responsibilities for a successful student simulation experience.
Basic operation of the virtual simulation.

3. Benefits to Educators Lessons are easy to use.
Minimal preparation time is needed.
Lesson options provide flexibility.
Curriculum is fun, interactive, and engaging.
Extension activities are provided with each unit.

4. Curriculum Basics Teacher Guide Posters Student Workbook
Online resources
4 comprehensive lesson categories precede the virtual simulation and provide students with a foundation of knowledge to successfully navigate through JA Finance Park:
Income
Saving, Investing, and Risk Management
Debit and Credit
Budget+
JA Finance Park Capstone Program looks and feels like any other JA program – complete with a turn-key approach, teacher guide, posters, and student workbooks.

5. Curriculum Guide Tabs Getting Started
Option 1: Traditional and Extension Activities
Income
Saving, Investing, Risk Management
Debit and Credit
Budget +
Simulation and Debrief
Option 2: Project-Based Learning Lessons
Glossary
Project-Based Learning (PBL) – written specifically with the high school student in mind.
What is the difference between doing a ‘project’ and ‘project based learning’? Project based learning is most often more multi-disciplinary than a project, which is most often single-subject based. Projects can be done without or with limited teacher guidance – PBL requires teacher guidance and team collaboration. Projects are based on ‘directions’ and student choice is limited. PBL is based on a driving question that encompasses all aspects of the learning and establishes the “need to know”. Students in PBL are given guidelines but have the ability to make many of their own choices. PBL involves real-world, authentic tasks and projects may use case studies or fictitious scenarios to illustrate problems. Projects are ‘turned in’ and all student’s work ‘look’ pretty much the same. PBL is presented to a public audience (people from outside the classroom) and everyone’s presentation is different – reflecting the tools and technology most applicable to the student.

6. Traditional Lesson Features
The JA Finance Park Teacher Guide remains consistent with other JA programs and its redesigned format is colorful, easy to navigate, and provides a clear outline for each section and lesson. Let’s talk about the format and features of each JAFP unit and lesson before we explore the content of the lesson further.
ANIMATION:
1 - For each topic a symbol is used (for income it’s the dollar bills).
2 - The table of contents lists the core or required lessons.
Below that are listed the extension activities associated with this unit.
(JA of Northern New England outlines essential lessons throughout the curriculum that are vital to student success in the simulation)
3 – The pages will have a color border will help you identify the overall topic area.
___________________________________________
The unit overview lists the objectives, concepts, and skills covered within the unit. There is also an introduction page, with text directed to the teacher and it gives some background and information about the unit topic.
Each lesson provides a time expectation. Many of the lessons could take longer if teachers allow for more discussion time than indicated in each lesson subsection. Though JA provides options for topic activities, we balanced this with teacher requests to limit time for implementation. Teachers will have to determine what works best for them and their students. Lessons CAN and have been completed in the timeline stated for each.
Each lesson includes a materials list. Note that there are PowerPoint slides listed. Those are available via download from the Internet. The link for each topic’s slides will be provided to you.
Vocabulary words included in each lesson are highlighted in the same color box throughout the teacher guide.
Thumbnails showing the student workbook pages associated with each lesson are provided in the preparation section to assist in identifying them.
A time guideline is provided for Lesson Steps, Summary and Review, and Setting the Stage components of each lesson.
Throughout the lesson, when the discussion or lesson steps have an associated PowerPoint slide, a thumbnail of that slide is inserted for teacher reference.
Some lessons will include a online option. Options may be substituted for the activity detailed within the lesson.
Digging Deeper Activities are offered periodically throughout the guide. These are always optional activities and provide a writing, debate, or reading activity that relates to the content and could be assignments for outside JAFP class time.
Full views of each student workbook page is included in the teacher guide. These pages immediately follow the lesson they are associated with.
The teacher guide labels each page with the unit, lesson, and associated page in the student workbook.
Answer keys are also provided when appropriate.

7. Income Three core lessons Video introduction Pre-test
Student self-assessment
Work preferences
Taxes
NMI
Video introduction
Pre-test
Eight extension activities
Unit 1: Income.
Pre and post-tests are required for JA Finance Park and it is the responsibility of the teacher to ensure each students completes the pre and post-tests and return to JA of Northern New England for collective use to report back to funders.
Optional, but recommended activity includes a video introduction (video online – one of 3 implementation options or a locally provided video)

8. Lesson One: Plan Your Future
Define income
Personal traits
Worker profile activity
Extension activity #1
(Essential Lesson)
In this lesson students think about their future – what are their hopes and dreams for work, family, desires. In order to determine where you go you need you know yourself and understand how to plan/what you need to fulfill your hopes and dreams.
OPTION: Kuder Navigator vs. worksheets in the student workbook. Online option takes MORE TIME! Students could do assessment outside of class time if desired. NOTE: this service provides assessment opportunity for middle school and high school students. Adult options do NOT work unless the school pays for access individually. The student fees for use are covered by JA USA.

9. Lesson Two: Careers Career readiness Career clusters
Exploration
Trends
Knowledge / skills
Extension activity #2
In this lesson students take the knowledge they gained from looking at their interests, skills, and values and look at various occupations and those jobs expected growth in the future. Class will discuss higher education needed for various careers and number of jobs/careers people tend to have over a lifetime.
Optional activities: students interview others about their job/career history and note links of learning from one job to another.
This lesson examines the 16 career clusters. Teachers have a copy of 16 career cluster cards on PowerPoint. Larger cards are available for download at ja.org – cards are taped up around the room so that students can play a memory game.
Groups of 2-3 students – each assigned a card they will report on.
When time, 1 student goes to the card to read and memorize as much information as possible in 30 – 60 seconds (teacher decides time).
Student returns to group and shares info learned – it is recorded in the workbook.
Student 2 takes a turn going to the card to memorize and report additional information (teacher is time keeper)
Compare volume of information gathered by group – congratulate the winner.
If adequate time – have groups report out what they learned about their assigned cluster – job types in the category, outlook, salary, etc.
OPTION: Instead of the career cluster game, have students research the education requirements for the career(s) of their choosing using the BLS.gov site for the Occupational Outlook Handbook. (extension activity 2)

10. Lesson Three: Taxes and My Income
Sales
Property
Net monthly income
(Essential Lesson)
In this lesson students discuss the types of taxes people pay. Vocabulary is introduced. Discussion around the use of the different kinds of taxes.
Progressive vs. regressive tax – sales tax (regressive) and income tax (progressive).
Calculate NMI using an example paycheck provided in teacher guide and student workbook – Jason’s paycheck.
Simulation Connection – students will calculate a personal NMI by subtracting federal and LOCAL taxes from their gross pay. If married, they will also add a spouse NMI to calculate a household NMI and build their monthly budget from that amount. (Paperbased – student will use a calculator and answer will be checked when they log in to the software.) (Paperless – NMI will be auto-calculated after they ‘drag’ the taxes to the calculation part of the screen OR Area may choose to have students calculate NMI by activating a calculator availability within the software system.)

11. Assessment Teacher guide only 11 questions Multiple choice Calculation
Answer key
A required assessment for this unit is provided. The test is NOT printed in the student workbook so teachers will need to copy or display the questions on a SmartBoard for student viewing. This test will require a calculator. An answer key immediately follows the assessment (pages 42 and 43).

12. Income – Extension Activities
Kuder Navigator
Career Choice Research
Being an Entrepreneur
STEM Career
Social Security & Medicare
Sales Receipt Analysis
How to Complete a 1040-EZ
Let’s talk about the 8 extension activities that are associated with the Income unit.
The first two we’ve already talked about as options to replace part of the core lesson content – the Kuder Navigator for online career assessment instead of the paper worksheets. And the second was the online career choice research by utilizing the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Activity 3 is around being a entrepreneur and creating a business to make an income. In this activity the class is divided into groups – they start new copies that aim to fill a particular need and develop a short presentation about their idea. There are two workbook pages for this extension. The first focuses on helping students to identify the ‘need’ their business can fill and the second is a peer review sheet they will use as their classmates present their ideas.
Activity 4 is about starting a lawn care business. The focus here is differentiating fixed vs. variable costs. Students work in groups of 3-4 to discuss their lawn care business (or they might choose to do the activity as a pet-sitting business, babysitting services, car-wash, etc.) Groups will also discuss market research and it’s impact on determining prices and viability of their business.
Activity 5 discusses STEM careers and focuses on creativity and problem solving skills. Students are given limited supplies including 2 pieces of paper, scissors, pencils, and ruler. Students are to design and build a functional pencil holder and then write directions for their product. Students observe who’s pencil holder is most interesting or creative, etc.
Activity 6 is only a 30 minute activity and reviews the history of Social Security and Medicare. Using a tax chart provided in their workbook they will calculate these taxes for various income scenarios.
Activity 7 asks students to compute sales tax. They discuss the use of state and local sales taxes and discover items that are typically exempt from a sales tax (Though this varies too – example: in most states groceries are tax-exempt but in Oklahoma and Virginia this is not the case – in those states grocery items are taxable). Students get an understanding that sales tax rates vary from state to state and practice math calculations by converting percentages to decimals.
Activity 8 allows students to experience completing a government form – a 1040-EZ tax return – for Cory Spencer a full-time student, working part-time. Financial information is provided in the student workbook such that they can calculate taxes paid and whether Cory will receive a refund or will owe additional tax.

13. Saving, Investing and Risk Management
Two core lessons
Saving
Investment options
Insurance
Five extension activities
Unit 2: Saving, Investing, and Risk Management
In this unit students will explore and compare saving and investment options and also examine risk and how insurance helps protect savings. The two lessons in this unit touch on these topics at a high level. You’ll see in the lessons that the extension activities associated with this unit are referenced as a way to extend learning and give students additional practice and experience with that sub-topic. Students are likely to have a number of questions so teachers may want to plan on spending additional class time with this unit.

14. Lesson One: Saving and Investing
Pay Yourself First
Savings funds
Saving goals
Interest
Know It All
(Essential Lesson)
In this lesson students think about savings and making saving, even a small amount, a priority.
Through a worksheet activity called doodling for dollars, they will think about their goals and how they spend / earn money today. They also make a plan for how they can begin to save on a regular basis.
A small group activity is used to help students understand about various investment options. Each small group receives a Know It all card – this card simply defines the investment type, how it works and the risk level associated with the investment. Each student group then develops a Tweet to communicate what they learned about that investment option – in 140 characters or less. The groups share their tweets with each other so that everyone in the class hears about all 5 of the options presented.
Simulation connection – students will pay themselves first in the site-based/mobile simulation (not currently applicable to Virtual)

15. Lesson Two: Managing Risk
Insurance policies
Premium
Tree of Life
Perfectly Matched
In this lesson teachers present background information on how insurance works and the various kinds of policies people can buy.
The tree of life activity has students using sticky notes to think about where they have seen insurance used/needed in the last month and they post those examples on the tree of life branch that is applicable.
In the perfectly matched game, ½ of the students receive an “Insurance Sheet” and the other ½ of the class receives a “Life Sheet”. The insurance sheet lists various kinds of insurance and what that life events that policy provides coverage for. The life sheet list various events that a person might want to have insurance coverage for. Students circulate around the room to find a match for each of their events – the goal is for all of the boxes on the sheet to have unique initials. Some items there will not be insurance for.

16. Assessment Teacher Guide only Nine questions Multiple choice
Fill in the blank
True/False
Answer key
Again, an assessment for this unit is provided and required. The test is NOT printed in the student workbook so teachers will need to copy or display the questions on a SmartBoard for student viewing. An answer key immediately follows the assessment (pages 27 and 28).

17. Saving, Investing, & Risk Management - Extension Activities
Understanding College Costs and the FAFSA
Understanding Stock Quotes
Roth IRAs
Compound Interest and the Rule of 72
Junior Achievement $ave USA
The first extension activity is geared toward high school students planning to attend college and explains the FAFSA. This is an activity that is best incorporated when Internet access is available to students. We reference a YouTube video, the FAFSA site, and resources provided by the Department of Education website.
Activity 2 helps students understand the key information in a stock quote table. In the student workbook provides a sample with questions and the teacher guide has an answer key on page 36. This activity may be a good starting point for teachers who wish to have students research and track stocks over a period of days or weeks.
Simulation connection – students have the opportunity to invest in stock during the simulation. Specifically they will decide how to invest retirement savings that their persona has accumulated. They will NOT be tracking opening, mid-day, or closing prices. (Applies only to site-based and mobile implementations)
Activity 3 gives students a closer look at the way a Roth IRA works and the benefits of considering starting one while they are in school. A student workbook page provides scenarios that the class can read and evaluate whether or not the student in each situation should start saving with a Roth IRA.
Activity 4 can be implemented using an online calculator – we recommend the investor.gov site for use with the student workbook page activity. Students could also use the information in the table provided to do a graphing activity reflecting savings described on the worksheet. Or, finally, working in teams and using a graphic calculator, students can determine savings earned.
Activity 5 involves 5 online modules which are available at The modules include a short video titled “life comes with risk”, a ‘test your knowledge’ quiz, and an interactive ‘rate the risk’ activity. The goal of the activity to help students see that risk can be reduced with responsible behavior and insurance.

18. Debit and Credit Four core lessons Five extension activities
Financial institutions
Debit/credit use
Benefits and pitfalls
Credit score
Five extension activities
Unit 3: Debit and Credit.
In this unit students compare financial institutions and their services. They weigh the advantages and disadvantage of debit and credit cards and examine the role of credit scores and credit reporting in personal finance.

19. Lesson One: Banking Partners
Bank/credit union
Internet bank
Online banking
Mobile banking
(Essential Lesson)
In this lesson students think about services banks and other financial institutions provide.
They will use a worksheet to help organize their thoughts and learning about financial institutions and make explore personal information security through a ‘online and mobile security foldable’ activity.
Simulation connection - During the simulation students will have a bank account and a debit card associated with that account. They will make both debit card payments and electronic transfers as they pay bills for the selections they make for their family members.

20. Lesson Two: Personal Spending
Electronic payments
Credit
Bankruptcy
Mobile banking
(Essential Lesson)
In this lesson students think about the consequences of debit card and credit card use and misuse.
As students discuss the payment options available to consumers teachers will use ‘pair and share’ to keep students engaged. They will also take a detailed look at credit card statements and discuss techniques companies use to encourage signing up for credit cards.
Simulation connection – student personas will have an existing credit card debt. They will choose whether to budget and pay the minimum monthly payment or pay more. They may also have other debt – specifically education debt – if their persona has completed any higher education.

21. Lesson Three: Savvy Shopping
Debit and credit payments
In this lesson students will play the Savvy Shopper game.
The goal of the game is to be the first to buy a hat, jeans, DVD, shoes, and a bike and have $0 debt. There is a score sheet in the student workbook so that everyone can keep track of their own spending and shopping.

22. Lesson Four: Managing Credit
Credit report
Credit score
Credit score game
(Essential Lesson)
In this lesson students will learn the factors that are a part of a credit score and understand good vs. bad debt.
The level of detail teachers want to share with students is determined based on student age and teacher interest.
The credit score game is played to reinforce the lesson’s vocabulary terms and concepts. The class is divided into two teams and each team answers questions, earning points, or losing a turn based on the game rules (page 32). Game questions and answers for teacher use are found on pages 33 and 34.
Simulation connection – student personas are given a credit score and this score will determine if they will approved for a car loan. In cases where the persona is not approved, the student will need to budget for public transportation to get to work and for entertainment. The credit score, along with existing savings they have, will combine to determine their approval for a mortgage. Students not approved will rent an apartment or home. If approved students may opt to buy or to rent.

23. Assessment Teacher Guide only 10 questions Multiple choice
Fill in the blank
True/False
Answer key
Again, an assessment for this unit is provided and is required. The test is NOT printed in the student workbook so teachers will need to copy or display the questions on a SmartBoard for student viewing. An answer key immediately follows the assessment (pages 37 and 38).

24. Debit and Credit - Extension Activities
Checks and Checking Accounts
Installment Debt
Rent or Home Ownership
Leasing vs. Buying a Car
Identity Theft
The first extension activity provides an opportunity for students to practice check writing and keeping a register to track deposits and payments of all types. If students have no experience with personal finance this would be a good lesson to include as it gives them concrete reinforcement about needing to have money in a checking account in order to use a debit card or other electronica direct payment.
Activity 2 is a short, 20 minute lesson about the true cost of credit. The associated student workbook page walks students through a skit for a “One-Day-Only” sale and the pressure salespeople can put on customers. The discussion emphasizes the need to be a smart consumer.
Activity 3, Rent or Home Ownership, helps students understand the benefits and responsibilities they will take on when committing to a lease or a mortgage.
Activity 4 may be of great interest to students. It focuses on the advantages and disadvantages of both leasing and buying and also discusses the ‘other’ transportation expenses students don’t necessarily think of. These include gasoline, maintenance, and insurance.
Activity 5 is about identity theft and students examine what they can do to protect their information, students work in small groups as they complete a worksheet activity. Internet access, if available, can provide an additional source of information.
Simulation connection – Three of these extension activities have a close correlation to decisions students will be making in the simulation. They will have the opportunity to buy furniture and home improvement items using installment debt. They will either buy a home or rent housing, and they may have opportunity to purchase a car (or two if they have a working spouse).

25. Budget + Three core lessons Three extension activities Budgeting
Paying for education
Three extension activities
Unit 4: Budget +.
In this unit students make the connection between personal financial success and the use of a personal budget, including the need to ‘pay yourself first’ and develop the habit of saving to reach goals.

26. Lesson One: Think Before You Spend
Wants and needs
Impulse buying
Short-term goals
Long-term goals
(Essential Lesson)
In this lesson students think about their current spending habits and evaluate how that spending is a want or need and how it supports their goals. They talk about impulse buying – the tactics stores use to encourage impulse buys and the effect impulse buying has had on their personal financial decisions.

27. Lesson Two: What is a Budget?
Budget categories
Discretionary income
Budget your time option
(Essential Lesson)
In this lesson students think about what it means to ‘live paycheck to paycheck’ and discover tools to help them avoid that situation.
A worksheet in the student workbook provides an opportunity for students to review a case study, individually or in pairs. If budgeting is a brand new concept for students and they are having difficulty grasping it, an alternative budgeting exercise is given. On page 20 a “Budget Your Time” activity is explained. It may be an effective starting point for some classrooms, before moving on to the case study.
Simulation connection: This lesson includes some “Making It Real” facts (page 19). The facts share current household income averages for various regions of the US. Have student research (or provide the information to them) the average income in your location. How does it compare to the national average? Regional average?
As students develop a budget during the simulation, they will be seeing income and sales prices that reflect the local area. This is usualy very eye-opening to students.

28. Lesson Three: Using a Budget
Opportunity cost
Scarcity
Life scenarios
Summer job classifieds
High school scenarios
(Essential Lesson)
In this lesson students think choices people make every day and the costs and benefits of those choices. Students examine this through budget examples. They discuss what spending for an average family might look like and compare it to average spending of an average teenager.
Two activities are offered in the lesson: the summer job classified ads and goal cards were designed for middle grade students. The high school life scenarios are a presented as an option for high school students or more advanced middle grade classrooms.

29. Assessment Teacher Guide only 10 questions Multiple choice
Fill in the blank
Answer key
Again, an assessment for this unit is provided nd required. The test is NOT printed in the student workbook so teachers will need to copy or display the questions on a SmartBoard for student viewing. An answer key immediately follows the assessment (pages 39 and 40).

30. Budget+ - Extension Activities
Sample Budgets
Personal Budget
Paying for Postsecondary Education
The first extension activity provides an opportunity for students to compare 3 personal budgets and discover that there is no one, right way to spend personal income. Decisions are influenced by goals and values.
Activity two provides an opportunity for students to do some research and develop a personal budget, assuming they are out of school and living on their own.
Activity three explores financial aid options for education options after high school. They also work in groups to read through some student scenarios and make recommendations about their financial options.

31. Virtual Simulation Four sessions The Truth Revealed The Big Search
Budget Puzzle
Final Commitment
“Extras” round
Simulation
4-4½ hours
One debrief lesson
Post-test
The virtual simulation is an opportunity for students to apply what they have learned from the preceding curriculum in a virtual world much like SIMS computer game. Each student is assigned a random life scenario and asked to make decisions based on his/her scenario.
The simulation is best played in as few sittings as possible but student progress can be saved and play resumed to fit the classroom schedule. The simulation takes approximately hours to complete. Teachers are given administrative rights to the back-end of the simulation and can monitor student progress, performance, and log-in/access.
Debriefing lesson provides an opportunity to reflect on the simulation and think about planning that students can do now to help assure their future goals become reality. Individual student reports will be available following the simulation - teachers may find those a helpful review tool. The lesson itself focuses on class discussion of their experience and a brief journaling activity.
The post-test is taken by the students during this time.

32. Teacher Resources Video to introduce program Pre-/Post-Test
Web page links
PowerPoint slides
JA of Northern New England Support
JA Staff, Rachel Burack
Additional resources & materials

33. Questions?
Thank You!