Checking Accounts & Overdrafts: Don’t Bounce It
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The lab
⭐ DON’T BOUNCE IT — A REAL-WORLD MONEY LAB ⭐
What students do
- Your First Checking Account — step into a real checking-account scenario with a clear “I can” target
- Decode Your Check Register — read an authentic register of deposits and withdrawals
- Keep the Running Balance by Hand — add deposits and subtract withdrawals line by line, no calculator
- Your Running-Balance Calculator — four “what-if” tasks, including one that stacks three overdraft fees
- Overdraft Coverage, Make the Call — compare $105 in fees vs. $0 and decide which option really protects you
- Show What You Know — a scored mastery check that crosses zero, on a fresh register
- Reality Check — reflection + the real Reg E overdraft-opt-in rule as a civic connection
Real math, done right
The signed-number work (7.NS.A.3) is done BY the student — twice, by hand, and it's assessed, with the running balance genuinely allowed to cross below $0. Every balance is exact and verified to the cent; the $35 overdraft fee is clearly labeled as a realistic example that varies by bank (many now charge $0).
Print or digital
Print-and-go, or assign the editable Word packet in Google Docs and the calculator in Google Sheets. No devices today? A Printed Calculator Readouts page lets a fully print-only class run the whole lab.
What is included
- 10-page student lab (PDF + editable Word)
- Self-calculating spreadsheet (Excel / Google Sheets)
- 2-page teacher guide with full answer key + 10-point rubric
- Printed Calculator Readouts (print fallback) + Terms of Use
More Money Labs
Standard codes refer to the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. Math Class 678 is an independent publisher, not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by NGA Center or CCSSO. Every product is sold on Teachers Pay Teachers.