What if someone had given us a chance to stretch our financial responsibility muscles before we earned our first paycheck? Values and habits that we develop as children follow us through our lives. We can have a monumental impact on the value students place on being financially literate.
Our student population is extremely diverse.
Over 40 languages and dialects are spoken in the homes of our students. Many are the first generation in their families born in the United States. They are excited to learn and ripe for new adventures in learning. I teach the future entrepreneurs and innovators of our world economy. They are inquisitive, creative, and crave complexity on a constant basis. They want to know why the world works the way it does and how to change it. They need to exercise their critical thinking skills and encounter authentic challenges in engaging ways. Most of these students have had little experience with financial literacy, yet they are curious and eager to have real-world experiences involving economics. They yearn to encounter an academic structure that satisfies their appetite for depth and breadth in learning.
My Project
My students need engagement. I have planned a mock mini-economy where students create their own community, mint currency, and start an entrepreneurial market. Augmenting this problem-based learning project with financial literacy games in the classroom will make learning authentic and take the simulation to the next level. Games like Payday, Monopoly, Can You Sell the Most, and The Game of Life will help build understanding of salaries, debt, insurance, and budgets. They will be able to collaborate and share in discussions about money and spending choices through the natural context of play. They can share understanding by creating their own finance games using the card stock, lamination, and additional game pieces that their classmates can enjoy. Another value is that this will allow families to share in their child's learning, which can prompt financial responsibility conversations at home. Additionally, I plan to use the spinning wheel and colored blocks as a way to engage them in other economics and math games that I have created. These games allow us to explore real world situations while teaching the children to be savvy consumers when planning expenses and making financial decisions.
Financial literacy is about making the best personal finance decisions in areas like investing, saving, tax planning, and retirement.
Understanding the basics of concepts like wants vs. needs, savings, and credit will set them on the right path. Using engaging games to accomplish this seems like a natural connection. My students would be wholly involved in this type of learning. These types of lessons could be a real game-changer for these children.
Payday Retro Series 1975 Edition Board Game
• Amazon Business
$36.74
2
$73.48
The Game of Life
• Amazon Business
$32.56
2
$65.12
Voilamart 15" Tabletop Spinning Prize Wheel 12 Slots with Aluminum Base, Dry Erase, 2 Pointer, for Fortune Spin Game in Party Pub Trade Show Carnival
• Amazon Business
$50.99
1
$50.99
Monopoly Classic Game
• Amazon Business
$14.79
2
$29.58
Lewo Wooden Stacking Board Games Building Blocks for Kids - 48 pieces
• Amazon Business
$13.99
2
$27.98
Scotch Thermal Laminating Pouches, 8.5 x 11-Inches, 3 mil thick, 200-Pack (TP3854-200),Clear
• Amazon Business
$27.69
1
$27.69
Learning Resources LER7566 Two-Color Counters, Set of 200
• Amazon Business
$8.78
2
$17.56
Game of The States, Can You Sell The Most From Coast To Coast? Game Board Game
• Amazon Business
$15.34
1
$15.34
Monopoly Money
• Amazon Business
$14.99
1
$14.99
Wausau 40508 Neenah Exact Index, 110 lb, 8.5 x 11 Inches, 250 Sheets, White, 94 Bright
• Amazon Business
$14.14
1
$14.14
MONOPOLY REPLACEMENT TOKEN AND DICE SET! RACECAR, THIMBLE, BATTLESHIP, TOP HAT, SHOE, WHEELBARROW, CAT, AND SCOTTIE DOG!
• Amazon Business
$12.09
1
$12.09
Monopoly Replacement Pieces: Houses & Hotels: Game Set of Plastic Monopoly Green House and Red Hotel Replacements
• Amazon Business
$9.99
1
$9.99
Materials cost
$358.95
Vendor shipping charges
FREE
Sales tax
$0.00
3rd party payment processing fee
$5.38
Fulfillment labor & materials
$30.00
Total project cost
$394.33
Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
$69.59
Total project goal
$463.92
How we calculate what's needed
Total project goal
$463.92
1 Donor
-$92.78
Donations toward project cost
-$78.86
Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
-$13.92
match offer
-$371.14
Match offer toward project cost
-$315.47
Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. White and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
