Managing Money Foundations

Overview

This opening lesson launches the 26-lesson unit Financial Choices Foundations. Students build a shared understanding of income, saving and investing, and credit and debt, then connect these ideas to personal financial goals and safe decision-making.

Learning intentions

• WALT identify income, saving and investing, and credit and debt.
• WALT explain why these ideas matter in everyday financial decisions.
• WALT recognise a financial goal and consider a safe money choice.
• WALT use financial vocabulary to discuss simple scenarios.

Success criteria

• I can define income, saving and investing, and credit and debt in my own words.
• I can sort examples into the correct money category.
• I can identify a realistic financial goal.
• I can explain one safe financial choice and give a reason.

Curriculum links

• Social Sciences — Economic Activity: personal budgeting and financial decision-making.
• Social Sciences — using financial information to evaluate decisions.
• Social Sciences — sources of financial advice, saving and investment options, and financial management tools.
• Mathematics and Statistics — Number: applying percentages, ratios, rates and proportions in financial situations.

This lesson also develops the New Zealand Curriculum competencies of thinking, using language, symbols and texts, managing self, relating to others, and participating and contributing.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Pre-test. Display the four questions in the opening and pre-test slides and distribute the Financial Choices Foundations launch sheet. Students answer independently: What is income? What does saving mean? What is debt? Name one money goal. Explain that this is formative only and will not be graded. Accept simple everyday examples: income is money received, saving is keeping money for later, debt is money owed, and a goal is something a person plans to achieve.

2. 5–12 min · Course hook and brainstorm. Show the visual course map in the course map and money brainstorm slides. Ask, “What money decisions might a teenager make this year?” Students first think privately, then add ideas to a picture-based brainstorm, such as getting paid, buying a phone, saving for an event, borrowing money or comparing prices. Invite students to place questions in the class money-question box for use throughout the unit.

3. 12–22 min · Build the vocabulary. Use the vocabulary teaching slides to introduce income, saving, investing, credit and debt. Model each term with an age-appropriate example, such as wages from a part-time job, saving for a laptop, investing for a longer-term goal, using credit to buy now, and debt as money owed. Students complete a colour-coded vocabulary chart on the vocabulary chart and examples section, matching each keyword to an icon, definition and example. Check understanding through thumbs-up/down questions and ask students to explain one term to a partner.

4. 22–38 min · Scenario-card sort. Model one example from the scenario-sort instruction slide. In mixed-ability pairs, students cut out and sort the scenario cards from the cut-apart scenario cards into income, saving, investing, credit, debt or “needs more information”. They record one reason for two choices. Circulate and ask, “What evidence helped you decide?” and “Could this situation fit more than one category?” Pause halfway for pairs to compare one card and revise their reasoning if necessary.

5. 38–48 min · Goals and safe choices. Present the goal examples and decision prompts in the goals and safe-choice discussion slides. Students write or draw one financial goal on the worksheet, identifying what they want, why it matters and whether it is short- or longer-term. Pairs then discuss one safe choice, such as checking costs, comparing options, keeping a record, seeking advice from a trusted adult, or understanding interest before borrowing. Students complete the sentence: “A safe money choice is ___ because ___.”

6. 48–55 min · Share and clarify. Invite several pairs to share a scenario decision, goal or safe choice. Use responses to correct misconceptions, particularly that saving and investing are not identical, and that credit is not free money. Add unanswered questions to the money-question box and explain that later lessons will investigate interest, budgeting, financial advice, loans and investments.

7. 55–60 min · Exit check. Students complete the final section of the individual exit check without help: define one key term, classify one new example, state one financial goal and explain one safe choice. Collect the sheets to identify starting points for Lesson 2.

Resources

• the Financial Choices Foundations introduction deck
• the Financial Choices Foundations launch sheet
• Course map displayed on the board or screen
• Class money-question box
• Coloured pencils or highlighters
• Scissors for the cut-apart scenario cards
• Pens, pencils and erasers
• Optional calculators for students who need them
• Timer or visible clock

Assessment

• Use the five-minute pre-test as a baseline; do not grade it. Review responses for misconceptions about income, saving, debt and financial goals.
• During vocabulary work and the card sort, question pairs and listen for accurate definitions, appropriate classification and reasons based on evidence.
• Use the exit check to group students for subsequent support and to revisit terms that remain unclear.

Differentiation

• Model every task, provide icons and a colour-coded word bank, and give oral instructions one step at a time. Offer sentence starters such as “Income is…”, “This belongs in… because…”, and “A safe choice would be…”.
• Use mixed-ability pairs and allow students to respond by writing, drawing, matching, pointing or explaining orally. Provide calculators where numerical thinking creates a barrier, while keeping the focus on concepts.
• For dyslexia-friendly access, prepare the worksheet and slides in Arial or Verdana, 12–14 point font, with high contrast, generous spacing, short sections and highlighted keywords. Provide audio directions, read instructions aloud, and allow text-to-speech.
• Support EAL learners with visual examples, partner rehearsal and repeated everyday language before introducing formal terms. Check privately for understanding rather than relying only on whole-class responses.

Extension

• Students create a three-month financial scenario involving income, a saving or investment goal, and a possible credit or debt decision. They identify at least two benefits and two risks, then recommend the safest option with a reason.