Poverty Lesson Plan

Unit Title: Poverty

Lesson Title: Body Image

Objective(s) with Taxonomy:

Students will be able to role-play a member living in poverty. (Create Level 6)
Students will be able to adapt to unforeseen circumstances that are throw at them throughout the poverty
simulation game. (Create Level 6)

Introduction: Good morning class, we are going to start today off with our bellringer. Everyone take out a piece
of paper and answer the following questions, what is poverty? How do you think those living in poverty are
affected in their everyday lives? Take a few minutes to write down your answers, and well come back together
to discuss them as class.

Content Tasks, O-E Questions, & Time Estimates

Introduction (5 min): (See above) Introduction (5 min): (see above)

Poverty Simulation Review (10 min):
Before we start our poverty simulation game, we will
go over an article that talks about the game. The
article puts the game into real life perspective. It
walks through what would happen in someones life
if they were choosing the certain options the game
gives them.
Poverty Simulation Review (10 min):
As a class, we will read the article and discuss our
thoughts on the game and talk about how this is how
those living in poverty are forced to live.Before the
students use their laptops to play the poverty
simulation game, they will write down what their
expectations.

Poverty Simulation Game (25 min):
The class will log on to playspent.org and follow the
prompt. They will virtually experience what it is like
to live in someone elses shoes who experiences
poverty.
Poverty Simulation Game (25 min):
During the game the students will be required to
write down a variety of topics involving the game,
because we will come together as a class to discuss.
The students will also be able to use these notes to
help with the reflection paper that will be assigned
for homework. Some of the topics include:

A. What sacrifices did you have to make to save

or earn money?
B. Did you have to choose an option because of
your financial situation that you normally
would not do?
C. What surprised you throughout the game?
D. Did you make it through the entire month, or
did you lose all of your money before it was
up?
E. How do you think those who are actually
living in this kind of situation health wise?
 Poverty Reflection Paper (assessment) (10 min): Poverty Reflection Paper (assessment) (10 min):
The students will use the remainder of the class to The students will use the game to elaborate on their
start working on their reflection papers. The students brief experience of living in poverty. They will be
can also play the game a few more times to see required to talk about what choices they made
different options, or to see if they can make it the throughout the game and what kind of obstacles they
whole month if they lost all their money the first had to overcome because of these decisions. They
time. will then have to share how they think it is for a
student who is living in poverty, and how they do at
school when they are constantly in a dilemma with
lack of money and resources.
Closure (with time estimate) 2 minutes:
I hope that after going through the SPENT game experience, you guys have a better understanding of what it is
like to be in the shoes of those who are living in poverty. Use what you experience in your reflection papers,
and make sure they are ready to be turned in by class time tomorrow. We will discuss some of your responses
tomorrow, have a great rest of your day.

National Standards for FCS Education:

6.1 Analyze the effects of family as a system on individuals and society
6.2 Evaluate the effects of diverse perspectives, needs, and characteristics of individual and families.

Academic Language (list with explanation):

Poverty: the state of being extremely poor.

Materials (Teaching Aids):

Laptops, projector, computer, poverty article, and poverty game link.

Seating Arrangement (label front & back of room):

FRONT
XXXXX XXXXX

XXXXX XXXXX

XXXXX
BACK

Resources:
http://www.liberalamerica.org/2013/11/08/poverty-simulation-game/
http://playspent.org/html/

Accommodations/Modifications/Adaptations for a Special Needs Student:

None in classroom.

Contingency Plan (describe how the lesson could be lengthened and shortened):
Lengthened: If we have a large amount of time left, we will play the game together as a class. The
students will have to work together to make decisions in the game and work towards making it out of the month
with money still left.
Shortened: If we are low on time, the students wont start working on the papers in class. Depending on
what is scheduled for the next day, the students will either have the paper assigned for homework and due the
next day or they will have class time to work on it the following day.