Elementary School Programs - Overview
JA’s elementary school programs are the foundation of its K-12 curricula. Six sequential themes, each with five hands-on activities, as well as an after-school and capstone experience, work to change students’ lives by helping them understand business and economics.
Ourselves®
Uses compelling stories read aloud by the volunteer, along with hands-on activities to demonstrate helping, working, earning, and saving. Five required, volunteer-led sessions. Recommended for kindergarten.
Concepts–Barter, Benefit, Buying, Choices, Consumer, Costs, Earning, Entrepreneurs, Giving, Goods, Incentives, Income, Money, Resources, Rewards, Saving, Scarcity, Selling, Spending, Voluntary exchange, Wants, Work
Skills–Abstract thinking, Coin recognition, Decision making, Drawing, Following directions, Interpreting information, Listening responsively, Matching, Responsibility, Sequencing, Teamwork
Our Families®
Emphasizes the roles people play in the local economy and engages students with activities about needs, wants, jobs, tools and skills, and interdependence. Five required, volunteer-led sessions. Recommended for first grade.
Concepts–Business, Choices, Consumers, Economic institutions, Employment, Family, Incentives, Income, Interdependence, Jobs, Needs, Resources, Scarcity, Skills, Tools, Voluntary exchange, Wants, Work
Skills–Analyzing information, Decision making, Differentiating, Drawing, Following directions, Interpreting symbols, Listening responsively, Making observations, Map reading, Matching, Teamwork
Our Community®
Explores the interdependent roles of workers in a community, the work they perform, and how communities work. Five required, volunteer-led sessions. Recommended for second grade.
Concepts–Banking, Business, Choices, Circular flow of money, Community, Division of labor, Economic institutions, Goods, Government, Incentives, Interdependence, Jobs, Money, Productivity, Taxes
Skills–Comparing, Critical thinking, Decision making, Identifying choices, Listening responsively, Making observations, Matching, Problem solving, Role-playing, Teamwork
Our City®
Studies careers, the skills people need to work in specific careers, and how businesses contribute to a city. Five required, volunteer-led sessions. Recommended for
third grade.
Concepts–Banking, Business, Careers, City, Consumer, Economic institutions, Entrepreneur, Incentives, Income, Jobs, Money, Producers, Quality, Resources, Skills, Specialization, Zones
Skills–Applying information, Conducting research, Decision making, Filling out forms, Interpreting directions, Map reading, Math computations, News writing, Role-playing, Teamwork.
Our Region®
Introduces the relationship between the natural, human, and capital resources found in different regions and explores regional businesses that produce goods and services for consumers. Five required, volunteer-led sessions. Recommended for fourth grade.
Concepts–Business, Choices, Economy, Exchange, Expenses, Goods, Incentives, Income, Investment, Products, Profit, Region, Resources, Risk, Scarcity, Services, Specialization, Taxes.
Skills–Comparing, Compiling data, Conducting research, Decision making, Differentiating, Giving reports, Interpreting data, Math computations, Problem solving, Reading, Teamwork, Understanding symbols.
Our Nation®
Provides practical information about businesses’ need for individuals who can meet the demands of the job market, including high-growth, high-demand jobs. It introduces the concept of globalization of business and the need for students to be entrepreneurial in their thinking. Five required, volunteer-led sessions. Recommended for fifth grade.
Concepts–Advertising, Capital resources, Career preparation, Communication, Competition, Corporation, Demand, Employees, Employers, Engineering, Entrepreneur, Free enterprise, Global competition, Goods, High-growth, High-demand jobs, Human resources, Natural resources, Opportunity costs, Partnerships, Price, Products, Profit, Resources, Resume, Scarcity, Services, Skills, Sole proprietorship, Specialization, Stock, Stockholders, Supply, Technology, Technophile, Technophobe
Skills–Addition and subtraction, Brainstorming, Conceptualizing and designing advertisements, Creative thinking, Critical thinking, Decision making, Drawing conclusions, Estimating, Evaluation, Following directions, Graphing and graph interpretation, Listening, Map reading, Problem solving, Reading and writing, Reasoning, Role-playing, Teamwork, Verbal communication, Working in groups.
JA AfterSchool®
JA More than Money®
Teaches students about earning, spending, sharing, and saving money, and businesses they can start or jobs they can perform to earn money. Six required, after-school, volunteer-led sessions. Recommended for grades three-five.
Concepts–Advertising, Banking, Business planning, Consumer, Deposit, Earn, Employee, Estimate, Expense, Goods, Income, Market research, Money management, Profit, Role model, Save, Self-employed, Service, Share, Spend, Withdrawal, Work ethic.
Skills–Active listening, Analysis, Applying information, Brainstorming, Chart data, Compare and contrast, Computation, Critical thinking, Deductive reasoning, Decision making, Drawing, Evaluating data, Follow written and verbal instructions, Group work, Mind-mapping, Problem solving, Recording deposits and withdrawals, Role-playing, Self-assessment, Taking turns, Teamwork, Vocabulary building.
JA Capstone
JA BizTown®
Engages students in the role of workers and consumers both in the classroom and at a simulated business community. In-school, teacher-led activities; pre- and post-on-site experience. Recommended for fifth grade.
Concepts–Banking, Business, Careers, Charitable giving, Citizenship, Competition, Conservation, Consumers, Demand, Division of labor, Employment, Exchange, Goods, Marketing, Markets, Money, Needs, Opportunity costs, Producers, Production, Quality, Resources, Saving, Scarcity, Services, Skills, Specialization, Supply, Wants.
Skills–Analysis, Applying information, Budgeting, Cause and effect, Critical thinking, Computation, Data collection, Decision making, Following directions, Graphing, Interpersonal communication, Listening, Negotiation, Observation, Planning, Predicting outcomes, Problem solving, Reading, Research, Role-playing, Setting goals, Spending, Taking responsibility, Teamwork.
All JA programs are designed to support the skills and competencies identified by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills. These programs also augment school-based, work-based, and connecting activities for communities with school-to-work initiatives.
