Teaching guide
Money Fundamentals
Start here. You'll learn what money really is, how bank accounts work, how to build a budget you'll actually use, and why compound interest and inflation matter more than almost anything else in personal finance.
8 lessons10 class periods of 45 minBeginner
What students will be able to do
- Explain what money is and why it has value
- Choose between checking and savings accounts — and avoid common fees
- Build a realistic monthly budget from your take-home pay
- Tell the difference between needs, wants, and the gray area in between
- Set an emergency fund goal and a plan to reach it
- Calculate how compound interest and inflation change your money over time
10 days, one lesson per class
Every lesson comes with a 45-minute plan, projector-ready slides, and a printable worksheet with an answer key.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Needs vs. Wants
Classify expenses as needs, wants, or a mix of both
Activity: Four Corners: Need, Want, Both, Depends
Day 6
Emergency Savings
Define a true emergency: unexpected, necessary, and urgent
Activity: Emergency or Not?
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9
Review day
Play Money Jeopardy with this course's questions, then review what teams missed.
Day 10
Unit test
A printable test in short and full versions, with an answer key.