Spending, Saving, Sharing

The Personal Financial Literacy unit in the new math TEKS really has our kiddos thinking! Students are being asked to think outside their little world when it comes to money and financial institutions. Fourth graders across the state are learning what it means to spend, save, and share money... and it is FABULOUS!

Here's a challenge - ask your students (or personal kids) basic questions about money and banking. Their answers will shock you! My students truly think each person has a "locker" in the bank. They elaborated by saying when you travel your bank sends money (via snail mail) to the bank location where you received cash! Needless to say, kiddos these days have wild imaginations.

Here are is a great lesson for teaching spending, saving, and sharing money:

Start by reading "Alexander, Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday." The kids love this read-a-loud. It is also a good reference to the value of money and how it has changed over the years. This is an engaging way to start your lesson! You can buy it from Amazon by clicking here.

Then have your students create a "spending, saving, and sharing" foldable for their math journals. Here is an idea for how this might look:

I tried using an interactive anchor chart and love it! Split large chart paper in three sections and label them in three sections: spending, saving, and sharing. Students will work with the shoulder partner or table team to brainstorm ways to spend, save, and share money. Each pair or group will get three sticky notes, one for each way to use money. Encourage students to be specific in how they will spend, save,  and share money. I had my students keep their answers realistic and think about how it applies to them as nine/ten year olds. Get creative with this! It really does generate great conversation about money.

Use these great task cards to assess your students' knowledge of PFL. You can purchase them from my TPT store. Just click here. 

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