Insurance costs:
One-time yearly payment of: $1,200or monthly payments of: $200
Preparing Materials
Throughout the year, you will need classroom economy materials, such as money and banking paperwork, for the students. You can download the materials or order printed copies at no charge. Gathering and preparing materials will take approximately 2 to 3 hours.
Supplies
In addition to the materials we provide, you may wish to purchase or gather the following items:
| No. 10 business envelopes in which students can conveniently store their cash. | 1 per student plus a few extra for Bankers |
| Portfolio folders with clasps where students can store their bank logs and other materials. | 1 per student |
| Cash drawer or box to store excess cash. You might create one from a shoe box or use an item from an old board game, such as Monopoly. | 1 per class |
| Popsicle sticks or paint stirrers for auction paddles. | 1 per student |
| Sticky notes for convenience during auctions. | 1 slip per student per auction |
| A clipboard to hold the offense log in which you keep track of fines. | 1 per class |
| Items for students to purchase at auctions, such as toys, baked goods, or gift certificates. | 3 to 7 per auction |
Student folders
Put the following items in each student's folder:
| Item | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Job application | 1 |
| Bank log | 1 |
| Envelope | 1 |
Offense log
We suggest keeping an offense log in which you can record instances when students disobey the class rules. The Police Officers can write tickets based on what you put into the offense log. Using this system keeps the Police Officers involved, but you maintain the ultimate authority.
Cash box
Create a cash box with four slots, one for each denomination. This is where the class will keep excess cash throughout the year. We recommend that each Banker hold only about $200 in cash and store the rest in the cash box.
Visual displays
We recommend that when explaining the classroom economy, you use visual displays to help the students understand. In particular, it is a good idea to display lists of the jobs, bonus-money opportunities, and fines you will use in your classroom.
You may print and display our versions or create your own. Some suggestions include:
| Item |
|---|
| Bulletin board |
| Posters (jobs, bonuses, fines) |
| Presentation |
Tip:
Print individual copies of display items and place them into each student's folder.
Print classroom economy cash
To start, print about $800 in cash:
| Denomination | Quantity |
|---|---|
| $5 bills | 42 (seven sheets) |
| $10 bills | 18 (three sheets) |
| $20 bills | 6 (one sheet) |
| $50 bills | 6 (one sheet) |
Tip:
Print the bills on colored paper.
Other materials
For the activities throughout the year, you will need the following materials:
| Item | Needed for |
|---|---|
| Paychecks | Payday |
| Fine tickets | Ticket day |
| Unpaid rent notice | Rent day |
| Deed to desk | Rent day |
| Auction paddles | Auction |
| Auction record form | Auction |
| Certificates | Year-end wrap-up |
In addition, keep extra cash and banking materials on hand:
| Item |
|---|
| Bank logs |
| Cash |