This unit is designed to educate you on a growing population in the United States, The Working Poor. The working poor are not considered to be living in absolute poverty according to the government, but the group currently affects about 1 in 10 Americans and is expected to keep rising as the prices of goods and services continues to rise and hourly wages remain stagnant.

Objectives:

Students will be able to define the working poor.
Students will be able to create their own budget.
Students will be able to identify what a livable wage is.

What is poverty? What does it mean to be poor?

Can you be living in poverty and working?

Click here to take a quick survey.

This section consists of:

A survey, 2 journal entries, & The 36 Hour Poverty Diet

30 Days Minimum Wage Video

The video documents the lives of two people attempting to live

off of minimum wage for 30 days.

This section consists of:

5 video clips, 2 journal entries, and a 1 1/2-2 page typed reflection paper.

Working Poor Project

For the final assignment you will "become" a member of the working poor. Your final project will be composed of three things: an annual budget created using Excel, a detailed account of the life situation you were given, and a 1 1/2- 2 page typed reflection of what the experience was like.

Click here to choose your scenario.