• Global Objective: The students will discover the importance of personal finance by researching and making a mock large purchase while having their first interaction with the credit world as a resident of Charleston, SC.

• Description of Project: Through this assignment, students will gain a better understanding of the car-buying process and the components that affect monthly payments.  Students will compare the purchase of a new car, used car, and a lease. 

• The requirement description is below:

First, choose a NEW MODEL car or truck, then “build and price” a new model with varying terms and interest rates. If offered, save a fact sheet or brochure about your selected new car so you will have the info in a brochure image.Record your research on the Worksheet found on Google Docs. Next, you will look at a USED MODEL of the car you are interested in purchasing, including certified used models and leasing options.  

This new option should be within 5 years of present year and should be the as close to the same model as the new car you selected. You will also review warranty information on the vehicle. Record your research on the Worksheet found on Google Docs. *If offered, save a fact sheet or brochure about your selected new car so you will have the info in a brochure image (Research). After completing the worksheet, summarize the activity in a reflective presentation that includes your conclusion about which vehicle-purchasing option is best for you. Print out the completed Worksheet & Reflective Essay (Authentic Experience). Be careful about providing your email address or other contact information to auto dealerships, whose sales staff may contact you repeatedly.   Last, compile the information and give it to a family member who is trying to purchase a car. Copies of the compiled information will also be available in the school library for students and teachers who are in the market for a car (Service Learning). 

Driving Question: What is my best option for purchasing a vehicle? 

• Global Objective: The students will be able to research and write about how the government impacts their lives and present information related to how the government is necessary for a community to function. 

• Description of Project: Students will begin by doing open research to develop a basic understanding of "government" (Research).  Once students know key vocabulary and occupations within the government, students will select an occupation to conduct further research.  By the end of the unit, students will create a newspaper (Authentic Experience) that informs readers of the purpose of having a government (to include the occupation they selected).  Students will also create advertisements that they will display for other students to view (Service Learning) for the occupation they selected to show they understand the requirements of each job.

Driving Question: How does the government impact my life and my community? 

• Global Objective: The students will simplify powers, develop a vocabulary associated with exponents, and use the laws of exponents to simplify expressions containing multiplication/division of powers, power of a power, negative and zero exponents. 

• Description of Project: Students will choose a format in which to demonstrate their knowledge of the various laws of exponents.  Through daily class research and practice, students will build a vocabulary and develop an understanding of operations with powers (Research).  The students will choose a format based on an ability they possess currently (artistic, dramatic, technological, musical, or informative).  Their options include creating a comic strip, writing a song, making a movie, performing a skit, creating a brochure/poster, or developing a PowerPoint/Google Slides presentation (Authentic Experience).  They will wrap the project up by presenting their chosen format to the 7th grade class with the goal of teaching the lower grade what they have learned about the laws of exponents.  After viewing multiple presentations, the 7th graders will take a short quiz to demonstrate the effectiveness of the instruction by the 8th graders. Lastly, students will reflect on their own project as well as provide academic feedback for their peers (Service Learning). 

Driving Question: Why is it helpful to write and represent numbers in different ways?  How can I use the properties of integer exponents to simplify algebraic and numeric expressions? 

• Global Objective: The students will simplify powers, develop a vocabulary associated with exponents, and use the laws of exponents to simplify expressions containing multiplication/division of powers, power of a power, negative and zero exponents. 

• Description of Project: Students will choose a format in which to demonstrate their knowledge of the various laws of exponents.  Through daily class research and practice, students will build a vocabulary and develop an understanding of operations with powers (Research).  The students will choose a format based on an ability they possess currently (artistic, dramatic, technological, musical, or informative).  Their options include creating a comic strip, writing a song, making a movie, performing a skit, creating a brochure/poster, or developing a PowerPoint/Google Slides presentation (Authentic Experience).  They will wrap the project up by presenting their chosen format to the 7th grade class with the goal of teaching the lower grade what they have learned about the laws of exponents.  After viewing multiple presentations, the 7th graders will take a short quiz to demonstrate the effectiveness of the instruction by the 8th graders. Lastly, students will reflect on their own project as well as provide academic feedback for their peers (Service Learning). 

Driving Question: Why is it helpful to write and represent numbers in different ways?  How can I use the properties of integer exponents to simplify algebraic and numeric expressions?