Reading Utility Bills | Electric, Water + Phone | Life Skills

Reading Utility Bills: a functional reading and math set for high school life skills, special education, and transition programs. Who is it from, how much is it, and when is it due. Then what happens if it is late.

Why I made this: Every graduate I have worked with ends up with bills, and most of them were never shown one in school. A bill has the same few parts every time: who it is from, how much is owed, and when it is due. Once students know where to look, the rest is reading. I added a past due amount and late fees on purpose, because that is where young adults get caught.

How it is different from my Reading a Pay Stub set: the pay stub set is about money coming in (gross, net, deductions). This set is about money going out: reading a bill, a past due amount, a late fee, and due dates. No pages are shared.

What's included:

• A teacher page: why I made it, how to use both levels, and the skills covered

• Words to know: 10 key words, each with a picture

• 3 pages of practice documents: an electric bill, a water, sewer, and trash bill with a past due amount, and a cell phone bill with an extra data charge. All businesses, names, and numbers are made up.

• 12 Level A questions, each with a picture and three answer choices

• The same 12 questions at Level B, with open answers and room to show the math

• A real-life task: fill in a bill tracker, mark due dates on a calendar, and fill out a payment slip

• An answer key that shows where to find each answer

How I use it: Read through the practice documents together, then give each student the level that fits. Both levels ask the same questions, so the whole class can check answers together. I use the real-life task as a wrap-up or right before a community outing.

Skills covered: finding the company, account number, amount due, and due date; reading the account summary: previous balance, payment, past due, current charges; reading a list of charges; reading a usage chart; figuring a new total with a late fee; comparing due dates and adding up monthly bills.

Part of the Functional Life Skills series: every set uses the same layout (words, real-looking documents, two levels of the same questions, and a real-life task), so students know the routine when you move to the next set.

Pairs well with:

• Reading a Pay Stub (money coming in, to go with bills going out)

• Life Skills Money Math Task Cards (more adding and receipt practice)

Who it is for: high school life skills and special education classes, transition programs for ages 18 to 21, and adult education. Grades 9 to 12 and adult transition.

What you download: one printable PDF, 11 pages, US Letter. Answer key included.

From the author of The Transition Map (Jeremy D. Gooch), available in paperback and Kindle.

Written by Jeremy D. Gooch, a teacher with 20+ years in education. All businesses, names, and numbers are made up.