The Game of Life Project
(300 points)
This project is designed to have you examine the world through an economic standpoint. Many of the research items will be highly pertinent to you in a few years. Each page should include colorful pictures, diagrams, collages, or pop-outs. 20 Extra credit will be given to projects with outstanding creativity. Due February 5th, 2015
Page 1: Title Page ( ____/10 points)
· Colorful & Creative
o May include your career, your husband/wife, your children, home, etc.
· Includes all group members’ names, period, and date.
Page 2-4: Career Choice ( ____/50 points)
· Research whether your character will go to college or begin a career
o Page 2 must include the costs of one Southern California College
§ Tuition
§ Room and Board
§ Food Costs
§ Transportation
§ Loan Interest Rates
o Page 3 must include 3 possible career options. (Two career options may not involve a college education and 1 career option must involve a college education.) One of these career options will be assigned and must be used in your project.
§ What is the average salary for each position?
§ What healthcare benefits do they include?
§ How competitive is it to get these positions?
o Page 4 must include a typed “Cost and Benefit of Going to College” T Chart with at least 6 examples for each. (See Chapter 1, page 17 for assistance)
Page 5: Getting Married ( ____/ 40 points)
· Research the costs of getting married in California
· What are the financial benefits of getting married?
· Include 2 graphs that show statistics of divorce rates. Analyze the graphs in your own words, 1 paragraph, explaining “How does divorce and coincide with economics?”
Page 6-8, 9, 10: Buying a Home ( ____/70 points)
· Page 6, Research one residential area, for example: Simi Valley
o Research apartments, condos, and single-family homes
o How much does it cost to rent an apartment? Buy a condo? Buy a single-family home
o What amenities does each residence provide? Square footage? Rooms? Bathrooms?
· Page 7, Research a different residential area and complete the same steps as in page 6
· Page 8, Research a different residential area and complete the same steps as in page 6
· Page 9, Create a list that explains the process of buying a home
· Page 10, Compare and Contrast
o Create a graph that compares and contrasts the residential areas you examined above. Why are some areas more affluent than others?
o Compare and contrast the benefits of renting versus owning a home.
o Explain what hinders people from buying homes at the bottom of the page.
Page 11: Having Kids! ( ____/40 points)
· Based on how many children you have been assigned, decide how you will financially raise your children.
· How much does having a child in the hospital cost? (Compare and contrast different sources).
· What is the average financial cost of a child?
· At what age does the average child move out?
· Make sure to look up these questions, do not approximate. Provide graphs and statistics to support your answers.
Page 12-13: Retirement ( ____/60 points)
· Define retirement.
· At what age should the average person begin saving for retirement?
· Where should someone place their money if they are looking to save for retirement? (Under the mattress, in a safe, in a bank, etc.)
o Research at least 5 options and explain their benefits
· Create a chart or find 2 charts that show how money grows with interest rate over time in retirement accounts
· If you saved $50 dollars a month at the age of 20 for thirty years, how much would you have at the age of 50? (Answers will vary depending on which retirement plan/account you choose.)
Page 14-___: Appendix ( ____/10 points)
· Create an appendix using the research that you find. For example, an article or graph. In your report, you may write “Reference Appendix, page 17)
Page ___: Works Cited ( ____/20 points)
· All pictures, graphs, tables, or statistics must be cited in proper MLA format.
· Anything that you did not know off of the top of your head must be cited.
Famous Entrepreneur Project
Entrepreneur Business
Alvin Ailey Dance (Alvin Ailey Dance Theater)
Mary Kay Ash Cosmetics (Mary Kay)
T. Barnum Entertainment (Barnum & Bailey)
Warren Bechtel Construction
Jeff Bezos Internet (Amazon)
Michael Bloomberg Financial Information
Richard Branson Several (Virgin)
Andrew Carnegie Steel (U.S. Steel)
Steve Case Internet (America Online)
Jim Clark Internet (Netscape)
Michael Dell Computers (Dell Computer)
Walt Disney Entertainment
Larry Ellison Software (Oracle)
Debbi Fields Cookies (Mrs. Fields)
Donald and Doris Fisher Clothing (Gap Inc.)
Henry Ford Automobiles
Ernest & Julio Gallo Wine
Bill Gates Software (Microsoft)
A. P. Giannini Banking (Bank of America)
Leo Goodwin Insurance (GEICO)
Berry Gordy Music (Motown Records)
Joyce Hall Greeting Cards (Hallmark)
William Randolph Hearst Publishing (Hearst Newspapers)
Richard A. Henson Airlines (Piedmont)
Milton Hershey Chocolate
James J. Hill Railroads (Great Northern Railway)
Wayne Huizenga Sanitation (Waste Management)
Steve Jobs Computers (Apple)
Robert L. Johnson Broadcasting (BET)
John Johnson Publishing (Ebony)
Henry J. Kaiser Health Care (Kaiser Permanente)
Herb Kelleher Airlines (Southwest)
Ewing Kauffman Pharmaceuticals (Marion Laboratories)
Phil Knight Athletic Footware (Nike)
Ray Kroc Fast Food (McDonald’s)
Estee Lauder Cosmetics
Kenneth Lay Energy (Enron)
William Levitt Housing (Levittown)
Henry Luce Publishing (Time/Life)
J. W. Marriott Hospitality
Louis B. Mayer Entertainment (MGM)
William McGowan Telecommunications (MCI)
Scott McNealy Computers (Sun Microsystems)
Judi Sheppard Missett Fitness (Jazzercise)
Gordon Moore Electronics (Intel)
Rupert Murdoch Media
Pierre Omidyar Internet (Ebay)
David Packard Electronics (Hewlett-Packard)
William S. Paley Broadcasting (CBS)
Ross Perot Data Management (Electronic Data Systems)
Jay Pritzker Hospitality (Hyatt)
Orville Redenbacher Popcorn
Ralph Roberts Cable TV (Comcast)
John D. Rockefeller Oil (Standard Oil)
David Sarnoff Broadcasting (NBC)
Howard Schultz Coffee (Starbucks)
Charles Schwab Discount Brokerage
Richard W. Sears Mail Order (Sears-Roebuck)
Russell Simmons Music (Def Jam Records)
Fred Smith Shipping (Federal Express)
Charles C. Spaulding Insurance (North Carolina Mutual)
Gloria Steinem Publishing (Ms.)
Martha Stewart Multimedia
Dave Thomas Fast Food (Wendy’s)
Donald Trump Real Estate
Ted Turner Broadcasting (CNN)
Madam C. J. Walker Hair Care
Sam Walton Discount Retail (Wal-Mart)
Thomas Watson, Sr. Computing (IBM)
Jerry Yang Internet (Yahoo)
My Future Car Project
Introduction
You are going to buy a car that will need to be financed. You will need to look at different options and decide which will be the best choice for your situation. You will need to find an advertisement for a car that you would like to purchase. You will hand in a report that details your findings.
Task
In this lesson you will work side by side with your families to use economic concepts and mathematical calculations in deciding, hypothetically, what car to buy and how to finance the purchase, and work with your family in experiencing this real-life application.
Process
I. Advertisements
Find 3 advertisements for cars that you would like to purchase. Remember to look at different options and discuss with your parents which car will best suit your needs in your present situation. For the cars you consider, use "Edmunds Car Buying Guide "or "Kelly Blue Book " to learn how the advertised prices compare with market prices generally for cars of the same make, year, and model.
Print out three car advertisements, place them on a three column chart. Below each advertisement, bullet point the benefits of each vehicle. Underneath your chart, explain which option you selected and why in one to two paragraphs (7-10 sentences).
II. Researching Banks
Go to four bank websites. Write down the name of the bank and the interest rate that you can get on an auto loan. Assume that you will be financing your car for 5 years (or 60 months).
Create a chart like the one below and input your bank information
III. My Own Dream Car
Complete the My Own Dream Car Calculations handout, accurately computing monthly payments and interest rates.
IV. Are You Interested in My Dream Car
Complete the Are You Interested in My Dream Car handout, accurately computing the practice problems.
V. Accessories Checklist
Complete the Auto Buying Guide Handout, checking off which features you need vs. want in your future car.
Attach a typed paragraph, explaining why you chose certain features over other features.
VI. Car Safety
Explain in one paragraph what the role of The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Explain in one paragraph your chosen vehicle’s safety ratings. Have the safety ratings for your vehicle altered your purchasing decision?
VII. Your Budget
Complete the Monthly Living Expense Worksheet. If you do not have a current job or rent payment, hypothesize what these variables would be in 2 years.
VIII. Your Credit Score
In a three paragraph short essay, explain the following:
· Define Credit Score
· How are credit score’s used in America?
· How does one build credit?
· What is considered risky, good, and excellent credit?
· How does one ruin a credit score?
· How do credit score’s affect car loans?
· Be sure to include a works cited page
V. Creativity
Compile all of the elements above creatively. This may be done on a poster board, in a booklet, as a magazine, as a newspaper, a scrapbook, a commercial, etc.
My Very Own Dream Car
Part I: Car Information
Car Make and Model: __________________________
Price of Car: _________________________________
Part II: Perform the following calculations.
Use the interest rate provided by bank 1. Calculate your monthly payment and total interest paid. Assume that you will be paying off your car in 5 years.
Monthly Payment: ________________ Interest Paid: ___________________
Use the interest rate provided by bank 2. Calculate your monthly payment and total interest paid. Assume that you will be paying off your car in 5 years.
Monthly Payment: ________________ Interest Paid: ___________________
Use the interest rate provided by bank 3. Calculate your monthly payment and total interest paid. Assume that you will be paying off your car in 5 years.
Monthly Payment: ________________ Interest Paid: ___________________
Use the interest rate provided by bank 4. Calculate your monthly payment and total interest paid. Assume that you will be paying off your car in 5 years.
Monthly Payment: ________________ Interest Paid: ___________________
Part III: Answer the questions in complete sentences.
5. Which bank will provide you with the best monthly payment? Why? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Which bank will give you a better deal in the long run? Why? ___________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Do you think you will be able to buy this car when you turn 16? Why or why not?
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Practice Problems
Are You Interested in My Dream Car?
Part I: Complete the practice problems below.
1. You are going to purchase a Corvette for $60,000, the interest rate is 4% and you will be paying off the loan in 5 years. What will be your monthly payment?
Monthly Payment:___________________________
2. You are going to purchase a Corvette again for $60,000, the interest rate is 8% and you will be paying off the loan in 5 years. What will be your monthly payment?
Monthly Payment: ___________________________
3. You are going to purchase a Mercedes-Benz for $60,000, the interest rate is 9% and you will be paying off the loan in 5 years. What will be your monthly payment?
Monthly Payment: ___________________________
Part II: Complete the practice problems below.
1. You are purchasing a Hummer for $99,000 from CoolKarz Dealership. They have two different payment options for you to choose from.
Option A: You purchase the Hummer for $99,000 with an interest rate of 9.5% and you will be paying off the loan in 6 years. Calculate your monthly payment and the total interest that you will pay in 6 years.
Monthly Payment: ____________________ Interest Paid: ________________
Option B: You purchase the Hummer for $99,000 with an interest rate of 9.5% and you will be paying off the loan in 4 years. Calculate your monthly payment and the total interest that you will pay in 4 years.
Monthly Payment: ____________________ Interest Paid: ________________
Which option gives you the better monthly payment, option A or B? Why? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Which is the better the better deal in the long run, option A or B? Why?
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Economics Final
Due June 01, 2015
Congratulations! You are now only a few weeks away from receiving your high school diploma. For this course, you will not take a traditional final exam. Instead, you will write a research paper that reflects your ability to synthesize, analyze, and evaluate information. (150 points)
Prompt: Does globalization enrich or threaten local cultures?
Research Paper Requirements:
· APA Format
o Please Google “APA” if you are not familiar with this format.
§ Need an APA Title Page
§ Works Cited Page
§ Page Numbers in the Top Right Hand Corner
§ Size 12, Times New Roman Font, Double Spaced
§ In Text Citations
· For Example
o The literature explains that women were often more emotional than men, “The women cried fervently for their sons” (World History, 2007, p. 356).
o Notice that I introduced the quote, inserted the quote, and have the in text citation at the end.
o Always only put the author’s last name in the parenthesis, the date, and the page number. Don’t write “pg.” just write “p.” If there is no date available, write “nd”
o If your reference comes from a webpage with no author, you would write it like this: (“Women’s History,” 2007).
· Quotes
o Use at least 1-2 quotes per paragraph and no more.
o When using a quote, you don’t want to take more than 1 sentence of the quote.
o Do not quote bomb. That means, you can’t just dump a quote into a paragraph without explaining/analyzing the information.
o Important: When you take someone else’s information, even if you are paraphrasing and putting it in your own words, it’s still not your original idea. You still have to put the citation at the end.
o If the quote has multiple authors, then you must write ALL of the authors names in the Works Cited page and in the in-text citations. For example (Shwartz, Bombardi, Jacosta, 2001, p. 521).
· Thesis Statement
o This is worth a large portion of your grade in and of itself. This sentence has to be the last sentence in your introductory paragraph and must contain an argument.
o Maco
§ Each paragraph in your essay must work to support your thesis statement. If your paragraph seems off topic, make the difficult decision and delete it.
· Length
o Research paper must be 6-10 pages (not including your title page, abstract, works cited, or appendix.)
· Micro Level
o Each paragraph must transition smoothly into the next. The easiest way to do this is to make the last sentence of each paragraph introduce the next one. For example, if the paragraph talked about money losing value, the last sentence might explain that this “loss of value” is not always, the case, particularly in India. The next paragraph would contain information solely on India’s economic policies.
o Paragraphs CANNOT start with a quote, this is a common mistake.
· Sources
o A minimum of 6 sources must be used, 2 of these must be either textbooks or scholarly journals.
o In your writing, explain the value of the source
§ For example: Is this a recent article? What’s the author’s background? What university/college do they work in?
§ If you are talking about a specific person, introduce who they are before you quote them.
· Things That You Are Not Allowed To Do
o You may not shorten words, for example “can’t” must be spelled out “cannot”
o You may not use the words “I” or “this”
§ This is the most difficult part of the essay. Sorry, but it will make your writing stronger and more specific
· Getting Started
o You are required to complete the “Getting Started” portion of this assignment first. This will be stapled to the back of your essay when you turn it in.
Getting Started
When students receive an essay prompt, they often begin by going through a bunch of websites that tell them what other people already think. I want you to do the following first:
· Define globalization
· Define culture
· Select 2-3 countries to focus on
· Come up with a 2-3 sentence hypothesis which answers the essay prompt
· Create a list of 10 research questions that you would like to research that will help you answer your hypothesis