Financial Literacy - Budgeting - Money Management: 14-Day MS-EXCEL Simulation

FINANCIAL LITERACY - BUDGETING - MONEY MANAGEMENT 14-Day MS-EXCEL VERSION SIMULATION – is a very comprehensive, exciting, and interactive computerized real world turn-key activity/simulation whereby students “Flip the Die” for their “Station in Life” and experience “The Real World” according to the roll of the die -- it is guaranteed to keep students “on their toes! This simulation can be used for years to come and in all disciplines — it never becomes obsolete. This version has been created in MICROSOFT EXCEL. Students actually complete a 12-month cycle in 14 class days -- it can easily be extended to more days depending on the teacher's schedule and time allotment (55 minutes vs 90 minute blocks). CHECK OUT THE PREVIEW FOR DETAILS AS TO WHAT IS INCLUDED. This simulation includes spreadsheets in MICROSOFT EXCEL therefore, a computer lab is essential. There are 18 different EXCEL spreadsheets in total and all parts are based on the U.S. monetary system. It is highly recommended that the teacher take the time to read the information thoroughly prior to implementation. All of these spreadsheets have been designed with "protected" cells for formulas and other general captions. EGR materials are copyrighted; therefore, please understand that the password to unprotect the cells is not shared with any purchaser. Unfortunately, EXCEL will not open in Google Sheets for those teachers who rely on that software in their classroom. If you use Google Sheets, you may prefer to purchase the PDF version (also available here in our store) instead.

WHAT MAKES THIS ACTIVITY DIFFERENT FROM OTHERS?

• It is REAL WORLD, relevant, true to life, authentic, meaningful, fun, unforgettable, and unpredictable! Teachers have rated this simulation with high marks -- they love it! This activity is based on students accessing “fill-in” EXCEL spreadsheets with formulas in place to constantly make them aware of the “bottom dollar" – their income and expenses are automatically calculated for them. If you are looking for a turn-key budget simulation package that has been successfully used in the classroom – one that challenges students and is a "REAL WORLD" experience for them, then this is an activity that will do exactly that!!!

KEEP IN MIND: At a certain point in their lives, students will graduate from high school/college and eventually enter the job market. Most will marry and become parents in the near future. Will they be successful and know how to manage their money? This is something you (their teacher) can do to prepare them for the “Real World” -- an activity that they will never forget. This activity fits very nicely as a final project for those teachers who are using the FINANCIAL LITERACY – The Money Trail series in their classrooms. The activity enhances and reinforces student understanding of the importance of good money management.

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FYI FOR THE MAC USERS: This activity was created in Windows; however, it is possible for Mac & iPad users to use this if the purchaser and/or students have Excel (and Dropbox for the conversion) installed on their Macs. The author of this activity finds that the transfer can be easily made by placing the Excel Windows Zip file into Dropbox and then opening it on the Mac (iPad as well) using Dropbox there. The protected cells house formulas that are very useful for calculating the results of the student's entries. There may be other software that will work as well as ways of transferring the file from this Zip file, but this is one way it can be done.

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THE TEACHER'S ROLE:

The teacher walks the students through each part of the lesson plan (timeline) and facilitates the process as their students may find things in their "Station in Life" simply do not always go as planned -- such is life! Before implementing this activity, the purchaser must read both the Teacher and the Student Instructions on the Zip and become very familiar with all parts of the activity.

These files are on the zip file that you purchase:

• Teacher Instructions
• Teacher Record Sheet
• Teacher Tools (Rubric & Timeline)
• Parent Sample Letter
• Student Datasheet (includes the 18 separate spreadsheets that the students complete - some more comprehensive than others)
• Student Instructions
• Student Rubric
• Wild Cards Draw. The teacher has EVERYTHING they need for implementing this all-inclusive unit: implementation instructions, rubric, rubric example with marking instructions for using the rubric, timeline, and a spreadsheet for keeping track of the student’s “Station in Life” details. Once purchased, this activity can be used by the purchaser ONLY (copyright protected) time after time!

This budgeting activity fits nicely into any Financial Literacy program/course, CTE programs, and Math. Actually, it works well to reinforce student learning as a culminating activity in many disciplines where Financial Literacy is part of the curriculum. Students “Flip the Die” for whether or not they are a married or single parent, the number of children they are supporting (1-6), their educational level (high school dropout to a Ph.D.), and their yearly income. Once that takes place, the students must find a job and an apartment/condo/house. They then determine what their expenses will be which include: utilities, transportation, insurance, food, clothing, grooming, child care & school expenses, pets, and gifts & contributions. They also determine what their monthly savings will be and if they can afford to invest in the stock market. Five different times the students draw cards in a WILD CARD DRAW and may find themselves with unexpected expenses or “much welcomed” incomes. It all depends upon the “Flip of the Die” and the decisions they make during the activity.

STANDARDS ADDRESSED/SUPPORTED:

• Technological Literacy (understanding of hardware, software)
• Digital Literacy (understanding of design, using electronic media, web design, conducting research, critical thinking, decision-making, communication and collaboration, creativity, innovation, ethics, plagiarism)
• Language Arts/English (communication, vocabulary, spelling, editing)
• Business Education
• Economics
• Financial Literacy

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PRINTING OF SPREADSHEETS: In order to implement this activity (as mentioned above), it is VERY important that the purchaser is not only proficient in the use of Excel spreadsheets, but in the operation of their classroom printers as well. Due to the size of some of the spreadsheets, please understand that those spreadsheets will NOT fit on one printed page, if you want the font size to be easily read. Each type of printer is different, therefore making it impossible for Education Get Real to give you instructions about how to print the spreadsheets. Look carefully at the printer and page setup options for your specific printer! When the students are ready to print, you must give them clear step-by-step instructions on how to print their spreadsheets on the equipment available in the classroom. Advanced preparation and practice will save you and your students loads of aggravation, so please plan ahead! EGR SUGGESTION: Rather than have your students submit printed copies, have them send you a digital version for you to "screen" check/grade on your teacher's computer -- this would be soooo much easier! This "saves trees and definitely eliminates a great deal of frustration for EVERYONE."

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If you would like to communicate directly with us, we invite you to contact us on our website at www.educationgetreal.com and complete the form. We also produce a company newsletter so you may sign up for that on our website as well. Check us out – our EGR “Materials are Created BY Teachers FOR Teachers!"

EDUCATION GET REAL materials are copyrighted and most are certified by the Library of Congress. Each individual purchaser is granted permission to copy the materials for their own instructional use only. Redistributing, sharing, editing, selling, or posting this item or any part thereof on the Internet or other digital means are strictly prohibited. Violations are subject to the penalties of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

ATTENTION PURCHASERS: Printing permitted -- for best results use a high-resolution printer. Notify us through "ASK A QUESTION" if you experience technical issues -- we aim to please!

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AS OUR CUSTOMER, we work hard to provide you with prompt and attentive service to make sure your customer experience is unmatched. EGR is dedicated to your "COMPLETE SATISFACTION" with our instructional resources. We create relevant, challenging, unique, fun, high-quality, and proven instructional materials that can be easily implemented -- everything is written just for YOU and YOUR STUDENTS! We believe in preparing today's youth for the "REAL WORLD!" To accomplish this, we need your help!

Prior to commenting and rating our products, we would very much appreciate the opportunity to "chat" with you on “ASK A QUESTION” before you make your purchase and leave your feedback (comments and ratings), especially when you question whether or not our products will meet your instructional (and in some cases personal) needs. Your questions/comments via our "chatting" do matter -- we value your suggestions and opinions. They give us the opportunity to address your concerns, correct any errors or inaccuracies we may have mistakenly overlooked, give you honest and wise purchase advice, and improve our products so they will better meet your expectations. Our digital resources may be: made available for students on your school's network or you can duplicate hard copies for them, may be easily implemented from one year to the next, and never become obsolete -- no expiration dates. Why? Because we are constantly checking to see if any information needs to be changed/modified which may justify an update. In addition, please understand that our materials are copyrighted; therefore, our passwords are not shared with our customers.

So --- we look forward to hearing from you! We sincerely appreciate it when you work with us and leave us with a review that is positive and not detrimental to our overall product ratings here on TPT.

THANK YOU!

Education Get Real!!!