Can You Afford Real Life?

Learning Goals & Products

Learning Goals

Students will be able to calculate a one-month survival budget using decimals, fractions, addition, and subtraction to track income, fixed expenses, flexible expenses, savings, and unexpected costs.

Students will be able to analyze how access to resources affects budgeting choices by comparing different life cards with different incomes, housing situations, transportation needs, and family responsibilities.

Students will be able to justify trade-offs between needs, wants, savings, and emergencies using evidence from real-world cost examples such as rent ads, grocery receipts, phone bills, and bus schedules.

Students will be able to revise a budget plan after feedback and an unexpected expense by identifying what changed and selecting a new strategy that keeps essential needs covered.

Products

individual

My Life for One Month Investigation Notebook

A research-style notebook that documents the student's life card, cost evidence, budget calculations, trade-offs, and revisions after a surprise expense. It proves individual mastery by showing how the student used evidence and math to build and defend a realistic monthly plan.

team

Reality Check Budget Analysis Board and Presentation

A team investigation report and presentation that combines each member’s evidence into one shared analysis of budgeting under different life cards. It must explain methods, show organized data and visuals, address conflicting findings, and defend conclusions about what makes a budget realistic.

Rubric

Competency Progression Rubric Competency-first rubric

Category	Learning Goal	Emerging	Developing	Proficient	Applying
Pursuing Goals	Resource management	I am aware when I do not have the resources I need to complete a goal, task, or project. Project-specific: I can notice when I don’t have enough money or information to finish my one-month budget and I can pause to check what’s missing.	I can identify the resources that are needed to complete a goal, task, or project. Project-specific: I can list the resources I need to complete my budget plan (income, fixed expenses, flexible expenses, transportation, phone, clothing, savings, and emergencies) and match them to what I have.	I identify gaps in my available resources compared to the resources I will need for a goal, task, or project, and develop strategies to fill those gaps. Project-specific: I can compare the budget resources I have to what my goal requires, identify specific gaps (like an unexpected expense or too little savings), and use a strategy to revise my plan to make it work for one month.	I identify gaps in my available resources compared to the resources I will need for a goal, task or project, and develop strategies and self-advocate to fill those gaps. Project-specific: I can identify the resource gaps that prevent my budget from being realistic and I can self-advocate by asking for help, making a clear adjustment, and explaining how my revised choices protect my needs and savings.
Economics	Access to resources	I can give examples of how human societies and cultures have used their physical surroundings (resources, geographic features, etc.) to create and support communities. Project-specific: I can use real-life examples from the kickoff crawl (like rent ads, grocery receipts, bus schedules, and phone bills) to identify the resources a person needs to live for one month I can describe how limited access to a resource (time, transportation, or money) affects my choices about spending.	I can analyze and describe the impact of human settlement activities on the environmental and ecological characteristics of specific places and regions. Project-specific: I can explain how different real-world access to resources (housing costs, transportation options, and reliable communication) changes what I can afford in my one-month budget I can show evidence on my budget board by matching each expense category to a corresponding source clue and a clear reason for my amount.	I analyze relationships and interactions within and between human settlements and the environmental/ecological characteristics of related places to explain changes in economic activities and cultural norms. Project-specific: I can analyze how interactions between resources (housing, transportation time/cost, and family responsibilities) affect my economic trade-offs and priorities I can justify my chosen needs vs wants decisions using data from my research and my life card scenario, showing how access leads to specific budget changes.	I design solutions that address the negative outcomes of environmental and ecological challenges that have been created by human behavior, natural events, or existential threats. Project-specific: I can design and defend a revised one-month plan that responds to a negative impact on resources (like a surprise expense) by protecting essential needs and/or savings I can revise my budget board with a new strategy (adjusting fixed vs flexible costs, changing allocations, or choosing an alternative trade-off) and explain how my solution addresses the resource challenge.
Pursuing Goals	Planning for postsecondary	I understand the steps to start a plan for postsecondary goals. Project-specific: I can list the basic steps for planning toward a postsecondary goal (for example, identifying a goal, figuring out what I need to start, and setting a simple timeline).	I can navigate the steps toward implementing a plan for postsecondary goals by considering personal strengths and challenges. Project-specific: I can choose a postsecondary direction that fits my interests and strengths, and I can name personal challenges that could affect my progress and how I might address them.	I implement a plan for postsecondary goals by building on personal strengths and addressing challenges. Project-specific: I can create a one-month budgeting plan for my fictional “life” that connects my choices to what I need to work toward postsecondary goals, adjusting my plan when my strengths and challenges show up in the budget.	I skillfully build on personal strengths and personal challenges to create a postsecondary plan that accounts for potential obstacles. Project-specific: I can skillfully strengthen my postsecondary planning by using my strengths and directly planning around obstacles (like limited income or surprise expenses), showing clear evidence of how I revised my budget to protect needs and keep my goals on track.
Self-Motivation	Making learning relevant	I am aware of the influence that personal interests have on my learning. Project-specific: I can describe what aspects of budgeting and the “life card” role-play relate to me or to people I know, using simple examples from the class discussion.	I can connect my personal interests or personal context to making choices in my learning. Project-specific: I can connect my personal context (such as my interests, family situation, or everyday routines) to specific budgeting choices I make on my starter plan.	I intentionally find personal relevance in my work by aligning it with my interests or goals. Project-specific: I can intentionally choose and explain a connection between my interests or goals and how I build my one-month budget (including my trade-off) using evidence from my costs and calculations.	I intentionally find personal relevance in my work by aligning it to interests or goals and reflecting on progress towards mastery in order to build curiosity for a given topic. Project-specific: I can explain why my budget plan matters to me, and I can reflect on how revising it after surprise costs helped me grow my understanding and increased my curiosity about budgeting for real life.
Pursuing Goals	Adapting my approach	I can identify adapted approaches to complete a task or achieve a goal. Project-specific: I can identify how I changed my budget plan or steps to better complete my one-month budget task when something didn’t work the way I expected (like a cost, category, or math check).	I can explain adaptations to my approach to complete a task or achieve a goal. Project-specific: I can explain why I adapted my approach (what I noticed first and what I changed) to improve my budget plan after kickoff crawl choices, feedback, or a check-in.	I create and evaluate adaptations to my approach to successfully complete a task, solve a problem, and achieve a goal. Project-specific: I can create and evaluate a revised budget after a surprise expense by showing what changed, how the math or category amounts were fixed, and whether my new plan better protects needs and savings.	I create and evaluate adaptations to my approach to successfully complete a task, solve a problem, and achieve a goal, as well as make plans for predicted potential obstacles and challenges. Project-specific: I can create and evaluate a budget plan that includes adaptations and plans for predicted obstacles (like expected bills or possible surprises) by identifying likely problem points and choosing specific adjustments before they happen.