ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
Integrated Performance Activities
Program Sequence Guide
Appendix
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Recognition and appreciation are extended to those who served in various capacities to brainstorm, write, edit,
validate, produce and field test the integrated performance activities and program sequences in this document.
Valuable contributions were made by educators from the high schools and the community college in the Central Coast
Articulation Group, friends of business education from business and industry, and members of the Instructional
Leadership Branch of the California Department of Education. Special thanks are extended to Joyce McLean, Consultant,
and Bernie Norton, Program Manager, who served as the grant monitors from the California Department of Education.
Special thanks are also extended to Judith Robinson, Santa Maria High School, and Carol Hirons, Arroyo Grande High
School, who edited this document. In addition, thanks are extended to the following:
Business Education Tech Prep Resource Consortium
Staff:
Kay Orrell, Project Manager
Dean Gilchrist, Business Management Specialist
Judith Robinson, Communciations Specialist
Shirley Rorabaugh Articulation Specialist
Ruben Salazar, CSIS/Accounting Specialist
Richard Shiers, Math/Science Specialist
Donna VanderMeullen, Secretary
Marie Wagner, Business Management Specialist
Central Coast Articulation Group Participants:
Central Coast Articulation Group Council Members:
| Dean Anders |
Ken Main |
| Debra Bradley |
Judy Markline |
| Marjorie Carson |
David McCullough |
| Nancy DePue |
Dean Reece |
| Roger Hill |
Sister Sheila Tellis |
| Ray Hobson |
Larry Wiemers |
| Betty Inclan |
|
Arroyo Grande High School Staff:
| Don Brewster |
Paul Jarvis |
| Janice Carter |
Lisa Joralemon |
| Mary Garza |
Cliff Koehn |
| Al Gonzales |
Ron Martin |
| Susan Hays |
Frank Sullivan |
| Carol Hirons |
Jim Wray |
| Larry Hoekman |
|
Cabrillo High School Staff:
| Glenn Abrahamsen |
Leah McIntyre |
| Jim Armstrong |
Ron Meidell |
| Greg Eisen |
Pat Monahan |
| Dale Lardy |
Maryann Weyandt |
| John Lemon |
Newman Whitmire |
Allan Hancock College Staff:
| Howard Amborn |
Suzanne Pawlan |
| Robert Bauman |
Chuck Rorabaugh |
| Rose Hawkins |
Pat Ugalde |
| Tom Hawkins |
Candia Varni |
| Russell Lee |
Tom Vogt |
| Marla Muscio |
Peggy White |
| Mike O'Brien |
Roy Willey |
Lompoc High School Staff:
| Ed Albright |
Sue Huseman |
| Dean Anderson |
Virginia King |
| Dick Barrett |
Ernie Martin |
| Raegen Beardslee |
Tim Moncier |
| Mary Ellen Brooks |
Gus Peterson |
| Bill Damery |
Gary Prucha |
| Gary Gettings |
Pete Sarar |
| Shirley Gettings |
|
Maple Continuation High School:
| Kay Eatmon |
David Zivich |
| Kim McCollum |
|
Righetti High School Staff:
| Carolyn Acquistapace |
Quinn Plante |
| Fred Brickey |
Mary Ann Rios |
| Claire Dennen |
Bill Roy |
| Joanne Dillard |
Mike Sapp |
| Cynthia Gonsalves |
Shay Small |
| Bill Damery |
Gary Prucha |
| Rita Morales |
Richard Welch |
Saint Joseph High School Staff:
| Father Tom Elewaut |
Janice Stottler |
| Joanne Poloni |
|
Santa Maria High School Staff:
| Addie Barkley |
Jim Orrell |
| Johanna Bradley |
Cindy Quaid |
| Judith Dunn |
Barbara Reineke |
| Craig Huseth |
Heather Reese |
| John Jimenez |
Ted Sawzak |
| Colleen Kendall |
Raoul Wise |
Santa Ynez High School Staff:
| Linda Avenzino |
Art Elliott |
| Cris Avery |
Sharon Ferrer |
| Chris Burtness |
Erik Frost |
| Martin Coyle |
Janice Gilchrist |
| Marilou Dotson |
Bonnie Lewis |
Parents and Representatives of Business and
Industry:
Michelle Acuna, Robinson-May Company
Norma Athie, Mid-State Bank
David Amenta, La Cumbre Savings Bank
June Barkley, Toyota of Santa Maria
Jerry Beaumont, A. G. Edwards Investments
Ann Botts, Entrepreneur
Pat Bierend, Industry Education Council
Maggie Daane, Martin Marietta
Betty Boyce, Retired, Center for Bus. Ed.
Richard Fargo, Santa Ynez
Patricia FitzGerald, Parent, S.Y.H.S.
Pat Galyan, Parent, S.M.H.S.
Mike Floyd, Santa Barbara Bank and Trust
Tom Hutcheson, Parent, A.G.H.S.
Marcia Franier, ITT Federal Services Corp.
Peggy Johnson, Cuesta Tech Prep
Cathryne Glenn, Lapp, Fatch, Myers, & Gallagher
Trish Jordon, Parent, L.H.S.
Art Hicks, Lompoc Unified School Board
Jan Kays, Bank of Santa Maria
Albert Hughes, ITT Federal Services Corp.
Mike Kee, First Valley Bank
Dean Minor, Industry Education Council
Jan Laird, Minutemen Medical
Bob Montgomery, Dept. of Social Services
Jacque Leonard, Parent, A.G.H.S.
Mike Montoya, Santa Ynez City Manager
Dan Lopez, Bank of Santa Maria
John Petterson, Parent, L.H.S.
Tom Lyon, DenMat
Christy Renken, TCO Insurance Services
Amy Malicki, Computer Counsellors
Angela Robinson, Ballard, Robinson, & Walker
Ted Maddux, McDonald's
Ben Russell, Retired, Gottschalks
Ann McCandless, Industry Ed. Council
Steve Straight, Parent, L.H.S.
Mona McConkey, Martin Marietta
Vanessa Strong, Parent, R.H.S.
Bob McIntyre, Cal Poly, S.L.O.
Tom Urbanske, Industry Education Council
David Paul, Giovanni's
Michelle Waugh, ITT Federal Services Corp.
Paul Peterson, Chevron
Betty Jo Whincup, VOLT Temporary Services
Dick Ragain, Mid-State Bank
Hilda Zacarias, Business & Tax Consulting
Back to Table of Contents
INTEGRATED PERFORMANCE ACTIVITIES
Introduction
The integrated performance activities (IPAs) are designed to assist teachers in transforming the traditional classroom
into an action-based, interdisciplinary learning environment. Integrated performance activities assist students
in developing a unified perspective of how a particular skill is used in a wide variety of settings. A basic principle
of action-based curri-culum is that students are able to demonstrate through authentic performances their understanding
of the material presented. This demonstration must include the active involvement of the students.
Implementing integrated performance activities in the curriculum requires new ways of thinking regarding the division
of subject matter. Problems that are solved in the workplace are not divided into distinct disciplinary areas.
When integrated performance activities are used, distinct disciplinary lines become blurred. Teachers of two or
more disciplines coordinate their instruction so that the same action-based activity is the focus of instruction
in each class. As natural connections between subjects are made, students understanding increases; assignments
that do not naturally fit together should not be forced into an interdisciplinary design as results are usually
of little benefit to students. To be successful, the interdisciplinary strategy requires ongoing team planning
to assure coordination of assignments, projects, and instruction between and among interdisciplinary areas.
In this document you will find examples of integrated performance activities developed to coordinate with the Accounting
and Finance Career Path in the Business Education Career Path and Model Curriculum Standards, 1995. Included with
the integrated performance activity are the related Business Education performance standard and instructional content
as well as a suggested time frame for completion of the activity.
There are two types of integrated performance activities identified in this document: business specific and interdisciplinary.
Business specific activities are designed to be taught within business classrooms, and integrate business with
other disciplines. Interdisciplinary activities are designed for teachers of various disciplines to use as activities
in their classrooms. These activities are not an attempt to meet standards of other disciplines; the intent is
to support and enhance academic learning as well as improve student outcomes. Following each IPA are references
which relate the content of the academic frameworks to the IPA. Related career performance standards and SCANS
competencies and foundations are also referenced. Reference codes are explained in the appendix of this document.
The integrated performance activities were developed through a team approach. Business and academic instructors,
counselors, administrators, parents, and industry representatives met to brainstorm ways in which inter-disciplinary
instruction could be used to assist students in meeting standards. Tech Prep Resource Consortium staff then developed
integrated performance activities based upon the brainstorming ideas. The Field Review Committee comprised of instructors
and industry representatives validated each activity. During the 1994-95 school year teachers in the consortium
schools field tested the integrated performance activities for the Accounting and Finance Career Path. Appropriate
revisions have been made in accordance with the field test results.
The integrated performance activities in this document do not represent a complete course or program. Instead,
they are samples of types of activities which a school team would develop. Sites may choose to utilize some activ-ities,
adapt some to their needs, or design their own integrated performance activities. Only the school personnel know
their available resources, student population, and standards for excellence. Site-based activity development encourages
both ownership and creativity. Administrators and teachers are encouraged to involve local business and industry
representatives in devel-oping activities and in ongoing partnerships. Input from business and industry is required
to match instruction with new or changing employment needs in the community. As activities are developed, team
members should incorporate the most up-to-date technology available to assist students in preparing for occupations
of the 21st century.
As curriculum teams begin planning to work together in inter-disciplinary settings, careful consideration should
be given to the makeup of each team. It is important to include the business and academic teachers who are interested,
as well as counselors, administrators, parents, and industry representatives. Individual teachers will serve as
content specialists for their disciplines. As teachers of various disciplines begin to talk together about curriculum,
it is inevitable that there will be areas of overlapping concepts. The overlapping concepts can then be rearranged
into an interdisciplinary design, and integrated performance activities can be developed.
As teams sort out what is important for students to know, coordinate instruction and develop integrated performance
activities that include real-world skills and applications, they will create richer learning experiences and higher
educational aims. Students will become more involved in their learning and, as a result, will be eager to learn
at a higher level. Interdisciplinary teaching is more effective when:
- Students are active participants in their learning
and are engaged in real-world applications.
- Activities that naturally cross interdisciplinary
lines are developed.
- Team members have sufficient planning time to work
together throughout the year.
- Team members share the same group of students during
the same block of time with flexibility for the use of that time.
Back to Table of Contents
How to Use Integrated Performance Activities
Each Integrated Performance Activity (IPA) is designated as either business specific or interdisciplinary. A business-specific
activity is meant to be used in a business class to integrate skills taught in other disciplines. An interdisciplinary
activity is intended to be used by several teachers in various disciplines who share the same students. Each teacher
selects the part of the IPA that pertains to his/her discipline as an activity in his/her class.
The time frame suggested for each activity is approximate. Time spent on an activity depends on the teacher and
how he/she implements the IPA. In some cases groups or teams of students will participate in a variety of activities
simultaneously. In other situations one activity might follow another. A teacher might choose not to include all
parts of the activity. It is important that each teacher modifies the activity to meet the needs of his/her students,
classes, program, and school.
All IPAs refer to individual, team, group, or class completion of activities. The teacher determines how many participants
are involved in each activity. In general, a team might include three to five students, while a group might include
six or more.
An added feature of this document is an appendix that is divided into three sections. The first section is devoted
to the academic framework references. References to the academic frameworks are given at the end of each integrated
performance activity. The numbers or letters in these references are identified in full in the appendix. The second
section is a bibliography to assist teachers in locating the literature used in the integrated performance activity.
In many cases the selections can be found in more than one text. The third section is a glossary of terms used
in the integrated performance activity. This was suggested to assist teachers from a variety disciplines in using
the activities.
The selected IPAs are meant to be examples to be used to enhance curriculum. Each teacher or a team of teachers,
in cooperation with business representatives, should develop their own site-specific activities to meet the needs
of the students within their programs.
Back to Table of Contents
Accounting Principles and
Procedures Career Path Cluster
Students will understand basic accounting principles and procedures affecting businesses. They will demonstrate
competency by preparing, maintaining, and interpreting accounting records. Instructional content covered by this
activity includes:
- Accounting Cycle - apply the accounting cycle for
both a service business and a merchandising business through closing the books for a sole proprietorship, a partnership,
and a corporation
- Accounting Principles - describe and apply accounting
principles and concepts
- Computer Accounting/Spreadsheet - use a computer
to maintain accounting records
- Receivables and Payables - create and maintain
subsidiary ledgers for accounts receivable and payable
Student Activity: Ask Us--Accounting Services
Available
Time Frame: Four to five weeks
Interdisciplinary-Business, Math, English, Social Studies
In small groups, establish partnerships to offer school-wide accounting services to clubs, departments, cafeteria,
or ROP classes. Decide on a company name, logo, and motto in each group.
Make an appointment with key personnel of the selected organization to examine and evaluate their accounting needs.
Explain your proposal and computer capabil-ities, and provide work samples. As a partnership, devise a plan to
submit to include the following: type(s) of journal entries, ledgers, financial statements, chart of accounts to
include accounts payable, accounts receivable, revenue, and operating expenses.
Prepare a plan which outlines the procedures and methods to be used to record daily transactions, and generate
monthly and year-end reports.
Prepare a presentation to advertise services available and to solicit business. Design a flyer using the computer.
Research the need of non-profit organizations for accounting services in the community.
Examine a variety of available software for non-profit organizations, and offer recommendations to local organizations
on appropriate software available for their needs.
Write to the Federal Reserve for currency and coinage booklets which explain history, processes, and printing.
Submit a one-page summary of your readings to the instructor.
As a class, read Willa Cather's story "Paul's Case." Discuss Paul's relationship with his firm and his
decision to steal money. Discuss the polarity which Paul perceives between his business environment and his interests
and dreams. In small groups, write dialogues or monologues portraying one of the following:
- The human resource manager works with Paul to develop
a personal and professional development plan, including short and long-range goals, career assessment, and training.
- Paul describes his loss of control of his environment
and his life and tries to understand the reasons why.
- Paul and a counselor discuss how a stronger internal
locus of control can displace his feeling that he is the helpless victim of his environment and personal circumstances,
especially in not being able to please his father.
- Paul expresses his need to seek ways to balance
the external constraints of his life by assuming some internal control to find artistic outlets, making his job
and inner life more harmonious.
- Paul and his father discuss what communication
skills they might have developed to help Paul balance the demands of employment with his love of the arts.
ACADEMIC FRAMEWORK AND RELATED CAREER PERFORMANCE STANDARD REFERENCES INCLUDING SCANS COMPETENCIES AND FOUNDATIONS:
- English Framework Standards: 15, 17, 24, 25
- History-Social Science Framework References: Strands
I, J, K; Economics C
- Science Framework References: 3, 5, 6
- Career Performance Standards: A, B, C, E, F, G
- SCANS Competencies: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
- SCANS Foundations: 1, 2, 3
Back to Table of Contents
Accounting Principles and
Procedures Career Path Cluster
Students will understand basic accounting principles and procedures affecting businesses. They will demonstrate
competency by preparing, maintaining, and interpreting accounting records.Instructional content covered by this
activity includes:
- Accounting Principles - describe and apply accounting
principles and concepts
- Cash Management - prepare bank reconciliations,
establish and maintain petty cash and change accounts, identify cash control techniques, and describe cash flow
concepts
Student Activity: Credit Cards--Can You Leave
Home Without Them?
Time Frame: Six weeks
Interdisciplinary: Business, Math, English, Social Studies
As a class, discuss credit cards. Designate one or two students to act as recorders for listing types of cards,
company names of cards, and the advantages and disadvantages of paying in cash vs. paying with credit cards.
Individually, consider the opportunity cost of funding one program over another. Compute the funding ratio of one
program to another. Develop a combination of programs, and identify the opportunities lost in order to gain other
offsetting benefits.
Individually, conduct a student and a family survey regarding number of credit cards available, types of credit
cards, and comments regarding credit cards. Compose a one-page summary report on your findings and express your
own observations.
Working in small groups, collect credit card applications and blank credit card slips. Review and compare benefits,
finance charge percentages, annual fees, credit limits, and authorization codes of various cards. Using group consensus,
select the best choice, and complete an application blank. Prepare a script to sell your credit card choice to
the class.
Set up a cash drawer with a set dollar amount. Using 5" x 8" file cards, create a journal entry for various
types of transactions. Give examples of a cash sale, a credit card sale, a refund, a sale on account, and a sale
with a discount. On the back side, record the answer for the journal entry.
Working in pairs, use the transactions created, and role play types of sales which show the cashier taking proper
steps to complete the sale. Include the journal entry with accounts affected, classification of accounts, and debit
or credit entry.
As a class, invite a local business person to talk about the advantages and disadvantages of credit card sales,
percent costs to the merchant, and the selection process in deciding whether or not to accept credit cards.
Invite a representative from the local police department or a bank to discuss money scams, stolen credit cards,
fraud, and liability.
Compose a one-page summary of what you learned from the guest speakers, including precautions you should take regarding
credit cards.
As a class, read the story "Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry. How would Christmas have been different if
the young couple had lived in an era of credit cards? How has the credit system changed individual choice and society?
In pairs or small groups, rewrite this story with the young couple experiencing the following: good credit, poor
credit, or out-of-control credit card spending. As a class, discuss the change of theme and tone in the new stories
compared to the original.
Individually, interview older persons who remember life before using credit cards. Ask questions which include
the issue of choice when people needed or wanted more items than their money would buy. How did they perceive the
quality of life before and after credit cards?
Trace the origin and history of one credit card and how it has changed. Research the origin, development, and uses
of metals and plastic in making credit cards.
ACADEMIC FRAMEWORK AND RELATED CAREER PERFORMANCE STANDARD REFERENCES INCLUDING SCANS COMPETENCIES AND FOUNDATIONS:
- English Framework Standards: 2, 10, 11, 13, 14,
15, 16, 17, 19, 20
- Mathematics Framework References: I, II, III, IV
- History-Social Science Framework References: Strands
I, J, K, L; Economics C, D
- Science Framework References: 3, 5, 6
- Career Performance Standards: A, C, G
- SCANS Competencies: 2, 3, 4
- SCANS Foundations: 1, 2, 3
Back to Table of Contents
Accounting Principles and Procedures Career
Path Cluster
Students will understand basic accounting principles and procedures affecting businesses. They will demonstrate
competency by preparing, maintaining, and interpreting accounting records. Instructional content covered by this
activity includes:
- Accounting Principles - describe and apply accounting
principles and concepts
- Cash Management - prepare bank reconciliations,
establish and maintain petty cash and change accounts, identify cash control techniques, and describe cash flow
concepts
- Computer Accounting/Spreadsheet - use a computer
to maintain accounting records
Student Activity: Establish Your Credit Rating
Time Frame: Two to three weeks
Interdisciplinary: Business, English, and Social Studies
As a class, discuss the meaning of credit. Working in groups, select a facilitator, reporter, and recorder. Brainstorm
ideas concerning the advantages and disadvantages of extending credit. What types of businesses extend credit?
What is an uncollectible account? What is the process in recording an uncollectible account? What types of agencies
can assist in collection? What are the proceedings for a small claims action? In small groups, write a one-page
summary report on one of the above areas and report to the class.
Individually, submit a question regarding credit for the guest speaker. Invite a resource person from a local credit
bureau to speak to the class about credit, laws, process, and how businesses use the credit bureau. Take notes,
and prepare a topic outline of the guest speaker's presentation.
Write an I-Search paper on the Great Depression. What effect did credit constitute? What led to the stock market
crash? What effect did it have on low, middle, and high-income families? Interview family members or acquaintances
who can describe the time period. What sacrifices were made? Did businesses grant credit or operate on a cash basis
only?
Research consumer credit services available through TRW and Trans America. Using a spreadsheet, compare, contrast,
and evaluate company services.
Draft a form letter to be used as a reminder for past due accounts of 30, 60, and 90 days and delinquent accounts
requesting payment.
Based on The Grapes of Wrath, or another piece of literature dealing with the Great Depression,
assume the persona of one character writing to another character about the effects of the economy on him/herself,
family, and community. Include the kinds of losses incurred, including homes, farms, higher education, and life
styles. Include the solutions, options, and strategies which the characters are considering in their quest for
survival. Read your letter orally to the class.
ACADEMIC FRAMEWORK AND RELATED CAREER PERFORMANCE STANDARD REFERENCES INCLUDING SCANS COMPETENCIES AND FOUNDATIONS:
- English Framework Standards: 1, 2, 5, 15, 16, 17,
18, 25
- Mathematics Framework References: II, IV
- History-Social Science Framework References: Strands
A, E, K, L; U. S. History E; Economics D
- Science Framework References: 3, 5, 6
- Career Performance Standards: A, C, E, G
- SCANS Competencies: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
- SCANS Foundations: 1, 2, 3
Back to Table of Contents
Accounting Principles and Procedures Career
Path Cluster
Students will understand basic accounting principles and procedures affecting businesses. They will demonstrate
competency by preparing, maintaining, and interpreting accounting records. Instructional content covered by this
activity includes:
- Accounting Principles - describe and apply accounting
principles and concepts
- Cash Management - prepare bank reconciliations,
establish and maintain petty cash and change accounts, identify cash control techniques, and describe cash flow
concepts
- Receivables and Payables - create and maintain
subsidiary ledgers for accounts receivable and payable
Student Activity: Hold a Source Document Share-a-Thon!
Time Frame: One to two weeks
Interdisciplinary: Business, Math, and English
Examine the Dewey Decimal, Library of Congress, and ZIP code systems. Write a one-page summary, and design a chart
or graph showing how each system identifies the location of a library book or an address. Compare the systems to
the order and the numbering of accounts in accounting.
In small groups, develop an idea and name for a service business. Set up a one-page chart of accounts and list
by major classifications: assets, liabilities, owner's equity, revenue, and expenses; assign an account number
for each account.
Review and discuss the rules for debit and credit as the basis for double-entry accounting. Why does the abbreviation
for debit have an "r" in it when the word does not? What are the roots of the words debit and credit?
What concept is credit usually associated with?
Individually, collect at least three types of source documents and bring to class. Using 5" x 8" cards,
create a scenario for each source document that affects the transaction. On the back side, identify the debit and
credit accounts affected, classification, and increase or decrease.
Working in pairs, share scenarios and respond to account classification, debit and credit entry, and increase or
decrease. Refine and edit if necessary. As a class, hold a Source Document Share-a-Thon to present and respond
to the scenarios.
As a class, read the poem "We Wear the Mask" by Paul Laurence Dunbar. Discuss service persons that we
take for granted. Brainstorm as many examples as you can (delivery person, custodian, waitress). In areas other
than service-related occupations, what kinds of masks do people wear, either to disguise or hide true feelings
or identities? Individually, reflect in writing on the reasons for wearing masks in society and how doing so changes
the way people interact with others.
When Robin Hood stole from the rich and gave to the poor, he performed a necessary service. Individually or in
pairs, compose a fictional account of his debits and credits for a period of one month.
ACADEMIC FRAMEWORK AND RELATED CAREER PERFORMANCE STANDARD REFERENCES INCLUDING SCANS COMPETENCIES AND FOUNDATIONS:
- English Framework Standards: 1, 2, 6, 10, 11, 12,
13, 14, 15, 18, 23, 25
- Mathematics Framework References: I, II, III, IV,
X
- History-Social Science Framework References: Strands
Strands C, E, F, J, K; Economics C
- Science Framework References: 3, 5, 6
- Career Performance Standards: A, C, G
- SCANS Competencies: 2, 3, 4,
- SCANS Foundations: 1, 2, 3
Back to Table of Contents
Accounting Principles and Procedures Career
Path Cluster
Students will understand basic accounting principles and procedures affecting businesses. They will demonstrate
competency by preparing, maintaining, and interpreting accounting records. Instructional content covered by this
activity includes:
- Accounting Cycle - apply the accounting cycle for
both a service business and a merchandising business through closing the books for a sole proprietorship, a partnership,
and a corporation
- Accounting Principles - describe and apply accounting
principles and concepts
- Computer Accounting/Spreadsheet - use a computer
to maintain accounting records
Student Activity: Implementing a Student Store
Time Frame: Six weeks
Interdisciplinary: Business, Math, and English
As a class, prepare and distribute separate questionnaires to teachers and students in order to identify their
attitudes and opinions concerning a student store on campus. From both sets of questionnaires, create a chart listing
common advantages and disadvantages. Appoint a committee to compose and send a letter inviting a small business
owner (video rental, yogurt) to speak to the class regarding the trials and tribulations associated with starting
a business. How much capital is needed? What are the county and city regulations? What types of expenses are incurred?
What are the procedures to file for a Fictitious Business Name? What types and amount of insurance are needed?
What types of risks are involved? What is needed to apply for a resale license?
Before the day of the presentation, designate a student to phone the business owner to confirm the details of his/her
visit. Individually, submit notes taken during the presentation to create a class summary of the information given.
Appoint a committee to draft and compose a thank you letter to be mailed to the guest speaker.
As a class, develop an action plan to include who, what, when, and where to implement a student store. Develop
an organizational chart which includes levels of management: manager, assistant manager, department supervisors,
and department personnel. For each pos-ition, discuss and create through group consensus department job titles,
duties, and responsibilities. Form committees to write individual sections of a manual or handbook which can be
used for future classes utilizing word processing software.
Using a mail merge feature, contact all departments and offices on campus to solicit opinions on types of school
supplies and merchandise the store should stock. Form committees to evaluate and select merchandise to stock based
on these opinions. Invite those who responded to preview of merchandise which will be made available for purchase.
To show appreciation, create a special store coupon for personnel who participated.
In small groups, using mail merge, contact the local chamber of commerce, service organizations, and the Industry
Education Council to describe the student store action plan, and solicit any excess furniture and equipment which
could be donated. Create a list of donors, and present them with a certificate of appreciation.
As a class, conduct a school-wide contest for the student store name and logo. Through group consensus, select
a name and logo. Contact the winner(s), and present them with a certificate of recognition.
In small groups, after the name of the store has been selected, review and complete a Fictitious Business Name
application, and apply for a non-profit organ-ization resale number.
In small groups, review school promotion catalogs, and list preferred suppliers. From this list, create a sample
chart of accounts, accounts receivable and pay- able subsidiary ledgers, and general ledger accounts.
Using a spreadsheet format, research accounting software for cost, system requirements, ease of use, graphics capability,
accounting functions availability, types used by local businesses, and other timesaving features. Develop a proposal,
and submit a recommen-dation.
Create a radio and newspaper news release advertising the grand opening of the student store. Invite a community
dignitary or alumni by letter to act as master of ceremonies for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Develop a marketing presentation to present to classes, administration, school board, and community service organizations
to include charts, graphs, videos, and copies of the Student Store Handbook.
As a class, discuss the idea that owning one's own business means freedom to many people because they can do things
their own way and be their own boss. Discuss equating freedom with being in charge of one's own life. As a class,
read the poem "Runagate" by Robert Hyden, and discuss the ultimate loss of freedom experienced by slaves.
As a class, discuss the idea that success doesn't just happen. In small groups, interview local owners of family
businesses, and list steps which they believe were critical in starting their businesses. As a class, read the
poem "The Chambered Nautilus" by Oliver Wendell Holmes. Individually, do a copy change to create a new
poem about the growth of a family-owned business.
As a class, read the story "A & P" by John Updike, and discuss why Sammy decides to quit. Does he
have any regrets? What will happen now that he is out of work? Individually, write a letter from Sammy to the boss
admitting his mistakes and asking for his job back, or write a monologue reflecting his boss's reactions to Sammy's
decision to quit and what it will mean to replace him.
ACADEMIC FRAMEWORK AND RELATED CAREER PERFORMANCE STANDARD REFERENCES INCLUDING SCANS COMPETENCIES AND FOUNDATIONS:
- English Framework Standards: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9,
12, 15, 16, 24, 25
- History-Social Science Framework References: Strands
E, J, K; Economics C; Government A
- Science Framework References: 3, 5, 6
- Career Performance Standards: A, B, C, E, F, G
- SCANS Competencies: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
- SCANS Foundations: 1, 2, 3
Back to Table of Contents
Accounting Principles and Procedures Career
Path Cluster
Students will understand basic accounting principles and procedures affecting businesses. They will demonstrate
competency by preparing, maintaining, and interpreting accounting records. Instructional content covered by this
activity includes:
- Accounting Cycle - apply the accounting cycle for
both a service business and a merchandising business through closing the books for a sole proprietorship, a partnership,
and a corporation
- Accounting Principles - describe and apply accounting
principles and concepts
- Cash Management - prepare bank reconciliations,
establish and maintain petty cash and change accounts, identify cash control techniques, and describe cash flow
concepts
- Computer Accounting/Spreadsheet - use a computer
to maintain accounting records
- Payroll - describe and apply basic payroll theory
and procedures, including withholding and tax reporting
- Receivables and Payables - create and maintain
subsidiary ledgers for accounts receivable and payable
Student Activity: Things To Do Today...
Time Frame: One week
Interdisciplinary: Business and English
As a class, hold a discussion on setting priorities. What are the purposes and advantages for setting priorities?
What consequences may occur if we fail to prioritize?
Individually, design a personal matrix of at least ten things you need in a week, a year, and five years. Review
and prioritize each list of items as you see it today. Write a short explanation for each item and an action plan
defending your position.
Working in small groups, assume the roles of accounting clerks for an accounting firm in the community. Prioritize
the order in which work should be completed from a list of tasks, as in the following sample:
- File paid invoices
- Call client regarding a 90-day overdue account
- Prepare quarterly tax report
- Open and sort the mail
- Prepare an agenda for next week's supervisors'
meeting
- Prepare daily bank deposit
- Pay invoices due in three days to receive discount
- Reconcile the monthly bank statement
- Place an order for office supplies
- Journalize and post cash payments
- Prepare a financial report for the board of directors
due tomorrow
- Call and reserve the conference room for next week's
supervisors' meeting
- Replenish the petty cash fund
- Journalize and post cash receipts
- Call the bank regarding a client's check received
for payment with insufficient funds
Come to consensus on the priorities and explanations
for the group's decision. Compare results with other groups.
As a class, read the story "A Private Talk With Holly" by Henry Gregor Felsen, and identify the conflict
that occurs. At times your parents have dreams and goals for you that do not agree with your own picture of your
future. Individually, do a quick write on how you and your parents see the road ahead for you. Do you think a parent
would understand this story better than a teenager? Write a poem or story that captures the point of view of a
parent in relationship to his or her child. Explore the child's point of view, but grasp the feelings of the parent.
As a class, read "Raymond's Run" by Toni Cade Bambara, and discuss Squeaky's qualities as a coach. It
is often difficult to set priorities when obstacles get in our way. What qualities do people need in order to accomplish
their goals? Where do they acquire those qualities? Individually, address one of the following in writing:
Identify and write about a time in your life when you were stopped from achieving a goal. Describe what happened
and how you handled it. Explain what you could have done differently, and what you learned from it?
From your own experience, describe the good and bad qualities you have found in a coach, and explain how those
qualities affected your relationship with that coach and/or your performance.
Write a response to the phrase "When the going gets tough, the tough get going" in terms of your own
goals or those achieved by someone you know.
ACADEMIC FRAMEWORK AND RELATED CAREER PERFORMANCE STANDARD REFERENCES INCLUDING SCANS COMPETENCIES AND FOUNDATIONS:
- English Framework Standards: 1, 2, 8, 9, 10, 11,
12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25
- History-Social Science Framework References: Strands
C, E, F, H, I, J, K, L; Economics C; Government E
- Science Framework References: 3, 5, 6
- Career Performance Standards: A, C, E, G
- SCANS Competencies: 1, 2, 3, 4
- SCANS Foundations: 1, 2, 3
Back to Table of Contents
Accounting and Financial Management Career
Path Cluster
Students will understand accounting and financial concepts. They will demonstrate competency by analyzing, applying,
interpreting, and communicating concepts and principles. Instructional content covered by this activity includes:
- Budgeting - create master budgets and flexible
budgets; apply capital budgeting decisions
- Computer Accounting Systems - use a computer accounting
system to input and process data and to generate financial statements and other reports relevant to the financial
position of a business
- Governing Agencies - identify agencies that affect
accounting procedures and discuss regulations and compliance issues that influence business decisions
- Income Taxes - explain and apply income tax laws
- Internal Control - apply the basic principles of
internal control as they relate to various accounting systems
- Inventory Management - compare, evaluate, and apply
inventory concepts and costing procedures for both merchandising and manufacturing businesses
- Investment Analysis - analyze alternative investment
and financing options available to businesses
- Managerial Accounting - gather and interpret data
for planning and controlling operations
- Plant Asset Management - apply the procedures for
asset acquisition and disposition; analyze and calculate depreciation methods
- Receivables and Payables Management - explain methods
for monitoring and controlling receivables and payables
Student Activity: Decisions, Decisions--Analyze
Your Finances
Time Frame: Three to four weeks
Interdisciplinary:Business, Math, English, and Social Studies
As a class, invite a certified public accountant or a financial consultant to discuss financial plans for operating
a business. In small groups, select a business, and research the company's financial position. Write a letter to
the company's financial manager requesting end-of-the-year reports for the last two years.
Analyze and compare current and past income statements. Identify trends, major variations in performance, and problem
areas. Create graphs indicating upward or downward trends in sales, cost of goods sold, or operating expenses.
Compute the exact dollar amount and percentage increase/decrease of net sales from year to year. Compute the exact
dollar amount and percentage increase/decrease in net income after taxes.
Analyze and compare current and past balance sheets. Identify trends, major variations in performance, and problem
areas. Is net worth increasing or decreasing? Compare assets and liabilities with the owner's equity.
Discuss the concept of ratio analysis. Research commonly accepted standards throughout the business world through
trade associations and published material, such as Dunn & Bradstreet's Cost
of Doing Business and Robert Morris Associate's
Annual Statement Studies. Compare your company with at least three other com-panies
in the same field. Take notes on your research and write a summary or prepare a graph on your findings.
Calculate Current Ratio: Measure the ratio between current assets and current liabilities.
Calculate Working Capital: Show in dollars the capital which the firm has to carry out its daily operations.
Calculate Debt Ratio: Measure the percentage of total dollars in the business provided by creditors.
Prepare an end-of-the-year report summarizing your perceptions of the company's present condition and your forecast
of its future, based in part on the company's ability to pay its bills and how effectively and efficiently the
company is being managed. Create a graphic display to substantiate your findings, and make a presentation to the
accounting class.
As a class, discuss the importance of decision making and money in literature selections.
In small groups, select one of the following novels, and creatively relate it to accounting principles.
In The Good Earth, trace the farming family's financial position from the beginning
of the book to the end. Explain causes of the rise from poverty to prosperity and the subsequent financial decline
resulting from external events and characters' decisions.
In The Great Gatsby, explain possible sources for Jay Gatsby's mysterious wealth. Based
on his spending patterns, including lavish parties, an enormous estate, and expensive clothing, create a fictional
monthly amount of revenue and a monthly amount of expenses.
In Moby Dick,
an entire ship and its cargo are lost at sea. Create a fictional company which experiences a loss in terms of cargo,
debt, and shareholders' investment. Create a script in which the company's board of directors outlines its financial
position with an end-of-the-year financial report to show the enormous loss.
ACADEMIC FRAMEWORK AND RELATED CAREER PERFORMANCE STANDARD REFERENCES INCLUDING SCANS COMPETENCIES AND FOUNDATIONS:
- English Framework Standards: 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11,
12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 24, 25
- Mathematics Framework References: I, II, III, IV,
V, VI, X, XII
- History-Social Science Framework References: Strands
A, C, E, K; U. S. History D; Economics C, D
- Science Framework References: 4, 6
- Career Performance Standards: A, C, G
- SCANS Competencies: 2, 3, 4
- SCANS Foundations: 1, 2, 3
Back to Table of Contents
Accounting and Financial
Management Career Path Cluster
Students will understand accounting and financial concepts. They will demonstrate competency by analyzing, applying,
interpreting, and communicating concepts and principles. Instructional content covered by this activity includes:
- Computer Accounting Systems - use a computer accounting
system to input and process data and to generate financial statements and other reports relevant to the financial
position of a business
- Financial Services - identify financial services
and resources available to businesses
- Financial Statements - prepare, analyze, and interpret
financial statements
- Governing Agencies - identify agencies that affect
accounting procedures and discuss regulations and compliance issues that influence business decisions
- Income Taxes - explain and apply income tax laws
Student Activity: File by April 15th...
Time Frame: Four to five weeks
Interdisciplinary: Business, Math, and English
As a class, discuss the significance of April 15 every year. Conduct a class survey of students who are currently
working, or have worked, during the year to ask the following: By law who needs to file a return? What types of
taxes are deducted each pay period? What is a W-4 exemption form? What is a W-2 form? What is the function and
purpose of the Internal Revenue Service?
Working in small groups, collect the following forms: a W-4, a W-2, a 1040-EZ, a 1040A, and a 1040. Review each
form, and create a display identifying sections for each type. Write a summary report explaining the requirements,
benefits, and disadvantages of each type.
Working in pairs, review, discuss, and select two/three questions from the following list to research.
- What are the filing requirements? Do I have to
file?
- What is the difference between gross and adjusted
income?
- What is interest income and dividend income?
- Which form should I use--1040EZ, 1040A, or 1040?
- Which forms are used to report certain items?
- Would it help me to itemize deductions on Form
1040?
- What is an exemption and what amount is deductible
for each exemption?
- How are tax tables used?
- What types of credits are allowed?
- What types of deductions are allowed?
- What types of marital status are identified?
Individually, report back to the group with your research. Take group notes on each member's explanation to compile
into one class report with questions and answers.
Individually, complete a 1040EZ using a copy of a W-2 as an example. Using an overhead, demonstrate the process
in completing a 1040EZ form line by line. Utilizing the tax tables, figure a refund or amount due using a hypothetical
income.
Select a tax topic to research from the following: the IRS, individual income tax, corporate income tax, progressive
tax, FICA tax, state taxes, or unemployment tax.
Create a spreadsheet using five different decades. Compare and contrast federal incomes and outlays. Create charts
or graphs, and indicate increases or decreases and percentages. List the prices of at least five household items
and compare with today's prices.
As a class, discuss uses of tax money from local, county, state, and federal sources. In small groups, prepare
a chart listing as many specific examples of tax money at work and/or at waste. Discuss and come to consensus on
how you would slice up the pie. Present your findings to the class.
As a class, read the story "A Visit of Charity" by Eudora Welty, discuss appropriate uses for tax money.
Whose responsibility is it to care for the aged, sick, and disabled? What instances can be cited where people have
taken advantage of tax money? What should or could be done to reduce abuses? Discuss the advantages and disadvantages
of tax money versus charity or volunteer efforts in meeting people's needs. Individually, write a letter to the
editor of the local newspaper expressing your opinion.
As a class, read the story "On the Late Bus" by Susan Engberg, and discuss issues concerning the working
poor and fairness in today's society. Working in pairs or small groups, create either a tax structure that would
be fair and equitable to the majority of citizens or describe an environment where citizens perceive that life
is fair and equitable. Prepare a position paper on the superiority of your tax structure or environment to what
we have now.
ACADEMIC FRAMEWORK AND RELATED CAREER PERFORMANCE STANDARD REFERENCES INCLUDING SCANS COMPETENCIES AND FOUNDATIONS:
- English Framework Standards: 1, 2, 6, 10, 11, 12,
13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 24, 25
- Mathematics Framework References: I, II, III, IV,
X, XII
- History-Social Science Framework References: Strands
A, B, E, F, I, J, K, L; Economics C, D; Government C, D, F, I
- Science Framework References: 4, 6
- Career Performance Standards: A, B, C, E, G
- SCANS Competencies: 2, 3, 4
- SCANS Foundations: 1, 2, 3
Back to Table of Contents
Accounting and Financial Management Career
Path Cluster
Students will understand accounting and financial concepts. They will demonstrate competency by analyzing, applying,
interpreting, and communicating concepts and principles. Instructional content covered by this activity includes:
- Computer Accounting Systems - use a computer accounting
system to input and process data and to generate financial statements and other reports relevant to the financial
position of a business
- Financial Services - identify financial services
and resources available to businesses
- Governing Agencies - identify agencies that affect
accounting procedures and discuss regulations and compliance issues that influence business decisions
Student Activity: Investigate the Firm...
Time Frame: Three weeks
Interdisciplinary: Business and English
As a class project, divide into six teams to select and research one of the following Big Six accounting firms:
- Arthur Andersen & Company
- Coopers & Lybrand
- Deloitte & Touche
- Ernst & Young
- Peat, Marwick, Main & Company
- Price Waterhouse & Company
As a team, select a recorder and brainstorm ideas to develop an action plan to include who, what, how, and when
for accountability.
Draft a letter to the firm to explain the team's accounting project. Request information from the company concerning
its organizational structure, CEO, number of accountants, number of employees, career opportunities, benefits,
education requirements, and application process. Submit drafts to the instructor for approval. Revise, edit, and
submit a mailable copy.
Explore the possibility of utilizing a modem and Prodigy, Infonet, America On Line, and others in your research.
Prepare a script for a class presentation which presents information about the team's action plan, computer use,
informational materials and drafting process.
As a class, use the yellow pages to review the list of accounting firms in the community. Divide the alphabet evenly
among the teams. Repeat the research process. Create a spreadsheet to show comparisons and contrasts between the
accounting firms. Share findings with the class.
As a team, invite an accountant to sit on a panel to discuss career opportunities (local, state, and national markets),
education preparation, CPA exam, company policies, mentor or apprenticeship programs, fees for services, and laws.
As a team, draft a thank you letter to be mailed to each accountant on the panel. Individually, write a position
report on an accounting career.
Discuss the movie or the novel The Firm. Write a summary report describing the plot, and present
alternative solutions that could have been made.
ACADEMIC FRAMEWORK AND RELATED CAREER PERFORMANCE STANDARD REFERENCES INCLUDING SCANS COMPETENCIES AND FOUNDATIONS:
- English Framework Standards: 10, 11, 12, 13, 14,
15, 16, 17, 18, 24, 25
- History-Social Science Framework References: Strands
B, C, E, J, K; Economics C
- Science Framework References: 4, 6
- Career Performance Standards: A, B, C, D, E, F,
G
- SCANS Competencies: 2, 3, 5
- SCANS Foundations: 1, 2, 3
Back to Table of Contents
Accounting and Financial Management Career
Path Cluster
Students will understand accounting and financial concepts. They will demonstrate competency by analyzing, applying,
interpreting, and communicating concepts and principles. Instructional content covered by this activity includes:
- Computer Accounting Systems - use a computer accounting
system to input and process data and to generate financial statements and other reports relevant to the financial
position of a business
- Governing Agencies - identify agencies that affect
accounting procedures and discuss regulations and compliance issues that influence business decisions
- Internal Control - apply the basic principles of
internal control as they relate to various accounting systems
Student Activity: Managing and Expanding Your
Business
Time Frame: Three weeks
Interdisciplinary: Business and English
As a class, invite an attorney and/or a paralegal to explain the differences between mediation, arbitration, and
litigation relative to business contracts. Individually, write a brief summary of the presentation(s).
As a class, discuss the meaning of motivation. Can you tell by a person's track record if he or she is a motivated
individual? How do managers influence motivation?
Whether managers know it or not, the decisions they make and the way they treat their employees affects employee
motivation. Individually, research readings such as The
1-Minute Manager and The Human Side of Enterprise
by Douglas McGregor and How Our Smartest
Companies Put People First by C. Garfield.
Write a one-page summary on one of the readings, and state your opinion.
Working in pairs, write a script for a skit showing how an employer might respond to one of the following hypothetical
situations:
- Employees are carrying on personal conversations
when they should be working.
- Employees are using company supplies for personal
use.
- Employees are complaining about out-of-date equipment
and a general lack of safety in the work area.
- The company is not in parity with the pay scale
or benefits and the management/employee ratio.
- Employees are in general discontented with company
policies and perform at minimal levels of expectations.
- The company is experiencing employee turnover related
to downsizing, technology, attendance, and advancement.
In small groups, list model traits describing the ideal employee from a business owner's perspective. Write and
present a skit portraying how to interview job applicants in order to get such people. What types of questions
are allowed or not allowed?
As a class, invite a human resource specialist to visit and explain the process to develop an employee benefit
package for a small business. Individually, take notes.
Invite a panel of small business owners to discuss for the class employee motivation, customer service, staff training,
teamwork, and total quality management techniques. Individually, take notes. Using your notes, write a one-page
summary of the guest speakers' main points. Explain how your observations will affect the way you motivate employees.
Attach your notes to the summary.
Working in pairs, interview and video a small business owner and employees. Identify the type of business, the
number of employees, the number of years in business, and the types of motivational factors (achievement, recognition,
responsibility, growth, advancement) in place. Write and present a brief history of the company and owner. In a
spreadsheet format, list the types of motivational factors used by the owner, indicating those which worked, those
which did not, and those which were important to the employees. Prepare bar or pie charts to substantiate your
findings.
As a class, read One Hundred Best Companies
to Work For. Individually, select five companies
you would be interested in working for. List your criteria and decision-making strategies. What common characteristics
did the companies have that would make you want to work for them? What additional skills do you need to have to
make that possibility happen? Write a letter to yourself identifying the steps you need to take to reach your goals.
As a class, read the story "The Steel Drivin' Man" by A. Philip Randolph and Chandler Owen, and discuss
John Henry's love of his work. How important is it to have dreams and goals in your life? Brainstorm what is needed
when goals are difficult or seem impossible to reach. Individually, write a description of qualities that you have
which would make you an ideal employee and what areas need to be improved? In pairs, map the obligations that an
employee has to his employer and vice versa. Use this information to write a script portraying an excellent working
relationship between an employer and employee.
As a class, discuss the role of technology in making our lives more enjoyable in a society where, paradoxically,
people seem busier while working harder for less satisfaction. Read I
Robot by Isaac Asimov, and summarize the
pro and cons of technology suggested by the novel. In small groups, create skits depicting some aspects of technology,
positive or negative, in our lives today.
ACADEMIC FRAMEWORK AND RELATED CAREER PERFORMANCE STANDARD REFERENCES INCLUDING SCANS COMPETENCIES AND FOUNDATIONS:
- English Framework Standards: 1, 2, 6, 7, 9, 10,
11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 24
- Mathematics Framework References: I, II, III, IV
- History-Social Science Framework References: Strands
A, C, E, F, I, J, K; World History C, Economics C; Government E
- Science Framework References: 4, 6
- Career Performance Standards: A, B, C, E, G
- SCANS Competencies: 1, 2, 4
- SCANS Foundations: 1, 2, 3
Back to Table of Contents
Accounting and Financial Management Career
Path Cluster
Students will understand accounting and financial concepts. They will demonstrate competency by analyzing, applying,
interpreting, and communicating concepts and principles. Instructional content covered by this activity includes:
- Computer Accounting Systems - use a computer accounting
system to input and process data and to generate financial statements and other reports relevant to the financial
position of a business
- Governing Agencies - identify agencies that affect
accounting procedures and discuss regulations and compliance issues that influence business decisions
- Income Taxes - explain and apply income tax laws
- Internal Control - apply the basic prin-ciples
of internal control as they relate to various accounting systems
- Inventory Management - compare, evaluate, and apply
inventory concepts and costing procedures for both merchandising and manufacturing businesses
- Managerial Accounting - gather and interpret data
for planning and controlling operations
Student Activity: No Taxation Without Representation
Time Frame: Three weeks
Interdisciplinary:Business, English, Math, Social Studies
As a class, hold a discussion on the Boston Tea Party. What were the events leading to the colonists' uprising?
What did it have to do with tea? Why was a tax being levied? Write a one-page news article as a reporter for the
Boston Globe
during this period of time.
Working in small groups, create a matrix listing every type of tax in the United States to include the following:
name, abbreviation, year started, level (federal, state, or local), percent, use, and definition. Interview parents,
business persons, students, and other adults on their opinions concerning taxes. Prepare a presentation which shows
the comparisons and contrasts of different age groups based on age and occupation. Provide alternative methods
to supplement services.
Create a spreadsheet to compare and contrast each state's sales tax. Sort the table in ascending order by percent.
Using five states, (East Coast, South, Midwest, New England, West Coast) create five math problems to show the
difference in price in buying the following: a computer, a car, a pair of shoes, a dinner, and anything of your
choice. Explain what you think the reasons are for differences. How does your state compare with the country? Create
a graphic display to show standard-of-living comparisons in the United States.
As a class, invite a local county or city government official to speak to the class on the following: What is the
sales tax rate? What percent is county? What percent is local? What services do taxes provide for the community?
Individually, take notes.
Individually, select a country and research the tax base to write a summary report. How does it compare with the
United States?
Individually, assume the persona of a person involved in an illegal business, such as Jay Gatsby in the novel The Great Gatsby
or a person such as Heidi Fleiss or Al Capone, and write an autobiographical sketch of your experiences.
In small groups, read one of the following selections. Summarize the causes and effects of unfair practices including
taxation.
- Patrick Henry - Speech
in the Virginia Convention
- Thomas Paine - The
Crisis Number 1
- Thomas Jefferson - The
Declaration of Independence
Function as a committee which meets to support the
American Revolution. Map the main points of the group's selection and write a report. Select a group representative
to read the report orally in class.
ACADEMIC FRAMEWORK AND RELATED CAREER PERFORMANCE STANDARD REFERENCES INCLUDING SCANS COMPETENCIES AND FOUNDATIONS:
- English Framework Standards: 2, 10, 11, 12, 13,
14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 24, 25
- Mathematics Framework References:I, II, III, IV,
VI, X
- History-Social Science Framework References: Strands
A, C, D, E, F, H, I, J, K; U. S. History B; Economics B, C, D, E; Government A, C, D
- Science Framework References: 4, 6
- Career Performance Standards: A, C, F, G
- SCANS Competencies: 2, 3, 4, 5
- SCANS Foundations: 1, 2, 3
Back to Table of Contents
Accounting and Financial Management Career
Path Cluster
Students will understand accounting and financial concepts. They will demonstrate competency by analyzing, applying,
interpreting, and communicating concepts and principles. Instructional content covered by this activity includes:
- Financial Services - identify financial services
and resources available to businesses
- Financial Statements - prepare, analyze, and interpret
financial statements
- Governing Agencies - identify agencies that affect
accounting procedures and discuss regulations and compliance issues that influence business decisions
- Investment Analysis - analyze alternative investment
and financing options available to businesses
Student Activity: Rules, Regulations, and More
Rules!
Time Frame: Two to three weeks
Interdisciplinary: Business and English
As a class, discuss and explain how accounting organizations regulate and standardize accounting practices around
the country. Brainstorm what practices need to be standardized for financial information to have common meaning.
In small groups, discuss why every business needs to follow the same accounting procedures. Share group findings
with the rest of the class by having a group member outline key points on the board, having a representative speak,
and conducting a question/answer session.
As a group, select one organization from the following that has an impact on accounting practices:
- The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
- Financial Accounting Standards Board
- Securities and Exchange Commission
- Internal Revenue Service
- National Council on Governmental Accounting
After selecting, complete the following research process:
- appoint a recorder
- appoint a facilitator
- prepare a daily log and notebook
- prepare a team member accountability chart
- write a brief history of the organization
- write a letter to request information
- explain the organization's purpose and function
- prepare a class presentation
Using a line up, take a position on rules and regulations in our society. Are there are too many, not enough, or
somewhere in between? Choose a partner with an opposing position to discuss and list support for both points of
view. Individually, identify at least five circumstances where you feel that too many rules infringe on your freedom
in the home, school, and/or the community. Do you infringe on anyone else's freedom? What would be the repercussions
if these rules were eliminated? Select an issue at school (attendance, dress code, safety) and draft a policy that
you feel is fair and equitable. Discuss and share with the class.
Individually, identify five circumstances (personal, job related, legal) where you think there needs to be more
restrictions or requirements and support with reasons or examples.
As a class, read the poem "The Unknown Citizen" by W. H. Auden. Individually, describe the silent citizen
of today. use metaphor and show-not-tell language to portray the American who follows all of the rules and regulations
but is an unheard member of the system.
As a class, discuss Robin Lee Graham's Dove and Peter Jenkins' Walk
Across America, non-fiction accounts of
young men who decide to make their own rules for living. Discuss how they are able to accommodate their need for
freedom without breaking any of society's laws. Individually, describe a liberating experience you would like to
have where you make the rules. How would this change the way you live now? Who else would it affect and how? ACADEMIC
FRAMEWORK AND RELATED CAREER PERFORMANCE STANDARD REFERENCES INCLUDING SCANS COMPETENCIES AND FOUNDATIONS:
- English Framework Standards: 1, 2, 3, 7, 10, 11,
12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 24, 25
- History-Social Science Framework References: Strands
A, C, E, F, H, J, K; Economics C; Government A, B, C, D
- Science Framework References: 4, 6
- Career Performance Standards: A, C, E, G
- SCANS Competencies: 2, 3, 4,
- SCANS Foundations: 1, 2, 3
Back to Table of Contents
Accounting and Financial Management Career
Path Cluster
Students will understand accounting and financial concepts. They will demonstrate competency by analyzing, applying,
interpreting, and communicating concepts and principles. Instructional content covered by this activity includes:
- Budgeting - create master budgets and flexible
budgets; apply capital budgeting decisions
- Financial Statements - prepare, analyze, and interpret
financial statements
- Inventory Management - compare, evaluate, and apply
inventory concepts and costing procedures for both merchandising and manufacturing businesses
- Investment Analysis - analyze alternative investment
and financing options available to businesses
- Managerial Accounting - gather and interpret data
for planning and controlling operations
- Plant Asset Management - apply the procedures for
asset acquisition and disposition; analyze and calculate depreciation methods
- Receivables and Payables Management - explain methods
for monitoring and controlling receivables and payables
Student Activity: The Seat-of-the-Pants Approach
Time Frame: Three weeks
Five to six weeks
Interdisciplinary:Business, Math, English, and Social Studies
As a class, discuss how an average business day is filled with problems that need to be solved and decisions that
need to be made. Consider both routine and non-routine decisions. Individually, log your daily routine and non-routine
decisions made over a two-week period.
As a class, generate a list of different ways people make decisions, such as considering all of the alternatives
and their consequences, selecting the first option that presents itself, asking others for their opinions, or choosing
based on whim.
Individually, using your decision-making log, identify the most common approach used in your routine and non-routine
decisions. Write a summary of your decision-making experiences.
In small groups, collect samples of budgets from a variety of sources, such as a school district, a non-profit
organization, or a local business. Review the projected types of income and expenses. Using a spreadsheet, compare
and calculate the projected amounts with the actual dollar amounts. Calculate the percentage for each income and
expense. Create a graphic display of your findings.
As a class, designate groups for the following tasks: invite a business manager to speak to the class regarding
budgets, and report back to the class the name of the speaker, company, and a confirmation date. Generate questions
pertaining to budget decisions and send to the speaker before the presentation day. Draft and send a thank you
letter to the guest speaker.
As a class, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of relying on a budget in order for a business to plan for
profits, growth or downsizing, investments, and inventory management. Individually, write a summary of your opinion,
and submit it to the instructor.
Working in small groups, select one part of the budget to examine. Prepare a formal problem-solving and decision-making
plan for the class. Identify the problem or opportunity, list solutions or options, evaluate alternatives, choose
a solution, and get feedback. Include charts and graphs, timelines, maps, blueprints, demographics, interviews,
or video.
As a class, read the novel Summer of My German
Soldier by Bette Green. Discuss Mr. Bergen's
choice to sell supplies to German POWs who are interned near Jenkinsville, Arkansas. Explain his decision, though
his family is Jewish, to let his business supersede any feelings he has about the German treatment of Jews during
WWII. Individually, write a monologue in which Mr. Bergen explains his choice to himself.
As a class, discuss how people make choices all the time, some good, some bad. Based on your literature and life
experiences, discuss why some people who have difficult childhoods are still able to become successful adults while
others are not. Read Gary Soto's Living Up
the Street, and identify some of the major
choices he made as he was growing up. Individually, log his choices and choices you have had to make. Write a character
sketch of a literary character or a real person who developed strategies to solve or cope with difficult childhood
challenges.
As a class, discuss how many of the problems that we face in life deal with relationships and falling in and out
of love. Read "I Go Along" by Richard Peck and discuss what the narrator means by the last line in the
story. Individually, write about the next day in the narrator's life from Gene's point of view. Create additional
details about Gene's life based on what you already know about him. Include descriptions of people or things important
to him, such as his car, his girlfriend, his job, or his parents. What does his future hold when he is out of school?
Share character sketches with a partner.
As a class, discuss how an employee's personal problems cause problems at work or at school. Why is it often difficult
to separate the two? Discuss ways that people learn professional behavior so that the job gets done and there is
still time to handle personal relationships. Many country and western songs deal with different aspects of problems.
After reading the story "Surprised" by Catherine Storr, in a small group write the words to a country
song based on the events in the story. ACADEMIC FRAMEWORK AND RELATED CAREER PERFORMANCE STANDARD REFERENCES INCLUDING
SCANS COMPETENCIES AND FOUNDATIONS:
- English Framework Standards1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10,
11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25
- Mathematics Framework References: I, II, III, IV
- History-Social Science Framework References: Strands
E, J, K; Economics C, D
- Science Framework References: 4, 6
- Career Performance Standards: A, C, F, G
- SCANS Competencies: 2, 3, 4, 5
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