Teach the Expanded Core Using the Junior Achievement Program

I have to share one of my favorite resources for ECC instruction: Junior Achievement! Junior Achievement also known as JA is a serious jackpot when it comes to teaching the Expanded Core. I've been using it for years and have been able to use the curriculum to expand to all things ECC! I use a variety of JA programs for students as young as first grade through my high schoolers. Why JA? First, I did JA when I was kid and had some good memories of it. Now fast forward several years to my own kids doing JA. I was one of the parent volunteers for the big JA BizTown field trip. Holy cow, the moment I walked into JA BizTown I knew it was the Expanded Core everywhere! JA BizTown is a complete replica of a city with real life everything---cash registers at Chick Fil-A, city hall, post office, etc. Then I got to wondering what did JA teach. The question I should have asked was what doesn't JA teach!? 

Junior Achievement logo

I contacted Junior Achievement Utah because I wanted more information on the Junior Achievement program, the curriculums/programs and to let them know I saw potential for students with vision impairments to use them in a unique way (as part of our ECC instruction!). Side note: I always like to contact the company of a new product/curriculum that I use when I find ECC potential because I want them to be informed about our population of students. I also like to partner with them because the more they learn about our student's needs, the more everyone benefits. I've had such a good experience with this. So many companies have been open to collaborating with me! I have loved it!! Junior Achievement was top notch with working with me. I explained about the ECC, what I do and my vision for incorporating JA programs (as I knew it would look a little different with me...).  There were two other real stand out items that attracted me to Junior Achievement (aside from my fun time at JA BizTown): JA is popular in school districts so it wouldn't be something different for our students and JA programs are FREE! (note: It was free in Utah but I can't confirm this everywhere however I am super hopeful that it is!!).  JA programs are very popular in schools so it has a natural social conversation for our students to say that they are doing it, too. 

JA Personal Finance Program cover

Every JA program lists what elements of the Core curriculum it includes. I like it because I can easily see how I am targeting academic areas. Each program is divided into about 4-5 weeks. I follow the program as it is laid out because it is strategically put together.  I review the objectives and the extension learning for each unit and then I hit up all my ECC resources (you know, EVALS and ILSA) to make sure I am covering my ECC instruction.  I regularly take skills from EVALS and ILSA and infuse it right into my lesson plans. I also use my ECC Activity Worksheet (see my other post on it) to check my ECC instruction.

JA Ourselves Program Cover

I use JA programs for both my campus programs and my Outreach students (students attending their neighborhood schools).  I create quizzes for each unit and a final exam at the end of the program. (all on Google quizzes and Canvas). I LOVE JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT!! Their lessons are thoughtful and laid out so well that it is not a headache for me to learn the material. I stick to the material from the lesson plan book and infuse A LOT of ECC before, during and after. 

Here are two examples of how I infuse ECC instruction with the JA programs: With It's My Business, I am doing an entrepreneurial program with my high school students. They are to do a group project on creating a Teen Club. I extended it that they had to do a formal presentation on PowerPoint/Google Slides. We paused the JA program and did some lessons on using AT for the presentation, what makes a good presentation, etc. (which still compliments the JA program). Another example is with my younger students with the JA Ourselves program, students earned "ECC Bucks" by completing simple tasks for various amounts around our school. Their "ECC Bucks" (real printed ECC money) was converted at the First National Bank of Robbin into real money. We headed to the grocery store and made a purchase (with instruction on needs and wants from the JA Ourselves program).

JA More than Money

I use JA as a class (in the ECC Lab  on campus) and as curriculum for short term programs (so much easier for my staff to follow). I do my best to stick to the grade levels that are established by the JA program. I modified the JA More than Money program for older students. It was originally written for younger students but the content was good and it set a foundation for the next program that we did. There are a fair amount of visual or not accessible materials but nothing that is impossible to work with. I retype all my JA lesson plans into Google Docs in large print because I always make a handout after each session for students to reference and study.  I do this because I keep my MacBook with me during my lessons. I take notes during the sessions because many times students will say things that help other students learn the concepts or expand the concept. I include that in the handout. 

My main accessibility resource is typing skills! I am grateful for awesome support staff that Braille items and set up things as needed. 

JA alumni are 30% more likely to have their bachelor's degree than the general population. 

Have I convinced you that Junior Achievement is a great resource for providing Expanded Core instruction? I have had a lot of success with it. They have programs on financial literacy, career education, leadership and a lot more.  Check out Junior Achievement in your area: https://www.juniorachievement.org/web/ja-usa/home. 

JA Career Success Program cover

If you use Junior Achievement, let me know! I'd love to collaborate with you. Junior Achievement Utah has been awesome to work with. Yay for another resource to provide Expanded Core instruction!!