My Other Life
A Real Life Math Problem
Learners For high school math students Goal Students will learn how to use math and a spreadsheet to create a budget and live off of an income, buy a car, buy a house, and ultimately survive. Using social media will make this experience come more alive to the students. Social Media Resources Edmond Skype Padlet |
Overview for Teachers
Congratulations you’ve been hired!
You’re hard work in college has really paid off. You have a job and you’re moving to the city where the job is located. Here’s what you need to do to start out:
- Students will choose a major that interests them from the Major List. If they “can’t choose” a major then the category “high school diploma” will be assigned to them. The teacher will provide them with information about their chosen career using the Major List with More Information sheet.
- Students will then choose someone they know (friend, family member) from another city that they could skype with. The students are going to pretend their new job is in that city. As part of the project they will skype with their friend and find out how much it costs to live in that city. A list of things to ask is included below.
- Students will sign up for Edmodo and join the “My Other Life” class group. Every week of the project the students are required to post at least twice to class discussion board and reply to three other peoples posts (they are welcome to do more if they want to). They are posting as if they are this new person beginning their life in a new city.
- Every week, starting in week 4, the students need to track expenses and update their budget regularly. They also need to choose an “event” from the “Life Happens” jar. Some of the events are good, some are bad. They will all effect the students’ budgets. The students need to post to Edmodo each week about their event. This counts as one of their two required posts.
Congratulations you’ve been hired!
You’re hard work in college has really paid off. You have a job and you’re moving to the city where the job is located. Here’s what you need to do to start out:
- Choose a major from the Major List. Your teacher will then give you information related to your new job that you will use in your budget.
- Choose a person you can Skype with from another city. The city that person lives in will be the city you are “moving to.”
- Sign up for Edmodo using the code 2b3ak2 to get into the class “My Other Life” group. You are required to post twice a week to the class group and reply to 3 posts each week. You can do more if you want to.
- Pick a new name for yourself, just a first name and an initial for your last name (Hal B. or Laz M.). Introduce yourself on Edmodo telling us what name you will be using for this project, your new job, your starting salary, and what city you are moving to.
Week 1
Skype with friend from another city. Ask questions about how much it costs to live in that city. Find out about things like: what is the cost of gas, how much do groceries for one person for one-week cost, how much it costs to rent an apartment, how much is public transportation, how much are utilities, what other costs would you have to pay. Post to Edmodo a picture of you skyping with your friend.
Week 2
Create a budget on Google Sheets using the information you found and the Job Spreadsheet. Don’t forget to include rent, food, utilities (water, gas, electric), college loan payment, cell phone, cable bill (if you want cable), clothes, transportation to work (you don’t have a car, you have to take the bus), savings, etc. Post to Edmodo a screenshot of your budget. Sample Budget
Week 3
Create a bio of yourself on Padlet (you will have to create a Padlet account). Link your padlet board to the class padlet board. Make sure your board includes: your name, pictures of the town you’re moving to, information about your job, a screenshot of your budget, other important information. Post to Edmodo the link to your Padlet board.
Create a budget on Google Sheets using the information you found and the Job Spreadsheet. Don’t forget to include rent, food, utilities (water, gas, electric), college loan payment, cell phone, cable bill (if you want cable), clothes, transportation to work (you don’t have a car, you have to take the bus), savings, etc. Post to Edmodo a screenshot of your budget. Sample Budget
Week 3
Create a bio of yourself on Padlet (you will have to create a Padlet account). Link your padlet board to the class padlet board. Make sure your board includes: your name, pictures of the town you’re moving to, information about your job, a screenshot of your budget, other important information. Post to Edmodo the link to your Padlet board.
Week 4
Beginning this week you will be “living off your budget.” You need to track your expenses each week. Each week you will pick an “event” out of the “Life Happens” jar. Use your money to deal with the event you choose. Post to Edmodo each week what your event was and how you dealt with it.
Week 5 – 14
Keep track of expenses and pick a scenario out of the “Life Happens” jar each week. Also keep posting to Edmodo about how your new life is going.
Week 8
You decide to buy a car. Using the internet and Google Sheets figure out how much you will have to pay each month for your car and include that into your budget. (You can choose to buy a used car.) Don’t forget to include cost for gas, insurance, parking, car repair/oil changes. Post to Edmodo a picture of your new car.
Week 11
You want to look into buying a house. Using the internet and Google Sheets figure out how much you will have to pay each month for your house and include that in your budget. Don’t forget to include cost for taxes and house repairs. If you decide not to buy a house you need to justify your decision on your Padlet board. Post to Edmodo a picture of your new house (if you choose to buy one).
Week 15
Write a reflection on your “Other Life” experience.
Beginning this week you will be “living off your budget.” You need to track your expenses each week. Each week you will pick an “event” out of the “Life Happens” jar. Use your money to deal with the event you choose. Post to Edmodo each week what your event was and how you dealt with it.
Week 5 – 14
Keep track of expenses and pick a scenario out of the “Life Happens” jar each week. Also keep posting to Edmodo about how your new life is going.
Week 8
You decide to buy a car. Using the internet and Google Sheets figure out how much you will have to pay each month for your car and include that into your budget. (You can choose to buy a used car.) Don’t forget to include cost for gas, insurance, parking, car repair/oil changes. Post to Edmodo a picture of your new car.
Week 11
You want to look into buying a house. Using the internet and Google Sheets figure out how much you will have to pay each month for your house and include that in your budget. Don’t forget to include cost for taxes and house repairs. If you decide not to buy a house you need to justify your decision on your Padlet board. Post to Edmodo a picture of your new house (if you choose to buy one).
Week 15
Write a reflection on your “Other Life” experience.
AECT Standards Alignment based on AECT Standards, 2012 Version:
1.2 Content Knowledge: Using
1.3 Content Knowledge: Assessing/Evaluating
2.1 Content Pedagogy: Creating
2.2 Content Pedagogy: Using
5.1 Research: Theoretical Foundations
1.2 Content Knowledge: Using
1.3 Content Knowledge: Assessing/Evaluating
2.1 Content Pedagogy: Creating
2.2 Content Pedagogy: Using
5.1 Research: Theoretical Foundations
Ed Tech 541 Projects by Cindy Godowill is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.