Career and Life Management 20: Activities

(Consumers' Association of Canada, Alberta)

Alberta Consumers' Association

Alberta Curriculum Linkages-Career and Life Management 20 (Senior High) /16 (Revised 1989) Alberta Learning, Alberta, Canada

The Alberta Consumers' Association site provides links to information resources that can be used to meet the Calm 20 learning objective "develops survival skills related to consumer interactions in the marketplace" of the core theme, Independent Living. In addition most of the learning objectives of the optional module, Consumer and Investment Choices, can be met by using resources available through this site. Some activities that use the site to meet learning objectives are suggested. If you would like to add an activity to this site, send it to Larry Phillips

Core Theme E: Independent Living

Theme Objective

The student: develops survival skills related to consumer interactions in the marketplace.

Financial Institutions

Activities to help the students understand financial institutions:

have the students compare the types of accounts and costs at a bank, a trust company, and a credit union;

have students compare the deposit insurance available on regular deposits at various types of financial institutions;

have student compare the deposit insurance available on certificates of deposit and mortgage debentures.

The information needed to complete these activities can be found using the Consumer Information link.

Consumer Advocacy

Activity:

have the students identify a concern they have with a product or service and then see if there is a group or organization dealing with that concern.

In addition to information found using the Consumer Advocacy link, using a search engine such as Hotbot may be useful.

Module 3: Consumer and Investment Choices

Module Objectives

The student:

develops skills and knowledge to improve consumer and investment decision making

identifies strategies that allow wise use of financial and personal resources for immediate and deferred wants and needs

recognizes the rights and responsibilities involved in consumer and investment decisions

increases ability to modify consumer and investment plans in response to changes in goals, lifestyle and access to resources

improves ability to communicate concerns, and to make plans related to consumer and investment choices.

Financial Goal Setting

Activities:

have the students assess their present net worth. Because few students will have financial assets or liabilities, this might be a good time to discuss value systems and other ways of counting assets and liabilities. Have the students keep in mind that assets are the things or abilities that allow the students to meet their goals, while liabilities are the things or obligations that hinder that students abilities to meet their goals.
have the students review their short-term financial goals
have the students determine their long-term financial goals

The information needed to help students complete these activities can be found using the Consumer Information link.

Personal Financial Considerations Activityies:

have the students compare the investment considerations of investing $1000 in term deposits with the Alberta Treasury Branch verses investing the same amount in consumer products such as the latest Nintendo or Barbie dolls. Give bonus points to students who recognize opportunity and other holding costs.

have the students investigate whether they should pay off their student loans before making major consumer purchases that will require borrowing

The information needed to complete this activity can be found using the Consumer Information link. Types of Investment

Wise Consumer Decision Making

Activities:

have the student find to sources for a product or service they wish to buy. They should compare the information provided, the price, other contract terms, location of the vendor, redress, and use of personal information. The students should decide whether it is better to purchase the product locally or directly from a remote vendor
have the student review the consumer rights and responsibilities page and suggest changes

The information needed to complete this activity can be found using the Consumer Information link.

Debt and Equity Investment

Activity:

have the students explain why the value of a bond or debenture changes if interest rates change;
have the students compare the rates of return for several mutual funds for different time periods;
have the students explain how you know you are buying equities at a "bottom" and not a "top" (please let me know);
have students note how many one month periods that a Canadian Treasury Bill fund outperformed the TSE index during the last 3 years.

The information needed to complete these activities can be found using the Consumer Information link.

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