2014-2015 Current Issues Class

Class:   Beginning in September, I am offering a “Current Issues” class that will have a heavy economics and government/civics emphasis, but will also include geography, culture, and global studies.   The course will count for a ½ credit Social Science elective according to KY standards. 

Age:   Mature 8^th graders – 12^th graders.

How Students Will Learn:  This is NOT a typical drill-and-memorize the facts course.  Students will be engaged in project-based learning through online and in-class simulations, debating and discussing issues and role-playing different perspectives.  Using book excerpts, news articles, film clips, maps, and a class website, students will get to work in groups and tailor in-depth projects to their specific interests.  My goal will be for students to feel connected to the issues we cover and for students to find them relevant to their lives.    After all, research supports that students learn more when they are engaged and see the subject as important!!

Specific Content:  In the fall semester, there will be an on-going in-class personal finance simulation in which students will be given an income and must manage a budget (including purchasing a house and car, acquiring loans and determining payments based on different interest rates, paying federal, state, and local taxes, buying a health insurance policy, and investing their money for retirement).  The simulation will be a springboard for other current issues, such as investigating health care reform, the federal budget (where exactly is your tax money going), recession, inflation and the stock market.  Everyone will become very familiar with various economic terms. 

The second semester will involve an on-going simulation in which students act as members of government.  Content may include, but not be limited to the U.S. military, terrorism, Iraq and Afghanistan, the Arab/Israeli conflict, Iran, the role of the media in influencing public opinion, and various other political hot topics.  Not only will kids have to think like U.S. and/or foreign officials, we will also consider how economics can help us understand human behavior and current events.   How deeply we delve into topics will depend on the group’s interest. 

Class Meeting time:  We will meet three to four times a month from September through May.  Class meeting will be an hour and half on Fridays.  The exact time and location is TBD.  Outside class time will be 30 minutes to 1 hour per week.  During the rest of the week, students will be able to talk to each other (and me) on the class website.

Method of Assessment:  Will be determined by two student-chosen projects (one each semester) where kids will take the information we are learning and create something meaningful with it.  I will provide a grade if the parent or student requests one. 

If your child is uncertain about the class, you may pay for them to attend the first month to try it out!!

 Cost:  $10 per month (includes cost of handouts and a donation to church for use of classroom)

Feel free to email me any questions!! 

A Stock Market Workshop!

Class offered to homeschoolers:

A fun and hands-on Introduction to the Stock Market workshop with two components:

1)  The first component is a three hour problem-based learning style workshop in which students play the role of investors and business owners in a group simulation.  They will work collaboratively to problem-solve and hypothesize (using real scenarios) the basics of how money is earned and lost, and then determine how they would like to invest their own 100,000 dollars of virtual money.  Finally, Each class member will create their own virtual portfolio and trade stocks in real time using an online stock market simulation.

Using group problem-based learning methods (instead of lecture and worksheet format), we will cover questions during the workshop such as:  What are stocks?  What is the stock market?  Why invest money in it?  How do you make and lose money in the stock market?  What is important about diversifying and risk?

2)  Students will have unlimited access to buy and trade for 16 weeks following the workshop.  They will also have access to a private class website where they can discuss and view the portfolios of their fellow class members (and thus engage in a bit of friendly competition!), receive real news updates that may determine how they want to alter their investments, and participate in a discussion forum with me and other students.    

Class is limited to 15 students. 

To register, email me at amykrueger05@yahoo.com

Specifics

Ages:  For 6-10^th graders

Subject/s:  Social Studies-primarily Economics.  However, the lessons learned from the simulation easily carry over into American History and Math. 

A later workshop will be offered building on the experience of the first one in which we will cover more advanced market concepts and the Great Depression.   

Rationale:  To gain a better understanding of personal finance and the impact of the stock market on the health of the economy as a whole.

KY Learning Standards:  Academic Expectation 2.18:  Students understand economic principles and are able to make economic decisions that have consequences in daily living.

Instructor:  Amy Krueger, a certified Social Science educator with 8 years experience in the classroom, 2 years experience teaching homeschoolers, 3 years experience of homeschooling her daughters, and over 20 hours of graduate level work.  

Cost:   $35  *10% of proceeds will be donated to the Against Malaria Foundation, an organization that provides long-lasting insecticidal bednets for women in children in Africa to protect them from mosquitoes spreading malaria. 

Location and Time:   September 10^th from 1:00-4:00 at First Baptist Church in Paducah

 

Round-up of Great Back-to-School Homeschooling Posts

Here are a few of my favorite reads to get the creative juices and inspiration for the school year flowing...
 
Simple and Effective:  20 Ways to put More Joy Into Your Homeschooling Day

How do Kids Really Learn to Write? by author, educator,blogger and homeschooling mom Patricia Zaballos. 

Keeping the "end" in mind with Graduation Goals and a Long Term Vision from blogger Renee Tougas at FIMBY. 

If you aren't feeling inspired to begin the year yet, look for some ideas with Julie Bogart of Bravewriter : Why do you want to homeschool after all?
(her blog is also a treasure trove of  fabulous writing tips and ideas)