Lesson
Scholarships & Grants
Summary
College money isn't just loans—billions in scholarships and grants go unclaimed every year. This lesson breaks down the difference between scholarships and grants and helps students build a personal strategy to claim their share of free money.
Bellringer: The $50 Essay
- Pose the $50-for-an-hour essay scenario.
- Surface student attitudes toward effort vs. reward.
Instruction
- Define grants (need-based, government-funded) vs. scholarships (anyone-funded, trait-based).
- Cover award sizes, local-over-national strategy, and pay-to-play scam warnings.
Discussion: Convincing Marcus
- Present Marcus, the average student with no athletic gift.
- Brainstorm where he'd start finding scholarships—including FAFSA.
Activity: Scholarships Module & Posttest
- Students complete the Scholarships module.
- Finish with the posttest; use leftover time for scholarship searching or vocab.
Wrap-Up & Assessment
- What's the difference between a scholarship and a grant?
- What's your plan for scholarships & grants?
| Est. Time | Activity | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 6 min | Bellringer: The $50 Essay |
|
| 10 min | Instruction |
|
| 7 min | Discussion: Convincing Marcus |
|
| 17 min | Activity: Scholarships Module & Posttest |
|
| 5 min | Wrap-Up & Assessment |
|
Lesson Prep
Scholarships Pretest
Assess student knowledge before the Scholarships unit.
Scholarships
Students find scholarships, spot scams, and outline a scholarship essay.
Scholarships Posttest
Assess student learning after completing the Scholarships unit.
Class Presentation
Includes a 15-slide deck with teacher notes. Present from Banzai, download a PDF, or copy it to Google Slides.
Presentations, Ready to Go
- Built-in PresentationPresent full screen, straight from Banzai
- Copy to Google SlidesMake an editable copy for your class
- Download or PrintSave as a PDF or print
- Teacher NotesSlide-by-slide guidance, printable as one handout
Unit 11: Planning for College
FAFSA
Billions in free college aid go unclaimed every year over a 12-minute form. This lesson demystifies the FAFSA and helps students build a realistic plan to fund education beyond high school.
Scholarships & Grants
College money isn't just loans—billions in scholarships and grants go unclaimed every year. This lesson breaks down the difference between scholarships and grants and helps students build a personal strategy to claim their share of free money.
Work-Study & Student Employment
Work-study isn't a tuition discount—it's permission to earn an hourly paycheck while the government foots part of the bill. This lesson explores the Federal Work-Study program and weighs the trade-offs of working on campus versus off.
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