Being Financially Responsible

Your students will learn about managing money wisely. These resources will help them build a strong foundation for a financially responsible future.

Educator Guide: Unit 1

Family Connection
Family sitting around table

Parents as Financial Role Models

10-minute read, plus discussion

The guide provides tips for parents for discussing the family’s financial priorities with their teens. As a family, they will also explore money habits, setting financial goals, and making financial conversations a priority.

Download Activity

Topic 1

Imagining Your Financial Future

Introduce your students to personal goal setting to begin creating their vision for the future and taking steps to achieve it.

Self-paced Module

Imagining Your Financial Future

10 to 15 minutes (plus optional discussion)

This module helps your students to think about their goals for the future. They will learn about goal-setting and financial success strategies to help them reach those goals.

Launch Module  

Classroom Activity

From Dream to Reality

1 to 2 Class Sessions

Work with your students to develop a personal vision board that represents their future. They will consider their future careers, families, and lifestyles, and develop action plans to achieve their goals.

Download Activity

Topic 2

Setting SMART Goals

Help your students make connections between personal and financial goals and reinforce why they should set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, and Realistic) financial goals.

Self-paced Module

Setting SMART Goals

10 to 15 minutes (plus optional discussion)

This module uses the SMART model (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound) for goal-setting. Students will learn how to identify financial goals. They will walk through the importance of setting SMART goals and determine whether a goal meets their criteria.

Launch Module  

Topic 3

Examining Money Habits

Your students will examine current financial habits, how those habits may impact their future, and how to reframe habits towards success.

Self-paced Module

Examining Money Habits

Students will learn how money habits include the ways they spend, save, and talk about money. They will explore the differences between good and bad money habits and how to form good money habits.

Launch Module  

Topic 4

Budgeting and Success

Your students will consider this question: How does developing a budget help you manage your money? Students will learn how to build a budget and harness tools avoid pitfalls along the way.

Self-paced Module

Budgeting for Success

10 to 15 minutes (plus optional discussion)

Students examine why budgeting is important and learn about different approaches to budgeting, including traditional category-based budgeting, simplified 50-20-30 budgets, and how technology can make budgeting easier. Students also consider how a teen’s budget might compare to that of an adult and/or family member

Launch Module  

Classroom Activity

Budgeting Dilemmas

1 to 2 Class Sessions

After learning what makes up a budget, student “financial counselor” groups will identify issues and present solutions for the budgets of fictional clients. They then will share recommendations with the class and offer feedback to other groups.

Download Activity

Topic 5

Spending Wisely

Show your students how to make informed spending decisions. They will explore resources to track personal spending, differentiating between wants and needs, and making informed spending decisions.

Self-paced Module

Spending Wisely

10 to 15 minutes (plus optional discussion)

During this module, your student will explore what they should think about before making a purchase. They will learn to analyze their spending choices and the factors that affect their spending, so they can think before they spend.

Launch Module