This consumer math curriculum is an approachable guide to building financial literacy for teens. It's a full 18-unit curriculum that includes everything you need to make consumer math easy to teach for you and enjoyable to learn for your students. The income taxes unit is updated every year to keep the information current for your students.

How do I file a tax return? What is a credit score? How much of my paycheck will be withheld for taxes? How do I calculate a budget? What's an APR? This consumer math curriculum answers all of these questions, and more!

The curriculum includes a curriculum map, warm-ups for every unit, a student book, accompanying student notebook sheets or workbook (both formats are now included), a teacher's book, PowerPoint projector notes to shine on the board, editable quizzes for each unit and all answer keys.

Units:

• Wants vs. needs
• Checks and registers
• Wages and salary
• Bank accounts
• Budgets
• Electronic banking & credit cards
• Credit score
• Discounts and coupons
• Sales tax and tip
• Percent change
• Unit price
• Income taxes*
• Car loans
• Mortgages
• Student loans
• Investing
• Car insurance
• Health insurance 

*The income taxes unit is updated every year in January. Re-downloads to get updates and additions are free.

Files included:

• Editable curriculum map
• Printable student book - 18 units (199 pages)
• Printable teacher’s book - 18 units (203 pages)
• Printable student notebook sheets (122 half-sheets)
• Printable student workbook (alternative to notebook sheets)
• PowerPoint projector notes
• Editable quizzes for each unit - 18 editable quizzes
• Warm-ups for each unit
• All answer keys 

Details:

The student book is a reference that includes vocabulary, examples and questions for students to answer. You can choose to print the entire student book at once, or each unit at a time for student packets or their binders. Both formats are included.

The student notebook sheets are half-sheets designed for an interactive notebook. The sheets provide space for students to answer the questions posed in the book, along with additional analysis questions. Students paste these notebook sheets into a composition notebook, which then becomes their own personal finance reference. There are student notebook sheets for each of the 18 units.

The student workbook is an alternative to the student notebook sheets, if you would rather students have full-page notes instead of building a notebook.

The teacher’s book and student notebook sheets answer key include all answers to all questions presented in the student book and the extra analysis questions on the student notebook sheets.

The PowerPoint notes match the student notebook sheets so that you can complete notes along with your students on the board if they require this additional support. 

The quizzes are completely editable in PowerPoint and print as documents.

Quiz answer keys are included for all quizzes and are also editable.

The warm-ups for every unit are formatted for student notebooks.

Three projects are included for budgeting, buying a car, and percent change in the stock market.

FAQs:

Is there a list of standards?

The curriculum covers the following National Standards for Personal Finance Education:

I: Earning Income: wages and salary, gross pay, exact net pay, approximating net pay, pay schedules, tips, earning interest, retirement savings, 401(K) employer matching, filing income taxes, tax deductions, wage theft, insurance

II: Spending: budgeting, keeping a register, comparing unit prices, sales tax, discounts, coupons

III: Saving: savings, checking, money market accounts, CDs, simple interest, compound interest, pre- and post-tax retirement accounts

IV: Investing: risk vs. reward, stock market, bonds, retirement accounts, diversifying

V: Managing Credit: credit card interest, credit card choices, credit score, credit report, minimum payments, APRs, down payments, car loans, mortgages, amortization schedules, student loan interest, student loan choices, deferment, forbearance, capitalizing interest

VI: Managing Risk: car insurance, health insurance

Who is this consumer math curriculum for?

I wrote this curriculum for high school students in special education who may have IEPs for mild to moderate disabilities in math and/or reading. Typical learners are also enjoying building their financial literacy skills through this consumer math curriculum in school and homeschool settings.

Will it work for younger kids?

If your students have already been introduced to percents, the curriculum could work for them. However, I feel that high school students will be more invested to learn the material as it answers the questions they currently have about their personal finances.

I homeschool. Will this work for me?

Yes, homeschooling families are using the curriculum. All of the information needed to complete the student notebook sheets is found in the student book. You may not need the projector notes because they are meant to project in a classroom, but everything else will work. The curriculum is not religious.

Will the curriculum be updated?

The curriculum will be updated every January to reflect changes to the way we file income taxes. Re-downloads to get updates are free.

With everything in one place, this consumer math curriculum will make teaching the course easy for you and enjoyable for your students. Please send me an email to shana@scaffoldedmath.com or leave me a Q&A if you have any questions.