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Frequently asked questions:
Q: Is the students’ visit to JA BizTown a field trip?
A: No. JA BizTown is an experiential educational program that enables students to
learn economic concepts in an interactive, hands-on environment. Children should
arrive at JA BizTown prepared to actively engage in tasks directly related to the in-class
curriculum they have been studying for the past 4 weeks.
Q: What is the time commitment for JA BizTown™?
A: There are 21 lessons before the JA BizTown visit (forty-five (45) minutes a day for
19 days). Two debriefing lessons follow the on-site simulation visit. Note: the
Financial Literacy unit, Unit 2, is best reviewed frequently to help students master
these important concepts.
Q: What materials are included in the JA BizTown curriculum?
A: The Classroom Kit provides nearly everything a teacher needs to teach the unit. These materials include:
o Curriculum Guide
o Citizen Guides (student workbooks)
o Curriculum Timeline
o Teaching Posters
o Game Cards
o BizBrief Resource Booklets
o Student Simulation Checkbooks
o BizPrep Business Paperwork
o DVD
o Communication Templates
o Unit Newsletters
o Transparencies
o Digital files of citizen worksheets
Q: Who can teach the JA BizTown curriculum?
A: The interdisciplinary curriculum can be taught by the economics, social studies,
math, or language arts teachers, or the teaching team can share responsibilities by
dividing lessons. All lessons are written to meet state standards.
Q: Can special needs students participate in JA BizTown?
A: Yes. JA BizTown is like a “real city”, as there are jobs of every level and interest.
Please speak with your JA Contact Person to obtain more information about, and
recommendations for special needs students’ job placements.
Q: What is the cost of JA BizTown?
A: The cost to schools is $15 per student. The cost to Junior Achievement is $40 per
student to operate JA Biztown. Schools are responsible for the $15 per student, while
Junior Achievement covers the remaining cost. The $15 per student fee helps cover
the cost of teacher and volunteer trainings, curriculum production and distribution,
staff visits to schools, unlimited phone and e-mail consultation, student materials, and
all necessary consumables for the on-site visit day. The $15 student fee does not
include bus transportation. It is the responsibility of the school to arrange and pay for
bus transportation to the JA BizTown site on the day of the visit.
Q: How many facilitators/volunteers are needed? Who qualifies, and what is their role?
A: A minimum of 14 facilitators (volunteers) are needed, or 1 per business. However,
we can accommodate as many as 28 facilitators, if all businesses are operating.
Facilitators can be parents, grandparents, principals, school volunteers, teachers’ aides,
vice principals, etc. The facilitator’s role in a business is to provide encouragement,
guide students, bring the “real” world into JA BizTown, and to look for those
“teachable moments” where the concepts taught at school become relevant to the JA
BizTown work environment. Facilitators will not be placed in the business where their
child is working.
Q: What happens when a student who has participated during the in-class
curriculum does not visit JA BizTown? Is the school still responsible for the $15
fee for that student?
A: Yes. The $15 fee is applied not only to the consumables used during your visit, but
also to the training costs for both the teachers and facilitators, staff support, and
materials, such as the JA BizTown Citizens Guide. It also covers the cost of
checkbooks used by the students during the on-site visit. The fee is used to help
defray the cost of the curriculum in it’s entirety. It is not merely a charge for the day’s
simulation visit.
Q: How can I better prepare my students for our upcoming visit?
A: Be certain students are aware that JA BizTown is not a field-trip! Please teach all
curriculum lessons prior to the visit, and see that all BizPrep paperwork for each
business is completed at school prior to arrival. Students need to understand that they
have a specific role within JA BizTown. We believe that a class discussion about quality
vs. quantity is a great way to introduce students to the concept of a quality product
being more desirable for purchase than a product that is hastily and sloppily produced.
Q: How can I assist my facilitators/volunteers to be better prepared for the JA
BizTown visit?
A: Make sure you start early to recruit your facilitators/volunteers. Use the templates
from the Volunteer Information section of your Curriculum Guide to introduce,
invite, and confirm your facilitators’ participation at JA BizTown. Verify that all
facilitators understand that this is not a field trip, and that they will need to actively
participate the day of the visit. This experience is an opportunity for facilitators to use
their personal experiences to help students understand money management, teamwork,
responsibility, and problem solving skills. Actively and openly communicate to
volunteers what is expected of them, and the commitment required.
Q: Is curriculum training mandatory for teachers?
A: Yes. The on-site Teacher Training is mandatory for all new teachers. We have
found that the children receive a better educational experience when all teachers are
pre- trained and actively engaged in the day. Teacher training is recommended at least
8-10 weeks prior to your simulation date. We also welcome any returning teachers who
wish to attend Teacher Training again.
Q: Is the Volunteer Training mandatory for facilitators/volunteers?
A: Yes. The training takes approximately 2 hours, and it is held at the JA BizTown
facility. Teachers are given a list of the available training dates. Please let us know
which training your volunteers will be attending.
Q: What if my school has poor parent/volunteer involvement, and I cannot get
enough facilitators for our upcoming visit?
A: If you have exhausted all possible volunteer resources, please inform your JA
BizTown contact staff member of the situation. This may allow us time to find
volunteers from the business community to act as facilitators. (However, the key to
locating facilitators is to allow people enough time to plan ahead and take time away
from work.)
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revised 1/2012 Junior Achievement of South Central PA Contact Us Directions |