JA Finance Park®
Program Overview
JA Finance Park helps students build a foundation upon which they can make intelligent financial decisions that last a lifetime, including decisions related to income, expenses, savings, and credit.
The JA Finance Park program is composed of 13 required teacher-taught, in-class lessons. It culminates in a hands-on budgeting simulation that is implemented either at a JA Finance Park facility, mobile unit, or virtual site. Additional extension activities are available for each lesson topic. Lessons are offered in a traditional classroom presentation format designed for middle-grade students, and in a Project-Based Learning (PBL) format created for high school students. Both provide educators a method of delivery that will best meet the needs of their students. (Grades 7-12)
| Pillars of Student Success | Entrepreneurship: | Financial-Literacy: | Work-Readiness: |
|---|
| Program Implementation | Program Grade-Level |
|---|---|
| JA Capstone | Middle and High School |
| Program Concepts | Program Skills |
|---|---|
| Banking, Benefits, Budgets, Buying, Careers, Choices, Consumers, Credit, Debt, Exchange, Expenses, Income, Interest rates, Investments, Government, Money, Needs, Opportunity costs, Risk, Salary, Saving, Savings, Scarcity, Social Security, Taxes, Wages, Wants | Active listening, Analysis, Applying information, Brainstorming, Budgeting, Cause and effect, Charting, Comparing, Computation, Critical thinking, Data collection, Decision making, Filling out forms, Following directions, Graphing, Interpersonal communication, Interpreting data, Listening, Math computation, Negotiation, Observation, Planning, Problem solving, Reading, Research, Role-playing, Self-reflection, Spending, Taking responsibility, Teamwork, Writing, Verbal communication |
Program Sessions
Income
Students recognize the fundamental role of income in managing their personal finances and the factors that affect income and take-home pay. Students begin to understand that the decisions they make about education and career will have an impact on their potential income and quality of life.
Option One: Traditional Lesson Format
Three (Required) 45-Minute Lessons
- Lesson One: Plan Your Future
Students will make the distinction between abilities, aptitudes, interests, work preferences, and values. They will explore various sources of income, including salaries and wages, interest, and business profit. - Lesson Two: Careers
Students identify their career interests and goals as a way to earn future income. They set a career goal they will revisit at the end of the program. - Lesson Three: Taxes and My Income
Students learn the three main sources of government's tax on income and determine net monthly income by deducting federal income tax, Social Security, and Medicare deductions.
Option Two: Project-Based Learning Lesson Format
Four (Required) 45-Minute Lessons
- Lesson One: My Life: Got Skills?
Students will rate their interests, abilities, and values. They will determine work preferences and match them to career options. - Lesson Two: My Life: College or Not?
Students explore how their decisions about education and career have an impact on their income potential and quality of life. - Lesson Three: My Life: Where's All My Money? Part One
Students are introduced to the concept of taxes, why they are paid, and their impact on income. They will determine net monthly income. - Lesson Four: My Life: Where's All My Money? Part Two
Working in teams, students debate the use of tax dollars and how they are distributed.
Saving, Investing, and Risk Management
Students explore saving and compare investments as a part of their overall financial planning. They also examine risk and how insurance may help protect savings.
Option One: Traditional Lesson Format
Two (Required) 45-Minute Lessons
- Lesson One: Saving and Investing
Students are introduced to various short- and long-term saving and investment options such as savings accounts, stocks, and mutual funds. - Lesson Two: Managing Risk
Students recognize that insurance policies are a common way to minimize risk for accidents and unforeseen circumstances.
Option Two: Project-Based Learning Format
Two (Required) 45-Minute Lessons
- Lesson One: My Life–Pay Myself First?
Students examine how they can benefit from paying themselves first. They compare the impact that money, time, interest rates, and inflation have on the growth of their investment. - Lesson Two: My Life–Insurance Too?
Students recognize that insurance policies safeguard against risk by providing compensation in the event of sickness, injury, accidents, or other insured circumstances.
Debit and Credit
Students compare financial institutions and their services. Through discussion and a game activity they also weigh the advantages and disadvantages of debit and credit. Lastly, students examine the role of credit scores and credit reporting have on personal finances.
Option One: Traditional Lesson Format
Four (Required) 45-Minute Lessons
- Lesson One: Banking Partners
Students identify the types of financial institutions and the services they provide. - Lesson Two: Personal Spending
Students become aware of the advantages and disadvantages of debit and credit cards. - Lesson Three: Savvy Shopping
Students participate in the Savvy Shopper game and see first-hand the costs and benefits of debit and credit. - Lesson Four: Managing Credit
Students explore credit reports and credit scores, discover why they are important, and learn how to build good credit.
Option Two: Project-Based Learning Format
Three (Required) 45-Minute Lessons
- Lesson One: My Life–Financial Institutions
Students identify the various types of financial institutions and the services they provide. - Lesson Two: My Life–The Cost of Credit
Students explain the use of debit and credit cards and their advantages and disadvantages. - Lesson Three: My Life–My Credit Score
Students understand what a credit score is, why it is important, and how to build good credit.
Budget +
Students discover the importance of spending money wisely and recognize a budget as a valuable tool. They create personal budgets based on saving and lifestyle goals and day-to-day situations.
Option One: Traditional Lesson Format
Three (Required) 45-Minute Lessons
- Lesson One: Think Before You Spend
Students define what good money management is and why it is important. They discuss how setting financial goals and being an informed consumer will help them better manage their money. - Lesson Two: What is a Budget?
Students identify the components of a successful budget. - Lesson Three: Who Uses a Budget?
Students practice budgeting and learn how this tool can help them responsibly manage their daily finances.
Option Two: Project-Based Learning Format
Three (Required) 45-Minute Lessons Plus Project Preparation
- Lesson One: My Life - "Riches to Rags" . . . Not Me!
Students explore common reasons why people run into financial difficulty, including unemployment, medical bills, overextended credit, and poor decision making. - Lesson Two: My Life: Income - Expenses = Reality
Students identify the components of a successful budget and distinguish between different kinds of budgets. - Lesson Three: My Life – In Control of My Money
Students will make choices and discover how to maintain a budget. They will prepare a budget based on goals and income. - Culminating Project Preparation: Two class sessions or homework
Using the knowledge and skills gained from the JA Finance Park curriculum, students create a portfolio and presentation describing their education path, career path, savings goals, risk management strategy, or budget plan.
The Simulation and Debriefing
Simulation (applies to both Traditional and Project Based Learning Lesson Formats)
Students experience the JA Finance Park simulation, where they apply classroom learning by creating a family budget based on a hypothetical life situation. Students recognize the impact of credit history on budget planning and purchasing options.
Option One: Traditional Lesson Format
- Debriefing
During the debriefing, students revisit their career goals to see how the JA Finance Park experience may have changed their goals or plans for the future.
Option Two: Project-Based Learning Format
- My Life Presentation
Students present their insights and knowledge related to one of the four JA Finance Park curriculum sections.
Sponsor
Junior Achievement USA® (JA®, JA USA®) gratefully acknowledges KPMG LLP's commitment to the development and implementation of the JA Finance Park program.
JA appreciates its relationship with KPMG LLP, the national title sponsor of the JA Finance Park curriculum, in providing students with academically enriching, experiential-learning lessons based on financial literacy and work-readiness education.