How do I file a tax return? What is a credit score? How much of my paycheck will be taken out in taxes? How much rent can I afford? What's an APR?
Finding consumer math curriculum materials can be a challenge. When I taught the course there was no curriculum, and it took me a lot of time to piece it together for my students. After years milling over the idea of building a printable, comprehensive consumer math curriculum to make teaching the course easy, I am SO EXCITED to say that I now have one available on my website.
This consumer math curriculum is an approachable guide to building financial literacy for teens. The curriculum includes a student book, accompanying student notebook sheets for building an interactive notebook, a teacher's book, projector notes to shine on the board, editable quizzes and all answer keys.
Here is a short video overview of what is included in the curriculum:
Topics covered:
- Wants vs. needs
- Checks and registers
- Wages and salary
- Bank accounts
- Budgets
- Electronic banking and credit cards
- Credit score
- Discounts and coupons
- Sales tax and tip
- Percent change
- Unit price
- Income taxes*
- Car loans
- Mortgages
- Student loans
- Investing
*The income taxes unit will be updated every year. You will receive an email by early February when the curriculum is ready for re-download. Re-downloads are free.
Files included:
- Printable student book (174 pages)
- Printable teacher’s book (178 pages)
- Printable student notebook sheets (105 half sheets)
- Projector notes (these match the student notebook sheets)
- Editable quizzes for each unit (16 quizzes in PowerPoint)
- All answer keys
Details:
The student book is a reference that includes vocabulary, examples and questions for students to answer. You can choose to print the entire student book at once or each unit at a time for student packets or their binders. Both formats are included so that you can easily print the whole book at once or one unit at a time.
The student notebook sheets are half-sheets designed for an interactive notebook. The sheets provide space for students to answer the questions posed in the book, and also include additional analysis questions. Students paste these notebook sheets into a composition notebook, which then becomes their own personal finance reference.
The teacher’s book and student notebook sheets answer key include all answers to all questions presented in the student book and the extra analysis questions on the student notebook sheets. Inside the teacher’s book are links to a Google folder of warm-ups and to a new consumer math teacher Facebook group.
The projector notes match the student notebook sheets so that you can complete notes along with your students on the board.
The quizzes are completely editable in PowerPoint. You can print the quizzes just as you would any document. Quiz answer keys are included for all quizzes.
FAQs:
What makes this curriculum different?
When I taught consumer math, I needed a textbook that covered all of the personal finance concepts important for my students to learn, along with matching print-and-go notebook sheets. Having these would have saved me an incredible amount of prep time, so this is how I built the curriculum.
The curriculum will also be updated every year to reflect changes to the way we file income taxes. Re-downloads of the updated curriculum are free.
Who's this curriculum for?
I wrote this consumer math curriculum for high school students not taking precalculus or calculus their senior year and who may have mild to moderate disabilities in math and/or reading. These are the students I taught when teaching consumer math and who I feel will benefit most from this curriculum.
Can it work for younger students?
If your students have already been introduced to percents, this consumer math curriculum may work for them. However, I do feel that high school seniors will be most invested in learning the material.
Is it for a semester or for the year?
This curriculum does not contain activities outside of the student notebook sheets, so can possibly be completed in one semester if it is used alone.
How many licenses do I need?
The curriculum is licensed for 1 single teacher to use with his or her students year after year.
Is it available on TpT?
The consumer math curriculum is only available on my website.
Do you have a list of standards?
This curriculum covers the following National Standards for Personal Financial Education:
Earning Income: wages and salary, gross pay, exact net pay, approximating net pay, pay schedules, tips, earning interest, retirement savings, 401(K) employer matching, filing income taxes, tax deductions, wage theft
Spending: budgeting, keeping a register, comparing unit prices, sales tax, discounts, coupons
Saving: savings, checking, money market accounts, CDs, simple interest, compound interest, pre- and post-tax retirement accounts
Investing: risk vs. reward, stock market, bonds, retirement accounts, diversifying
Credit: credit card interest, credit card choices, credit score, credit report, minimum payments, APRs, down payments, car loans, mortgages, amortization schedules, student loan interest, student loan choices, deferment, forbearance, capitalizing interest
Do you have a printout that I can give to my administration for approval?
Yes. You can find a printout here for your administrator.
Do you accept school purchase orders?
Yes. You can find that information here. Or you can send me an email to shana@scaffoldedmath.com.
Will the curriculum be updated?
Yes. The income taxes unit will be updated every year by early February to reflect changes to the way we file federal income taxes. This way your students will always have the most up-to-date information. You will be able to re-download the curriculum free of charge from your account to get the updated income taxes unit.
2023 update: This year's curriculum update was completed on 1/26/2023. All income tax references are up to date through 1/1/2024.
This consumer math curriculum will make teaching the course easy for you and enjoyable for your students. Consumer math is such a fun and important course to teach, and I hope that your students thoroughly enjoy building their financial literacy with you! Please send me an email to shana@scaffoldedmath.com if you have any questions.
The consumer math curriculum is available for download here.
