Fifth-graders get life lesson in cost-of-living project

[teach1st]

Fifth-graders get life lesson in cost-of-living project (http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2006/jun/03/fifthgraders_get_life_lesson_costliving_project/?opinion)
Naples News, 6/3

Virginia Craig was an investment banker for 18 years before becoming a teacher two years ago.

She drew from her background for a consumer economics lesson.

Craig's fifth-grade gifted class at Sabal Palm Elementary School in Golden Gate Estates used a Daily News series of stories on affordable housing as a resource. The series included profiles of readers who are having problems affording to live in Southwest Florida. Each of Craig's students selected one of those profiles to research making ends meet. Then the students wrote letters to the editor about what they learned.

With last names omitted due to a school system privacy policy, here are excerpts from five of them:

More (http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2006/jun/03/fifthgraders_get_life_lesson_costliving_project/?opinion)

[Kazmig]

Great project, this would be awesome to do.

[sid63usm]

That is similar to Finance Park activities. I know social studies teachers give students a profile of an income, size of family, and job title. Students have to figure out what kind of car they can buy, etc. When they start talking after they return from their day at Finance Park, some seem to value education a little more.

I some ways that program should be part of the math program, because of all the math that is included in the activities they have to do before they go for the day.

[re-re]

Our math and social studies worked together on Finance Park. Interest, principal and percents and decimals are an intregal part of the program. This is cool too

[HOPE]

WOW!!! I am so impressed after reading these students' letters!! So articulate and mature!

A great class project! What a unique and impacting way to have these students learn some valuable and real life lessons!

Hopefully it (the desire for education and the need to be able to earn a salary to be able to support oneself) will be combined with finding out what your passion is and being able to do what will give you personal fulfillment, as well.

(Brings to mind the age old question - if I had it to do all over again; if I knew then what I know now, would I do it differently?? No real regrets, just that some life lessons are only learned through experience.) :**