UNIT 1: COMMUNITY & ECONOMY

• Lesson 1: What Is a Community?

  • This lesson introduces students to The McGrath Family JA BizTown and explains how JA BizTown is a community. Students will be able to: (1) define citizen, community, trade, business, rights and responsibilities and (2) explain responsibilities associated with citizen rights.

• Lesson 2: What Is an Economy?

  • This lesson introduces The McGrath Family JA BizTown citizens to the circular flow of economic activity that serves as a basic model of an economy. Citizens will be able to: (1) define goods, services, resources (human, natural, and capital), and economy and (2) describe the circular flow of economic activity.

• Lesson 3: What Is Free Enterprise?

  • This lesson introduces The McGrath Family JA BizTown citizens to the concept of free enterprise and decision making in a market economy. Citizens examine four economic freedoms in a free enterprise system. Citizens will be able to: (1) define scarcity and free enterprise, (2) identify the three basic economic questions (what, how, for whom to produce?) and (3) describe economic freedoms under free enterprise.

• Lesson 4: Why Do I Pay Taxes?

  • This lesson introduces The McGrath Family JA BizTown citizens to the role of government in a market economy. Citizens learn how governments provide public goods and services. Such goods and services must be paid for with taxes. Citizens will be able to: (1) define public goods and services as well as taxes, (2) describe characteristics of public goods and services and (3) explain why people pay taxes.

• Lesson 5: What Is Philanthropy?

  • This lesson introduces The McGrath Family JA BizTown citizens to the role of philanthropy in a community. Citizens learn how markets don't always provide things that communities need. Therefore, citizens and businesses engage in philanthropy (charitable giving) to support nonprofit organizations that work to make the community better. Citizens also learn about opportunity cost. Citizens will be able to: (1) define philanthropy and opportunity cost, (2) describe the role of nonprofit organizations and (3) explain the opportunity cost of decisions.

UNIT 2: FINANCIAL LITERACY

• Lesson 1: Why Use a Financial Institution?

  • This lesson introduces citizens to products of financial institutions. It helps them recognize and understand that banks and credit unions are businesses that play an important role in a community's circular flow of economic activity. Citizens will be able to: (1) explain that financial institutions are businesses, (2) name services that financial institutions provide and (3) describe the movement of money between banks and people or businesses.

• Lesson 2: How Do I Make a Deposit?

  • Citizens complete a bank account application and practice making deposits as they continue to explore how checkbooks work in preparation for The McGrath Family JA BizTown. Citizens will be able to: (1) name the parts of a checkbook, (2) complete a deposit ticket and maintain a check register correctly and (3) define net deposit.

• Lesson 3: How Do I Write a Check?

  • Citizens learn how to purchase items by writing checks and maintaining a check register in preparation for The McGrath Family JA BizTown visit. Citizens will be able to: (1) write a check and maintain a check register correctly and (2) describe the consequences of not sufficient funds.

• Lesson 4: Why Open a Savings Account?

  • Citizens learn the benefits of saving and the benefits of interest-earning accounts. Citizens will be able to: (1) state the benefit of an interest-earning savings account and (2) explain how money grows in a savings account.

UNIT 3: WORK-READINESS

• Lesson 1: Will I Be Ready for Work?

  • Citizens learn how interest and skills are linked to various job alternatives, as they learn for primary Career types: People, Ideas, Date and Things. Through role play, citizens learn the importance of being punctual, working as a team, dressing appropriately, and being polite to customers. Citizens will be able to: (1) define interest and skills, (2) explain the relevance of interest and skills to career exploration and planning, (3) explain the differences among four primary Career Types: People, Ideas, Data, and Things and (4) demonstrate appropriate workplace behaviors.

• Lesson 2: Why Is Teamwork Important?

  • This lesson introduces citizens to the value of teamwork as the participate in several problem-based learning activities. Through a series of workplace dilemmas, citizens begin to understand the importance of negotiation, conflict resolution, and entrepreneur, (2) explain the importance of teamwork in the world of work and (3) demonstrate teamwork skills and innovation in solving business dilemmas.

• Lesson 3: How Do I Get a Job?

  • After learning the importance of presenting oneself in an ethical and positive manner, citizens work individually to complete a JA BizTown Job Application. Citizens also learn how to interview effectively through practice. Citizens will be able to: (1) define job application, resume, ethics, job interview, and applicant, (2) complete a job application, (3) shake hands appropriately and (4) demonstrate proper interview skills.

• Lesson 4: How Do I Get Paid?

  • Citizens learn about payroll deductions to explain why their paycheck amount may be less than expected. This lesson provides an explanation of gross and net pay. Citizens will be able to: (1) define pay stub, gross pay, payroll taxes, and net pay, (2) explain why people pay taxes and (3) describe why the amount of pay received is less than the amount earned.

UNIT 4: BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

• Lesson 1: What Is a Quality Business?

  • This lesson prepares citizens for their The McGrath Family JA BizTown experience by examining the "best practices" used by many quality businesses. Citizens will be able to: (1) define how ranking relates to evaluation criteria, (2) define revenue as related to quality businesses and (3) relate "best practices" to criteria measurements.

• Lesson 2: How Do Businesses Succeed?

  • In this lesson citizens will read about The McGrath Family JA BizTown business sponsors in BizBriefs, a booklet describing those businesses. Citizens receive The McGrath Family JA BizTown job assignments at the end of this lesson. Citizens will be able to: (1) define quality business and (2) describe criteria that comprise a quality business.

• Lesson 3: What are Business Costs?

  • In this lesson, citizens begin to operate as a member of their business teams. After reviewing the importance of teamwork, business teams examine business costs and begin their preparatory business work in BizPrep. Citizens will be able to: (1) describe costs associated with operating a business and (2) calculate business expenses.

• Lesson 4: Which Price Is Best?

  • Working in their business teams, citizens recognize the importance of accurately setting the prices of goods and services to earn a profit. Citizens will be able to: (1) define selling price, revenue, and inventory, (2) describe factors that affect the selling price and (3) explain the relationship among revenue, costs, and profit.

• Lesson 5: Why Advertise?

  • Citizens learn the purpose of effective advertising and work together in their business teams to produce several advertisements for their businesses. Citizens will be able to: (1) define advertising and (2) describe characteristics of effective advertising.

• Lesson 6: What Else Should Be Prepared?

  • In this lesson, business teams review their Best Practices for a Quality Business and make final preparations for their visit to JA BizTown. Citizens will be able to: (1) understand how careful completion of details ensures a more successful JA BizTown visit and (2) acknowledge how effective teamwork and cooperation enhance each business team.

UNIT 5:AFTER-VISIT DEBRIEFING

• Lesson 1: What Did I Learn About Business?

  • This lesson allows citizens to review and evaluate their team's performance at The McGrath Family JA BizTown and to express appreciation for the visit in a business letter. Citizens will be able to: (1) evaluate team performance at The McGrath Family JA BizTown and (2) describe their JA BizTown experience in a business letter.

• Lesson 2: What Did I Learn About Economics?

  • This lesson encourages citizens to relate the experiences of The McGrath Family JA BizTown with specific economic terms and concepts. Citizens will be able to: (1) explain the circular flow of economic activity, (2) describe how citizens use financial institutions and (3) describe how citizens work within a quality business.

BIZTOWN IN ACTION