HSFPP Home > Students > Unit 5 – Your Money

Unit 5 Your Money: Keeping It Safe and Secure
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Unit Competency and Objectives

Unit Overview: This outlines what you will learn in this unit and a way to track your progress on assignments and the assessment.

Student Learning Plan: Use this learning plan to track which learning activities you have accomplished through the unit.

 

Exercises

Exercise 5A: What Do They Offer?
It's time to do some investigating. You'll visit the Web sites of two financial services providers to find out what kind of services they provide.

Exercise 5B: Read the Fine Print
Get out your magnifying glass! You'll review a sample savings account agreement to identify the account's features and conditions.

Exercise 5C: Make the Deposit
You'll fill out a sample savings deposit slip for the $100 in cash you received for your birthday.

Exercise 5D: Keeping Track
You'll practice keeping track of a checking account by filling out several transactions in a sample checkbook register.

Exercise 5E: Does It Balance?
Your teacher will provide the materials you need to help Ryan reconcile his checking account against his credit union's statement.

Exercise 5F: What Would You Do?
Imagine that your credit card was stolen. What would you do, and are you responsible for unauthorized purchases? Read a credit card agreement to find out.

Exercise 5G: The Pros and Cons of Automated Services
Automated financial services provide 24-7 access to cash and other transactions, but they also have advantages and disadvantages. Make a list of those pros and cons.

Exercise 5H: Luring You In
When you surf the Net or read E-mail, you need to beware of messages that might be used deceptively. This exercise provides three such messages for you to evaluate.

Exercise 5I: Dealing With Deception
You'll respond to seven scenarios that deal with suspicious behavior to determine how you would respond if you suspected that someone was trying to deceive you.

 

Assignments

Assignment 5-1: Shopping for My Financial Services Provider
Required Criteria
You'll compare the offerings of at least three financial services providers and use the decision-making process from Unit 1 to select the one that best meets your personal needs.

Assignment 5-2: Use a Checking Account
Assignment 5-2 (Handouts)
Required Criteria
Practice makes perfect, so this assignment asks you to record and reconcile two months of checking account transactions. Your teacher will provide the materials.

Assignment 5-3: Choosing a Credit Card
Required Criteria
You'll compare three credit card deals to determine which one has the best offer.

Assignment 5-4: What Are the Trends?
Required Criteria
You'll check out an online financial service that interests you, find out its features, and share your findings with your class.

Assignment 5-5: Online Warnings
Required Criteria
You'll create a notice to provide Internet users with tips on avoiding or handling suspicious online messages.

 

Assessment

Assessment 5-1: Using Financial Services
Required Criteria
You'll use what you've learned in Unit 5 to practice selecting financial services and reflect on how they can help you meet your financial goals.

 

Optional Activities

In the Instructor's Manual, teachers are provided “optional activities” to supplement your learning. Not all teachers will have time to have you complete in class. In case you are interested in expanding your knowledge a bit more, check out the optional activities below. Once you complete an activity, you mind need to check your answers with your teacher. They have a copy of the answer keys.

• You'll work with a team to list the banks and credits unions in your neighborhood. Are there any other businesses that provide financial services?
• You'll listen to a speaker or visit a local bank or credit union to meet the people who provide financial services. What kind of services do they provide for their customers?
• Once again, you'll use the decision-making process to compare the checking account services from three providers and choose the one that meets your needs.
• You'll draw a Venn diagram to compare the similarities and differences of a credit card and a debit card.
• You'll write a letter to correct a problem with a credit card. Be sure to refer to the example letter provided by your teacher.
• You'll watch a presentation to learn about using software to track transactions electronically.
• You'll work by yourself or with another student to complete the Unit 5 Success Street Sweep activity on the HSFPP Web site.

 

Supplementary Materials

There are some handouts which “supplement” what you are learning in the curriculum. Your teacher has some in the Instructor's Manual. But, if you are curious – explore.

 

Taking It Home

For Students:

1. You'll take home and read a newsletter article about trends in online financial services and how to protect yourself against identity theft and deceptive online practices.
2. You'll ask your parents or another adult about which financial services, including online services, they use to manage their personal and business finances.

For Parents:

1. You'll read the newsletter article your teen brings home from school and discuss trends in online financial services and how to prevent identity theft and protect against deceptive online practices.
2. You'll discuss with your teen the traditional and online financial services you use to manage your personal and business transactions.

 

Links

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