PBS: Personal Financial Freedom - Student Blogging

Details

Activity Description

The videos and activities at PBS can be a good way to introduce financial literacy to your students. As part of this activity you will be showing at least the introductory video and then having your students blog about their thoughts regarding financial literacy and financial freedom. Many other activities are also available at the site.

Preparation

1. The instructions for the lesson are posted at the Example Web Site. Here is the entire Facilitators Guide (pdf) for the "Your Life, Your Money" PBS Program.
2. The videos on the site are Adobe Flash based, so be sure you can play them on your computer. Start by watching the "Your Life, Your Money" videos (the entire video or the individual parts). Decide whether you want to show the entire video or if you want to spread this activity out over several days, in which case, be prepared to show the parts you want. You can get the transcript at the bottom under Transcript (pdf) if watching the video is not possible.
3. Create an account at one of the blogging sites. Edublogs , Blogger , or Weebly are recommended, but if you and your class already use another site, you can use that too.
4. Print or digitally send the Example Document (see above) to the students. It outlines the questions the students will be blogging about.
5. On your blog, post this quote: "It was once said by a civil rights leader that the last leg in civil rights is financial literacy. 1) What do you think this means and what is your reaction to this statement? 2) What do you think is the relationship between civil rights and financial literacy? Between freedom and financial literacy?"

How-To

1. Open the class discussion about financial freedom.
2. Show the opening segment of the video "Your Life, Your Money." Stop the video where the video shows the name of the host, Donald Faison begins talking about him getting his first big movie role.
3. Have student access and open the Example Document you sent them electronically.
4. Demonstrate how to access your blog and show them how to answer the questions you have posted there. Assign students to answer questions before the next class period. Remind them to include their names on their answer.
5. At the next class period, open your blog and read class answers. Follow through with more questions asking students to expound on their answers or add to other students' responses.
6. Discuss areas the class would like to investigate to learn more about financial literacy. Areas included at this Web site are:
   • Making It and Keeping It (The discussion you have started with your class comes from the Making It and Keeping It section.)
   • Make Your Money Work For You
   • Digging Out of Debt
   • Start Saving
   • Get Insured
   • Do It Yourself
7. Make a plan of the topics the students want to discuss.
8. Schedule the plan.

Teacher Tips

• Take time to get to know all the materials available at the Web site.

More Ways

• The Web site includes an online game (tab: Play the Game), online calculators, quizzes and a glossary (tab: Tools and Resources), and lessons and activities (tab: Educators and Families).

Program Areas

• ABE: Adult Basic Education

Levels

• Low
• Intermediate
• High
• All Levels

View Documents

View Subjects

View Tags