What makes you happy?

"What makes you happy?"

"Activities," "Products/Goods," "Personal Relationships," and "Health."

Each poster should have a column titled "Positive" and another titled "Negative."

Fill out the "positives" (things that generate happiness) and "negatives" (things that take away from happiness) for one category listed on your poster. After a few minutes, report the results to the class. Identify the top three items or concepts from each category, and discuss how and why you chose as you did. Of your top three choices, which are related in some way to economics (having, acquiring or spending money)?


E- mail survey

PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS -Nature of family -Nature of friendships -Time with family -Time with friends -Ties to community -Getting help or helping others (charity, volunteering, community activities or activism)

SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT -Government (laws, crime, politics)-Education (quality and availability of schools)-Work/employment -Living standards

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT -Quality of environment (air quality, cleanliness, traffic, noise)-Access to parks and playgrounds -Access to bodies of water -Access to wilderness (forests, mountains)-Conservation of natural resources (recycling, zoning, preservation of natural spaces)
CULTURE -Arts (access to art making and/or viewing)-Entertainment -Religion -Preserving cultural traditions -Vacation and travel -Exposure to other cultures

ECONOMY -Income -Possessions -Social status (absolute and relative)-Expenses (necessary and luxury) -Wealth and poverty

HEALTH -Health and physical well-being (of self and others)-Access to healthcare -Diet and availability of food -Community health -Illness -Mental health -Exercise and activity

COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPORTATION -Internet -Cell phones -Other technology -Public transportation -Personal transportation


EXAMPLES OF QUESTIONS -
1. How much time in an average week do you spend with your friends?
a. none b. 1 to 5 hours c. 6 to 10 d. More than 10. -
On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is spending time with friends?

-Would you describe the laws in your community as
a. Too Lenient b. Appropriate c. Too Strict?

In what ways, if at all, do the local laws affect your personal life? -

How often do you go to the local park?

On a scale of 1 (Not At All) to 10 (Very Much), how would you rate the quality of the park? -

How does your social status compare with that of your neighbors? a. I Have More b. We Are About Equal c. I Have Less d. I Don't Know e. It Doesn't Matter to Me -

How would you describe the physical well being of your primary care-giver? a. Perfect b. Normal c. Could Be Better d. Very Bad. -

What are the top three things you enjoy doing in your leisure time?

What one additional activity might you take on if you have more a. time or b. money?

Finally, include the following questions at the end of the survey: -Do you consider yourself happy? -On a scale of 1 (Least) to 10 (Most), how would you rate your happiness? -

What two factors do you consider most important to your happiness? -

What two factors detract most from your overall happiness?

an e-mail survey.
e-mail the survey to the entire school (teachers, students and administrators) to solicit responses.

You may want to include an introduction to the survey that states, for example, "Our class is conducting a survey to measure the factors that contribute to or detract from a person's happiness. Would you kindly answer the following questions and return the e-mail to [enter e-mail address].

Your answers will be kept anonymous." Also include a deadline for returning the survey. In a later class, tabulate the results and prepare a chart or graph that adequately represents the data.