7th Grade Math Project Prepares Students for Real-world Finance

By Kevin Johnson

PJHS Math Teacher Jodee Bauman has been assigning her 7th-grade students a Real World Percentages project for the past 4 years. In this project, students use Xello, a popular application when it comes to the future careers of our students. They use a matchmaker questionnaire to find what jobs best suit their learning styles, hobbies, likes and dislikes, etc. They pick one of these recommended careers and start using their money in the way they would in real life. They pay their taxes, buy a home, buy a car, etc.

Mrs. Bauman even brought in guest speakers like Ryan Williams from Country Financial to talk about insurance and Angela Miller from Peoria Community Bank to talk about buying a house. This project helps teach students about interest, the price of real estate, how much bills cost, and how to make smart financial decisions. Mrs. Bauman told us “The money goes fast! It is important to save before you buy!” This is why she assigns this project, to let students know how to survive the struggles of financial independence, and how to overcome it.