Purpose
To teach a lesson in apartment hunting and to introduce abbreviations and words that are found in an ad.
Objective
To learn how to choose an apartment using the newspaper.
Method
The following abbreviations and words that are often used in an ad will be put on the board so that the class can become familiar with them.
A/C—air condition
Bdrm or BR—bedroom
Bldg—building
Brkr—broker
Bth—bathroom
D/W—dishwasher
Effcy—efficiency
Flr—floor
Furn—furnished
Immed occup—you can move in now
Kit—kitchen
Livrm—living room
Lgr—large
Lse—lease
Sec—security
Sml—small
Studio—similar to an efficient apartment
Sublet—to rent an apartment from someone who’s already renting it
Supt—superintendent
Util—utilities (gas, heat, electricity)
After introducing the words to the class, an activity sheet will be handed out. This sheet will contain newspaper clippings of apartment ads. The students will be asked to choose an apartment that they will be able to afford on a fixed income.
Variation
The students will be asked to look through the newspaper and write on paper the actual cost of five apartments in the immediate area, listing them in sequence ranging from the highest price to the lowest.