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Consumer Law 1. Teacher's Notes Teacher's Notes
Distribute CL Activity Handout 1, "Being A Consumer Is . . ." Ask students to look at each picture and describe what is happening. (1) A woman buying groceries. Ask students what all the illustrations have in common. After they offer their responses, explain that the individuals in the illustrations are all consumers--they are buying goods or services from another person. Ask them to brainstorm other examples of consumerism from their own lives, and write their examples on the chalk board. Describe each of the following situations, and ask students to discuss what could happen in each case. Some but not all of the ingredients in Brand X cookies are listed on the package. Sugar and peanuts have been left off the list. [This could be dangerous for a diabetic or anyone on a sugar-free diet; people who are allergic to peanuts could also make the mistake of buying the cookies.] Explain to students that they have certain rights as consumers and that there are laws to protect these rights. Distribute CL Activity Handout 2, "Laws Protect Your Rights As A Consumer." Explain that there are laws that protect consumers against: unfair or misleading sales practices; Using CL Activity Handout 2 as a guide, have students identify, analyze, and discuss examples of unfair or misleading sales practices, harmful products, and mislabeling. (1) Unfair or misleading sales practices. "Absolutely free"--Sometimes ads deliberately mislead consumers; for example, a product might be advertised as free when in fact the customer is required to buy something else in order to receive the "free" item. This is not legal. (2) Harmful or unsafe products. A teddy bear with button eyes; a toy truck with sharp edges--Products of these kinds could be harmful to small children. They must comply with legal safety standards and must be labeled accordingly if they are dangerous. Products that do not meet safety standards can be taken off the market by the government. (3) Mislabeling. Consumer law requires that the ingredients of most foods and drugs be listed on their containers. Distribute CL Activity Handout 3, "Role Play." Select two volunteers to act out the role play. Then ask students to discuss their answers to the following questions: Is this agreement between persons A and B legally binding? Explain to students that a contract is "an agreement between two or more persons to exchange something of value." (Street Law, West Publishing Company, p. 251.) A contract can be oral or written, but it must have four elements: An offer Have students review CL Activity Handout 3 to see if all four elements are present in the agreement, thereby making it a legal contract. Have students brainstorm other examples of oral contracts. Distribute CL Activity Handout 4, "Warranties." Explain to students that a warranty is a promise by a manufacturer or seller to replace or repair a product within a certain time period. Sometimes warranties are part of a contract. Have students read and discuss the warranty statements on CL Activity Handout 4 and have them identify differences and commonalties. Explain to students that not all warranties are the same and it is very important to read the warranty statement before buying a product. Distribute CL Activity Handout 5, "Things To Know About Buying On Credit" (2 pages). Explain to students that buying on credit means buying now and promising to pay later. CL Activity Handout 5 illustrates a few things that students need to know about buying on credit. Have them read and discuss each item. In the long run, it will usually cost you more to buy something on credit Explain that credit usually involves interest rates and late payment penalty charges. Other credit-related charges can include service charges and insurance. In order to get credit, the store or company will want to be sure you will repay the money Ask students to brainstorm ways in which they might be able to convince a potential creditor that they will repay the money (statement of monthly income, reference from an employer, federal tax form, bank statement, credit references). Explain that applications for credit usually ask for this kind of information. You cannot be denied credit because of your sex, marital status, race, color, religion, national origin, old age, or source of income Explain that the "Equal Credit Opportunity Act" protects consumers against discrimination. If you are denied credit, they must tell you why Tell students if they discover that the information in their credit file is wrong, they can ask the credit bureau to correct the information, or at least, insert the consumer's version into the file. Your credit rating will follow you for seven years Ask students to discuss why they think maintaining a good credit rating is important. Explain that credit bureaus can report information about your credit history for seven years and sometimes even longer. The pace at which the materials are covered will depend on the ability levels of the students. Each of the activity handouts can be completed in anywhere from 10 minutes to 30 minutes or more. Community Resource Lesson Depending on time and the availability of community resources in your area, Unit 2 should include at least one lesson presented by a community resource person. A sample lesson plan is included; however, other government or law-related topics would also be appropriate. The specific topic should be determined in collaboration with the community resource person you select to visit the class. Possible resource persons for this unit are: Representatives of a consumer protection agency Representative of the Better Business Bureau Lawyer State or local legislator A representative of a federal, state, or local government agency Family Involvement Activities Suggestions for family involvement activities for parents/guardians and their preschool children are included. These activities can be completed during class time or at home. |