Round One: Engineering, Project Based Learning, and Google Docs
If I was doing project based learning that focused on engineering, I think Google Docs would be an excellent way for individuals or groups to record their thinking process, observations, and reflections.
Round Two: Programming, Conducting an Interview, and Wiki
Students could conduct interviews with computer programmers or other students that are programming. Then, the students could take what they have learned from the interviews and post it on a Wiki page. Each student in the class could have a subpage on the Wiki site, creating a larger collection of interviews.
Round Three: Collaboration, Research, and Padlet
Students could use a padlet board to collaborate with their groups on a research project. Students could post the links to articles or embed videos related to their topic, as well as posting notes of the main ideas, descriptions, questions that need to be further researched, a to-do-list for each group member etc. Once the group is finished with their research, the padlet could then be shared with other groups for feedback.
Round Four: Cite Contextual Evidence, Modeling, and One Drive
I would be able to model citing contextual evidence by opening a story in my OneDrive account. I would use additional technology to project the story to the Smartboard for all students to see. Then, I would demonstrate how I could highlight and/or underline different parts of the story that provides evidence to the story’s questions. Based on what the questions are, different colors of highlighter could be used to provide evidence for that specific question.
Round Five: Skilled communication, Discuss, and Voicethread
Students could use voicethread to discuss school related issues and their thoughts on that topic. Some issues might be: a later school start time, better cafeteria lunches, the no-gum policy, etc. Students would record their thoughts on voicethread, followed by other students listening and responding with additional dialogue.
Lesson Plan
Title: Family Spending Plan
Summary: This lesson will teach students how to prepare a family spending plan.
Primary Core Goals/Outcomes: Iowa Core 21st Century Skills - Financial Literacy
- Essential Concept and/or Skill: Manage money effectively by developing spending plans and selecting appropriate financial instruments to maintain positive cash flow. (21.9-12.FL.2)
- Develop a realistic spending plan for financial independence.
- Understand the concept of developing a spending plan that promotes living within one’s means.
- Evaluate spending plans that promote maintaining a larger income than expenditures.
- Develop and assess impact of different spending plans to make informed choices.
Intended Learning Outcomes:
- Students will be able to create a family spending plan
- Students will be able to interpret the spending plan and determine what areas could/should be adjusted (reducing expenditures) to help the family better live within their financial means.
Pedagogical Decisions:
- Teacher Centered - Student Centered
- In this lesson, the modeling process will be teacher centered. Then, the lesson will transition to student centered during the peer collaboration and independent practice.
- Type of Learning - Alternative Type of Learning
- Students should all be coming to similar conclusions regarding the family spending plans. However, students may having a different thought process when it comes to reducing specific expenditures.
- Fewer Prior Experiences - More Prior Experiences
- This is the first time students will be preparing a family spending plan. As a result, the examples are relatively simple and straightforward. As the students grow in their knowledge of spending plans, the scenarios will gradually increase in difficulty.
- Surface Comprehension - Deep Knowledge
- This lesson is surface comprehension as it is one of the first examples students will have of creating a family spending plan. This lesson lays the base knowledge for future activities.
- Shorter Duration Plan - Longer Duration Plan
- This lesson is part of a shorter duration plan - about 2-3 weeks for the budgeting and financial statements unit.
- More Structured Learning - Less Structured Learning
- As we move through the unit, it moves from a more structured learning environment to a less structured environment. Since this lesson is at the beginning of the unit, it will be more structured learning.
- Whole Group - Small Group - Individual
- I will follow the Gradual Release of Responsibility model. Instruction will begin as whole group, then transition to small group or partner work. After a check of understanding, instruction will move to individual instruction.
- No Additional Resources Required - Multiple Additional Resources Required
- Additional resources include the family scenarios (shared via Google Drive) and a blank Google Spreadsheet. Another resource would be the student's computers, which we are a 1:1 district.
TPACK Activity Types
* There are not TPACK Activity Types for Business/Financial Literacy. I will be using the activity types from math because students are calculating budgets.
- Practice - do computation
- Interpret - develop an argument
- Create - create a product (budget)
Assessment Plan
The assessment for this lesson will be a formative one. After the whole group example, students will work collaboratively in small groups or with a parter. Groups will then compare their spending plans with each other and offer feedback. Then the same will be done with the whole class. After I check for understanding from the small group/partner work, students will then complete a family spending plan individually. This will be turned in for personalized feedback and to check for understanding. A summative assessment will be given at the conclusion of the unit.
Materials: Used by the Teacher
- Powerpoint - for basic information on spending plans
- Family spending plan scenarios - shared with students via Google Drive
Materials: Used by the Students
- Family spending plan scenarios
Technologies: Used by the Teacher
- KaHoot
- Powerpoint
- computer
- Excel or Google Spreadsheets
- Smartboard
- Apple TV
- Google Drive
Technologies: Used by the Students
- Computer
- Excel or Google Spreadsheets
- Google Drive
Instructional Procedures
This lesson will begin with a KaHoot. The KaHoot will be projected to the Smartboard via Apple TV airplay. The purpose of the KaHoot is to determine students' prior knowledge related to spending plans and the terminology (fix expenses, variable expenses, net gain, net loss, financial liquidity, deductions, earned income, unearned income, etc). After the KaHoot, the teacher will lead the students through a short Powerpoint presentation to introduce what spending plans are, why spending plans are important, the steps in creating a spending plan, and the terminology associated with spending plans.
Once the presentation is complete, the class will review what they have just learned by having the teacher verbally ask questions and students discuss with their table partners before discussing as a whole group.
At this time, the teacher will share the first example (teacher-centered for modeling purposes) of the family spending plan to students through Google Drive. The class will read the family scenario out loud to determine what is currently happening in the family and determine what changes need to occur. The teacher will model how she highlights key elements of the scenario in Google Drive that might be useful when preparing the spending plan. For example, when the scenario states, "Tina currently saves $200 a month and puts the money into her child's college fund account. However, she would like to increase this amount by $100 for this month and all future months." This statement, as well as other statements, will be very important to remember when preparing the spending plan.
After the entire scenario has been analyzed, it is now time to prepare the spending plan. The teacher and students will open a blank Excel spreadsheet or Google Spreadsheet. (Note: Students have prior knowledge of both spreadsheets and are able to create formulas within the cells.) First, the teacher will model how she creates the two major categories - income and expenses. After that, subcategories are created. Subcategories for income include earned income and unearned income. Subcategories for expenses include: housing, transportation, savings (pay yourself first), food, entertainment, communication, etc. Students carefully re-read the scenario to determine if any other categories or subcategories need to be added to the spreadsheet at this time.
Once all the categories are created, students enter the formulas into the spreadsheet. Prior to this lesson, students learned this skill. The teacher has the students compare their formulas with their table partners, then the teacher models the correct formulas for the class. Students make corrections and quickly discuss mistakes, if needed.
Now it is time to enter the monetary amounts into each category. The teacher and students refer back to the scenario and their highlighted notes to determine what needs to go on the spending plan. While this occurs, the formulas previously entered will calculate the amount of income vs. expenditures. This will continue until all necessary amounts have been added to the spreadsheet.
The spending plan is now complete....maybe. The teacher will ask the students to critically analyze the spending plan and determine what areas could/should be changed for the financial well-being of the family in the scenario. Students will have a few minutes to review the plan themselves, then with their table partners. Once everyone has ample time to review the spending plan, a conversation will take place on possible changes to make to the plan, why they think the change needs to occur, and where the money should go. For example, if the family is spending $350 a month on restaurants and the students think it should be reduced to $200, where will the extra $150 go? Into the savings category? Use it to pay down the credit card debt? A combination of several?
At this time, the teacher will share the first example (teacher-centered for modeling purposes) of the family spending plan to students through Google Drive. The class will read the family scenario out loud to determine what is currently happening in the family and determine what changes need to occur. The teacher will model how she highlights key elements of the scenario in Google Drive that might be useful when preparing the spending plan. For example, when the scenario states, "Tina currently saves $200 a month and puts the money into her child's college fund account. However, she would like to increase this amount by $100 for this month and all future months." This statement, as well as other statements, will be very important to remember when preparing the spending plan.
After the entire scenario has been analyzed, it is now time to prepare the spending plan. The teacher and students will open a blank Excel spreadsheet or Google Spreadsheet. (Note: Students have prior knowledge of both spreadsheets and are able to create formulas within the cells.) First, the teacher will model how she creates the two major categories - income and expenses. After that, subcategories are created. Subcategories for income include earned income and unearned income. Subcategories for expenses include: housing, transportation, savings (pay yourself first), food, entertainment, communication, etc. Students carefully re-read the scenario to determine if any other categories or subcategories need to be added to the spreadsheet at this time.
Once all the categories are created, students enter the formulas into the spreadsheet. Prior to this lesson, students learned this skill. The teacher has the students compare their formulas with their table partners, then the teacher models the correct formulas for the class. Students make corrections and quickly discuss mistakes, if needed.
Now it is time to enter the monetary amounts into each category. The teacher and students refer back to the scenario and their highlighted notes to determine what needs to go on the spending plan. While this occurs, the formulas previously entered will calculate the amount of income vs. expenditures. This will continue until all necessary amounts have been added to the spreadsheet.
The spending plan is now complete....maybe. The teacher will ask the students to critically analyze the spending plan and determine what areas could/should be changed for the financial well-being of the family in the scenario. Students will have a few minutes to review the plan themselves, then with their table partners. Once everyone has ample time to review the spending plan, a conversation will take place on possible changes to make to the plan, why they think the change needs to occur, and where the money should go. For example, if the family is spending $350 a month on restaurants and the students think it should be reduced to $200, where will the extra $150 go? Into the savings category? Use it to pay down the credit card debt? A combination of several?
The students will either email or shared their spreadsheet with the teacher.
I am using the Gradual Release of Responsibility model, and this was the teacher-focused lesson. The next example students will complete will be done collaboratively in groups. When each group is finished, they will peer review each other's work and discuss why they made the decisions they made. The teacher will continuously be checking for understanding by asking students questions and making observations. Finally, students will complete a family spending plan independently and send it to the teacher for personalized feedback.
