SPENT: A NEXTGEN Personal Finance Simulation Project (Middle School) CCS

The Inquiry below is intended to help introduce students to the decisions people have to make everyday when they are living paycheck to paycheck. The Supplemental Resources are provided only to support the Inquiry, but the Inquiry is a comprehensive lesson on its own. 

In this Inquiry, students will use a simulator to roleplay an adult trying to make ends meet when they don’t have a surplus of finances. In the process, students will learn about how their decisions impact the people around them and their ability to pay for the necessities each month as well as the pressures and decisions that many people face in this situation. Through this Inquiry, they will learn to use wise spending and saving habits, empathize with those dealing with the living wage, and assess the options people have when they are having financial difficulties.

Make Sure You Click On The ROLEPLAY Inquiry Simulation Link Below, Click FILE and MAKE A COPY, and SHARE it with Mr. Scribner (hscribner@ccs.us) for credit!

Inquiry Simulation:  ROLEPLAY: Spent Middle School Edition

Learning Objectives:

• Students will experience the circumstances of budgeting on the living wage.
• Students will reflect on the impact of the decisions they made in order to learn from them for the future.
• Students will explore the difficulties of living paycheck to paycheck and learn from the options they face as well as mistakes they make.
• Students SHOULD Play the Game a SECOND Time after recording their answers to more fully understand some of the alternate choices in the simulation.

ACTIVITY:

Complete The Google Document Worksheet As You Complete The Online Simulation. Please Answer All Questions In COMPLETE SENTENCES! Try to use the R.A.C.E Response Method (Repeat the question, Answer the question, Cite your evidence/examples, Explain your evidence/examples) Make sure you SHARE the Google Document with Mr. Scribner (hscribner@ccs.us) for credit.

Standards:

Alignment to Anchor Standards for Reading: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1 Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.7 Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words..

Alignment to Jump$tart Spending and Saving Standards: 1b: Analyze how spending and saving behavior can affect overall well-being. 1c: Discuss the components of a personal spending plan, including income, planned saving, and expenses.   Alignment to Jump$tart Risk Management and Insurance Standards: 1b: Predict the consequences of accepting risk with insufficient or no insurance. 1c: Illustrate how to use insurance to share the risk of financial loss.

Supplemental Resources:

*Note: These supplemental resources are a work in progress and will be finalized soon!

Video: Just In Case
This video from Cha-Ching is a fun way for students to explore why they should think about having an emergency fund or getting insurance in case issues they can’t plan for arise!
Suggested Follow Up Questions: 1) What are some examples of reasons you might need an emergency fund or insurance from the video? 2) Why do you think people say “plan for the worst” based on what you learned from the video?

Interactive: PlayInsure
This game allows students to learn about Auto Insurance and Homeowner's Insurance by letting them roleplay as an insured party  that encounters many different scenarios. This allows students to see the different plan options, why insurance costs a certain amount, and when it is useful. Since the game is created by the Texas Department of Insurance, it focuses on that state, but it is a great learning tool for students regardless of location.

• Teacher Tip: Both the Auto Insurance and Homeowner’s Insurance games are very long (30 days) so they are quite repetitive. You might want to tell the students to play for something like 10-15 days!

Video: Payday Loan Advertisement
This Payday loan advertisement tries to sell people payday loans. In the process, it outlines why payday loans exist and why someone living paycheck to paycheck might feel the need to use one. Students might not understand what the big issue with payday loans is given the tone of the video, so discussion afterwards will help them understand.
Suggested Follow Up Questions: 1) How are payday loans different from borrowing money for something like college or a house? 2) Why might someone be searching for a loan like this? 3) What are the 2 qualifications needed to get a payday loan? Why do you think the companies don’t require more info from the borrower? 4) What do you think are the downsides of taking out a payday loan?

Comprehension Questions: Spent Kahoot
This kahoot is a fun way to assess students on their understanding of the terms and concepts they learned in this lesson.

This project taken directly from https://www.ngpf.org/courses/middle-school/

NGPF 2018 PAYBACK Challenge

Featured in the New York Times, our paying-for-college game PAYBACK has been played by over 150,000 students in just 3 months since launch! Teachers are saying, “It was an amazing game. All of my students were so highly engaged that it was time to go to lunch and none of them wanted to leave," AND "They loved that the game made them confront the money challenges of college but also helped them build the skills to survive and thrive.”  Students can win cash awards and other prizes.  There is the possibility of representing your state as a National Award Winner!

Here is how to play (Yes, This is a class assignment as well):

Teachers Register Intent

• Click this link and complete this short (1minute) form to reserve your spot. With our inaugural PAYBACK Challenge, we are limiting this contest to the first 2,500 educators who express an interest in nominating a student essay. Be sure to sign up TODAY.

Educator Awards:

• Educator Awards - The educators who nominated the Honorable Mention and National Grand Prize Winners will each receive $200 for classroom projects.
• Nominator Awards - ALL educators who nominate a student will be be entered into a drawing. 20 names will be drawn with each receiving $100 for classroom projects.

Check out our blog post for additional details and guidelines for the PAYBACK Challenge.

Take the NGPF Payback Challenge

Students Play PAYBACK

• In Class Option: A single game-play takes 15-20 minutes, but you may also use a full 50-minute period by playing the game twice
  • Teachers: You can also use this corresponding classroom activity to support your students as they play the game.
• At Home Option: Your students can play the game at home, too.

Students Write Short Essay (GOOGLE DOCUMENT)

• Use this Essay Template to collect 250 word essays that respond to this writing prompt: 
  "How could you use the online game, PAYBACK, to have a conversation with your parent/guardian about paying for college?"
• CRITERIA: Essays will be evaluated by NGPF staff based on the following:
  
  
  • Indicates an understanding of key concepts learned by playing the game PAYBACK.
  • Addresses concerns their parents/guardians may have about this sensitive topic.
  • Takes a creative approach to engaging parents/guardians in a conversation about college.

MAKE SURE YOU USE THE R.A.C.E.S METHOD TO ANSWER THE WRITING PROMPT:

R-Repeat The Question, A-Answer The Question, C-Cite Your Evidence/Examples,

E-Explain Your Evidence/Examples, S-Summarize Your Thought (Wrap-Up)

SHARE Your Essay With Mr. Scribner (hscribner@ccs.us) For Credit!

Oh, and about the money...over $150,000 in cash prizes are available and EACH state will be represented on the podium!

Student Awards:

• National Grand Prize Winners - 10 at $5,000 each
• Honorable Mention Awards: 150 at $500 each
• A minimum of 2 student essays from each of the 50 states + District of Columbia

Contest Deadline: March 23rd at Midnight!  (Assignment Deadline:  End of MP3)

Later This Marking Period We Will Complete Other NGPF Assignments/Lessons!

ACADEMIC/LEARNING OBJECTIVE

Scholars will use the online simulation "PAYBACK" to begin learning about the basics of how the choices they make for higher education can affect them financially.  This simulation, and associated standards for this assignment, will help them meet PA CEW Academic Standards, and also help students hone their skills for writing and information retention after participating in the simulation.  Students should reflect on this simulation, and use it as a prompt for conversation at home about the real costs associated with higher education, careers, and their future choices.

SCHOLARS WILL ENTER THE CLASS QUIETLY AND BEGIN WORKING!

Scholars will follow all directions log into their Google Account and then begin working on the NexGen Personal Finance Simulator (PAYBACK).  Scholars will spend 15-20 minutes completing the simulation.  When complete, scholars will download a copy of their final worksheet.  This image will be uploaded to their "CEW Evidence 515" folder in their Google Drive and SHARED, for credit, 

with Mr. Scribner (hscribner@ccs.us).  Scholars will then create a GOOGLE DOCUMENT titled 

"(LastName) PAYBACK P? S2" and write a 250-word essay using the prompt listed above.  

Scholars may use the EXAMPLE for reference, but must write this essay in their own words.

The essay must be SHARED with Mr. Scribner (hscribner@ccs.us) for credit as well.

How Computers Work! Check out the newest video series from Code.org

Check out the newest video series "How Computers Work" from Code.org:

Code.org Video Page:
https://code.org/educate/resources/videos

Direct Video Link on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAx_6-wdslM&list=PLzdnOPI1iJNcsRwJhvksEo1tJqjIqWbN-

For more information about this great resource, see Code.org's Newsroom:
https://code.org/about/news

PA CEW Standards Lesson (Middle/High School)

Sample Curriculum (Mini Lessons) for Middle School Students

Lesson #1: Introduction to PA CEW Standards for Students (Click Here For Slides)

Educators across Pennsylvania are now required to help our students create and share evidence of work toward learning about the PA Career Education and Work Standards.  The resource listed above provides a basic introduction to these standards, and a starting point to help students create a Google Drive folder to keep their evidence archive.

This program was created at the request of my administrators, and I use various resources (listed below) to get started.  I am sure that this is far from an exhaustive list of materials and sources, but it is enough to get someone started, and will provide a basis for educators looking to meet the requirements.  I found, while reviewing the lessons I provide in my Computer Skills and Applications class (WEBSITE).  There were many of the projects listed that would count toward some of these standards.

Here is a list of sources/referenced websites:
CEW Evidence 515 (Document Templates) Folder Example
Home : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Curriculum
Search Standards - SAS
CEW-Grades-6-8-older-units.pdf
Naviance
The College Board - College Admissions - SAT - University & College Search Tool
Executive Functions - Executive Functions

Happy New Year (2018)!

Happy New Year 2018! Padlet Resolutions & UN City Map Project

New Year's Resolutions 2018

Happy New Year to EVERYONE!  Today you will be easing back into the school-day schedule by discussing exactly what New Year's Resolutions are, and why you should try to set and work toward them.  Please review the following presentation from About.com:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1gcr4XX1B6mnvod8kS7PM-I3waorBSE7AHaHjjQdZqi8/edit?usp=sharing

When you have discussed WHAT a New Year's Resolution is, and been given some suggestions about how to create them, please click the next link to POST at 2-3 Resolutions of your own to our Padlet Board:

https://padlet.com/hscribner_edtech/EdTechFUNNewYears

You will need to add 2-3 Resolutions you plan to work toward in the coming year.  This board will be public, and you should follow all school rules for internet safety and security.  

WHEN YOU ARE DONE, Please Check Out Our U.N. Sustainable Goals City Map Project:

United Nations Sustainable Goals - US City Collaborative Google Map Project

CSEd Week (Post-Script) - More and More Code for Everyone! freeCodeCamp.com

We have already used many of the Blockley-Style Programming tutorials found on Code.Org.  Now, without creating an account, try some of the tutorials on other programming languages found on freeCodeCamp.com.  Here is some basic information (taken directly from their About Us page) to get you started.  Good Luck! 

What is freeCodeCamp?

We’re a community that helps you learn to code, then get experience by contributing to open source projects used by nonprofits.

How can you help me learn to code?

You'll learn to code by completing coding challenges and building projects. You'll also earn verified certificates along the way. We also encourage you to join a study group in your city so you can code in-person with other people.

Is freeCodeCamp really free?

Yes. Every aspect of freeCodeCamp is 100% free.

Can freeCodeCamp help me get a job as a software developer?

Yes. Every year, thousands of people who join the freeCodeCamp community get their first software developer job.

How can I get a job?

Most people get jobs through friends and hiring managers they know from coding events. There are also services that can help you get interviews.

How long will it take me to finish each of freeCodeCamp's certificates?

Each certificate takes around 400 hours of dedicated learning. Some people may take longer. These certificates are completely self-paced, so take as long as you need.

Is freeCodeCamp a replacement for a 4-year degree?

No. Please don’t drop out of college just to pursue freeCodeCamp. You can pursue both concurrently. Even though you don’t need a 4-year degree to work as a software developer, it still helps a lot.

Should I complete all of the coding challenges in order?

We’ve put a lot of thought into how we introduce concepts. But you’re free to jump around.

Where can I get technical support for using the freeCodeCamp.org platform?

Here are answers to common technical support questions.

- freeCodeCamp Information Above Taken Directly From Their Site!

Click The Link Below To Start:
https://www.freecodecamp.org/challenges/learn-how-freecodecamp-works

You can also try www.W3Schools.com tutorials for many different programming languages.  There are also coding resources on hocphilly.strikingly.com

If you are super-advanced, and really want a challenge, 
TRY THESE LINKS:

The definitive JavaScript handbook for your next developer interview 

(14 minute read): https://fcc.im/2jwgTmL

Here are 450 free online programming and computer science courses you can start in December (browsable list): https://fcc.im/2A1x6Gs

Google Doc Link To Resources:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BpCZpDOjez7kCgoCCihnfAWyhJ7ro8saaGWt-R07OLk/edit?usp=sharing

Bonus: Learn how to build an API using Node.js with this free in-depth YouTube tutorial 

(33 minute watch): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsCjFHuMXj0

Google Santa Tracker - Educational Holiday Fun Online!

Google Earth has been helping to track Santa since 2004.  The Santa Tracker on NORAD Santa Tracker is super-cool too!  Everyone can go to santatracker.google.com and enjoy some holiday activites for all ages!  The site claims to let user's "Explore, play and learn with Santa's elves all December long"

According to Wikipedia:
Google Santa Tracker is an annual Christmas-themed entertainment program by Google, Inc. that allows users to track Santa during Christmas Eve and before that allows users to play, watch, and learn through little activities that are added daily from the start of December. Most of the year, Google Santa Tracker gets an average of 30,000–45,000 views, but around the holiday season starting early October, it increases to around 150,000, which is fewer^[2] than Google's rival santa tracker, NORAD Tracks Santa.^[3]

So let the holiday spirit fill your screen for a few minutes, and wander around in this fun, playful land of activities designed to inspire students, and make even the grumpiest Scrooge SMILE!

Brainscape - Flashcards and Much More

Do you remember tediously creating flash cards for various subjects in school when you were a kid?  Ever thought that the process of making them was half the battle, but that is how you learned what you needed to know?  Maybe your Middle School teacher was not as crazy as you thought?

Wish you had some flash cards for ASVABS, University subjects, or for just about any other subject?

I stumbled on this fantastic site the other day that has just that, and a whole lot more!  Check out  BRAINSCAPE!  But these are not the hundreds of index cards you must have made as a kid, this is a scientifically proven (their words, not mine) that is described below:

Brainscape's core experience is based on a scientifically proven adaptive flashcards algorithm that repeats concepts in a pattern that is optimized to your pace of learning. Beginning as an Excel spreadsheet in a cognitive science lab at Columbia University, Brainscape has since evolved into a robust web & mobile learning ecosystem. Millions of people around the world are now using Brainscape to dramatically amplify their study results. 
                                                       - Excerpt taken directly from https://www.brainscape.com/about

Check out the video below for more information and then follow the link to a full list of all the subjects that flashcards are created for here: BRAINSCAPE ALL SUBJECTS

Creating, Studying, and Sharing your own content is always FREE!  There are membership fees for premium content, and other features vary.  There are also pre-made decks to share for specific subjects and education products.  This is a great way to share knowledge with students, and have them share it back with you about topics they know well.  Spend some time using this both personally and professionally, and you will see the benefits right away!

Hadi Partovi's (Founder of Code.Org) Open Letter for CSED Week 2017

 

A Letter From Hadi Partovi, Founder of Code.Org, to kick off Computer Science Education Week 2017:

On the 4th anniversary of the #HourOfCode, we’re celebrating record momentum for computer science. We have big announcements to share and a new video to inspire students!

The big event
Monday, the top women in tech – Melinda Gates, Peggy Johnson, Sheryl Sandberg, and Susan Wojcicki – joined Code.org president Alice Steinglass and CSTA lead Deborah Seehorn to kick off CS Education Week. 

Almost 200 governments, school districts, and nonprofits pledge to expand CS for millions of students, globally:

Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Montana, and Pennsylvania, all announced plans to expand CS in schools, joined by 76 U.S. school districts and 80 nonprofits. Internationally, 20 nonprofits and entire countries pledged to expand CS programs for 20,000 teachers and over 2 million students. Read (and share) the news here.

"Anything worth doing doesn't come easy."
Watch basketball champ Stephen Curry try the Hour of Code!

Check it out on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. 

He’s joining Stacy Hinojosa (StacyPlays), Sheryl Sandberg, Russell Wilson, Susan Wojcicki, and myself to inspire kids. When you do your Hour of Code, post your creation to get a personal video chat with one of us!

Make a simple app in one hour 
Check out Code.org’s new App Lab activity.  

AppLab, our coding tool for middle and high school, is now open for anyone to build JavaScript apps. If you’re ready to go beyond block-based coding, the new Hour of Code tutorial helps you design a “choose your adventure” app in JavaScript or blocks. Making your own web app has never been easier.

10 million girls have accounts on Code.org!
This milestone is personal for me. If only 1% of the girls actively learning on Code.org continued past high school, they’d outnumber the gender gap in university CS!   

I’m immensely proud of all the students – boys and girls – who have shown that anybody can learn. We can’t wait to see what you create.

What matters most comes after the Hour of Code
From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, every country is participating in the Hour of Code, and together we’ll pass 500 million “hours served” to celebrate the 4th anniversary of this incredible campaign.

But one hour is only the beginning. Go beyond an Hour of Code and pledge to bring computer science to your school. 

The global movement continues to accelerate, thanks to you and your support for our shared vision that every student in every school deserves the opportunity to learn computer science.  

I’m forever humbled and grateful for your support.

Hadi Partovi
Founder, Code.org

CS Education Week 2017 Is Finally Here!

Information as of 12/1/17 at 10am

Here it is!  So close to the holiday season, and we are now in the middle of Computer Science Education Week.  Please visit csedweek.org, code.org, and hourofcode.com to find a wide array of projects for you to complete in class, and at home.  Make sure you are spending some time at home showing your parents (and other family members) how cool is is to learn how to be a programmer!  Need an UNPLUGGED Activity?  Try this Google Slides Presentation:

UNPLUGGED PROGRAMMING: COLLABORATIVE, SCHOOL-WIDE PROJECT SLIDES (Click Here) 

There is a wealth of information about careers, opportunities, and other ways to learn to code!  Use the information found at code.org/promote to help learn about what your states are doing to increase learning opportunities for students who want to learn about computer science.

Watch The Video Below To Get Started!

Once you have looked at some of the resources above, and have discussed them as a class, you have a choice to work on the following items for credit this week:

Project 1:  Try the Celebrity Challenge:  Go to code.org/challenge and create an app, game, or design with Code.org and tag #HourOfCode and one of our special guests for a chance to win a video chat for your classroom!  SHARE a link to your project with Mr. S (hscribner@ccs.us) for credit.

Project 2:  Go to the KANO, Anyone Can Make website and complete the Street Artist Hour of Code tutorial.  You must SHARE your project by creating an account, and emailing a link to your project to Mr. S (hscribner@ccs.us) for credit.

Project 3:  Use your creativity and imagination to bring the Google logo to life using code. Make the letters dance, tell a story or create a game. With Scratch and CS First, anyone can become a designer and programmer for the day!  Go to the GOOGLE LOGO Link to get started.  You must take a screen shot (or video if necessary) of your Google Logo Design and email it to your teacher for credit.

Project 4:  Choose any other tutorial found on hourofcode.com, get a project pre-approved by your teacher, and Share it for credit!  You can also use freecodecamp.org or w3schools.com, or any other online tutorial.  Make sure your content is appropriate for school!  You get extra credit for sharing a new source, tutorial, or application we have not seen yet!

COOL NEW SPECIAL PROJECT:  MICRO-BIT Build a Virtual Pet using code!  

Click the link here https://groklearning.com/hoc/activity/virtual-pet/ and check it out!

Good Luck!  Have Fun!!

The HOUR OF CODE Is Upon Us!

Philadelphia Educators use the link hocphilly.strikingly.com to find resources for next week!

ARE YOU READY FOR THE HOUR OF CODE?  Here are some great resources to get you started, fuel your progress, allow any student to exceed your expectations, and generally keep the students from getting restless while you try to present the coolest curriculum in town!


Here is a link to an Unplugged Google Slides Presentation that will get you through more than an hour if you are without computers!  So Much Fun!

UNPLUGGED PROGRAMMING: COLLABORATIVE, SCHOOL-WIDE PROJECT SLIDES

If you are looking for the Original Hour of Code, look no further.  Click on the link below to see the Code.Org "Official" Hour Of Code Website:

HourOfCode.com

Ed Tech Digest Online Periodical Review

EDTECH DIGEST looks and feels like a much bigger magazine.  Features include Video, Links, Interviews, and Cool Tools!  This is a great resource for every educator.  A recent article that caught my eye was "For Long Term Success, EdTech Need To Be Part Of A School's DNA" by Matt Harris, Ed.D.  The premise of the article states "For a school to have a truly sustainable and impactful edtech program it almost needs to be invisible."  It is a "Must Read" for every educator

The change to a 1:1 environment in the classroom is happening now whether you realize it or not.  All stakeholders in the educational process need to read this article, and come to grips with this fundamental change in the approach to technology now.  We should be educating our children to work in school the same way they will be required to work in future careers, or higher education.  It is imperative that we understand how technology should look in our schools, even as that technology is changing and evolving quicker than it can be implemented fully.


This is an approach that I have tried implement at every step of my career in education.  Every position I have held has brought with it the added expectation that I was the shaman of the school when it came to technology.  From setting up new systems, to coordinating budgets for technology purchases, to implementing new curriculum and applications (both on the fly, and pre-planned).  It seemed that at some point, technology was the supplemental afterthought of curriculum & instruction, rather than a tool used to guide the decision making process. 

While most technology advances, especially in under-served schools and districts, can be cost-prohibitive, there is always a way to make sure it is available.  One needs only to take the time to turn over the rocks of society, and find the gems of financing and supply that are there.

I believe the future of educational technology in schools deals more with providing the infrastructure to support networks, rather than providing the devices themselves.  Schools should focus on standardizing a model suitable for student growth from 6th to 12 grade, and require families to invest in the equipment.  This would eliminate the need for the district to continue to provide gear, and focus on the classroom level integration necessary to drive curriculum.  Families should be providing their own devices, based on a set of locally approved standards, just like they would buy practice equipment for sports, or music and art instruments and supplies.  A safety net, supported by local and national industry, government, non-profits, and charitable organizations could aid families without the means to provide these devices as well.  Devices could be insured (at a reasonably small rate) against theft or damage to make sure that equipment would last throughout the educational lifespan.

Once specified and supplied, students would be free to participate in every class according to the technology pedagogy and curriculum outlined.  21st-century learning and flipped classrooms would become the norm.  Teachers would no longer need to worry about laptop carts, equipment sign-outs, and other inconvenient and menial tasks, and be able to spend more time developing and implementing digital project-based-learning in every class.