Teaching Second Grade By: Kim Cruz Sarah Daggs Melissa Garcia

What is Junior Achievement? The Junior Achievement Program uses hands-on experiences to help young people understand the economics of everyday life. In partnership with businesses, educators and the many volunteers Junior Achievement brings real world situations to students at a level each can understand. It is said the altogether the Junior Achievement reaches approximately 6.6 million students worldwide. Here in the Costal Bend the Junior Achievement Program is headed up by a Mrs. Jayne Woodall.

Junior Achievement Orientation n In order to do this teaching project, we first had to go to orientation. The orientation itself lasted about an hour. n After filling out multiple papers, we were each assigned to a school and a class of students, along with this we were given a satchel. This included, a lesson plan for five weeks, and all the materials such as stickers, worksheets, table tents, posters, ballots, and play money. All of these items would have been needed in order for us to deliver and complete the curriculum. n Also at orientation we learned how to dress, how to contact the teacher, prepare for our lessons, and we received general knowledge about how to teach the class.

Dress Code: What to wear? Students should wear: Slacks/Khakis properly sized and fitted Slacks/Khakis properly sized and fitted Polo style or button up shirts Polo style or button up shirts College logo t-shirts/sweatshirts College logo t-shirts/sweatshirts Closed toe shoes Closed toe shoes Skirts/dresses no higher than 2 inches above the knee Skirts/dresses no higher than 2 inches above the knee Hair must be neatly groomed Hair must be neatly groomed

Dress Code: What not to wear? Students should not wear: D Tank tops, halter tops, spaghetti straps, midriffs, or low cut tops D Muscle shirts D Clothing with foul language/obscene images D Torn clothing D Hats or caps D Flip flops D Unconventional hairstyles

Preparing for Class For each upcoming lesson my partner and I, set aside time and got together the night before class to review the curriculum. During this time we gathered all the materials, cutting and separating everything we needed to complete the lesson, in order to fully maximize our time teaching. We also took this time and brainstormed for additional ideas we could use to motivate the children to learn. For each upcoming lesson my partner and I, set aside time and got together the night before class to review the curriculum. During this time we gathered all the materials, cutting and separating everything we needed to complete the lesson, in order to fully maximize our time teaching. We also took this time and brainstormed for additional ideas we could use to motivate the children to learn.

Lesson One How does a community work? n In this first lesson the students studied a poster illustrating a community to identify typical jobs. They developed an awareness of how people live and work together in a community. n In the activity we had the students place stickers on their smaller posters that identified a certain person, and asked them: What is this person doing? Why do we need this person in our community? Do you know someone who does this? Would you like to do this? Why or why not? n At the end of the activity we went around asking the students what they wanted to do when they grow up, and asked what sort of work their parents

Lesson Two Sweet O’ Donuts n In the second lesson, the students learned about different production strategies to see which one would make the most donuts and the most money. n The students learned that there were two types of production, unit production, where one worker makes a complete product, and assembly line production, when several workers make a product, each doing a special part. n They were separated into two groups, in the unit production group each student cut out their donuts, put stickers and colored them by themselves. They made 15 donuts in 3 minutes. n The assembly line production group was arranged in a line and each student was assigned a different task, one student cut donuts, different students put stickers, one student colored. They made 9 donuts in 3 minutes.

Lesson Three The Role Of Government n In lesson three, students learned about the economic role of government in a community by identifying services that government provides for its citizens. They also learned about why the government must collect taxes. n We talked about different jobs in the community, both government and civilian. And also what it would be like if we didn’t have a firefighter, police officer, etc. n In the activity 8 students were picked, each having a different job, they were give 5 dollars play money, and told that two of those dollars would have to go towards paying taxes money that businesses and people must pay for government goods and services.

Lesson Four A New Business n In lesson four, the students learned the importance of decision making when they voted for a new store in their community. n Three candidates were running for mayor and each one wanted to bring a different business into the community. The three options were: an animal shelter, skate park, or a toy store. n We made a decision tree listening the pros and cons of each business. n We had each student individual place their ballot. n In this lesson the students learned about decisions, and how they are important, they also learned about voting, making your sure your voice counts, and about how majority votes win.

Voting time Vote Here The winning business at Meadowbrook Elementary was the skate park. The winning business at Flour Bluff Primary was the animal shelter.

Lesson Five Money Movers n In this lesson, the students learned about how money flows through a community. n In this activity we had 8 students come up to the front and each were assigned to work at a different shop. To go along with this activity, was a cassette that played a song, showing how money travels from the back, to the consumer and through the community before finally reaching the bank.

How money circulates?

Graduation At the end of the program, each child received a Certificate of Achievement for completing the Junior Achievement Program.

Pre and Post-Questionnaire 1. Name two jobs that you would like to do in your community when you are older? 2. What is unit production? 3. What is an assembly-line production? 4. Who pays the police officer and public school teacher? 5. Why do people make choices? 6. What is money?

Pre and Post-Questionnaire Answers

Student Reactions n The students enjoyed the lessons and activities in the book. n Their favorite activities were the donuts, voting and the money movers, which were visual and hands on activities. n The students were always excited when we came to visit and were interested in the activities. n The students looked forward to us coming back and asked us when we would next be there, they would also hug us as soon as we walked in the door, up until the time we had had to leave!

Working with a Partner vs. Working Alone n I worked alone on the project and had 22 students in my Flour Bluff Primary class. I never had a problem with passing out papers or keeping the class busy. n I asked different students to help me pass out papers in the class and I came early when they were still in P.E. and set up everything that I would need to pass out that day.

Working with a Partner vs. Working Alone n Since there was two of us, and only 13 students so things ran rather smoothly. n Each class day we would arrive 10 minutes early to set up while the students were still working on their math journal. n When we started the lesson we always had the students sit on the carpet, this is where we had our discussion, and when it came time for the activity we had them return to their seats. n Each week we alternated one of us would lead the discussion while the other lead the activity.

What we learned In the program we learned: n Patience n Learning how to communicate with the students at a level that they would understand n Discipline n What it’s like to prepare and be a teacher n Learn that all students are different in their own unique way

The End