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Decision Making

Main Core Tie

Adult Roles And Responsibilities
Strand 1 Standard 4

Additional Core Ties

Adult Roles and Financial Literacy
Strand 1 Standard 4

Authors

CTE LESSON PLANS

Summary

Students will be able to describe the decision-making process, including acceptance of personal responsibility for the consequences of the decision and describe the decision-making process (identify problem, brainstorm possible solutions, explore and evaluate, make a decision and act on it, evaluate and accept responsibility for results).


Materials

Supplementary Resources

  • UEN Lesson Plans listed under Financial Literacy
    "Finan Lit -- Econ. Factors, Decision Making, Advertising"
    "Making Decisions"
  • FCCLA Chapter Handbook CD, available at www.fcclainc.org, $40


Instructional Procedures

Vocabulary
Use the Vocabulary Worksheet and Key (pdf).

Introduction/Pre-Assessment
Share this story with your students to help prepare them in making wise decisions.

PERSONAL WORTH:An Internet story
A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. In the room of 200, he asked who wanted the $20 bill. Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this." He proceeded to crumple up the dollar bill. He then asked, "Who still wants it?" Still the hands were up in the air. "Well," he replied, "What if I do this?" And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. "Now who still wants it?" Still the hands went into the air.

"My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value: dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who love you. The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, but by WHO WE ARE. You are special--don't EVER forget it." Count your blessings, not your problems. Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that amateurs built the Ark. Professionals built the Titanic. (Taken from UEN.org lesson plan on Decision Making)

Content Outline, Activities and Teaching Strategies
(All options do not necessarily need to be taught. Select ones to cover standards and objectives and according to your district policies.)

Option 1: PowerPoint on Decision Making
Have students do activities and worksheets as explained in the Decision Making PowerPoint presentation.

Day 1 (ppt): Intro (Parable of Popcorn), Steps to Decision Making (see option 3 below), Group Decision Making (see option 5 below), Game of Skunk.
Day 2 (ppt): Group Decision Making answers, Decision Making worksheet (see option 4 below). Cooperative 5 Square activity

Option 2: Discussion
Discuss with the class the many elements that influence decisions (family, friends, peers and your own needs and desires). Many decisions involve others' expectations of you and the roles you play. What influence do the following have on your decisions: peer pressure, parental expectations, self-image, society's expectations, life style?

Option 3: Steps to Making a Decision
Using the Steps to Making a Decision Transparency (pdf) as a guide, discuss the steps to making a decision. Review again the steps except this time walk through a problem as you discuss the transparency.

Option 4: Decision-Making
After discussing the steps to making a decision have the students complete the assignment in small groups. Use the Teacher Information/Activity Worksheet (pdf).

Option 5: Group Decision-Making
Have students complete the group Decision Making Activity Worksheet (pdf). The activity is to show students that when making decisions, two heads are better than one, and that experience is also helpful when making decisions.

Option 6: Cooperative 5-Square
Have students complete this decision-making activity (pdf) in small groups. Discuss their feelings at the conclusion of the activity.

Option 7: Life
Play the Milton Bradley game of "Life" and have students fill out the Game of Life Worksheet (pdf). Game boards--LIFE, Milton Bradley Co., Springfield, MA 01101 Copyright, 1985.

Option 8: Prom Night
Have the class describe a typical prom date. Outline all expenses and the events of the evening. Then do a comparison of how many different things you could do with the same amount of money. Is it a good decision to spend that much money for one night of fun?

Option 9: NEFE Your Financial Plan: Where it All Begins
National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) High School Planning Program

In the NEFE Instructor Manual and the corresponding Student Guide use Unit 1 Your Financial Plan: Where It All Begins.

Step 3 in Unit 1 is on making decisions. Students will work through activities to learn the decision making process and consequences of decisions made. Refer to the NEFE Your Financial Plan Lesson Plan to find the possible activities for this option.

Possible Activities from Unit 1:

  • Exercise 1D on page 10: What Should Rob Do? Have students work with a partner to complete exercise.
  • Exercise 1E on page 10: Satellite Decisions. Work individually, in small groups, or as a whole class to complete diagram, making sure to take into account the who, what, where, when, and how when making the decision.
  • Exercise 1F on page 11: Deciding to Buy a Car. Have student work with a partner to decide which car would be best to buy.
  • Assignment 1-4 on page 11: Have each student think of a decision that they need to make and work through the decision making process can help them to make a decision that will best fit their needs and limited resources.

You can order free Instructor Manuals and Student Guides by going to the following website: http://hsfpp.nefe.org/home/

Option 10: FEFE Forced Choices
Family Economics and Financial Education (FEFE) Lesson Plan. Students make choices based on values. Shows that there are differences among classmates.

Step #1: Go to: https://takechargetoday.arizona.edu. (You will need to register and log into this website prior to use)
Step #2: Click on Curriculum then click on 5.0 Decision Making.
Step #3: Click on 1.5.1 Forced Choices and download the lesson plan and resources.
Step #4: Gather the following items for the lesson:
Forced Choices Alternatives Questions -- 1.5.1.J1

Option 11: FEFE Making a Choice
Family Economics and Financial Education (FEFE) Lesson Plan. Students complete a one month calendar of typical events which would occur in a teenager's life and make decisions about what they would choose to do. They complete an income and expense statement and examine how these factors influence how they typically spend money.

Step #1: Go to: https://takechargetoday.arizona.edu. (You will need to register and log into this website prior to use.)
Step #2: Click on Curriculum then click on 5.0 Decision Making.
Step #3: Click on 1.5.2 Making a Choice and download the lesson plan and resources.
Step #4: Gather the following items for the lesson:
Making a Choice Calendars -- 1.5.2.A1
Making a Choice Worksheet -- 1.5.2.A2
Income and Expense Statement -- 1.5.2.A3

Option 12: FEFE Pros and Cons in Decision Making
Family Economics and Financial Education (FEFE) Lesson Plan. Students read scenarios and then evaluate the pros and cons of the possible solutions and the consequences of the decision.

Step #1: Go to https://takechargetoday.arizona.edu. (You will need to register and log into this website prior to use.)
Step #2: Click on Curriculum then click on 5.0 Decision Making.
Step #3: Click on 1.5.3 Pros and Cons in Decision Making and download the lesson plan and resources.
Step #4: Gather the following items for the lesson:
Decision Making Activity Scenarios -- 1.5.3.A1
Seven Step Decision Making Process worksheet -- 1.5.3.A2
Evaluating Pros and Cons in Decision Making worksheet -- 1.5.3.A3

Option 13: FEFE Decision Making Magic
Family Economics and Financial Education (FEFE) Lesson Plan. Very basic beginning unit on steps in decision making process, types of decisions, benefits of making good decisions.

Step #1: Go to https://takechargetoday.arizona.edu. (You will need to register and log into this website prior to use.)
Step #2: Click on Curriculum then click on 5.0 Decision Making.
Step #3: Click on 2.5.1 Decision Making Magic and download the lesson plan and resources.
Step #4: Gather the following items for the lesson:
Decision Making Magic PowerPoint presentation -- 2.5.1.G1
Decision Making Magic information sheet -- 2.5.1.F1
Decision Making Magic note taking guide -- 2.5.1.L1
Decision Making Dilemma worksheet -- 2.5.1.A1
Fairy Tale worksheet -- 2.5.1.A2
Fairy Tale rubric -- 2.5.1.B1
Fairy Tale example -- 2.5.1.E1
Routine or Major Decisions game cards -- 2.5.1.H1

Option 14: FEFE The Impact of Advertising on Purchasing Decisions
Family Economics and Financial Education (FEFE) Lesson Plan. Students will learn the steps companies take to create effective advertisements, identify advertising techniques, and evaluate advertisements in various types of media designed to influence their purchasing decisions.

Step #1: Go to https://takechargetoday.arizona.edu. (You will need to register and log into this website prior to use.)
Step #2: Click on Curriculum then click on 2.0 Consumer Decisions.
Step #3: Click on 1.2.3 The Impact of Advertising on Purchasing Decisions and download the lesson plan and resources.
Step #4: Gather the following items for the lesson:
Do You Know What You Want? PowerPoint presentation -- 1.2.3.G1
The Impact of Advertising on
Purchasing Decisions Info Sheet -- 1.2.3.F1
Advertising Note Taking Guide -- 1.2.3.L1
Cereal Box Worksheet -- 1.2.3.A1
30-minute Ad count worksheet and evaluation -- 1.2.3.A2
Do You Know What You Want? worksheet -- 1.2.3.A3
"Get the Gimmies" or "Mad, Mad, Mad Toy Craze" children's book
Magazines (variety of target audiences)
Cereal Box Puzzles (variety of target audiences)

Summary/Evaluation
Life is filled with decisions--some are major and have a large impact on your life while others are minor and only make a small difference. Whatever the outcome of your decision, you should take responsibility for your choices. When you accept responsibility for your choices, you show that you are becoming a mature person.


Created: 08/05/2011
Updated: 02/05/2018
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