Smart Spending Choices

Overview

Today’s lesson helps students make informed consumer and financial decisions by examining factors that influence buying choices, comparing options, and considering how purchases affect the environment. Students will practise decision-making strategies and justify their choices.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• identify influences on consumer choices, including advertising, peer or social trends, budgets and personal preferences
• compare consumer options using information such as price and product features
• use strategies to make better consumer and financial decisions (e.g. finding more information, keeping a record of spending, saving for the future)
• consider possible environmental effects of consumer choices (e.g. choosing local versus imported products)

Success criteria

Students can:

• explain at least two factors that influenced a buying decision (using examples)
• compare two choices using a simple criteria checklist (price, quality/need, and environmental impact)
• show how they would budget and decide what to buy (including recording money spent)
• state one action they could take to reduce negative environmental effects when buying

Curriculum links

• Humanities and Social Sciences — AC9HS6K08: influences on consumer choices and strategies for informed personal consumer and financial choices, including environmental impacts
• Humanities and Social Sciences — AC9HS6S06: propose actions or responses and use criteria to assess possible effects
• Mathematics — AC9M6N09 (financial modelling): use operations and efficient strategies to solve a practical budgeting problem and interpret solutions in context
• Humanities and Social Sciences — AC9HS6S02: locate, collect and organise information from sources to support a consumer decision

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook with video/slide. Teacher shows a short video or slide show about advertising tricks (e.g. “limited time”, “popular with friends”) and asks, “What makes someone want to buy this?” Students do a quick think (1 minute) then share one influence they noticed.

2. 5–12 min · Direct teach: Influences + key strategies. Teacher uses a simple class chart: Influences (preferences, social trends, advertising/peer pressure, budget, culture/environment/legal/ethical) and Strategies (find more info, compare prices, keep a record, save for the future). Students copy a four-box organiser into their workbook and add one example per box.

3. 12–20 min · Video check: Spot the influence. Teacher replays one segment and pauses at 2–3 moments (e.g. “buy now”, “top pick”). Students turn and talk: “Which influence is being used here?” and “What could you do to make a more informed choice?”

4. 20–33 min · Activity (worksheet): Compare and decide. Teacher gives each student the Consumer Decision Worksheet: “You have $20 for one item for school/work.” Students compare two options (teacher provides printed price cards, or images on slides):

• Option A: cheaper but uses more packaging / imported
• Option B: slightly more expensive / local or recyclable packaging Worksheet prompts require:
• circle the item they would buy today
• complete a criteria table: Need (yes/no), Price (under/over budget), Extra cost vs value, Environmental effect (better/worse/uncertain), Evidence used (what info they relied on)
• write one sentence: “I chose this because…” Teacher circulates to check reasoning.

5. 33–40 min · Budget modelling (mini maths). Teacher prompts: “If you buy it, how much money will you have left? If you save $5, how does that change your choice?” Students calculate remaining money and record it in the worksheet using mental strategies or a calculator if needed, then update their decision if the budget changes.

6. 40–45 min · Exit ticket: One improvement action. Teacher asks: “What is one strategy you will use next time you buy something?” Students complete a short exit ticket:

• Strategy 1: __________
• Evidence/Reason: __________
• Environmental effect consideration (local/packaging/transport): __________

Resources

• Projector or interactive whiteboard with slides or a short video (2–4 minutes total)
• Printed Consumer Decision Worksheet (budget + criteria table + decision justification)
• Two printed “product cards” with images and prices for Option A and Option B (include an environmental detail such as imported vs local or packaging type)
• Coloured pencils or highlighters for circling criteria
• Class chart paper/whiteboard: Influences and Strategies
• Optional: simple calculator for students who need support
• Timer for segment transitions

Assessment

• Teacher observation during turns-and-talk: students identify the type of influence shown in the video
• Worksheet review: student uses a criteria table to justify a choice and considers environmental effects
• Exit ticket: checks for a clear strategy plus a reason and environmental consideration

Differentiation

• Provide sentence starters on the worksheet: “I noticed…”, “I chose… because…”, “A better environmental choice would be…”
• Offer a simplified criteria checklist for students who need support (3 criteria instead of 5)
• Extension for confident students: “What extra information would you look for online or in a store to reduce uncertainty?”
• For students needing more scaffolding, allow use of the class chart and require only one complete justified sentence rather than multiple paragraphs

Extension (optional)

• No extension requested.