Other Educational Links and Resources
For Teachers
For Parents
Recommended Reading
For Teachers
Curriculum and other teaching resources:
Compound Interest Calculator (Grades 4-12)
Find out just how powerful compound interest can be when you stick to a consistent savings plan.
EconEDLink (K-12)
EconEDLink is a premier source of classroom tested, Internet-based economic lesson materials for K-12 teachers and their students. Search for personal finance lesson plans.
Financing Your Future (Grades 9-12)
Developed for high school teachers and their students, Financing Your Future contains five videos that cover topics such as investing in one’s own human capital, developing a banking relationship, understanding credit and debt, and creating a budget.
Risky Business (Grades 9-12)
This comprehensive life skills program for teenagers and their teachers, parents and mentors demonstrates to teens how sound decision-making can empower people and provide greater opportunities for success, fortune, freedom, and overall well-being.
Choose to Save (Students and Adults)
The Choose to Save® national public education and outreach program is dedicated to raising awareness about the need to plan and save for long-term personal financial security. This website is loaded with interactive tools for kids and adults.
Consumer Jungle (Grades 9-12)
This interactive, web-based program helps high school students become literate, savvy consumers. Consumer Jungle provides engaging and relevant consumer education curricula covering a variety of topics such as credit cards, transportation, living on your own, personal finances, telecommunications, health, and e-commerce fraud
Council for Economic Education (Grades K-12)
Looking for supplemental economic, personal finance or entrepreneurship lesson plans for your K-12 classroom? CEE lessons use activities, simulations, multimedia content and background readings to give your students an applied, hands-on experience with economics principles.
Federal Trade Commission (Grades 11-2)
The Federal Trade Commission and the Bureau of Economics write papers and produce reports that may be useful teaching materials for economics classes, principally in microeconomic theory and industrial organization.
Fedville (Grades K-3)
A friendly town built just for kids with something to learn on every corner. Elementary age kids can even open a savings account at the local bank and watch their money grow.
Financial Football (Grades 9-12)
Teachers, liven up your high school classrooms with a game of Financial Football, a fast-paced, quiz-style computer game that engages students while teaching them money management skills.
Financial literacy standards link to State Department of Education
Find your annual credit report (Grades 9-12)
How Entrepreneurial Are You? (Grades 4-12)
This self-evaluation activity helps students determine if they have the traits found in successful entrepreneurs.
JumpStart Coalition Clearinghouse (Grades K-12)
The Jump$tart online Clearinghouse provides ordering information so that you can contact the publisher or source of the titles you select from your search results.
Rich Kid, Smart Kid (Grades K-12)
Designed to give kids a financial head start, this site includes interactive games and lesson plans for students of all ages.
Sense and Dollars (Grades 6-12)
Think you know about money? Find out on this interactive site for middle and high school students.
Stagecoach Island (Grades 9-12)
Stagecoach Island is an online virtual world created by Wells Fargo. Students can explore the island and its hidden secrets, connect with friends and make new ones, and at the same time learn smart money management.
Test Your Savings Knowledge (Grades 7-12)
Take the savings quiz to learn how much you understand about the realities of saving in America.
The Mint (Grades K-12)
A website packed with all kinds of tips on what to do with your money, because the plain fact is… you’ve got choices! It has information and activities for all ages.
Thinking About Change: Kids Use Coins to Learn (Grades 1-3)
A how-to article on how a classroom store teaches first graders about money while reinforcing math skills.
Wise Pockets World (Grades K-3)
A great place for kids, parents and teachers to learn about managing money.
Student competitions and tests:
Merrill Lynch South Carolina Stock Market Game (Grades 4-12)
The SC Stock Market Game is a fun way for students to learn how Wall Street works by actually researching companies and making real time trades. There’s a special competition for teachers, too.
Personal Finance IQ Test (Grades 7-12)
Common Sense Economics offers teachers a series of tests to find out your students’ personal finance IQs.
Quia (Grades 7-12)
The Credit Trap asks students to match terms about credit card usage with their definitions.
SC EconomicsChallenge (Grades 9-12)
The SC EconomicsChallenge is part of a national competition for high school students designed to increase their understanding of and interest in economics and finance. Students compete in teams for a chance to win prizes and a trip to New York City to take part in the national finals.
For Parents
Helpful websites:
Choose to Save
The Choose to Save® national public education and outreach program is dedicated to raising awareness about the need to plan and save for long-term personal financial security. This website is loaded with interactive tools for kids and adults.
Merrill Lynch South Carolina Stock Market Game
Team up with your children to play the Stock Market Game. At the same time you and your child are competing for the best portfolio, you’re helping him or her learn critical thinking skills and math and economic concepts, too.
Sense and Dollars (Grades 6-12)
Think you know about money? Let’s find out what you and your children know about earning, spending and saving money. The site is aimed at middle/high school children.
Test Your Savings Knowledge (Grades 7-12)
Take the savings quiz to learn how much you understand about the realities of saving in America.
Top 7 ways to raise a money smart kid (preschool)
Aimed at preschool children, these tips will help you start your children on the road to using their money wisely. Remember, even preschool children are bombarded by marketers to buy, buy, buy.
Wise Pockets World (Grades K-3)
A fun place where parents can pick up some easy tips, activities, and ideas to help teach elementary age children how to use money wisely.
Recommended Reading
Alexander, Who Used To Be Rich Last Sunday by Judith Viorst (ages 5-8)
Although Alexander and his money are quickly parted, he comes to realize all the things that can be done with a dollar.
Coin Count-y: A Bank in a Book by Jim Talbot (elementary)
Children save over $20.00 by filling the built-in coin slots on each page with pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters while building early math skills.
Dr. Tightwad’s Money-Smart Kids: Teach Your Kids Sound Values for Wiser Saving, Earning, Spending and Investing by Janet Bodnar (middle/high)
Make kids of any age savvy about earning, spending, borrowing, and saving. The author discusses allowances, shopping, peer pressure, budgeting, saving for college.
The Everything Kids’ Money Book by Diane Mayr (ages 9-12)
The subtitle of this book says it all—“From saving to spending to investing, learn all about money.”
Getting Rich in America by Dwight R. Lee and Richard B. McKenzie (middle/high)
The authors share eight simple rules for building a fortune and a satisfying life
Kidca$h: Cash Management for Kids by Maureen Dolan Rosan (ages 8-12)
This workbook will teach youngsters the basics for money management.
The Kid’s Guide to Money: Earning It, Saving It, Growing It, Sharing It by Steve Otfinoski (middle/high)
The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko
Most people have it all wrong about how you become wealthy in America. It is seldom inheritance or advanced degrees or even intelligence that builds fortunes in this country. Wealth in America is more often the result of hard work, diligent savings, and living below your means.
Money Harmony, Resolving Money Conflicts in Your Life and Relationships by Olivia Mellan (adult)
Money is a primary source of conflict for many couples. In this acclaimed book, a psychotherapist and business consultant in the field of money conflict resolution guides readers through the money minefield, demystifying the emotional roots of money issues through her unique exercises, dialogues, and communications techniques.
Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
The subtitle of this book is “What the Rich Teach Their Kids about Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!” Kiyosaki explains how to make your money work hard for you instead of you working hard for money.
The New Totally Awesome Money Book for Kids by Adriane G. Berg and Arthur Berg Bochner
Jam-packed with useful, easy-to-understand information on every area of money, The Totally Awesome Money Book for Kids includes cartoons, quizzes, games, and other activities to make learning about money fun.
Your Money or Your Life for the 21st Century by Joe Dominguez, Vicki Robin
The authors show readers how to gain control of their money (get out of debt and start saving) and finally begin to make a life, rather than just make a living.
Financial Literacy Books for Parents
Dollars & Sense for Kids by Janet Bodnar
This nationally recognized expert in the field of children’s and family finances shares her strategies for helping parents help their kids understand the power of a dollar.
The First National Bank of Dad: The Best Way to Teach Kids about Money
by David Owen
The author explains how he taught his two children to become eager savers and rational spenders.
Kids’ Allowances—How Much, How Often & How Come: A Guide for Parents by David McCurrach
This practical two-book set is all parents need to come up with the best possible Allowance system for their children. It is both easy-to-follow and convenient. The second book is an Allowance Workbook for children.
Kids and Money: How Parents Can Raise Responsible Savers, Earners, Spenders and Investors by Jayne A Pearl
This book offers detailed instructions about how parents can raise their children to be knowledgeable, responsible, intelligent and ethical where with their money. Real-life strategies for teaching money skills and values are included.
Kids, Parents and Money: Teaching Personal Finances from Piggybank to Prom by Willard S. Stawski
This book contains practical and fun strategies that parents can use to teach kids how to be financially savvy and secure.
Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees: A Parent’s Guide to Raising Financially Responsible Children by Neale S. Godfrey
Godfrey offers exercises and concrete examples on everything from responsible budgeting to understanding the difference between “want” and “need” for children of every age.
Money Sense for Kids by Hollis Harman (ages 8-12)
Explains the nature of money, the different ways in which it can be represented, and how it can be saved or invested, discussing mutual funds, the stock market, banks, and inflation. Money Sense for Kids also includes games and activities.
Prodigal Sons and Material Girls: How Not to Be Your Child's ATM
by Nathan Dungan
Many young people have lost sight of the value of money and seem to believe that money really does “grow on trees.” Dungan addresses the nagging issue faced by many parents today—why do their children have such unrealistic expectations about money?
Raising Financially Fit Kids by Joline Godfrey
At the heart of the book is a developmental map covering 10 specific money skills children can master by the age of 18 to become financially secure adults.