Resource Type: Financial literacy activities

  • Understanding how much student debt you can afford

    Students calculate how much they can afford in monthly student loan payments based on what their salary might be after graduating from college or another post-secondary institution. Topic Spend (Paying for college), Borrow (Getting loans) Subject CTE (Career and technical education), Math, Social studies or history Grade Level High school (9-10), High school (11-12) Duration…

  • Understanding our money choices

    Students discuss and reflect on how they think and feel about money and how the people in their lives help shape those thoughts and feelings. Topic Save and invest (Choosing how to save), Spend (Buying things) Subject English or language arts, Social studies or history Grade Level Elementary school (4-5) Duration 45-60 minutes Back to…

  • Using a student loan calculator

    Students use a student loan calculator to calculate monthly loan payments and how much they can save on total loan costs by paying a little extra each month. Topic Spend (Paying for college), Borrow (Getting loans) Subject CTE (Career and technical education), Math Grade Level High school (9-10), High school (11-12) Duration 45-60 minutes Back…

  • Choosing a career

    Students identify their interests and talents after reading a story about characters who explore careers connected to things they like to do. Topic Earn (Learning about careers, Making money) Subject English or language arts, Social studies or history Grade Level Elementary school (2-3), Elementary school (4-5) Duration 45-60 minutes Back to All Activities Updated Aug…

  • Coloring your savings

    Students color pictures of dollar bills to show how much they’d need to save to buy different items. Topic Save and invest (Saving for short-term goals), Spend (Buying things) Subject Fine arts and performing arts, Math Grade Level Elementary school (K-1) Duration 15-20 minutes Back to All Activities Updated Aug 04, 2022 Big idea Saving…

  • Comparing careers and income

    Students compare education requirements and typical incomes for different careers. Topic Earn (Learning about careers, Making money) Subject Math Grade Level Elementary school (4-5) Duration 45-60 minutes Back to All Activities Updated Aug 04, 2022 Big idea Different careers have different pay rates, incomes, and educational requirements. Essential questions What are the salaries of some…

  • Comparing jobs and hobbies

    Students learn about the differences between jobs and hobbies and then play a game to apply their understanding. Topic Earn (Becoming an entrepreneur, Making money) Subject English or language arts, Physical education or health, Social studies or history Grade Level Elementary school (K-1), Elementary school (2-3) Duration 15-20 minutes Back to All Activities Updated Aug…

  • Comparing places to save money

    Students compare saving money at home to saving money at a bank or credit union and then act out stories to explore which option they would choose. Topic Save and invest (Banking options, Choosing how to save, Saving for long-term goals, Saving for short-term goals), Protect (Managing risk) Subject Fine arts and performing arts, Social…

  • Experimenting with saving

    Students listen to or read a fable and then do a science experiment to learn how saving a little over a long time can add up. Topic Save and invest (Building emergency savings, Saving for long-term goals, Saving for short-term goals) Subject English or language arts, Science Grade Level Elementary school (K-1), Elementary school (2-3),…

  • Exploring ways we use money

    Students listen to scenarios about using money, move to one corner of the room or another to identify what people in the scenario were doing (saving, spending, earning, borrowing), and discuss the example. Topic Earn (Making money), Save and invest (Saving for long-term goals, Saving for short-term goals), Spend (Buying things, Giving to others), Borrow…