Name:Sense and Dollars
Brief Description of the Site:
Maryland Public Television presents a site designed to teach teens about financial literacy. It's all about money: earning it, saving it, and spending it. With support from the CitiFinancial and Citigroup Foundation, the site looks to address the question, "How well are teens prepared to handle money, credit card debt, budget and save?" Teachers looking for a way to help teens make sense out of money can find engaging and fun resources at "Sense and Dollars". Concepts behind financial and economic responsibility guide site visitors (and not just teens) through interactive activities based on real-life situations with suggestions on how to earn, spend, save, and invest wisely. Another goal is to help children build money management skills they'll use throughout their lives. In addition to financial literacy, the site provides an excellent support of math skills that align with state and national standards. The real life application of the simulations on the site and the enjoyable way in which students harness math skills to understand economic concepts make this a valuable tool for both middle and high school classrooms and the home.
How to use the site:
Students can learn creative lessons such as "All About the Benjamins, Baby," which teaches young consumers about the history of money; "Makin' the Bacon," which demonstrates just how many burger-flipping hours it takes to buy a new stereo; "The Scoop on Credit," showing how shop now, pay later can cost you more; and "Growing Money," which explains the principles of earning interest. Sense and Dollars entertains and educates teens through true-to-life simulation games such as "Check It Out," "Charge," and "Dream Prom" and online calculators and tools keep the action moving. A comprehensive online guide for teachers provides useful teaching strategies, curricular suggestions, tips for using technology in the classroom, links to other educational sites and the national education goals that the activities were designed to meet. An online guide for families offers money-smart educational tools to extend learning into the home and community.
Submitted by:
Rebecca Penovich
