Invest in Yourself
Identify ways to invest in human capital.
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Curriculum Units
It's Your Paycheck
OVERVIEW
This curriculum includes 9 lessons on personal finance and economics. The lessons employ various teaching strategies to engage students so that they have opportunities to apply the concepts being taught. Each lesson includes the handouts and visuals needed to teach the lesson.
Grade Level
Lesson 1: Invest in Yourself
Students identify ways in which people invest in human capital and the link between investment in human capital and earning income.
Lesson 2: "W" Is for Wages, W4 and W2
Students compare gross to net pay, explore what FICA and federal income taxes are, learn and how to understand a W-2 and W-4 forms.
Lesson 3: Cash the Check and Track the Dough
Students learn about checking accounts, savings accounts and check cashing services.
Lesson 4: Your Budget Plan
Students identify effective and ineffective budgeting behaviors and generate a list of budgeting principles.
Lesson 5: Savvy Savers
Students calculate compound interest to identify benefits of saving in interest-bearing accounts, apply the "rule of 72" to both investments and debt, and learn about the risk reward relationship.
Lesson 6: Credit Reports
Students learn about credit history, credit reports and credit-reporting agencies.
Lesson 7: Creditors' Criteria and Borrowers' Rights and Responsibilities
Students learn about credit rights and responsibilities and identify the rights and responsibilities of using credit.
Lesson 8: So How Much Are You Really Paying for that Loan?
Students learn what a payday loan is and the high cost involved in using such a loan.
Lesson 9: To Rent-to-Own or Not to Rent-to-Own?
Students discuss the characteristics of rent-to-own contracts and compare the cost of those contracts with the outright purchase of goods.
More in This Series
LESSONS & ACTIVITIES
46-60 MIN
LESSONS & ACTIVITIES
1 HOUR+
W Is for Wages, W4, and W2
Learn what FICA, federal income taxes are, and about Form W-4 and Form W-2.
LESSONS & ACTIVITIES
1 HOUR+
Cash the Check and Track the Dough
Learn about checking accounts, savings accounts, and check-cashing services
LESSONS & ACTIVITIES
31-45 MIN
Your Budget Plan
Learn effective and ineffective budgeting behaviors.
LESSONS & ACTIVITIES
31-45 MIN
Savvy Savers
Calculate compound interest to identify the benefits of saving in interest-bearing accounts.
LESSONS & ACTIVITIES
1 HOUR+
Credit History, Credit Reports, and Credit Scores
Learn about credit history, credit reports, and credit-reporting agencies.
LESSONS & ACTIVITIES
46-60 MIN
Creditors' Criteria and Borrowers' Rights and Responsibilities
Students learn about credit rights and responsibilities.
LESSONS & ACTIVITIES
46-60 MIN
How Much Are You Really Paying for that Loan?
Learn what a payday loan is and the high cost involved in using such a loan
LESSONS & ACTIVITIES
46-60 MIN
To Rent-to-Own or Not to Rent-to-Own?
Review the elements of a contract.
