Lesson Plan #: AELP-APM0015

The Game of Life

An Educator's Reference Desk Lesson Plan

Submitted by: Larissa Fillingim
Email: LDF0653@acs.tamu.edu
School/University/Affiliation: Texas A&M University in College Station, TX

Date: April 29, 1999

Grade Level(s): 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, Higher education, Vocational education, Adult/continuing education

Subject(s):

Duration: 1 semester

Description: The objective of this lesson is to not only work on basic math skills such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and subtraction, but to also gain an understanding of money and how it is used in the real world.

Goals: It is hoped that by the end of the lesson the students are able to use (or at least understand) basic math skills to live and produce in society. They are expected to be able to assess a situation and draw from that the necessary information to solve the problem. They will hopefully learn the concept of money.

Objectives: Students will be able to:
1. solve basic math problems using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
2. apply basic math skills to solving "real world" problems.
3. solve percentage problems.
4. develop an awareness of money and how to use it in a social situation.
5. explain a math procedure using the correct terminology. (i.e. add, subtract, plus, minus, multiply, etc.)

Materials:

Procedure:
1. Have a class discussion on money. Discuss how it is used everyday. (i.e. lunch money, buying clothes, buying a soda, buying a car, etc.)
2. Ask the class and discuss about working and holding a job.
3. Tell the class that each student is going to be an employee of the teacher. The teacher will pay each student a salary every week or so. The students will be paid on commission. Discuss what it means to be paid on commission.
4. Tell the students that they will have to manage living on their own with the salary that they are given. They will then find a place to live by looking in the apartment book. (Living with a friend or relative is not an option.)
5. The students will figure out the monthly costs of living. (rent, food, utilities, medical expenses, etc.)
6. The teacher will occasionally short-change the students to see if they are doing their calculations and understanding what is going on.
7. The students will keep a journal of their transactions.
 

Assessment: Students should be able to:
1. complete a journal of the semester's transactions and calculations.
2. complete five word problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and percentage.
3. write five word problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and percentage.