What Are My Rights As a Consumer? How Do I Exercise Those Rights?

What Are My Rights As a Consumer? How Do I Exercise Those Rights?

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Grade: 12 Lesson # 4:

What are my rights as a consumer? How do I exercise those rights?

SS.912.FL.2.7 Examine governments establishing laws and institutions to provide consumers with information about goods or services being purchased and to protect consumers from fraud.

Correlated Literacy Standards:

LAFS.1112.RH.3.7

Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g. visually, quantitatively, as well as in words.)

SS.912.FL.2.7 Examine governments establishing laws and institutions to provide consumers with information about goods or services being purchased and to protect consumers from fraud.

Consumer Protection and the Lemon Law

Lesson Number 4:

Correlated Florida Standards (See Full Text on Cover Page)

  • LAFS.1112.RH.3.7

Essential Question

  • What are my rights and responsibilities as a consumer?
  • How do I exercise those rights?

Learning Goals/Objectives

Students will be able to:

  • Analyze the rights and responsibilities of consumers
  • Explain the process of having a vehicle declared a “lemon” under Florida’s lemon law
  • Describe the purpose of functions of different consumer protection agencies.

Overview

  • In this lesson, students will learn about the rights and responsibilities of buyers and sellers, consumer protection laws and agencies, and how to use the Lemon Law.

Materials

  • Consumer Protection PowerPoint (Included in lesson folder)
  • Projector and whiteboard or screen
  • Computer and internet access
  • Tablets or computers
  • Plain white paper, construction paper, markers

Time

  • 50 minutes

Activity Sequence

INTRODUCTION/HOOK

  • Ask students to raise their hands if they have ever made a purchase that they later regretted.
  • Ask a few students to share what they regretted buying and why (i.e. it was late at night; it was on sale, etc.) (3 minutes)

ACTIVITY

  1. Have students brainstorm things to consider when making a purchase.
  1. Ask students to think of ways that people can correct the mistake of buying something they regret or that does not work as expected.
  1. Discuss options to remedy the situation including returning an item to the store, complaining to an on-site manager, writing a letter to the company’s headquarters or reporting them to an appropriate government agency. (3:24 minutes for steps 1 – 3)
  1. Have students watch the Federal Trade Commission’s video on how to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission: (1:36 minutes)
  1. Tell students that one of the most complicated things to return is a vehicle. Explain to students that even though they have learned to do extensive research before purchasing a car (MDCPS Financial Literacy Lesson 3: Car Buying), it is still possible to buy a “lemon.”
  1. Ask if anyone knows what the term “lemon” means when used in this sense.
  1. Explain to students that when referring to a good or service, a lemon is defined as a “person, place or thing that proves to be defective, imperfect or unsatisfactory; dud. (Source:
  1. Ask students if they know anyone who ever used the Lemon Law. Explain to students that some states have special laws to protect consumers when they buy or lease a car that has serious problems. A Lemon Law is a law that requires manufacturers replace, repair, or refund the cost of automobiles that prove to be defective. (Source: (3 minutes for steps 5 – 8)
  1. Using a SmartBoard or Computer/Projector and Whiteboard, project the website for the Florida Attorney General on the board.
  1. Have students use their tablets or computers to access the website. Click on how the Florida Lemon Law Works link on the main page and briefly review the first four paragraphs with the students. (5 minutes)
  1. Have students click on the link for the motor Vehicle Defect Notification Form to see where to begin the process, should they ever need it.
  1. Have students click on the link for New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board Case Summaries
  1. Have students work in pairs to select one or two cases to read.
  1. Have students share and discuss what they read and review the outcomes of the hearings with them. (5 minutes for steps 11 – 14)
  1. Show students the attached PowerPoint on Consumer Protection and discuss contents. (3:46 minutes)
  1. Have students watch the video on Federal Trade Commission’s debt collectors by clicking on the link on the last slide. (2:14 minutes)
  1. Have students work in small groups to create a brochure to teach others about the protections available to consumers and have them share the finished product with the class. (20 minutes)

CLOSURE

  • Explain to students that being a good consumer is a good influence on society. Ask them if they know why? After listening to student responses, sum it up by concluding that if they know their consumer rights and responsibilities, they can affect appropriate changes in business and manufacturing policies and procedures that can benefit many people when they are responsible consumers. (3 minutes)

OPTIONAL EXTENSION SUGGESTION/HOME LEARNING

  • Encourage students to Search local media sources–-newspapers, television and radio--for services that help consumers. Report what these programs can and can't do to help solve consumers' problems.
  • Have students complete EverFi Unit 8: Consumer Protection if the teacher has registered the class.

Sources/Bibliographic Information that contributed to this lesson:

Lesson on Consumer Products Laws and Agencies from the Utah Education Network:

Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Information page on How to File a Complaint

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