Financial analysis of high-cost acquisitions including vehicles, real estate, and higher education. Addresses interest rate calculations, loan terms, credit impacts, and total cost of ownership.
Students research donor organizations to align their personal brand with the funding source's mission and values.
Students build a robust project management system to track deadlines, requirements, and application status.
Students evaluate scholarship opportunities based on effort-to-value ratios and eligibility requirements.
Students learn to use advanced search techniques and verify the legitimacy of scholarship databases and institutional resources.
Students conduct a deep-dive audit of their financial needs and personal characteristics to identify niche scholarship opportunities.
Students synthesize their findings to create a personal proposal for their post-high school needs, outlining software, hardware, costs, and funding sources while practicing self-advocacy.
Students experiment with different audio input devices (headsets, tabletop mics, earbuds) in varying noise environments, analyzing how background noise impacts recognition accuracy.
Students investigate how different speech engines process data (local vs. cloud) and the implications for privacy in academic or professional settings.
Students test mobile dictation apps and cloud-based synchronization, evaluating how to capture ideas on the go and transfer them to a desktop for editing.
Students conduct a comparative analysis of accessibility tools native to Windows/Mac/Chromebooks versus specialized software like Dragon Professional, evaluating cost, privacy, and performance.
Students analyze common scholarship application components and begin creating a 'brag sheet' of their high school accomplishments.
Students build a personalized organization system to track scholarship deadlines, requirements, and application statuses.
A case study activity where students analyze a disorganized student calendar to identify critical time-management and project-management errors in the scholarship application process.
An alignment worksheet for students to research donor mission statements and justify how their personal brand connects to the funding organization's goals.
A comprehensive tracking worksheet for managing multiple scholarship deadlines, requirements, and recommender communication.
Instructional slides for Lesson 3, focusing on the concept of 'hourly rate' for scholarship applications and differentiating between high-competition and niche grants.
Instructional slides for Lesson 5, focusing on donor mission alignment and how to research organizations beyond their basic homepage.
A case study activity where students analyze three scholarship listings to identify legitimate opportunities versus scams and data-mining traps.
Instructional slides for Lesson 4, covering building a tracking system, managing recommenders, and the importance of application infrastructure.
A decision-making worksheet for evaluating scholarships based on award amount, estimated effort, and eligibility odds to determine a student's personal ROI strategy.
Instructional slides for Lesson 2, covering database types, advanced Boolean search techniques, and red-flag detection for scholarship scams.
Instructional slides for Lesson 1, focusing on debunking scholarship myths, identifying 'Search DNA' (Identity, Interests, Geography), and conducting a financial gap analysis.
A comprehensive self-audit worksheet for undergraduate students to identify financial gaps, demographic traits, and niche interests for scholarship targeting.
Scenarios and response prompts for roleplaying self-advocacy meetings with college disability services or IT departments.
A comprehensive guide for undergraduate students to systematically search for, evaluate, and manage scholarship applications. The sequence covers self-auditing, database navigation, ROI analysis, project management, and donor mission alignment.
A comprehensive 12th-grade sequence focused on evaluating and selecting assistive technology, specifically speech recognition and dictation, for post-secondary transition. Students act as technology analysts to compare solutions, assess hardware, and build a personalized advocacy plan for college and the workplace.
A comprehensive sequence for 9th-grade students focused on early scholarship planning, database navigation, scam prevention, and organizational tracking systems.
A comprehensive sequence designed to guide 9th-grade students through the process of crafting persuasive personal statements for scholarships. Students move from self-reflection and inventorying their strengths to analyzing mentor texts, mastering the 'Show, Don't Tell' technique, and refining their drafts through peer review.
This 10th-grade sequence equips students with the skills to find and manage scholarships. Students learn to navigate databases, decode eligibility, avoid scams, and build a digital tracking system to prepare for post-secondary funding.
A comprehensive sequence for 10th-grade students focusing on the financial realities of student loan repayment, the impact of debt-to-income ratios, and evaluating the long-term ROI of post-secondary education choices. Students progress from basic math to strategic advisory, culminating in a complex case study analysis.
A project-based sequence for 10th-grade students to master the complexities of college funding. Students will learn to deconstruct costs, prioritize non-repayable aid, interpret confusing financial aid letters, and design a sustainable borrowing strategy to minimize long-term debt.
This sequence immerses students in the mechanics of borrowing money, focusing specifically on the distinctions between federal and private lending. Students begin by understanding the fundamental concepts of principal, interest, and capitalization before diving into the specific terms of Subsidized and Unsubsidized Direct Loans.
This sequence explores the long-term financial implications of student loans, focusing on repayment plans, budgeting, and return on investment (ROI). Students transition from understanding borrowing mechanics to simulating the real-world impact of debt on lifestyle and career choices.
A comprehensive unit for 9th-grade students exploring the differences between federal and private student loans. Students learn to navigate financial aid terminology, calculate interest accrual, and evaluate the long-term impact of borrowing decisions.
This sequence guides 11th-grade students through the complexities of student loans, from distinguishing loan types to calculating long-term interest and simulating repayment strategies based on career goals.
A higher-education and career-readiness sequence for 12th-grade students focused on using matrices to synthesize complex, conflicting, and multi-variable information. Students move from basic data organization to high-level comparative analysis and source evaluation.
