NOTE: This course has recently been updated! Learn more about the changes.

Trimester Course
Personal Finance

Trimester Course

The Trimester Course uses 41 of the Semester Course’s lessons and features an additional 7 unique lessons to guarantee there are no content gaps. By the end of this course, students will have a thorough understanding of personal finance topics and be prepared to handle the financial responsibilities that exist after graduation.
 
Grade Level(s):
9-12
Standards Alignment:
National Standards for Personal Financial Literacy
Format(s):
Google Drive, Nearpod & Pear Deck for select lessons
Assessments:
Diagnostic Exam, Final Exam, Unit Exams & Summative Project
Cost:
FREE, and always will be
Course Materials
Syllabus and Assessments
Unit 1 (8)
Behavioral Economics
Unit 2 (1)
Banking
Unit 3 (7)
Investing
Unit 4 (3)
Types of Credit
Unit 5 (4)
Managing Credit
Unit 6 (5)
Paying for College
Unit 7 (9)
Career
Unit 8 (11)
Insurance
Unit 9 (10)
Taxes
Unit 10 (6)
Budgeting
Unit 11 (21)
Consumer Skills

Unit 1 Behavioral Economics

View Unit Plan >     View Parent Newsletter >

Trimester Course Syllabus

View Syllabus

Assessments

You can register for a teacher account to get access to assessments!

Standards Alignment

National

State

Your Values and Money
(376)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Your Money & Social Media
(415)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Your Brain and Money
(388)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Overcoming Cognitive Biases
(389)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Checking and Savings Accounts
(88)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Beware of Banking Fees
(396)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Strategies to Save
(398)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Online and Mobile Banking
(400)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Why Should I Invest in the Stock Market?
(89)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

What is a Stock?
(426)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

What is a Bond?
(427)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Managing Risk
(428)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Deep Dive Into Funds
(430)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Start Investing
(431)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

How to Invest for Retirement
(433)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Intro to Credit
(377)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Credit Cards
(90)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Loan Fundamentals
(380)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Auto Loans
(381)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Debt Management
(384)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Your Credit Report
(385)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Your Credit Score
(386)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Building Credit from Scratch
(387)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Applying for the FAFSA
(436)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Scholarships and Grants
(437)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Student Loans
(438)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Financial Aid Packages
(439)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Student Loan Repayment
(440)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Building Your Career
(91)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Resumes and Cover Letters
(98)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

The Interview
(99)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Insurance 101
(92)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Auto and Renters Insurance
(93)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

How Health Insurance Works
(459)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

How to Access Health Insurance
(460)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Taxes and Your Pay Stub
(413)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

The Tax Cycle and Job Paperwork
(462)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Teens and Taxes
(463)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

How to File Your Taxes
(464)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Completing the 1040
(465)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Budgeting Strategies
(443)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Budgeting for Rent and Food
(101)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Budgeting for Transportation
(445)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Build Your Budget
(448)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Advertisements & Dark Patterns
(466)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Comparison Shopping
(467)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Identity Theft
(468)

View Student Activity Packet
View Answer Key Add to Nearpod

Resources

Activities

COMPARE: Types of Savings Accounts
CREATE: Your Savings Goals
ANALYZE: Understanding Amortization
CALCULATE: Shopping with Interest
COMPARE: Auto Loans
INTERACTIVE: FICO Credit Scores
CALCULATE: Impact of Credit Score on Loans
RESEARCH: Finding Scholarships and Grants
CREATE: A Salary-Based Budget
COMPARE: Types of Retirement Accounts
ANALYZE: Dollar Cost Averaging
PLAY: Dollar Auction Game
CALCULATE: Completing a 1040
COMPARE: Tax Forms and their Purpose
RESEARCH: The Tax Cycle
PLAY: Types of Car Insurance
COMPARE: Types of Health Insurance Plans
ANALYZE: A High School Resume and Cover Letter
ANALYZE: College and Career Choices
COMPARE: Which Repayment Option is Best?
INTERACTIVE: Compounding Cat Insanity
INTERACTIVE: Online Bank Simulator
INTERACTIVE: Invest with STAX!
MOVE: Your Tax Dollar in Action
ANALYZE: A FAFSA Submission Summary
ANALYZE: Should They File a Tax Return?
MOVE: Credit Musical Chairs
RESEARCH: Insurance in Your State
MOVE: Career Comparison
FINE PRINT: Pay Stub
FINE PRINT: W-4 Form
FINE PRINT: W-2 Form
FINE PRINT: Checking Account Statement
FINE PRINT: Bond Fund Fact Sheet
FINE PRINT: Financial Aid Package
FINE PRINT: Credit Report
PROJECT: Budgeting with Roommates
PROJECT: 5 Stocks on Your Birthday
PROJECT: Timing the Market
PROJECT: Who Aced the Interview Challenge?
PLAY: The Bean Game
INTERACTIVE: Bummer!
INTERACTIVE: Which Jobs Align with My Interests?
MOVE: Build Your Budget
MOVE: Your Account Balance
MOVE: What Will You Buy?
ANALYZE: What is My Role as a Consumer?
MOVE: Identifying Dark Patterns
COMPARE: Types of Identity Theft
COMPARE: Types of Investment Funds
ANALYZE: Overdraft Fees
MOVE: Your Cognitive Biases
MOVE: Your Money Values
MOVE: Making Transportation Decisions

Case Studies

CASE STUDY: How Do I Budget?

Data Crunches

DATA CRUNCH: How do Consumers Use Mobile Banking?
DATA CRUNCH: What Is The Most Common Credit Score By Age?
DATA CRUNCH: What Does The Average Household Spend Money On?
DATA CRUNCH: How Do Americans Get Health Insurance?
DATA CRUNCH: What's the Distribution of Federal Student Loan Debt in the U.S.?
DATA CRUNCH: How Does Your Asset Mix Impact Your Returns?

Questions of the Day

What is the cost to repair an iPhone screen?
How much does a texting while driving ticket increase auto insurance premiums?
What percent of people make purchases due to FOMO?
What percent of students receive scholarships or grants for college?
Over a recent 20 year period, what percent of pros investing in large companies "beat the market?"
How long does it take to establish your first credit score?
What is the average amount of student debt for college graduates?
When deciding whether to follow an influencer on social media, what trait did teens say was most important?
How many minors have had their identity stolen?
How much does an average overnight hospital stay cost?
If you invested $1,000 in Netflix stock 10 years ago, what would it be worth now?
What percentage of young people (age 18-24) have never checked their credit score?
If a single person taking the standard deduction makes $40,000, how much will they pay in federal income taxes?
How much are the average overdraft, service, and out-of-network ATM fees?
How much would I need to save monthly to have $1 million when I retire?
What are your odds of getting at least one job interview if you submit 1-10 applications?
What is the average amount of time between a job interview and receiving an offer?
What percent of consumers read online reviews before buying a product?
How much does the average American household spend on transportation per year?
How much tax refund money went unclaimed by 1.5 million Americans who didn’t file their taxes?

FinCap Fridays

FAFSA Fast Facts
Cash Blast from the Past
Stock Split Summer
What's Buy Now, Pay Later?
Saying "OK" to the 401k
Protection or Deception