PERSONAL FINANCIAL LITERACY

Business Education Department Secondary Hi ! Sc!oo" #$%&'#$%( Sc!oo" Year

CO)RSE DESCRIPTION* Students study topics such as establishing and prioritizing financial goals, understanding the cost of using credit, savings and investments, retirement plans, consumer rights, and protection of assets. Students will gain hand-on experience with investments in the stock market by participating in a mock investment game. Note: ny information given out in class is intended for the benefit of the student in his!her studies and should not be taken as investment advice. CREDIT* "ne credit that satisfies the #financial literacy$ graduation re%uirement. CO)RSE PHILOSOPHY* &his course teaches a wide variety of concepts related to personal financial management. Students will develop a financial plan and strategies to achieve their goals. variety of pro'ects and discussions will give students an awareness of many of the financial pitfalls of life and develop a foundation of knowledge in which they may begin to build a secure financial future. TER+INAL CO)RSE OB,ECTI-ES* (ifferentiate between types of decisions and identify those that re%uire a formal decision-making process. pply a rational decision-making process to various types of decisions at different stages of the life cycle. )se published consumer resources to collect information for making buying decisions. *xplain the role of credit in a market economy. +dentify sources of credit and the types of credit they offer. Select an appropriate form of credit for a particular buying decision. (etermine advantages and disadvantages of credit. *xplain credit ratings and describe why they are important to consumers in our economic system. (efine various types of income derived from investments. nalyze the factors that affect the rate of return on a given savings or investment plan. *xplain why a savings and investing plan changes as one proceeds through the life cycle. ,econcile a bank statement. -alculate personal tax liabilities for various types of taxes, such as property, income, sales, and .+- taxes. (escribe how legislation defines and protects consumer rights. +dentify actions that demonstrate the exercise of consumer rights and responsibilities. (escribe the purpose of various consumer laws, and explain how they affect the consumer/s well-being. )se rational decision-making process in the selection of possible career choices. CO)RSE O)TLINE*

0ersonal (ecision 1aking and -redit o 1aking 2etter (ecisions o Spending 3abits o 4hat is -redit5 o &ypes and Sources of -redit o *stablishing 6ood -redit o -redit ,atings and 7egal 0rotection o )sing -redit ,esponsibly o nalyzing and -omputing -redit -osts o Solving -redit 0roblems o 2ankruptcy 7aws and their 0urpose Savings and +nvestments o Saving for the .uture o +nvesting for 8our .uture o +nvesting in Stocks o +nvesting in 2onds o +nvesting in 1utual .unds, ,eal *state, and "ther lternatives o ,etirement and *state 0lanning

*arning 7iving and *xpenses o -hoosing 8our -areer o 0lanning 8our -areer o 9eeping 8our :ob o 0ay, 2enefits, and 4orking -onditions o .ederal +ncome &ax o 2udgets and .inancial ,ecords o -hecking ccounts and "ther 2anking Services o ,enting a ,esidence o 2uying a 3ome o 2uying and -aring for a ;ehicle

*During the third quarter, students will participate in a county-wide stock market game using an online stock trading simulation.

RE.)IRED +ATERIALS* ll students are re%uired to have the following materials in class every day: pocket folder with tabs 7oose leaf paper writing utensil &here will be at least one notebook check every %uarter. Students must have a dedicated, neat, and organized notebook with them in class to get credit. ,e%uired materials are 'ust thatre%uired. 7ack of preparation indicates a weak work ethic. /RADE DISTRIB)TION* #weighted points$ method will be used to calculate grades. &he student<s final grade for each %uarter will be determined as follows: County /radin Sca"e 3"1*4",9, -7 SS4",9 = >)+??*S @A B A E DAA F GA &*S&S CA B B E HG F HA 0,":*-&S D@ B C E IG F IA N"&*2""9 = 4 ,1 )0S D@ B D E JG F JA F E @G-below

E-AL)ATION +ETHODS* I. -7 SS!3"1* 4",9 1ost activities can!will be done in the classroom. 8ou will have occasional homeworkK -lass!homework activities-assignments may be in a variety of formats. Spe""in and rammar count on ALL assi nments0 +f absent, it is the student/s responsibility to make arrangement with the instructor for making up or for completion of the activity-assignment. N"&*2""9S Student is re%uired to keep all notes and class activities in a spiral notebook. &*S&S and >)+??*S &o ensure that you understand the material, there will be periodic %uizzes and tests in a variety of formats. 0,":*-&S *ach %uarter will have at least one ma1or pro'ect assigned. 0ro'ects will be covering the ma'or topic of the %uarter, such as Lbut not limited toM credit, banking, investing and financial markets. 4 ,1 )0S 4arm ups are re%uired *;*,8 ( 8. 4arm ups must be completed immediately upon entering the classroom, while the computer is booting up- not @ or DA minutes into class. &hese will be checked randomly and graded.

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CLASSROO+ R)LES* &his class revolves around the principle of: RECIPROCAL RESPECT ll students are to exhibit respect toward all things in the classroom. &his includes the teacher, fellow students, and e%uipment. +f you respect others you will in turn earn respect toward yourself. D. C. N. O. @. J. 2* 0,"10& 2* 0"S+&+;* 2* 0"7+&* 2* 0,*0 ,*( 2* 0,"()-&+;* 2* 0,".*SS+"N 7 *ach student will be responsible for the condition of his!her computer assigned for class use. ,eport any damage to the computer at the beginning of class. 0roper language must always be used. *ating and drinking are not permitted. ll general school rules apply to this class.

This is a business classroom; therefore it is imperative that we demonstrate professionalism at all times. ou can do this by following the above rules every day. DISCIPLINARY PROCED)RES* +f one or more of the classroom rules are broken the following steps will be taken: D. ;erbal warning C. 0hone call home = lunch detention N. ,eferral to the student/s vice principal = unsatisfactory citizenship notice !ote" class cuts, insubordination, use of vulgarity to teacher, or violent behavior, or threat of, will result in an automatic administrative referral. #evocation of computer $ %nternet privileges: )se of the computer and +nternet is a privilege. &he teacher may revoke access to the computer at any time. fter continued misuse of the computer or +nternet, the student/s login will simply be deleted. ll subse%uent assignments will have to be done with paper and pencil. ATTENDANCE POLICY AND PROCED)RES* 2County Policy3 +t is important for a student/s success to make every effort to be in school and class every day and on time. Students who are absent from school have three LNM days to bring in a written lawful absence excuse signed by his or her guardian or doctor. .ailure to bring in a written lawful absence note will result in an unlawful notice. Students who receive two LCM unlawful absence notices in a course during a %uarter will receive a failing grade for that sub'ect for the nine LGM week marking period. +n addition, students are to be in class on time. +f a student is unexcused tardy to a class three LNM times, he!she will receive an unlawful absence notice. +f a student is unexcused tardy to class an additional three LNM times, he!she will receive a second unlawful absence notice and will receive a failing notice for that course for that %uarter. ny combination of unlawful absences and!or unlawful tardies that accumulate to two unlawful absences will result in a failing grade for that course for that grading period. &he student and his!her guardian will be notified for each incident of unlawful absence. student will receive additional disciplinary action if he!she continues to be unexcused absent or tardy after the second LCndM unlawful absence notice has been issued for that %uarter.

S4ILLS FOR S)CCESS CORE LEARNIN/ /OALS What do high school students need to learn in addition to the knowledge and skills identified in required subjects like mathematics, English, science, and social studies?

1aryland/s high school graduates will face a very different world in the CDst century. 6one will be many of the 'obs that promised a lifetime of employment. 1any businesses and industries expect 'obs to appear and disappear rapidly as the demand for new products and services comes and goes and as competition increases in a global economy. -hange will be the norm rather than the exception. 7ifelong learning habits, flexibility, and adaptability will define those high school graduates who remain gainfully employed or successful in managing their own businesses in the next century. -ompetition for 'obs with possibility for advancement will also increase, and employers will demand more knowledge and skills for entry-level positions than ever before. 6one are the days when a Ith or Hth grade education or even a high school diploma and a strong back guaranteed access to a good 'ob. 2asic skills will remain important, and so will knowledge and skills in *nglish, mathematics, social studies, and science. 2ut employers want more than that. *mployers from around the nation have been nearly unanimous for more than a decade in asking high schools to produce graduates who: 9now how to learn and continue to learn throughout their lives. 4ork effectively with others. dapt to and use constantly changing technologies effectively. Solve problems routinely. &hink clearly and creatively. -ommunicate effectively. EFFECTI-E ,OB PERFOR+ANCE* &he Skills *mployers 4ant ,OB PERFOR+ANCE APPRAISAL D. C. N. O. @. J. I. H. ttendance 0unctuality 0ositive attitude >uantity of work >uality of work 4illingness to learn ttitude toward supervision. +nitiativePself-starter