Small Mall: Real World Money Management
To teach “real-world” money management with an in-classroom shopping environment.
Real World
Division From a Printer’s Viewpoint
Commercial printers deal with division constantly in figuring the number of finished-size sheets that can be cut from the large “parent” size sheets they normally receive from the paper supplier. It’s a real-world exercise not many people are aware of.
Carpet Your Classroom
Students will use math skills to calculate square footage and cost of a new floor.
Who’s Average?
Students will find and interpret averages based on their daily activities.
Credit Cards for Kids
As soon as students turn 18, they are eligible to have their very own credit card – and credit score – without needing parental permission, and sometimes a job isn’t even required to be approved. Prepare them for the reality of interest rates.
Plan Christmas Vacation
A variety of math and planning skills can be used to plan a holiday vacation.
Buying Groceries
Wish you had a dollar for every time you heard “But we’ll NEVER use this when we grow up”? Using the newspaper grocery ads inserts, “give” your students $100 to spend.
Approximately How Difficult?
Being able to figure the distance from point A to point B is a task many people take for granted (or in some cases, can’t do very accurately). Everyday, people estimate how much their grocery bill is going to be at the supermarket or how long it will take to complete a list of errands. Getting your students to work on such skills now, means they will get better and better at it as time goes on.
What’s Outside?
A study in what goes on at all of those businesses out in the real world.
Decision Making: Get Their Priorities Straight
With so many choices available, students need a firm foundation in wise decision making. This exercise helps them set priorities that are realistic and attainable, both individually and in groups.
Filing Early
Have your kids keep a “What’s Cool” file, of items clipped from newspapers and magazines, items that make them say, “wow, that’s neat.” And build >>>
Kids Listless? Give Them Lists.
To help students recognize lists, and practice assembling one for their own use.
Altering Climate in the Classroom
If it rains in, you close the window. But what if your room is too hot or cold? Get students involved in trying to moderate temperature extremes based on their level of competence and how you can integrate the project into existing weather or science lessons.
Résumé Writing
If you sense the Web is one big ego trip, it would follow there would be lots of resumes, and resumes there are. So if you need a good computer, business or English class project with real-world applications, or want to turn students loose on a mission on the Web, have them research and write resumes. And for teachers, it never hurts to have a current resume on file. You may not need it for a new job, but it can be timely and impressive at evaluation time.