The Lake County Office of Education ASES and ZAP Afterschool Programs are implementing a new curriculum this year called Backpacks to Briefcases. After researching numerous curriculums, Cindy Adams, Director of Child Development Programs, selected a new innovative approach to learning real life skills.
The creator of this curriculum, Susan Nunamaker Ed.S., “realized that if we teach students in the same way that people are expected to utilize academic information in the real world, lessons would become relevant and purposeful. I decided to give students the opportunity to live professional lives throughout the school day as business owners and employees. This grew over time to include rent, taxes, credit, the lottery, government policies, trademarks, patents . anything included in our world.”
Students in the programs learn to fill out job applications and can apply for classroom jobs. These jobs include:
Door Manager: holds the door for classmates entering and leaving. Germ Eradicator: helps to sanitize tables. Librarian: keeps the books organized. Lumberjack: keeps the pencils sharpened. Equipment Manager: makes sure all outside equipment is checked out and brought in when finished. The program also employs Bankers and Tax Collectors.
Each student is given a wallet and can earn life-like money for completed jobs. However, just like in real life, students must pay rent and taxes each week with their hard earned money. Many budding student entrepreneurs have created small businesses. They open their stores once a week to sell items with the Backpacks to Briefcases money they earn.
Some of the after school programs have a Classroom Government System. This exposes students to the systems that are utilized as adults in our state and country. Students elect a Governor, Lieutenant, 3 Senators and 2 House of Representatives to create a classroom General Assembly. Classroom elections also include an Attorney General and a Mayor that meet with the General Assembly each month. Students must register and qualify to run for office.
Call 707-263-4593 Ext 213 for more information or to set up a time to visit one of the programs while student stores are open. Space is available to participate in an activity such as Ooey Gooey or Build a Monster at one of the ten after school programs located at Burns Valley, Kelseyville, Lower Lake, Lucerne, Middletown, Pomo, Riviera, and UpperLake Elementary Schools.
