Curriculum & Workshops

The Financial Fitness for Life – Personal Finance Curriculum Series (an NCEE publication), continues to be the spotlight curriculum for many successful teacher training workshops throughout the state. Seventeen (17) NCEE grants were secured for workshops during the 2003-2004 academic year (AY) and 19 additional grants are scheduled to be completed in the fall 2004 by the Centers for Economic Education at UIC and UIUC. Bank of America recently awarded a $20,000 grant to ICEE for the 2004-2005 AY for continued support of workshops featuring the FFFL series for Chicago area teachers.

Register Now! Teachers interested in attending one of these hands-on, interactive professional development training workshops are encouraged to contact the UIC Center or email the UIUC Center at anglyons@uiuc.edu directly for the schedule of locations and dates.

Mathematics and Economics: Connections for Life (an NCEE publication), currently has curriculum pieces available for grades 6-8 and grades 9-12. This 2004-2005 academic year promises to bring a third curriculum piece to this series titled: Mathematics and Economics: Connections for Life 3-5.

The Latest Curriculum Releases from the NCEE:

1. Learning, Earning, and Investing (LEI), sponsored by The Moody’s Foundation, includes 16 middle school and 7 high school lessons that cover all aspects of saving, investing, and money management; all can be used in conjunction with The Stock Market Game™ Program. The Center at UIUC has secured funding for workshops to be completed by fall 2005.
   • Register for a 2005 LEI Training! Teachers interested in attending one of these engaging professional development training workshops are encouraged to contact the UIUC Center at anglyons@uiuc.edu directly for the schedule of locations and dates.
2. Capstone, one of NCEE’s most popular publications, has been revised! Capstone provides activities for a complete high school economics course. Sheryl Gallaher, Director of the Office for Economic Education at GSU attended the national training and introduced the new edition to Illinois teachers at the 2004 Illinois Association for School Economics Teachers (IASET) Conference.

From the Coal Mines to the Power Lines is a K-12 Coal Curriculum series orchestrated and created by ICEE under contract with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). The 9 Lessons, 18 Topic Tie-Ins, and 3 Interactive Video Vocabulary Presentations, strive to teach economics while educating students about the natural resource of coal. Teachers interested in learning more about this curriculum are encouraged to contact:

Linda Dunbar, Education Program Coordinator
Office of Coal Development, DCEO
Phone: 217/524-3820
TDD: 800/785-6055 

Making a Job is an experience-based awareness and readiness curriculum designed to take students through the initial stages of recognizing an opportunity in their own world (school, home, community) to developing a business plan for a viable entrepreneurial business venture. The curriculum integrates language arts, social studies, math, critical thinking, problem solving and includes concepts/skills in the new state learning standards for social studies/economics.

Register this Fall! Teachers interested in attending this 3-day hands-on, interactive professional development training are encouraged to visit the ICEE website for any updates. This training is currently being scheduled and registration will soon be available.

Additional workshops: To register for one of the Additional Workshops email Linda Yost or call Two Rivers at (309) 673-1040.

1. Learn the rules of The Stock Market Game™ and how it can help students meet Illinois Learning Standards in a variety of curriculum areas. Teachers who participate in Bradley CEE's free SMG Workshop at Two Rivers Professional Development Center in Edwards on October 7, from 6- 8 pm will receive a free copy of NCEE's Learning from the Market and 2 CPDUs.
2. With a grant from NCEE and sponsorship by the International Paper Company Foundation, Bradley CEE will present an "Economics for All Teachers" workshop at Two Rivers Professional Development Center in Edwards on Saturday, November 6 from 9 AM to noon. The workshop is designed for teachers in grades 4-12 and will explore using "Virtual Economics" CD-ROM to teach Illinois Learning Standards across grade levels and subject areas. Participants receive the CD-ROM free and 3 CPDUs. Registration is limited to 15 teachers. There is a $15.00 registration fee.

Parent Financial Fitness for Life (FFFL) Workshops all designed for the parent for high school age youth. Please contact specified contact person for questions concerning space availability, materials to be distributed and possible fees.

1. Pontiac High School, Pontiac, IL
   October 5, 2004 from 6-8 pm
   Contact: Darla Brinkley, Livingston County Office (815) 842-1776
   
2. Galesburg High School, Galesburg, IL
   October 14, 2004 from 6:30-8:30 pm
   Contact: Debbie Bartman, Knox County Office (309) 342-5108
   
3. Urbana High School, Urbana, IL
   October 18, 2004 from 6:30-8:30 pm
   Contact: Angela Reinhart, Champaign County Unit (217) 333-7672
   
4. Kenwood Academy High School, Chicago, IL
   October 20, 2004 from 6:00-8:00 pm
   Contact: Angela Lyons, Chicago South Unit (773) 768-7779
   
5. Riverdale High School, Port Byron, IL
   November 1, 2004 from 6:30-8:30 pm
   Contact: Sharon, Quad Cities Center (309) 792-2500
   
6. West Chicago High School, West Chicago, IL
   November 3, 2004 from 6:30-8:30 pm
   Susan Taylor, DuPage County Unit (630) 653-4114
   
7. Highland Community College, Freeport, IL
   November 10, 2004 from 6:30-8:30 pm
   Evelyn Prasse, Stephenson County Office (815)235-4125