“House of Cards ” - Credit Card Project

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Brief Project Overview:

This project takes a student-centered approach in which students examine credit and how it may affect them and their future. It includes topics such as shopping for and establishing credit, the pitfalls of using credit and the cost of using credit. While this lesson is intended to educate the consumer, and thus all students, there are many career opportunities related to the field of consumer finances. Perhaps this will get the students thinking about a future in a financial career. All necessary worksheets and files are available with this project and can be accessed by clicking on the blue underlined titles.

Appropriate Subjects and Grade Levels
For 10 – 12th grade high school students in the following classes:
  • Economics
  • Consumer Education courses
  • Math
  • Business
  • Language Arts
Length of Project

One 55-minute class period for each of the three lessons; the follow-up lesson to Lesson 2 (Understanding Credit Card Terms) requires student work outside of classroom and one additional 55-minute period

NOTE: The length of this project is an estimated minimum time needed for completion that may easily be expanded upon. The length of time will naturally increase as the project is expanded upon by the teacher as it is adapted to meet classroom and curriculum goals.

Recommended Background Materials
  • The book Credit Card Debt: It Can Cost You Your Life, by Susan V. Powell (Available through Amazon.com); author’s web site www.dontdodebt.com
  • Credit Card Abuse/Gambling Addiction MTV video – available through Library Video Company
  • Financial Fitness for Life: Bringing Home the Gold: 9-12 Teacher's Package, published by National Council on Economic Education
  • No Brainers on Personal Finance 1 (2002) video
  • The Standard Deviants - Learn Personal Finance (2002) video
  • Financial Literacy: On the Money! Video – available through Library Video Company

“House of Cards” Credit Card Project

Written and Edited by:

Susan Espana
Kay Fegette
Beth Islip
Jeanne Sampson
Mile Walker


Sierra Community College developed and produced the Business Industry Sector Grant for Finance and Business. Funding provided by the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998 through the California Department of Education.

For more information please visit: FAB.SierraCollege.edu

 

Sierra Community College , through the Finance and Business Insustry Sector Grant, worked with high school teachers in a two-year long project to create and test these classroom project lesson plans. The objective was to provide high quality, ready-to-use lessons that integrated vocational and academic standards, concepts and curriculum.

Read more about the FAB grant and its mission.