lenny

Finance Vocab Foundations

user image

Lesson Plan

Finance Vocab Foundations

Students will define and understand key personal finance vocabulary words such as income, expense, budget, saving, investing, credit, and debt. They will recognize the importance of these terms in daily financial contexts and apply them to personal financial scenarios.

Understanding these core financial terms is crucial for students to develop financial literacy, make informed decisions about their money, and build a strong foundation for future financial well-being. This extended lesson provides ample opportunity for deep understanding and application.

Audience

9th Grade Students

Time

90 minutes

Approach

Direct instruction, guided discussion, interactive activities, and reflective journaling.

Prep

Review Materials and Prepare

15 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: Financial Brainstorm (10 minutes)

10 minutes

  • Display the first slide of the Finance Vocab Slide Deck (Title Slide).
    - Ask students: "What does 'personal finance' mean to you? What words come to mind when you hear 'money' or 'finances'?" Encourage them to share personal experiences or observations. Facilitate a more in-depth whole-class discussion, noting down diverse student responses on the board and discussing common themes.

Step 2

Introduction to Key Vocabulary (30 minutes)

30 minutes

  • Transition to the vocabulary slides in the Finance Vocab Slide Deck.
    - For each term (Income, Expense, Budget, Saving, Investing, Credit, Debt):
    - Present the word and its definition.
    - Provide 2-3 simple, relatable examples. Ask students for additional examples.
    - Engage students in a brief think-pair-share: "How might this term impact you or someone you know?" Share a few examples with the whole class.
    - Encourage students to take detailed notes and ask clarifying questions throughout this section.

Step 3

Worksheet Activity (15 minutes)

15 minutes

Step 4

Financial Scenarios Discussion (10 minutes)

10 minutes

  • Transition to the 'Financial Scenarios' slide in the Finance Vocab Slide Deck.
    - Present a few simple, everyday financial scenarios (e.g., "You get your first paycheck. What is income? What might be an expense?"; "You want to buy a new phone. How does saving or credit come into play?"; "Your family plans for holiday spending. What financial term describes this planning?").
    - Facilitate a more extended discussion, encouraging students to identify multiple vocabulary terms in action, explain their reasoning, and discuss the implications of different financial choices in these scenarios.

Step 5

Journaling: Personal Finance Reflection (20 minutes)

20 minutes

  • Distribute the Finance Vocab Journal.
    - Explain that students will choose one or two prompts to reflect on how these financial terms relate to their own lives or future aspirations.
    - Encourage thoughtful, personal responses. Provide quiet time for students to write.
    - After 15 minutes, invite a few students who feel comfortable to share a brief insight or a sentence from their journal entry (optional).

Step 6

Cool-Down: One New Thing (5 minutes)

5 minutes

  • Ask students to write down one new personal finance vocabulary word they learned today and one way they might encounter it in their lives.
    - Then, invite 2-3 students to briefly share their responses with the class as an exit ticket. This will serve as a quick informal assessment of understanding and reinforce key concepts.
lenny
0 educators
use Lenny to create lessons.

No credit card needed

Slide Deck

Finance Vocab Foundations

Understanding Your Money World

What comes to mind when you hear 'personal finance'?

Welcome students and introduce the topic. Ask them to think about what 'personal finance' means to them and to share any words that come to mind. Jot down their ideas on the board. Encourage them to share personal experiences or observations and discuss common themes.

Income

Money You Earn or Receive

  • Definition: Money that an individual or business receives, typically in exchange for providing goods or services or through investing capital.
  • Examples:
    • Your paycheck from a part-time job.
    • Allowance from your parents.
    • Money earned from selling items online.

Introduce the concept of income. Provide a clear definition and 2-3 relatable examples. Encourage students to provide their own examples of income from daily life. Ask open-ended questions like, 'How might income impact a teenager?' or 'What are different sources of income?'

Expense

Money You Spend

  • Definition: The cost required for something; the money spent on something.
  • Examples:
    • Buying lunch at school.
    • Paying for a new video game.
    • The cost of transportation (bus fare, gas).

Introduce the concept of expense. Explain the difference between needs and wants. Provide 2-3 examples relevant to students' lives. Ask students to brainstorm their own examples of expenses and discuss how these might impact them now or in the future.

Budget

Your Money Blueprint

  • Definition: An estimate of income and expenditure for a set period of time.
  • Examples:
    • Creating a plan for how you'll spend your allowance each month.
    • Tracking how much money you have for school supplies versus entertainment.

Define budget and emphasize its importance for managing money. Explain that it's a plan, not a restriction. Ask students to discuss how creating a budget might help them achieve financial goals.

Saving

Putting Money Aside for Later

  • Definition: The money one has saved, especially through a bank or investment plan.
  • Examples:
    • Putting money in a piggy bank for a new toy.
    • Depositing money into a bank account for a future college fund.

Introduce saving as setting aside money for future goals. Discuss short-term and long-term savings. Ask students what they might be saving for and how they go about it.

Investing

Making Your Money Work for You

  • Definition: The action or process of investing money for profit or material result.
  • Examples:
    • Buying stocks in a company you believe in (long-term growth).
    • Putting money into a savings account that earns interest.

Explain investing as making money grow, but also introduce the concept of risk. Keep examples simple and relatable. Ask students if they know anyone who invests or what types of things people invest in.

Credit

Buying Now, Paying Later

  • Definition: The ability of a customer to obtain goods or services before payment, based on the trust that payment will be made in the future.
  • Examples:
    • Using a credit card to buy something (you pay the bill later).
    • Taking out a loan to buy a car or house.

Define credit and explain its dual nature – convenience and responsibility. Mention credit cards but also other forms of credit. Discuss the pros and cons of using credit.

Debt

Money Owed

  • Definition: A state of owing money.
  • Examples:
    • The amount you owe on your credit card bill.
    • Student loans after college.
    • Money borrowed from a friend.

Explain debt as money owed. Emphasize that not all debt is bad, but it needs to be managed responsibly. Ask students about situations where debt might be necessary or beneficial, and when it might be problematic.

Financial Scenarios: Vocab in Action!

Let's put our new words to the test! How do these terms show up in real life?

  • Scenario 1: You earn money from a summer job. What are your income and potential expenses?
  • Scenario 2: You want to buy a concert ticket next month. How does saving or credit play a role?
  • Scenario 3: Your family plans for holiday spending. What financial term describes this planning?

Present these scenarios one by one. Ask students to identify which vocabulary terms apply to each scenario and explain their reasoning. Encourage debate and different perspectives. Emphasize that there might be multiple correct answers and connections.

Time to Practice!

Personal Finance Vocabulary Worksheet

Now, let's put your new knowledge to the test! Complete the worksheet to match terms with definitions and answer some questions.

Transition to the worksheet activity. Explain that they will practice what they've learned.

Reflect and Connect: Your Financial Future

Personal Finance Journal

How do these words connect to your life and future?
Choose a prompt from your journal to write about.

Introduce the journaling activity. Explain that this is a chance for personal reflection on how these financial concepts relate to their lives. Encourage thoughtful responses and assure them it's a safe space for personal thoughts.

One New Thing

Exit Ticket

Write down:

  1. One new personal finance vocabulary word you learned today.
  2. One way you might encounter this word or concept in your life.

Conclude the lesson by having students reflect on one new word and its relevance. Invite a few students to share their responses with the class. Collect all responses as exit tickets.

lenny

Worksheet

Personal Finance Vocabulary Worksheet

Name: _____________________________

Date: _____________________________

Part 1: Match the Terms

Match each personal finance term with its correct definition by drawing a line or writing the letter next to the number.

  1. Income


  2. Expense


  3. Budget


  4. Saving


  5. Investing


  6. Credit


  7. Debt


A. Money that an individual or business receives.

B. The cost required for something; the money spent on something.

C. An estimate of income and expenditure for a set period of time.

D. The money one has saved, especially through a bank or investment plan.

E. The action or process of investing money for profit or material result.

F. The ability of a customer to obtain goods or services before payment, based on the trust that payment will be made in the future.

G. A state of owing money.

Part 2: Short Answer

  1. Give an example of something you might consider an income for a high school student. Explain why.





  2. What is the difference between saving and investing?










  3. Why is creating a budget important for managing your money?










lenny
lenny

Answer Key

Personal Finance Vocabulary Answer Key

Part 1: Match the Terms

  1. Income: A. Money that an individual or business receives.

    • Thought Process: Income is literally the money that 'comes in' to you.
  2. Expense: B. The cost required for something; the money spent on something.

    • Thought Process: Expenses are things you 'spend out' money on.
  3. Budget: C. An estimate of income and expenditure for a set period of time.

    • Thought Process: A budget helps you plan and track your money over a specific period, balancing what you earn and what you spend.
  4. Saving: D. The money one has saved, especially through a bank or investment plan.

    • Thought Process: Saving is setting money aside for future use or goals, usually in a secure place like a bank.
  5. Investing: E. The action or process of investing money for profit or material result.

    • Thought Process: Investing means putting money into something with the expectation of getting more money back in the future, often involving some risk.
  6. Credit: F. The ability of a customer to obtain goods or services before payment, based on the trust that payment will be made in the future.

    • Thought Process: Credit is about borrowing now and promising to pay back later, building trust in your ability to repay.
  7. Debt: G. A state of owing money.

    • Thought Process: Debt is the financial obligation, the money that you are legally required to pay back to someone else.

Part 2: Short Answer

  1. Give an example of something you might consider an income for a high school student. Explain why.





    • Possible Answer: A part-time job at a local store. This is income because the student receives money in exchange for their work or services.
  2. What is the difference between saving and investing?










    • Possible Answer: Saving is putting money aside, usually in a safe place like a bank account, for future use. The goal is to keep the money secure and accessible. Investing is using money to buy assets (like stocks or real estate) with the expectation that its value will grow over time, potentially earning more money, but it also carries more risk.
  3. Why is creating a budget important for managing your money?










    • Possible Answer: Creating a budget is important because it helps you understand where your money is coming from (income) and where it's going (expenses). This allows you to make conscious decisions about your spending, ensure you don't overspend, and work towards financial goals like saving for something specific.
lenny
lenny

Journal

Finance Vocab Journal: My Financial Journey

Name: _____________________________

Date: _____________________________

Reflect and Connect: Your Financial Future

Think about the personal finance vocabulary we discussed today. How do these words connect to your life and future aspirations?

Choose one or two of the prompts below and write a thoughtful response. Be honest about your current understanding and how you envision these concepts playing a role in your life.

Journal Prompts:

  1. My Money Map: Imagine you receive a significant amount of money (e.g., $500 as a gift or from a summer job). How would you use the terms income, expense, budget, and saving to manage this money responsibly? Describe your plan.










  2. Future Goals & Finance: What is a future goal you have (e.g., buying a car, going to college, traveling, starting a business)? How might saving and investing help you achieve this goal? What role could credit or debt play, and how would you approach them carefully?










  3. Financial Decisions: Think of a time you or someone you know had to make a financial decision (big or small). Which of the vocabulary terms were involved in that decision? How did understanding those terms (or perhaps lacking understanding) impact the outcome?










  4. A Term That Stands Out: From today's lesson, which personal finance vocabulary term resonated most with you, and why? How do you see yourself applying this specific term in your life in the near or distant future?










lenny
lenny

Worksheet

Personal Finance Vocabulary Worksheet

Name: _____________________________

Date: _____________________________

Part 1: Match the Terms

Match each personal finance term with its correct definition by drawing a line or writing the letter next to the number.

  1. Income


  2. Expense


  3. Budget


  4. Saving


  5. Investing


  6. Credit


  7. Debt


A. Money that an individual or business receives.

B. The cost required for something; the money spent on something.

C. An estimate of income and expenditure for a set period of time.

D. The money one has saved, especially through a bank or investment plan.

E. The action or process of investing money for profit or material result.

F. The ability of a customer to obtain goods or services before payment, based on the trust that payment will be made in the future.

G. A state of owing money.

Part 2: Short Answer

  1. Give an example of something you might consider an
lenny
lenny

Answer Key

Personal Finance Vocabulary Answer Key

Part 1: Match the Terms

  1. Income: A. Money that an individual or business receives.

    • Thought Process: Income is literally the money that 'comes in' to you.
  2. Expense: B. The cost required for something; the money spent on something.

    • Thought Process: Expenses are things you 'spend out' money on.
  3. Budget: C. An estimate of income and expenditure for a set period of time.

    • Thought Process: A budget helps you plan and track your money over a specific period, balancing what you earn and what you spend.
  4. Saving: D. The money one has saved, especially through a bank or investment plan.

    • Thought Process: Saving is setting money aside for future use or goals, usually in a secure place like a bank.
  5. Investing: E. The action or process of investing money for profit or material result.

    • Thought Process: Investing means putting money into something with the expectation of getting more money back in the future, often involving some risk.
  6. Credit: F. The ability of a customer to obtain goods or services before payment, based on the trust that payment will be made in the future.

    • Thought Process: Credit is about borrowing now and promising to pay back later, building trust in your ability to repay.
  7. Debt: G. A state of owing money.

    • Thought Process: Debt is the financial obligation, the money that you are legally required to pay back to someone else.

Part 2: Short Answer

  1. Give an example of something you might consider an
lenny
lenny
Finance Vocab Foundations • Lenny Learning