Warm Up: Money Matters\n\nThink about it: If you could have any job in the world, what would it be? What do you imagine your daily life would be like with the money you earn from that job?\n\nWrite down a few sentences about your dream job and what you think you'd spend your money on.\n\n

Activity: Career & Cash Challenge

Instructions: For each career listed below, do the following:

1. Estimate Annual Income: In the "Estimated Annual Income" column, write down your best guess for how much someone in this career might earn in a year. (Don't worry if it's not exact, just a reasonable estimate!)
2. Identify Key Expenses: In the "Typical Expenses" column, list at least 3 types of expenses someone in this career would likely have (e.g., housing, transportation, education debt, specific tools, clothing, hobbies).
3. Reflect on Financial Choices: In the "How Income Impacts Choices" column, briefly explain how the estimated income might influence the financial choices and lifestyle of someone in this career.

Challenge Questions:

1. Which career did you estimate had the highest income? What do you think makes that career earn more than others?
   
   
   
2. Which career did you estimate had the lowest income? How might someone in that career still manage to save money and meet their goals?
   
   
   
   
3. Based on this activity, what is one important thing you learned about how careers and money are connected?
   
   
   
   
   

Cool Down: My Financial Future\n\nReflect: In one or two sentences, what is one new thing you learned about money or careers today, and how might it influence a choice you make in the future?\n\n

Your Money, Your Future - Teacher Script\n\n## Warm-Up (5 minutes)\n\n"Good morning/afternoon, everyone! Let's kick off our financial journey today with a quick warm-up. On the screen, you'll see a question: 'If you could have any job in the world, what would it be? What do you imagine your daily life would be like with the money you earn from that job?'\n\nTake a couple of minutes to jot down your thoughts, or feel free to chat quietly with a neighbor about your dream job and what you think you'd spend your money on. Don't worry about right or wrong answers, just think freely!"\n\n*(Give students about 2-3 minutes to write/discuss. Circulate and listen to their ideas.)\n\n"Alright, let's hear a few ideas! Anyone brave enough to share their dream job and some thoughts on the lifestyle that might come with it?"\n\n(Call on 2-3 students. Affirm their responses, making connections to money without judgment.)\n\n## Introduction: Your Financial Journey (5 minutes)\n\n(Transition to Slide Deck: Your Money, Your Future - Slide 1: Your Money, Your Future)\n\n"That was a great start! Today, we're going to dive into something incredibly important for your future: financial literacy and careers. It might sound like a grown-up topic, but understanding how money works and what career paths are out there is going to empower you to make amazing choices for yourselves down the road.\n\n(Transition to Slide 2: What is Income?)\n\n"First up, let's talk about income. Can anyone give me a simple definition of income? What do you think it means?"\n\n(Allow for student responses.)\n\n"Exactly! Income is simply the money you earn, usually from a job. Think about the different jobs people have – a doctor, a teacher, an artist, a construction worker. Do you think they all earn the same amount of income? Why or why not?"\n\n(Discuss how skills, education, and demand can impact income.)\n\n(Transition to Slide 3: Understanding Expenses)\n\n"Now, earning money is great, but what happens to it? That brings us to expenses. What do you think an expense is? What are some things you or your family spend money on regularly?"\n\n(Allow for student responses and provide examples like food, rent, clothes, entertainment, phone bills, etc.)\n\n"Right! Expenses are the money you spend. Learning to manage your expenses is a super important part of keeping more of the money you earn.\n\n(Transition to Slide 4: Why Save?)\n\n"And finally, let's talk about savings. Why do people save money? What might someone save for?"\n\n(Allow for student responses - college, a car, a house, emergencies, a new video game console, etc.)\n\n"Saving is when you set money aside for future goals, big or small. It's like putting money in a 'future dreams' jar! It helps you achieve what you want and also prepares you for unexpected things.\n\n## Careers & Your Wallet (5 minutes)\n\n(Transition to Slide 5: Careers & Your Wallet)\n\n"So, we've talked about income, expenses, and savings. How do you think your career choice connects to all of this?"\n\n(Guide students to see that different careers have different incomes, which affects how much they can spend and save.)\n\n"Today, we're going to do an activity called the Activity: Career & Cash Challenge where you'll get to explore this connection firsthand!\n\n## Activity: Career & Cash Challenge (15 minutes)\n\n(Transition to Slide 6: Activity: Career & Cash Challenge)\n\n"I'm going to hand out a worksheet, the Activity: Career & Cash Challenge. Your task is to look at a few different careers. For each career, you'll:\n\n1. Estimate Annual Income: Take a guess at how much money someone in that career might earn in a year.\n2. Think about typical expenses: What kinds of things would someone in that career likely spend their money on? (Think housing, transportation, hobbies, etc.)\n3. Discuss: How does the income level influence the choices they might make about their lifestyle and spending?\n\n"You can work individually or with a partner for this. I'll be walking around to help if you have questions or want to bounce ideas off me.\n\n(Distribute the activity worksheet. Circulate, answer questions, and prompt students to think critically.)\n\n## Share & Discuss (5 minutes)\n\n"Alright class, let's bring it back together. That was a lot to think about! Can I have a few volunteers share some of their observations from the Activity: Career & Cash Challenge?\n\n What was the most surprising thing you learned or estimated about a career's income or expenses?\n* Did any careers make you think differently about what you want to do in the future?\n* How important do you think it is to think about these financial aspects when considering a career?\n\n*(Facilitate a brief class discussion, ensuring multiple students have a chance to share.)\n\n(Transition to Slide 7: Your Future, Your Choices)*\n\n"Excellent discussion, everyone. Remember, understanding financial literacy and thinking about careers isn't just about making money; it's about having choices, reaching your goals, and building a secure future. The more you learn now, the more prepared you'll be to navigate the world as adults.\n\n"Great job today!"