Annette Haynes
Outstanding Teacher of 2002-2003 Educator Challenge
Charles Henderson High School, Troy, Alabama
Accounting I, Grade Level 9-12

Project Title: Welcome to the Real World

Overview: This project is designed to teach the basics of obtaining and keeping a job, budgeting, risk management, check writing, and project management. Students will use the basic accounting principles to write checks, pay daily living expenses and maintain a cash flow.

Estimated Duration: 96 minutes, every two weeks

Materials & Equipment Used:

Supplemental Materials

Letter to parents:

Dear Parents,

Our Accounting I class will be modeled after the “workplace” this year. Of course, the students will not be paid real money, but a classroom system is set up that rewards students who perform well on assignments and complete long-term projects. For students not motivated to turn in their work and follow the rules, this system provides a real-life incentive – they’ll face consequences when the “job” doesn’t get done.

The job of each “employee” is that of being a student. All students are expected to complete all assignments and follow the school and classroom rules. Each student is also responsible for a classroom job. Job applications were distributed on the second day of class. Personal interviews were conducted on Friday, August 9. Job assignments were announced on Monday, August 12. The students are currently training for their positions. Please see the attached list of job assignments.

Students will earn $50 to $65 each day from the company – Trojan Accounts, Inc. – for coming to school and completing assignments. They will be paid by check every other Tuesday for the previous week’s work. Students will be able to spend their money on special classroom activities at the end of each grading period and other designated times.

Students will pay $500 in rent for their desks each month. Any student who hasn’t paid the rent by the first of the month will receive an overdue notice. Any student who still hasn’t paid the rent a week later will receive an eviction notice. Although the student will not really be evicted, a privilege will be taken away to teach the realty of what would happen if the rent really was not paid. When the student earns enough money to cover the rent, the privilege will be returned. Students who choose not to do their assignments or follow the rules will come up short on the money needed to pay their rent.

A fine of $10 or $20 will be deducted from their paychecks for each assignment not turned in ($10 – late assignment; $20 – assignment not turned in within 2 days.) Assignments not turned in 2 days after the due date will receive a grade of zero. Parents will be notified when work is not turned in or is incomplete in the student’s assignment notebook. If students miss a day of school, they will not receive any pay for the day unless they make up the work on time (within 2 days) and bring a written excuse from their parent or doctor.

My planning period is from 9:30 to 11:18 a.m.; if you have any questions, please call me at xxx-xxxx.

Sincerely,

Job assignments:

Accountant
The accountant will be in charge of balancing the class checkbook and distributing payroll. Payroll will be distributed every two weeks on Tuesday at the beginning of the class. Each accountant will be responsible for producing payroll at least four times during the nine weeks.

Art Specialist
The art specialist will be in charge of creating and producing 1-2 bulletin boards a month. Boards should be accounting- or FBLA-related. (Future Business Leaders of America) Boards must be reusable.

Communication Technician
The communication technician will be in charge of the lesson line. The lesson line will consist of recording in a notebook each day the lesson outline and objectives from the board. The technician will also be responsible for recording any homework or extra assignments in the homework book.

Distribution Techs
The distribution tech will be passing out papers and processing information to the secretary and communication tech. The distribution tech will also be passing out tests and collecting homework.

Hostess
The hostess will answer the door and prepare and distribute the monthly calendars. The student should be proficient in Microsoft Word and be able to key information into a template without help.

Librarian
The librarian will be in charge of the classroom library. She/he will handle the checking in and out of books and reading assignments.

Maintenance Engineer
The maintenance engineer will be in charge of keeping the classroom neat and tidy.

Parliamentarian
Serve as monitor, provide explanations and reminders about school and class rules. Will monitor the dress code and make any necessary judgments about the dress code and bring them to the instructor’s attention.

Secretary
Takes roll, runs errands, collects assignments and records homework in the homework book.

Doorman
Greets students daily upon entering the classroom. Must be able to call every student by name.

Sample assignment:

Trojan Accounts, Inc.
Assignment 4

1. Deposit paycheck.

2. Pay rent.

3. Pick five of the following nine options, and write checks.