Objective: •The purpose of this lesson is for students to recognize how difficult it is to live on minimum wage and what factory work is like.
Game Play:
–To earn money students complete their assigned tasks. Then students have to pay bills but also react to “surprise” cards which require them to spend money on unexpected things such as speeding tickets, emergency room visits, and increases in rent.
What Students Should Learn?
•It is very hard to survive on min wage.
–You may need to work 2-3 jobs.
•To earn more than min wage, you need more skills or education. Just a HS diploma won’t make it.
–College isn’t for everyone, consider trades: (welding/electrical/HVAC/plumping)
–Factory work is hard, but is getting more high-tech.
•When you work, you have a “gross” pay and a “net” pay, or take-home pay. Then there are “surprises” or unexpected bills.
•Some jobs are inter-connected. You must depend on your fellow workers for your success and/or money you make.
•Life is unfair, there are winners and losers, have and have nots.
Alternative Assignment: Read the attached notes and complete the handout (25pts). For this assignment, your job will be a Envelope Maker & Stuffer making $7.25/hr, no bonus, and your surprise bill is $125 to fix a flat tire. See files below.