Our City®

Our City® studies careers, the skills people need to work in those careers, and how businesses contribute to a city.

The learning objectives listed beside each activity state the skills and knowledge the students will gain.

Activity One: Inside Cities The students recognize that a city is a place where people live, work, and play. They become aware of the importance of city planning to the economic development of a city.	Key Learning Objectives The students will define a city as a place where people live, work, and play discuss the importance of city planning in guiding economic development identify jobs within a city
Activity Two: Building a City The students examine the role of a carpenter and become aware of jobs within the construction business.	Key Learning Objectives The students will understand the importance of the construction business to a city’s economy recognize the skills a carpenter needs identify jobs within the construction business
Activity Three: Dining Out The students examine the role of a restaurant owner and become aware of the many people needed to successfully operate a restaurant. They identify the difference between a consumer and a producer.	Key Learning Objectives The students will understand the decisions that have to be made in order to start a restaurant identify jobs within the restaurant business recognize the connection between producers and consumers
Activity Four: Making Headlines The students examine the role of a newspaper reporter and the purpose of a newspaper as a communication tool for people in a city. They become aware of many jobs in the newspaper business.	Key Learning Objectives The students will understand the importance of the newspaper as a communication tool recognize the skills a reporter needs identify jobs within the newspaper business
Activity Five: You Can Bank on It The students become aware of jobs within a bank and examine why banks are important to a city.	Key Learning Objectives The students will understand that one purpose of a bank is to keep money complete a simple bank transaction identify jobs within the banking business

Our City® enhances the students’ learning of the following concepts and skills:

Concepts – Banking • Business • Careers • City • Consumer • Economic institutions • Entrepreneur • Incentives • Income • Jobs • Money • Producer • Quality • Resources • Skills • Specialization • Zones

Skills – Applying information • Decision making • Filling out forms • Interpreting directions • Map reading • Math computations • News writing • Role playing • Teamwork • Understanding and using scale

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.

Our City® is a series of five activities recommended for students in grade 3. The average time for each activity is 35 minutes. Materials are packaged in a self-contained kit that includes detailed activity plans for the volunteer and materials for 30 students.