Financial Literacy Education

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Financial literacy is the ability to understand money and how to manage it, so that you can make financial decisions that will benefit you now and in the future.

A financially literate person has the ability to:
* save money for short- and long-term goals
* use credit responsibly
* manage financial risks

Do you think that financial education is the sole responsibility of the family? Perhaps in an ideal world that would be great, but there are many families who struggle financially and who don't have the knowledge to make good choices and therefore can't  teach their children to make wise ones either. Money management is an important life skill and needs to be included in the classroom curriculum. Below are some strategies and resources for you to support children to be financially literate.

 

Teacher Web Resources 

US Government Financial Education
This site sponspored by the US government promotes financial literacy. It includes information on how to save, buy a house, avoid scams and make investments. Adult-centered. Spanish translation available.
US Mint
The site includes history about coins and educational games for kids. There is also a page for teachers and includes lesson plans: K-8, though mostly K-5.
Entrepreneur in the Classroom
The Young Entrepreneur Foundation (YEF) has developed a program called Entrepreneur-in-the-Classroom to teach high school students about the risks and rewards of operating a small business. There are three free modules, including teaching notes, activities and quizzes.
JumpStart: Financial Smarts for Students
There are some short lesson plans to teach students about money. Download for free "12 Principles That Every Young Person Should Know." The Clearinghouse offers additional material. Some can be downloaded. The financial curriculum materials are available for purchase.
Financial Literacy for Parents
This lens helps parents support their children in making wise money choices.
Compound Interest: Rule of 72
I remember when I first heard about the Rule of 72, a quick way to determine the amount of time for an investment to double. My brother taught it to me and I was enthralled. This website explains what the Rule of 72 is and has a calculating feature to show how close it is to the exact doubling time. As a math teacher, this is one of my favorite things to teach my students. It provides a rich discussion on the value of banks and when it's appropriate to invest and why.
Michigan Teachers Network
Lots of financial literacy curriculum sites.
Montana University Financial Education Curriculum
Montana University provides financial education curriculum for 6-12th grade. There is a fee for the materials.

Teacher Resources 

Learning, Earning and Investing: High School

This is an excellent resource for both middle school and high school. The first 15 chapters are in the middle school's version too. So it's a better deal to get the high school book.

Amazon Price: $24.95 (as of 01/07/2010) Buy Now

Investing For Dummies, 4th Edition

Amazon Price: $11.66 (as of 01/07/2010) Buy Now

Mutual Funds for Dummies

Amazon Price: (as of 01/07/2010) Buy Now

More Educational Resources by Rebecca Newburn 

My Home Page
Links to all of my teacher, student and parent resources can be found on my home page. There a many excellent sites, especially for math.
Information Age Education Blog
My teacher blog will help you integrate technology into your teaching and navigate the Information Age gracefully. The digital era is about connectedness, both technological and personal. This blog gives practical strategies to create an even more engaging classroom, including how to use of the Law of Attraction.

Investing Videos 

History of the Dow [VHS]

This is an excellent video about the history of the Dow produced by the History Channel. It's only available as a VHS.

Amazon Price: (as of 01/07/2010) Buy Now

Standard Deviants: Finance Module 4 - Investing

Amazon Price: $26.99 (as of 01/07/2010) Buy Now

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by Rebecca_Newburn

Ms. Rebecca Newburn has been a math and science educator for 16 years. She is interested in supporting Millennials, the New Generation, by creating re...

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