DOCUMENT RESUME ED 340 843 CE 059 784 AUTHOR Hechler, Ellen TITLE Simulated Real-Life Experiences Using Classified Ads in the Classroom. PUB DATE 91 NOTE 38p. AVAILABLE FROM MidMath, P.O. Box 2892, Farmington Hills, MI 48333 ($10.00; over 10 copies--$8.00 each). PUB TYPE Guides - Classroom Use - Teaching Guides (For Teacher) (052) EDRS PRICE MF01 Plus Postage. PC Not Available from EDRS. DESCRIPTORS *Daily Living Skills; *Employment Interviews; Home Management; Interest Inventories; Intermediate Grades; *Job Application; Junior High Schools; *Learning Activities; *Lesson Plans; Middle Schools; Money Management; *Teaching Methods IDENTIFIERS *Classified Advertising; Middle School Scudents ABSTRACT This guide contains activities to help teachers give middle school students experience in practical life skills. Techniques include rolo playing and using classified advertisements from newspapers. The five lessons include teacher tips on c(Aducting the activities. Lessons contain objectives, materials needed, discussion, and suggested dialogue. Worksheets are included for interviews, budgets, transportation, apartment hunting, expenses, and groceries. The guide also containsla list of overall objectives g:ouped under the headings of: Basic Skills; Self-Conceptualization; Understanding Others; Using Accumulated Knowledge To Interpret the World; and Continuous Learning. Eleven evaluation questions and lix general questions on the course as a whole are provided for stLIdents as well as a six-item outline for a "summary" of the course experiance to be written by students. Finally, three interest surveys, and two sample job applications, conclude the document. (KC) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * from the original document. *********************************************************************** MIDPARTH PRESENTS U.S. DEPARTMENT Of EDUCATION Otfice of Educations( Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER IERIC) This document hes boon reproduced Es received horn Ihe perSOn or organillbon originating it SIMULATED 0 Minor Change have been mad* to improve reproduction quality Points& vow or oprn0nIItlrnthuIdOCu merit do nol necessarily represent official OE RI pOsition or policy REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCES USING (P° ON".5C34 "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL IN OTHER THAN PAPER COPY HAS BEEN GRANTED BY 41c4e I RESOURCES EDUCATIONAL THE TO INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)- BEST COPY MAILABLE by ELLEN HECKER © 1991 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 1 Lesson 1 3 Lesson 2 5 Lesson 3 7 Lesson 4 9 Lesson 5 11 Objectives 12 Practical Life Skills 15 Interview 16 Budget 17 Transportation 19 Apartment 21 Expenses 23 Groceries 25 Evaluation 26 Conclusion 27 Summary 28 Interest Survey I 29 Interest Survey II 30 Interest Survey III 31 Job Application I 33 Job Application II 35 For more information about other items by Ellen Hechler please write: P. 0. Box 2892 Farmington Hills, MI 48333 COPYRIGHT ELLEN HECHLER 1991 All rights reserved Printed in the Uniced States A Introduction It is important to provide students with the opportunity to practice prntical life skills or adult situations. Therefore it is appropriate to design activities and simulations to place students in an adult setting. This project is to provide students with the practical applications and expectations from real-life situations. This unit will enable the students to experience practical life skills and to role play, and to respond to future situations with a better understanding of what to expect. Questions that are appropriate to ask would be: Do you know what the future holds for you? What are the expectations of an adult? What are the responsibilities of an adult? Can you cope with the responsibilities that are expected of an 18 year old in today's lifestyle? What is the difference between a job and a career? This project will use the imagination of middle school students to pretend they are 18 years old and have just graduated from high school. This is the starting point in which they will experience the real life situations. Explain to the students that they are now 18 and have graduated from high school. What do they do now? They still live at home and have very little money for college ( if that was their choice ) and First things first; no transportation. they have to find a job. Where do they look? They look in the newspaper want -ads. At what are they going to work ? For what type of job are they qualified ? Where is the job located? What are the restrictions? What is the income? The class project has begun and now the students have found their interesting jobs. There must be a salary listed for the purposes of this unit. Now use the enclosed job application and each student must apply for his/her particular job and provide all the information necessary to qualify for this job. Once the students have their individual jobs, they now have what we call "earning power". They are now a working person and must contribute their fair share to the federal government in the form of taxes. The money that is earned as net income must be budgeted. What are their priorities? What purchases do your students want or need? Eventually some form of transportation is necessary. What is preferred; a new car versus a used car? Where do they look for used cars? They should look in the newspaper want-ads. What is considered a good deal on a car? Does the car have any warranty? What does the tax and title cost for a car? How is it figured? Does anything need to be fixed on the car at the time of purchase? Something to remember about buying a used car is that the older the car, the more repairs are going to be necessary on it. What are their responsibilities as a car owner? They must never abuse the privileges or responsibilities bestowed upon them as a driver. It is also important to point out that the upkeep of a car takes money. The car runs on gas which costs money. This has to be part of the money that is budgeted from their salary. The job is going well at this point and there is a nice savings account now. Discuss this aspect with your students: their home life is very restricted. It is now time to become independent and find living quarters on their own. A friend could move in with them as a roommate. Where do they look for a place to live? They should look in the newspaper want -ads. Where do they want their new living quarters to be located? What can they and a roommate afford? What type of housing would they like to move into? What are their What is the difference between owning and renting? responsibilities as apartment dwellers? What are their expectations as apartment dwellers? Will they need to purchase furniture or other necessities for their new surroundings? For what other expenses will they need to budget? It is important to point out that the phone bill and electric bill also need to be budgeted from the monthly income. What other things are useful to know once they are experiencing life on their own? (Students are allowed to bring their belongings from their own room to their new place; including a bed, dresser, lamps T.V. set, couch and chair, kitchen utensils including dishes and silverware.) The job is going great. Discuss this with your students. Their lifestyle is agreeing with them, but now they have some decisions to make about their future. Do they want or need to go to college? They need to consider the pros and cons of this situation. This can be expanded after the project has been completed. 5 2 LESSON 1 Time frame: 1 or 2 class periods USE "PRACTICAL LIFE SKILLS" WORKSHEET AT THIS TIME (This can be made into a transparency or duplicated for each student.) Objective: Students will be able to select a job from the want-ads and will be able to give reasons why they want that job and how they qualify for it. Students will be able to buy a car once they've determined how much they have earned and can afford to pay for one. Students will be able to find an apartment for a place to live. Students will be able to use the newspaper to find bargains when they go shopping. Students will be able to evaluate the unit. Materials needed: Newspapers for each student which includes the classified sections. Discussion: We are going to pretend for a few days. We are going forward into the future about four or five years. You are now 18 years old. Do you know what the future holds for you? Do you know what your responsibilities are as an adult? What do you do after you have graduated from high school? Student responses: (Discussion should follow; answers will vary.) Take it easy; look for a job; go to college. Teacher: Varied lifestyles, I see; well, in order to make this unit work we are going to set some restrictions. If you have a problem with any of these, we can discuss them at this time. First each of you will start out living at home. Can you tell me why this is the best arrangement now for you? Student: (Discussion should follow; answers will vary.) Saving money; not having to do the cooking and cleaning. Teacher: What are the best alternatives you can think of to earn some money? (Legally!) Student: (Discussion should follow; answers will vary.) Working. Teacher: How can you accomplish this task? Where do you look for work? Students will discover use of the want-ads from the newspaper. Teacher can lead the discussion for finding work using the want-ads or other methods; What are other appropriate methods? Student: (Discussion should follow; answers will vary.) Teacher: Is finding a job necessary? What do you think would happen if you didn't want to find a job? How would you feel about it? How would you feel if your friends were working and you were not? 0 3 Student: (Discussion should follow; answers will vary.) Teacher: What alternatives could you think of instead of finding a job? Are these the alternatives you, as an adult, would rather do? Why or why not? Student: (Discussion should follow; answers will vary.) If finding a job is what you need to do, the want-ads are the place to Teacher: find them. Let's take out the classified section of the newspaper. (Each student should have their own paper before the start of this project and proceed to look for a job.) What limitations do you see as you look for a job? I'm not qualified for Student: (Discussion should follow; answers will vary.) some of them. They don't list how much money you make. I don't like what you What is the difference have to do at this job. It isn't close to where I live. between commission and salary? Teacher: Why is the location of the job important? Student: (Discussion on transportation should follow; answers will vary.) Teacher: What are the alternatives if you don't have a car? Student: (Discussion should follow; answers will vary.) Buy one, borrow one, carpool, bus. Teacher: What jobs have you found so far? Is this something you would want to do for the rest of your life? Why or why not? Would you enjoy your work at this job? How would you know if you liked it or not? Student: (Discussion should follow; answers will vary.) Teacher: How do you feel about your choice of a job? Do you have to meet the public? What are the requirements that are needed for this job? Can you handle it? Student: (Discussion should follow; answers will vary.) Teacher: Is there a chance for improvement or a promotion in this Jb? Would that make a difference when you look for your first job? Why or why not? Would you consider staying if you were offered a chance for a promotion? Why or why not? Student: (Discussion should follow; answers will vary.) Teacher: Answer these four questions that an employer could ask. USE "INTERVIEW" WORKSHEET AT THIS TIME (This can be made into a transparency or duplicated for each student.) LESSON 2 Time frame: 1 or 2 class periods USE "BUDGET" WORKSHEET AT THIS TIME (This can be made into a transparency or duplicated for each student.) Teacher: You have a job in mind that you found from the want-ads. Now we will calculate your salary. If they list a yearly income you will need to multiply it by .25. This amount goes to taxes. Then divide by 12 months per year. If they list an hourly rate, you normally work 40 hours in a week, so multiply that hourly amount by 40. This will give you the weekly amount. Now multiply the weekly amount by 52 weeks. This will give you the yearly salary. Now multiply by .25. This amount goes for taxes. Subtract that off from the "gross" amount. Then divide by 12. This is your monthly net income. Teacher: What services are provided for your taxes dollars? Student: (Discussion should follow; answers will vary.) Teacher: You are now a working person in society and there are things you would like to buy. What would you buy first? Why? What restrictions do you still have? What else would you do with your earned money? Student: (Discussion should follow; answers will vary.) Buy a car, stereo, vacations. Teacher: A car would be a good start; what restrictions would you have to consider? USE "TRANSPORTATION" WORKSHEET AT THIS TIME (This can be made into a transparency or duplicated for each student.) Student: (Discussion should follow; answers will vary.) You could not spend more than you earn, even with the monthly payments from a loan. Teacher: What choices do you have for purchasing a car? 5 Student: (Discussion should follow; answers will vary.) Used cars are cheaper; new cars are expensive; take a loan to pay it off. Teacher: Where would you look for a used car? Student: (Discussion should follow; answers will vary.) Car dealerships; used car lots; want-ads or advertisements in the newspaper. Teacher: That is where we will look for a used car. Find that section in your paper. What type of car would you want? Why? How old would you want the car to be? What considerations do you have to think about when you purchase a used car? Student: (Discussion should follow; answers will vary.) The car breaking down; expensive repair bills. Teacher: After finding the car you want to buy, you must deduct it from your net earnings. Take the full amount and divide by 12. (Figure the payments would be for only one year.) This is the amount you would have to budget for each month. Can you afford it? Is there enough left over for you to use on other things that interest you? What alternatives can you think of if there isn't enough money left over? Student: (Discussion should follow; answers will vary.) 6 LESSON 3 Tithe frame: 1 or 2 class periods. Teacher: Are you content with the job you chose? How do you feel being able to earn money? What restrictions or boundaries do you need to set for yourself? How can you tell if your job is right for you? What adjustments can you make? Student: (Discussion should follow; answers will vary.) USE "APARTMENT" WORKSHEET AT THIS TIME (This can be made into a transparency or duplicated for each student.) Teacher: This is the time to evaluate your jobs. The discussion you had was needed, because if you must choose a new job, now is the time to do it. You don't have that many responsibilities yet; but still you need that income. After your commitment to this job, some c f you might decide to move out on your own with a friend. You are going to become independent from the people at home. What do you need to consider? Student: (Discussion should follow; answers will vary.) Cost of apartment; cooking, cleaning, other expenses. Teacher: What expenses do you have to be aware of when looking for a place to live? Student: (Discussion should follow; answers will vary.) Type of place; house or apartment; furniture; utilities; leisure time activities. Teacher: How much can you afford to pay each month for rent? Remember you already have a car payment. How much wouid furniture cost? What is your alternative? Student: (Discussion should follow; answers will vary.) Used furniture; take furniture from home; rent a furnished apartment. Teacher: For what other expenses would you need to budget? Student: (Discussion should follow; answers will vary.) Food, clothes, bills, gas for car; leisure time activities.