With many schools about to start spring break soon, it’s the perfect time of year to get students thinking ahead about how to budget for a college spring break trip with NGPF’s project. 

Part of the Budgeting Unit, PROJECT: Plan a Spring Break Trip has students work together in a group to plan a spring break college vacation. This includes creating a budget, slideshow, and presentation about their trip, culminating in a competition with the other groups for best trip. 

[Post updated March 2024]

Here are four tips to keep in mind if you plan to use the activity: 

1. Remember to pick a college for the students to plan the trip from.

To make the competition fair, all groups must start from the same college so they are working with the same constraints of distance from their destination.

2. Consider setting a budget. 

There is no set spending limit in the instructions, but you may want to add one to make it more realistic and to keep all groups on the same spending level.

3. Give yourself enough time to complete it. 

This project will take several days. Make sure you plan for student collaborative time as well as presentations.

4. Make sure students understand how they will be judged. 

The winner will be determined by peer evaluation. Students will answer questions about How fun is the trip? Is the trip realistic? And Is the trip a good value? 

Want to dive deeper?

Join Amanda for a Virtual PD about this project and get more implementation ideas, teacher tips, and supplemental resources to help you lesson plan and use this engaging activity.

Register Now - Activity Spotlight: Plan a Spring Break Trip

2:00 PM PAC / 3:00 PM MTN / 4:00 PM CTL / 5:00 PM EAST

About the Author

Hannah Rael

As NGPF's Marketing Communications Manager, Hannah (she/her) helps spread the word about NGPF's mission to improve the financial lives of the next generation of Americans.