Building Human Capital | It's Your Paycheck Lesson 1
This interactive assignment teaches the link between investment in human capital and earning income.
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Curriculum Units
1 Hour+
Making Personal Finance Decisions Curriculum
Making Personal Finance Decisions Curriculum
OVERVIEW
This curriculum is a set of 20 lessons that cover 10 personal finance concepts. The lessons are grounded in economic theory and employ a variety of teaching strategies to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed personal finance decisions.
Grade Level
Unit One: Thinking Economically
In this unit, students play “The Wealth Game” and are introduced to the PACED decisionmaking model.
Unit Two: Planning and Tracking
In this unit, students play the inventory game and learn ways that investments can earn a return.
Unit Three: Earning Income
In this unit, students learn about the importance of human capital in increasing a person's productivty and get a taste for entrepreurship.
Unit Four: Paying Taxes
In this unit, students learn about taxes, public vs. private goods, and the role government plays in providing goods and services.
Unit Five: Budgeting
In this unit, students learn how to establish a budget and see how budgeting is an allocation problem.
Unit Six: Saving
In this unit, students learn about time preferences, simple and compound interest, and why it's important to save.
Unit Seven: Spending
In this unit, students learn about spending decisions and saving rates.
Unit Eight: Investing
In this unit, students are introduced to investment risk and evaluate investment options.
Unit Nine: Borrowing
In this unit, students learn about capacity, character, and collateral and weigh the benefits and costs of credit.
Unit Ten: Protecting
In this unit, students learn about protecting themselves from identity theft and investigate whether insurance is worth buying.
Related Resources
MODULES
16-30 MIN
VIDEO Q&A
0-15 MIN
Banks and Alternatives 101: Fees, Fees and More Fees: It all Adds Up
This video assignment weighs the benefits and costs of rent-to-own and “buy here, pay here” options.
READING Q&A
16-30 MIN
A Dollar's Worth: Inflation is Real
In this reading assignment, learn more about inflation, how it’s measured, and how the inflation rate is calculated.
AUDIO Q&A
0-15 MIN
Fiscal Policy
This audio assignment covers how the government uses fiscal policy to influence the economy.
INFOGRAPHICS & COMICS
Insurance
Use this infographic to prompt discussion about factors to consider when buying insurance.
LESSONS & ACTIVITIES
0-15 MIN
Career Choices
This activity highlights the connection between education, training, and experience in determining income.
More in This Series
LESSONS & ACTIVITIES
31-45 MIN
The Wealth Game—Factors for Success (Lesson 1A)
After playing a game simulating wealth creation, students reflect on determinants of wealth: natural abilities, effort, motivation, and luck.
LESSONS & ACTIVITIES
31-45 MIN
Making Choices and Identifying Costs (Lesson 1B)
Students are introduced to the PACED decisionmaking model and grid as a guide to making personal finance choices.
LESSONS & ACTIVITIES
31-45 MIN
The Inventory Game—Net Worth and Cash Flow (Lesson 2A)
Students play a game to learn about net worth, cash flow, and the relationship between them.
LESSONS & ACTIVITIES
31-45 MIN
Meeting Financial Goals—Rate of Return (Lesson 2B)
Students are shown the two ways that investments can earn a return.
LESSONS & ACTIVITIES
31-45 MIN
Investing in Yourself (Lesson 3A)
Students perform calculations to demonstrate the importance of human capital in increasing a person’s productivity.
LESSONS & ACTIVITIES
31-45 MIN
Entrepreneurship—Working for Yourself (Lesson 3B)
Students learn about common traits of entrepreneurs through an activity.
LESSONS & ACTIVITIES
31-45 MIN
What Are Taxes For? (Lesson 4A)
Students learn why it is necessary for the government to provide some goods and services.
LESSONS & ACTIVITIES
31-45 MIN
Understanding Taxes (Lesson 4B)
Students learn about factors that make various taxes different.
LESSONS & ACTIVITIES
31-45 MIN
Making a Budget—It Is All Spending! (Lesson 5A)
Students discover that all elements of a budget are essentially spending on goods and services.
LESSONS & ACTIVITIES
31-45 MIN
Budget Trade-Offs—A Penny Here and a Penny There (Lesson 5B)
Students participate in an activity that illustrates that budgeting is really an allocation problem.
