For fifth grade students. JA Our Nation introduces fifth grade students to essential aspects of our nation’s economy, skill development, career exploration, and community involvement. Students will see how their skills and actions contribute to their own success and to the economy. Through hands-on games and activities, students will discover how competition and innovation work, explore different career options, and learn the value of giving back to their community.
LEARNING EXPERIENCE HIGHLIGHTS
- Five 45-minute sessions
- High-quality, approachable lessons with engaging, hands-on activities that incorporate future-ready
and real-world concepts - School-to-home activities that extend learning from the classroom to students’ families and their own communities
- JA Mindset™ infused into sessions through “The Adventures of Jade and Jack” and accompanying
activities and talking points - Age-appropriate content in financial literacy and work readiness with entrepreneurial mindset
woven throughout
LEARNING EXPERIENCE OBJECTIVES
After participating in the learning experience, students will be able to:
- Analyze how transferable skills, education, and personal interests add value to career success.
- Demonstrate understanding of how networking allows one to accomplish personal or community goals.
- Explain how competition and innovation between producers and consumers shape the U.S. market economy.
SESSION ONE: WINNING WITH COMPETITION
Students play a pricing game to learn about the nation’s market economy, consisting of consumers and producers, and how price, variety, and quality are affected by competition.
SESSION TWO: INNOVATION NATION
Students explore how they can improve products or processes to benefit both people and the environment. They engage in problem-solving and innovation to enhance sustainability.
SESSION THREE: SUCCESS SKILLS
Students play a board game to understand and explore transferable skills and apply those skills to life and work situations. Thinking about the essential question “What skills will help me be successful in my job or career?” helps them to evaluate their own transferable skills
SESSION FOUR: CAREER HORIZONS
Students explore how their interests and skills can guide them in considering various jobs and careers in the nation. They will contemplate different occupations and reflect on how their unique strengths and passions influence the type of work they might want to pursue
SESSION FIVE: GLOBAL CONNECTIONS
Students are introduced to philanthropy and the importance of helping others in the community. They brainstorm the resources needed to plan small group projects aimed at creating a community center. Each group evaluates the resources they have and what they still need. Then, they network with one another to locate, negotiate, and trade for the time, treasure, and talent resources required to complete their projects.
