Junior Achievement programs offer a multidisciplinary approach – connecting information across social studies disciplines such as economics, geography, history, government, and civics while incorporating mathematical concepts and reasoning and language arts skills.

This list is not meant to be exhaustive or intended to suggest that a JA program will completely address any given standard, but is designed to show how it can enhance or complement efforts to do so. The flexibility of the programs and supplementary materials allow specific content or skills to be addressed in depth by the teacher and/or business volunteer as needed. 

Elementary School Programs

Ourselves introduces the economic role of individuals.

Our Families discusses the role of families in the local economy.

Our Community examines the responsibilities and opportunities available to those within a community.

Our City considers economic development, local businesses, and career opportunities.

Our Region features economic and business resources in state and regional economies.

Our Nation provides practical information about businesses’ need for individuals who can meet the demands of the job market. Further, it introduces the concept of business globalization as it relates to business resources and careers, and the need for students to be entrepreneurial in their thinking to meet the requirements of business worldwide.

JA More than Money is most suitable for grades three through five in an after-school setting, but can be implemented as an in-school program. Key concepts addressed include the role of money in society; earning, sharing, saving, and spending; becoming a smart consumer; and earning income by starting a business.

Middle Grades Programs

JA Global Marketplace provides practical information on international trade: how it functions, its importance in the world today, and how it influences students' daily lives. The focus is on key aspects of the global economy, such as international markets and international law, international cultural exchange, and the international flow of human resources, information, and capital.

JA America Works focuses on the impact of business, economics, and entrepreneurship on the economic development of the United States during the 19th century by exploring the pivotal themes of immigration, agriculture, natural resources, transportation, communication, and industrialization. 

JA Economics for Success provides practical information about personal finance and the importance of identifying education and career goals based on a student’s skills, interests, and values. Key topics addressed are choices, self-knowledge, decision-making, education and career options, budgeting, credit, and financial risk.

JA It’s My Business! encompasses entrepreneurship curriculum for students in grades six through eight in an after-school setting. The program emphasizes entrepreneurship content while providing a strong focus on social studies, reading, and writing skills.  Students are encouraged to use critical thinking to learn entrepreneurial skills that support positive attitudes as they explore and enhance their career aspirations.

High School Programs

JA Banks in Action teaches high school students the principles of the banking industry and introduces them to the challenges of successfully operating a bank in a competitive environment.  Students also examine the features of banking products and services so they, as consumers, can take advantage of them, and evaluate potential career opportunities in banking.

JA Be Entrepreneurial introduces students to the essential components of a practical business plan, and challenges them to start an entrepreneurial venture while still in high school. 

JA Business Ethics fosters ethical decision-making in students as they prepare to enter the workforce and take part in the global marketplace.  Students learn to recognize, analyze, and apply basic terminology, theories, and concepts common to the study of ethics. They explore their own ethical values and philosophy, establish ethical priorities, recognize key ethical issues, and learn to evaluate their decision-making process.

JA Careers with a Purpose introduces students to the importance of seeking careers that help them realize their life potential and noble purpose through hands-on classroom activities and local, regional, and global essay competitions.  The program demonstrates the importance of positive values, life maxims, and ethical decision-making within the context of career and life decisions.

JA Economics is a one-semester course, consisting of a text and student study guide.  The text is a 16-chapter book explaining microeconomic, macroeconomic, and international economic principles.  It is illustrated with graphs and charts and includes enrichment readings such as biographies of major economic philosophers and innovative entrepreneurs. The student study guide contains readings and exercises that reinforce concepts and foster critical-thinking skills.

JA Success Skills helps students build interpersonal effectiveness and problem-solving skills necessary for the workplace using Sean Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens and the 16 Success Skills identified in the Equipped for the Future Content Standards.  Students participate in challenging exercises that test their problem-solving and critical thinking skills, as well as their ability to communicate, negotiate, and lead. 

JA Titan introduces critical economics concepts and management decisions through an interactive web- or CD-ROM-based simulation. Student teams make price, production, research and development, marketing, capital investment, and charitable giving decisions for their companies and see the impact of their decisions as they compete in a fictional high-tech industry.

Junior Achievement Presents: The NEFE High School Financial Planning Program introduces students to the importance of making wise financial decisions.  The program demonstrates the value of planning, goal setting, and thoughtful decision-making within the context of personal financial decisions.  Students examine the role money plays in achieving lifelong personal goals and learn how to make informed financial decisions and protect themselves against financial pitfalls.

JA Exploring Economics utilizes hands-on classroom activities to foster lifelong skills and knowledge about how an economy works, including micro-, macro-, personal, and international economics.

JA Company Program meets the after-school programming needs of a diverse group of students by providing engaging, academically challenging, and experiential learning sessions in economic education.  Students operate a business enterprise, while learning how businesses function and how the U.S. economic system works.  Key concepts addressed are company structure and the student’s role within a company, company capitalization, customer-product focus, product-market pricing, company operations, product sales, and company liquidation.

JA Job Shadow introduces students to careers through one-day, on-site orientations in the workplace.  In two classroom sessions prior to the work-site visit, students evaluate work-readiness skills, demonstrate effective interviewing skills, and prepare personal resumes.  A follow-up session provides students the opportunity to reflect on and evaluate their experience and complete personal action plan.

Click here for the full correlations documents