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- Unit VI. Social Inequality
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Simulation
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Life Happens: A Work, Class, and Access to Resources Exercise
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Theme
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DescriptionStudents are divided into mock families. Each families is given a profile that includes composition, salary, assets, and housing information. They are expected to come up with a monthly budget for the family. The instructor periodicaly distributes "life happens" cards, that include positive and negative life situations that affect a families budget.
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Learning GoalsThis exercise is intended to aid participants in understanding the impact of socioeconomic status on an individual's life chances.Back to top
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Things NeededLife Happens Instructions and Life Happens Cards can be found at Tracy Ore's website.Back to top
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More InformationThis exercise has been done in a variety of settings, from an hour class to a semester long project, with participants working in groups as families, getting a life situation or two a week (in the form of a "life happens" card) and reporting periodically on the status of their families. At the end of the semester the participants submit a final report on their families.Back to top
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Creator/SourceTracy E. Ore Associate Professor of Sociology, Saint Cloud State University http://web.stcloudstate.edu/teore/