My Choices in Life

Many students do not understand how choices can affect their lives. 9th grade Economics students will be required to randomly chose a career. They then will research the salary amount for that particular career. They will then be required to prepare a budget that includes a place to live, utility bills, car payment, grocery bills, gas, education expenses, medical bills, clothes and entertainment. They will also get hit with surprises along the way that they did not anticipate such as medical emergencies, car problems, etc. They will journal each day about their feelings through this process. Did anything surprise them--Ex costs of things, difficulty finding a place to live. They must stay on budget throughout the entire process. They will need to prepare a presentation of their budget to share with the class.