Few topics engage young mathematicians as much as learning about money. Through a series of shared readings and hands-on activities, children explore the US currency system, learning how to count money and calculate change as they create...

It's time to crack open that piggy bank and see what's inside. First, count up the pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters, identifying what fraction of them are dimes. Then calculate the total value of the coins, writing another fraction...

The Chinese, Dish with the Eight Buddhist Emblems contains symbols and visual references for learners to explore. They search for Buddhist symbolism on the dish and then they use their observation skills to locate and explore...

Do you really need that new laptop/phone/dress/jacket/etc.? Financial decisions require us to distinguish between our wants and our needs. Through discussion and the evaluation of scenarios on provided worksheets, this resource...

Why are US dollars no longer backed by gold and silver? What is our medium of exchange, and what would it be like to live in a barter economy? Learners consider these questions, as well as learn about the major historical events in the...

Why was there a lack of confidence in the money and banking system of the early United States government? What historical events led to the establishment of the Federal Reserve System? Here you'll find reading materials and worksheets to...

Help young mathematicians make cents out of the US currency system with this two-part math lesson. Children first learn the names and values for each type of coin, before learning to count and compare the values of coins using the...

Here is a unique activity in which learners simulate operations of a fractional reserve banking system, ultimately gaining a better understanding of how banks work and process money creation through lending. It includes a Story of Banks...

Sixth graders explore the connection between a nation's currency and its values by analyzing dollars, francs and euros. They discuss how the mottoes, designs, and portraits imprinted on currency are a reflection of heritage and cultural...

Explore the hidden meanings behind the images on US currency with this elementary school lesson on symbolism. Starting with a class discussion about symbols, children go on to brainstorm different objects that represent the Unites...

Students listen to story Hundred Penny Box by Sharon Bell Mathis, explore history of money, and examine how money is produced in the United States. They discuss why money is used for exchange, and describe how money has changed over time.

Twenty-nine percent of Americans want to abolish the one-cent coin, which begs the question: Is a penny saved really a penny earned? Scholars read fascinating facts about the history of the penny in preparation for a class debate or...

Class members continue their investigation of the factors that influence migration with a lesson on human rights. As they examine the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and selected US Constitutional Amendments, learners compare the...

If all the mined gold in the world was melted across a football field, it would rise 5.4 feet. That's just one interesting fact pupils learn when using the debate topics website to determine if the United States should return to a gold...

Learners investigate the value of coins. In this coin value lesson, students read The Penny Pot by Stuart Murphy. Learners expand on skills learned in the book and engage in activities to determine the value of a mixed set of coins while...

Pupils describe the functions of money as a medium of exchange, a store or a measure of value. They determine a number of characteristics of money by completing an activity in which they assign common items the value to buy candy. They...

Nine questions—multiple choice and fill in the blank—challenge mathematicians to solve money word problems. Looking closely at prices, scholars use a formula to identify percent increases and decreases based on an original and new price....

You're never too young to learn about banking and personal finance. Use a set of seven banking lessons to teach middle schoolers about checking and savings accounts, interest rates, loans and credit cards, and safety deposit boxes.

Focusing on the judicial branch of government, the fourth lesson in this series explores the structure of the US courts system. Beginning with an engaging activity based on the short story The Lady or the Tiger, young...

Students are introduced to the meaning, symbolism, and value of the quarter. They determine the percentage of total monetary value held in quarters and graph the results. Students infer about the U.S. Mint's distrubution of coins. They...

How did the United States Congress determine how the new president and vice president would be named when the nation was first established? Who would provide money for the government, and how would the executive branch be organized? 

Perry the penguin wants to buy a new scooter, but he doesn't have any funds! Walk your kids through the short book Less Than Zero, and have them track his borrowing, spending, and saving on a line graph while you read. Pupils will learn...

Twelfth graders explore real world investing and the effects of day to day decisions on their financial futures.

The topic of consumerism seems easy to those who participate actively in the US economy, but pupils who are new to economics may see the idea as foreign. Help them understand their rights as consumers and what to expect when interacting...