Our Nation®

Our Nation® is designed to provide practical information about people, businesses and services in a typical community. This program is designed to comply with the 5th grade curriculum.

The goals of Our Nation® are to:

• supplement the elementary social studies curriculum with business and economics-related skills and concepts. 

• increase the students' awareness of business in the U.S. free enterprise system. 

• show the students the steps involved in starting a business. 

• introduce the students to a variety of career opportunities. 

• help the students understand the complexities of producing, marketing and selling a product. 

• make the students aware of the importance of education for future career development. 

Our Nation® Activities

Our Nation examines how businesses operate in the United States and explores various economic issues that impact those businesses.

Activity One: Organization

The students discover the common forms of business organization in the United States. They discuss the variety of resources necessary for business operations.

Key Learning Objective  The students will...

• identify the three common forms of business organizations

• give examples of the natural, human, and capital resources needed to start a business

Activity Two: Human Resources

The students learn about the importance of human resources to a business. They discover the factors that influence one's ability to obtain work, and they practice interviewing skills.

Key Learning Objective  The students will...

• list qualities employers look for in their employees

• recognize the steps necessary to get a job
  

Activity Three: Production

The students use three different strategies to make pens. They develop an understanding of how different production strategies affect productivity and profits.

Key Learning Objective  The students will...

• compare unit, mass, and batch production methods

• recognize the importance of productivity
  

Activity Four: Advertising

The students learn about the importance of advertising. They evaluate how advertisements are targeted to specific audiences.

Key Learning Objective  The students will...

• explain why businesses advertise

• identify different types of advertisements

Activity Five: Annual Meeting

The students will present the results of their business plans before an annual meeting of stockholders.

Key Learning Objective  The students wills...

• assume responsibility for stockholders' meeting

• demonstrate their knowledge of business operations

• evaluate business plans
  

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Our Nation® enhances the students' learning of the following concepts and skills:

Concepts

• Advantages 

• Advertising 

• Careers 

• Corporations 

• Division of labor 

• Goods 

• Markets

• Partnerships 

• Price

• Products 

• Production 

• Productivity

• Profit

• Resources 

• Services 

• Specialization 

• Stocks
  

Skills

• Assembling products

• Critical thinking 

• Drawing conclusions

• Formulating a plan 

• Giving reports 

• Interviewing 

• Listening 

• Making observations

• Role playing

• Teamwork

Our Nation® is a series of five activities recommended for students in grade 5. The average time for each activity is 45 minutes. Materials are packaged in a self-contained kit that includes detailed activity plans for the volunteer and materials for 32 students.

All JA programs have technology enhancements and are designed to support the skills and competencies outlined in the SCANS (Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills) report. These programs also augment the school-based, work-based, and connecting activities for communities with school-to-work initiatives.
  

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