HOMEWORK and PROJECTS

 
YOU ARE A MILLIONAIRE!!!!!

DUE DATE: After Holiday Vacation (due to conflicts in the computer lab)
Congratulations, you are one of 20 millionaires living in Lesterland. For the 
next month, you MUST spend your $1,000,000 to the penny or you forfeit your 
fortune. When you spend it all TO THE PENNY you will be one of the Lesterland 
Millionaires!!!!  
What’s the catch you say?  
You are a PHILANTHROPIST. You give to others. 
None of the million will be spent on YOU.
  
THE MILLIONARE PROJECT includes four parts: 3-page charity paper, 
spreadsheet, Book of Expenditures, and graphs based on your spreadsheet.

RUBRIC FOR ENTIRE PROJECT
Percentage of entire grade	Section of project	Individual section 
grade based on specific rubric	Multiply by percentage	Total percentage 
earned for each section.
40 %	3-page typed Charity Research Paper   		 x.40	
40%	Spreadsheet		 x.40	
10%	Book of Expenditures		x .10	
10%	Graphs based on Spreadsheet 		x.10	
				Add all four sections’ points. This is your 
total percentage
	TOTAL GRADE FOR 
MILLIONAIRE PROJECT			

1.	CHARITY PAPER


You MUST DONATE TO A CHARITY.  This is a biggie. You must give $100,000 to 
any charity or group of charities of your choice. Research the organization 
and write a 3-page paper about the charity. Use Internet sources and LOCAL 
CONNECTIONS to gather your information. A personal interview on phone or in 
person is required. There are always people connected with charities who want 
to get the word out about the good their organization does in the community. 
Pick up a phone and get connected. 

   Charity Research Paper RUBRIC
5	(Introduction)  MUST research a charity. Local charities will be 
easier to contact but it is not a must to use only locals. Use the internet 
to find a cause you care about and write an introductory paragraph about why 
you wanted to research this specific charity.  ENGAGE YOUR READER with an 
interesting WOW introduction. 	
70	(Informational Research paper) Type a 3-page well researched paper 
about the charity of your choice. More than three pages typed will work. Only 
use a 12-point font.   Try to answer questions such as: Who does this charity 
help? How many people does this charity serve?  Who started the charity? When 
was it established or started? If I give $100,000 what will my donation most 
likely be used for? How does this charity help my community?  Come up with 
your own questions too, but really dig for interesting information. If you 
absolutely cannot get your paper typed, neatly handwrite an 8-page paper – 
one side of the paper, single spaced, in black or blue ink.   Most of this 
paper part of your research will use secondary sources.	
20	(Interview) Talk to someone from the charity personally. PICK UP THE 
PHONE and call the agency. ALL charities have someone who will share 
information with interested people. Be smart and do your research first. 
Local charities are easier to contact in person. Use the research to compose 
questions that may get a conversation going. As you visit or talk with a 
person from the organization, take notes. Use those notes to add information 
to the research you already have. Your final 3-page typed paper should 
include your interview and research. BE SURE TO INCLUDE THE FIRST AND LAST 
NAME OF THE PERSON YOU TALKED TO AS WELL AS THE PERSON’S TITLE.    If you get 
the chance to talk to someone who has been helped by this charity, this will 
become an example of a primary source!!!	
5	(Sources) MUST research a charity. Three sources are required. Use 
internet sources, Brochures from local organization and personal interview or 
phone call.   	
 


2.	SPREADSHEET 
 
Qty.
How many 1 or more?	Description
What are you buying? Use the description from the advertisement if possible. 
	Unit Price
Price for one item)	SUBTOTAL
(multiply the unit price by the quantity)	TOTAL FROM $1,000,000
	SOURCE 
(name of specific magazine, newspaper or website) 	Classification
You may make up your titles for classification based on your own spending. 
1	CHARITY OF YOUR CHOICE
	$100,000	100,000	$900,000	Website, 
personal interview-name the person you spoke to, 
literature provided by charity	CHARITY DONATION
 (no more than $100,000)
						
						

You must spend the remaining $900,000 on OTHER PEOPLE. You will keep track of 
expenses using an Excel Spreadsheet from Microsoft. As a class, we will 
create the spreadsheet in our school computer lab and save your individual 
spreadsheet to our school hard drive. You will use our ROUGH DRAFT 
spreadsheet to handwrite your expenditures as you collect your ads.  Spend 
your money on your time and use the rough draft spreadsheet to keep track.  
During our scheduled computer lab times, you will be required to take your 
home spreadsheet with us and use that time to type in what you have spent. We 
may have time to shop on line in our lab, but there is no guarantee of time. 
By the due date, you must spend all $900,000 to the penny.  

A FEW RULES:
- Do not worry about paying tax.
- No Rounding. If the price is $79.99 you may NOT round up. Use $79.99 in 
your calculations. 
- NO COUPONS      Use exact prices
- No monthly installments
- Only buy one house.
-You may not buy a business. There are so many expenses involved. Let’s keep 
this manageable. 

SPREADSHEET RUBRIC
5	Each quantity is listed.	
5	Descriptions are written so that someone who is not looking at the 
advertisement will still understand what is being purchased. 	
5	Unit price is accurate and NOT ROUNDED up or down. All “cents” are 
included.	
5	Subtotals are accurate. The quantities are multiplied by the unit 
price 	
25	Totals column comes to $0.00 at the end of the spreadsheet. 
The philanthropist or  buyer spent the million TO THE PENNY.	
10	Sources are listed for all items. Proper names of stores are 
capitalized. The complete names of stores, catalogues and websites are listed.
	
20	Classifications are specific. Use labels such as toy, electronic toy, 
video game, furniture, car, DVD, CD, motorized vehicles, jewelry, shoes, 
clothes, miscellaneous gifts, charity. 	
5	The philanthropist’s or buyer’s name is clearly listed on the 
spreadsheet. 	
20	Spreadsheet was turned in on time. Computer lab time must be used 
wisely.	


3.	Book of Expenditures
You will turn in a book of ads from everything you purchase with your 
$900,000. Next to each ad, which you have neatly cut out of magazines, 
newspapers or internet shopping websites, write a few sentences about why the 
specific item was purchased. For whom did you buy the item and why?

Example: “I bought this BMW for $200,000 for my mother, who has always loved 
these cars. Her favorite movie star drives this car too.”  
                                 
10	The Book of Expenditures was turned in on time.	
10	The Book of Expenditures included ALL advertisements from each item 
on the spreadsheet.	
25	The Book of Expenditures included ads that were neatly trimmed from 
the original catalogue. 	
25	Prices and a picture were included for each item.	
25	Reasons for each purchase are neatly written or typed next to EACH 
advertisement. Points will be lost if even a few are missing. 	
5	The Book of Expenditures is neatly prepared. It shows the 
philanthropist CARED about this project and put forth his or her BEST EFFORT. 
	


4.	GRAPHS 
This will be done during our lab time. Be sure to complete your spreadsheet 
on time so you will be able to include this information in your final 
project. 
10	Graphs are labeled correctly based on spreadsheet information.	
30	Graphs are included in final presentation of the entire project. 
	
30	Philanthropist wrote a paragraph about each graph, describing what 
information is learned by studying each individual graph. 	
30	The philanthropist was properly prepared to complete the graphs when 
the class completed the project in the computer lab. (Spreadsheet was 
finalized on time)	


HAVE FUN WITH THIS PROJECT!!!!
This is a must!! Start early and don’t stress.

Hints: 
Catalogues are coming in the mail by the tons. USE THEM. Several are 
available in the classroom that are for you to borrow, cut up and return for 
someone else to use. 

Local charities will provide you with more information about our community 
involvement. If you start with a national group, ask about a Columbus, 
Georgia connection. 

Don’t forget, the graphs and final spreadsheet will be done as a class in our 
computer lab BUT you must have your rough draft (handwritten) spreadsheet 
completed on your own time.  

Use your time wisely. 

Every section of this project is important to your total grade.