Finance in the Classroom - Activities by Topic (2024)

Topic: Banking
Time needed: 30 Minutes
Suggested grade level: 7-12
Activity Type: Online learning module

Description: Everfi is an online course that will guide you through the basics of banking/saving. It will help you make positive decisions, and let you learn at your own pace.

Topic: Basic Economics
Time needed: 20-30 minutes
Suggested grade level: 7-12
Activity Type: Online Game

Description: "Bring Home the Bacon" is a thrilling game that takes you to a whole new world where you get to sell bacon and rescue some pigs to bring back home. But it's not just an ordinary adventure – as you play, you'll uncover the secrets of how markets function. Discover how prices and demand are linked and get the inside scoop on how consumers and producers work together. Join the journey, have a blast, and become a market whiz while saving those precious pigs!

Topic: Basic Economics
Time needed: 20-30 minutes
Suggested grade level: 7-12
Activity Type: Online Game

Description: Ready to put your business skills to the test? "Dollar a Glass" is the game for you! You've got five days to turn lemons and water into a money-making machine. It's all about sharp business moves. Can you craft a simple, but genius business plan to make as much cash as possible? Get in on the action and learn the ropes of running a successful business. Let's see if you can turn those lemons into dollars!

Topic: Basic Economics
Time needed: 75-90 minutes
Suggested grade level: 9-12
Activity Type: Movie

Description: Watch the 1971 G-Rated Movie, Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory to look for the allegory and hidden meanings from the worksheet.

Topic: Budgeting
Time needed: 20-30 min
Suggested grade level: 7-12
Activity Type: Online game

Description: Get ready for a financial adventure with "Biz Kid$ Break the Bank"! This game is all about mastering personal finance and becoming a money management pro. The best part? You're in control of the game's length. Whether you're a quick thinker or want to dive deep into financial concepts, you can customize your experience. Games usually run from 20 to 60 minutes, but it's totally up to you and your friends to decide how long you'll play. So, are you ready to break the bank and learn while having fun? Let's go!

Topic: Budgeting
Time needed: 20-30 min
Suggested grade level: 7-12
Activity Type: Online game

Description: "Hit the Road" is your ticket to a financial adventure! Join us on a virtual road trip across the country, where you'll discover the secrets of smart saving and spending. Get the inside scoop on budgeting, making responsible choices, building up your savings, and managing debt. It's like a real-life video game where you're the hero of your financial journey. Ready to rev up and learn while you play? Let's hit the road!

Topic: Budgeting
Time needed: 10-45 Minutes
Suggested grade level: 9-12
Activity Type: Video & Worksheet example

Description: Watch this funny 10 minute video (Roommate Agreement Video Big Bang Theory) clip from the big bang theory about roomates trying to identify roles. Roomates after high school can be a lot of fun and a great time. Some potential issues arise if things are not discussed early on. Here is an example of a Roommate Agreement. Look it over so you are more prepared to move out on your own with roommates.

Topic: Budgeting
Time needed: 30 minutes
Suggested grade level: 9-12
Activity Type: On-line game

Description: “Think you’ll never have to ask for help? Here’s your chance to prove it.” The Spent game allows the player to explore what it looks like to not plan for a future, or to find yourself in a hard situation and to live without the benefit of a plan, nor a BUDGET. The game simulates values and choices that come with being a low-skill, low-wage-earning adult. Through the game, one learns many lessons, not the least of which is empathy, understanding, and compassion. Perhaps, it will even help you to think about your role and responsibility in charitable giving.

Topic: Budgeting
Time needed: 45-50 Minutes
Suggested grade level: 9-12
Activity Type: ELL Vocabulary Review

Description: This is a GFL budget vocabulary review for English language learners. (Esta es una revisión de vocabulario GFL para estudiantes de inglés.)

Topic: College / Career Prep
Time needed: 45 minutes
Suggested grade level: 9-12
Activity Type: Online “brain games” to test aptitudes and strengths

Description: Unsure of what you want to be when you grow up? Try out these brain games to get matched to careers that fit your strengths and likes. You will get out of the brain games as much as you put into them. They will take about 90 minutes in total-- we suggest splitting this up between 3-5 sessions. Use this worksheet to analyze your results.

Topic: College / Career Prep
Time needed: 60-120 Minutes
Suggested grade level: 9-12
Activity Type: Career Interest Inventories, Interest Profiler, Career Launch, Resume Builder, Scholarships etc.

Description: Keys to Success is a great website that can help you explore different careers, apply for jobs, apply for scholarships and dive deeper into your own interests. You can build an account or you can continue as a guest and explore.

Topic: College / Career Prep
Time needed: 45 minutes
Suggested grade level: 9-12
Activity Type: Worksheet & Websearch

Description: Use the following websites to answer questions from the "How to pay for school" worksheet. Learn about the potential outcomes of filling out the FAFSA. There is also a focus on the costs of student debt, and how to minimize college debt. Includes a comparison of subsidized and unsubsidized loans.

• Student Loan Debt Article
• FAFSA: Six reasons to fill out the form article
• Types of Financial Aid article

Topic: College / Career Prep
Time needed: 45 minutes
Suggested grade level: 11-12
Activity Type: Game and Reflection Worksheet

Description: Open the worksheet and play an online game called “Payback” where the goal is to try and make it to graduation and beyond with a reasonable amount of debt to pay back after you graduate. During the game, you must try not to get burnt out along the way by getting poor grades, not making enough social connections, or running out of happiness (displayed as 3 bars at the bottom of the screen as you play the game).

Topic: Credit
Time needed: 20-30 min
Suggested grade level: 7-12
Activity Type: Online Game

Description: Get ready to outsmart the scammers with "Con 'Em If You Can Game"! This online game is your chance to play the role of a fraudster, giving you a sneak peek into how cons and marketers use persuasion. It's all about learning to recognize those red flags of fraud and protect yourself. Plus, there's an Educator's Guide with cool stuff like sample lesson plans and a fraud quiz. Are you up for the challenge? Dive in and master the art of defending against the tricksters!

Topic: Credit
Time needed: 30 min
Suggested grade level: 7-12
Activity Type: Online Game

Description: The financial decisions we make every day impact our credit scores, which help lenders decide whether to give us credit cards, auto loans and mortgages—and how much those loans will cost us. Some moves hurt, some moves help. This game will guide you through those decisions.

Topic: Credit
Time needed: 20-30 minutes
Suggested grade level: 11-12
Activity Type: Online Game

Description: Welcome to "The NeighborMood," where you'll become a savvy decision-maker in no time! This online game is all about teaching you to question and make smart choices when it comes to your money and well-being. But here's the twist: make a bad call in the game, and you'll get a glimpse of how it could impact your real life. Get ready to play, learn, and see how the choices you make in the game can shape your future! It's your turn to be the boss of your destiny.

Topic: Insurance
Time needed: One class period
Suggested grade level: 11-12
Activity Type: Game and Reflection Worksheet

Description: Play the online game “That’s A Bummer” where you will spin the Wheel of Bummers to learn about insurance. The game has four rounds - pet, rental, auto, and then all three combined. By playing this game, you will learn about the relationship between premiums, deductibles, and coverage limits for insurance coverage. Jot down notes from the game on the reflection sheet.

Topic: Investing & Saving
Time needed: 60 Minutes
Suggested grade level: 9-12
Activity Type: Online Video

Description: If you have interest in learning some basic lessons on investing this is the video series for you. Here are 6 ten-minute videos about investing for you to watch and learn from.

Topic: Investing & Saving
Time needed: 120 minutes
Suggested grade level: 9-12
Activity Type: Movie

Description: If you are looking for a movie to watch this weekend that has some financial teaching and motivational impact pick the Pursuit of Happyness. It will teach you some about investing, being a stockbroker and a bunch of good life lessons. You can use these guided notes if you want.

Topic: Investing & Saving
Time needed: 30-40 minutes
Suggested grade level: 11-12
Activity Type: Game and Reflection Worksheet

Description: Play an investing game called “Stax” where every six months (30 seconds in the game) you receive pocket cash to invest. There are 7 different types of investment opportunities that will be explained as you play the game.

Topic: Productive Substitute Activities
Time needed: Self-paced
Suggested grade level: 6-10
Activity Type: Online curriculum course and activity

Description: Make it. Save it. Grow it. Learn the secrets of millionaires at your own pace! Each chapter includes hilarious videos, animation, and real-life stories of young entrepreneurs.

Topic: Spending Habits / Behavioral Economics
Time needed: 40-60 Minutes
Suggested grade level: 10-12
Activity Type: Video and Life Scenarios

Description: Here is a good 7 minute video about identity theft. It is important we protect our information. After viewing the video here are some good life scenarios and examples of identity theft.

Topic: Spending Habits / Behavioral Economics
Time needed: 30 minutes
Suggested grade level: 9-12
Activity Type: Online game

Description: “Think you’ll never have to ask for help? Here’s your chance to prove it.” The Spent game allows the player to explore what it looks like to not plan for a future, or to find yourself in a hard situation and to live without the benefit of a plan, nor a BUDGET. The game simulates values and choices that come with being a low-skill, low-wage-earning adult. Through the game, one learns many lessons, not the least of which is empathy, understanding, and compassion. Perhaps, it will even help you to think about your role and responsibility in charitable giving. Use the worksheet to answer some reflection questions.

Topic: Taxes
Time needed: 60-120 Minutes
Suggested grade level: 10-12
Activity Type: Tax Simulation

Description: This is a Basic Tax Simulation that shows a W2, 1040 and other documents you need to file taxes. It runs you through a simulation of what it might look like to file your taxes. Take a look and get a feel for doing your taxes. It is not as scary as you might have thought.