ACT Extra Credit

While I am not a proponent of testing [in general], I am an advocate of doing well on the ACT because it can help you get into the college you want, help you get scholarships, and it allows colleges to find you based on your scores and interest inventory.  For that reason, I am choosing to offer extra credit for those who take the ACT and do well.

• "20 Point Club":  50 Extra Credit Points
• "30 Point Club":  100 Extra Credit Points
• "32 Point Club":  Grade Bump (up one grade)

ACT Score must be shown to me by the last day of school.

Journal: How Would You Spend a Million Dollars?

Journal Write:  How would you spend $1,000,000?

Imagine that you suddenly won a million dollars.  What would you do?  How would you spend it?  Be specific.

Question: If you had $1,000,000 and had to spend it all in one year, how much [if divided equally] would you have to spend every single hour?

Beginning Checking: Checks and Registers

Today we're going to begin a unit on using a checking account.  First we'll do a math worksheet going over percentages, decimals, and writing amounts out in longhand. (I will be handing out a copy in class, but you can get a copy here)

Next we will explore the general layout of a personal check:

Finally we will do a quick simulation of writing checks and using a check register.  I will be passing out a worksheet with three checks and a register (you can view a copy here: Checks with Register).  Use the following scenario to complete your worksheet:

• You begin your checking account today (12/02/16) with $135.72 from your piggy bank.
• You receive a Check for $550.00 from your work and Deposit it to your checking account on 12/03/16.
• Write a Check for your rent on 12/04/13 for $525 to Jellico Green Apartments.
• You go to dinner at Jellico Steakhouse on Saturday Night (12/05/16) for $18.27 and use your Debit Card.
• You send a Check to Edward Teach in the amount of $31.19 on 12/06/16 for a lamp you bought on eBay.
• You receive a Check for $550.00 on 12/07/16 from your work and you Deposit it to your checking account that afternoon.
• You write a Check for your car payment to Jellico Auto Brokers on 12/08/16 in the amount of $224.72.
• You use Online Banking to pay $124.25 for your PG&E bill on 12/09/16.

Compare your ending balance with a neighbors to verify your accuracy.

Here are a couple video clips to explore:

RECORD ALL CHARGES OR CREDITS THAT AFFECT YOUR ACCOUNT
#	DATE	DESCRIPTION OF TRANSACTION	PAYMENT / DEBIT	√	DEPOSIT / CREDIT	BALANCE
			(-)		(+)	$                 135.72
DEP	12/2	Deposit: Paycheck			$    550.00	$                 685.72
101	12/3	Rent: February	$     525.00			$                 160.72
ATM	12/4	Dinner at Lyndall's	$       18.27			$                 142.45
102	12/5	Edward Teach: Ebay	$       31.19			$                 111.26
DEP	12/6	Deposit: Paycheck			$    550.00	$                 661.26
103	12/7	Airport Auto Brokers	$     224.72			$                 436.54
OL	12/8	PG&E	$     124.25			$                 312.29

Emergency Supplies: Preparing for an Emergency or Disaster

We have talked about the need to know basic first aid & CPR skills, but are you ready for an emergency?  What if we have a tornado outbreak or an electrical storm that knocks power out for several weeks or we get snowed in for a couple weeks?  What if you were evacuated from your home for some reason?  Do you know what you would take with you if you had less than 5 minutes to decide?

Many people keep an emergency "Bug Out Bag" -- a bag / backpack with emergency supplies and important necessities that they can grab and go in a moments notice.  The BOB is based on a military pack that soldiers keep at the ready, but is in use around the world for places prone to tornadoes, military strikes, wildfires, floods, hurricanes, etc.

Take a few minutes and make a list of everything you would stuff into a Bug Out Bag if we were in danger of some sort of emergency scenario.  Don't share your list or help others because we will be checking to see who does the best with this.-

What are some potential emergency scenarios?  Obviously some are less likely than others, but East Tennessee has endured a variety of emergencies over the years.  We have seen tornadoes and fires and ice or snow storms.  There's a possibility we could even be in a dormant fault line for severe earthquakes.  So it's a good idea to prepare for all sorts of emergencies whether or not we plan to actually HAVE an emergency in our area.

• Floods
• Fires
• Wind Storms
• Earthquake
• Volcano
• Hurricane
• Virus Outbreak / Plague
• Chemical Weapon Attack
• Nuclear Attack
• Tornado
• EMP
• Power Grid Failure
• Military Attack / Invasion
• Revolution / Power Shift
• Economic Collapse
• Insect Infestation
• Zombie Apocalypse
• Asteroid
• Blizzard
• Aliens

Obviously there is little [or no] chance of some of these things happening [especially around here], but being prepared for anything means you are prepared for everything.

So what would be a good "starter list" to help you think about what you might want to put into a bug-out bag.  I would like you to compile a list of supplies you plan to put into an emergency backpack.  Obviously you can't get all of this into a kit, but you will have to plan accordingly depending on what is most important to you.

Try to keep your items realistic and think about the weight of what you are carrying.  You don't know if you will be in a car, walking the road, or climbing over a mountain, so your job is to be the most prepared as possible for any circumstance.

Your homework is to begin an Emergency Backpack with as many of your supplies as possible.

Getting a Roommate: Pro's & Con's

Moving out on your own can be a financial nightmare.  One way to cope with the extra bills (rent, utilities, and even transportation) is to get a roommate.  But having a roommate is not always what it's cracked up to be.  Friendships can be tested [and lost] over trivial things that you didn't think were a big deal.

A couple things you can do to prevent problems is to do a serious consideration of your compatibility (we will be working on a compatibility chart) and to work out an informal roommate contract.  The compatibility chart will bring up issues you may not have thought about and the informal roommate contract will help to settle disputes that will undoubtedly arise during your shared housing period.

The Roommate Compatibility Chart should include sections on personalities, sleeping habits, eating habits, housekeeping attitudes, social habits, etc.

The Informal Roommate Contract is not legally binding -- it's more of a guide to help you resolve little problems that come up (who is paying for what, who is in charge of taking out garbage, who is responsible for dishes on a certain day, what time visitors are allowed to stay, etc.).

In this example, Leonard meets Sheldon to discuss renting the room and Sheldon gives Leonard a compatibility questionnaire.  Although this is a parody, the idea was to prevent an incompatible person from becoming a roommate.  This is important to do even with people you have known for many years.