How do I file a tax return? What is a credit score? How much of my paycheck will be withheld for taxes? How much rent can I afford? How do I calculate a budget?
I got a TON of questions just like these while teaching high school consumer math. Many of the questions were about things I assumed my students already knew. But how would they know? My students were seniors and worried about life after high school. Understandable!
When I taught consumer math there was no curriculum, and I spent a lot of time piecing the course together from materials found online. My students were all seniors with IEPs for mild to moderate disabilities in math/reading, so I needed to find accessible materials that were also age-appropriate and interesting. I wanted my students to enjoy building their personal financial literacy. In spring 2022, I started building the curriculum that I had wished was available to me back then, and it is now available on my website.
This printable consumer math curriculum is an approachable guide to building financial literacy for teens. It includes warm-ups, a student book, accompanying student notebook sheets, a teacher's book, PowerPoint projector notes, editable quizzes and all answer keys. The curriculum will answer all of your students' personal finance questions and more.
"Hands-down, this is the best consumer math curriculum. Easy to use even if you don’t have the greatest understanding of certain concepts. Warm-ups for access to extra practice problems as well as walkthrough PowerPoints and much more. So thankful I got it! My students enjoyed learning each concept and were able to work through excellent real-world math problems making it relatable!” -Teacher Jodi Staggers
Here's a short video overview of the student book and student notebook sheets. Please note that 2 additional units have been added to the curriculum since the video-- a car insurance unit and a health insurance unit:
18 Units:
- 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
- Car insurance
- Health insurance
*The income taxes unit is updated every year. Re-downloads to get updates and additions are always free.
"This Consumer Math curriculum is amazing. It is so well organized! I also used the activity bundle and this made a super year long course! I would highly recommend it!" - Teacher Amy Field
Files included:
- Student book (199 pages)
- Teacher’s book (203 pages)
- Student notebook sheets (122 half sheets)
- Workbook (alternative format to notebook sheets)
- PowerPoint projector notes
- Editable quizzes for each unit
- Warm-ups for each unit
- Curriculum map
- All answer keys
Details:
The student book is a reference that includes vocabulary, examples and all of the information students need to know.
The student notebook sheets are half-sheets designed for building 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.
If you'd like a larger workbook format, a student workbook is also now included. This is an alternative to the student notebook sheets, if you would rather students have full-page notes instead of building a notebook.
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.
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. Quiz answer keys are included for all quizzes and are also editable.
At least 6 warm-ups are included for every unit.
FAQs:
Do you have a sample of the curriculum?
Yes, part of the curriculum's wages & salary unit is available to download here. A preview can be found here.
Who is this curriculum for?
I wrote this consumer math curriculum for high school students who may have IEPs for mild to moderate disabilities in math and/or reading. These are the students I taught and who I feel benefit most from this curriculum.
Can it work for younger students?
If your students have already been introduced to calculating percentages, this consumer math curriculum may work for them.
Do you have a printout that I can give to my admin for approval?
Yes, you can find a printout here for your administrator.
Will the curriculum be sent in the mail?
The curriculum is a set of printable PDF and PowerPoint files. Nothing will be sent in the mail.
Are activities included?
The curriculum does not contain activities outside of the student notebook sheets, warm-ups and a few projects for budgeting, buying a car and percent change in the stock market. For additional activities, there is a big bundle of printable and digital consumer math activities here. Code SAVE25 takes 25% off when purchasing the curriculum and activities bundle together.
How many licenses do I need?
The curriculum is licensed for 1 single teacher to use with his or her students year after year.
I homeschool. Will this work for me?
Yes, homeschooling families are using the Scaffolded Consumer Math Curriculum. The projector notes are meant to shine onto a classroom board so may not be necessary to use, but everything else will work. All of the information needed to complete the notebook sheets (or workbook) is in the student book.
What standards are covered?
This consumer math curriculum covers the following National Standards for Personal Financial Education published by Jump$tart:
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, insurance
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 and risk: 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
Will the curriculum be updated?
Yes, the income taxes unit is updated every January to reflect changes to the 1040. Re-downloads to get updates and additions are free.
Do you accept school purchase orders?
Yes, purchase order information can be found here.
With everything you need in one place, this consumer math curriculum will make teaching the course easy for you and enjoyable for your students. Consumer math is such an important and fun course to teach, and I hope your students thoroughly enjoy building their financial literacy with you!
The Scaffolded Consumer Math Curriculum is available for purchase here. Please send an email to shana@scaffoldedmath.com if you have any questions.
I am so excited for your Consumer Math unit!! It is one of my favorite topics to teach! Can’t wait!!
ReplyDeleteYay! I am so excited that you are excited! I am, too! It is such a fun class to teach!
DeleteLOVE IT!! SO excited
ReplyDelete:)
DeleteAs a new immigrant for five years and being an international teacher, I would be thrilled to learn from your book. I can’t wait to get it!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much!
DeleteIs there a sample we can look at? I don’t if it hugely has sample stamped across it. I would just like to see a couple of samples.
ReplyDeleteIn the video, I go through one of the units in the student book. If this isn't enough, please send me an email and I can send a sample for you to check out. shana@scaffoldedmath.com
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