Consumer Education Teacher Resources

Whether they know it or not, your students are consumers in a larger economy. It’s never too early to equip them with the skills they need for understanding and applying personal finance—and for protecting themselves and their money.

For the basics on consumer education, use an all-inclusive lesson on financial literacy, or pass out a full resource book to older learners. Make the lesson engaging with an interactive game that teaches financial concepts with football or a video that explains how consumer behavior affects the greater economy.

Creating a budget is an important skill for young economists, as is understanding the essentials of opportunity costs in their everyday lives. Apply the concepts to learners’ real lives with a lesson on making good financial choices or a unit that incorporates real-world examples.

E-Commerce has made it easier to be a modern consumer, but pupils must be armed with financial protection. Teach them about their rights as consumers and the best ways to maintain their privacy when spending, investing, or saving their money.

Student often complain that they’ll never use school lessons in the real world, but in the case of personal finance, they’d be wrong!

Showing 204 resources
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Money Management Part II: Checking Accounts

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Having money is great, learning to manage it wisely is imperative. First, the class has a discussion on the value and convenience of having a checking account. Then, they practice filling out deposit slips, keeping an account register,...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Money Management Part III: Savings Accounts and Cash vs. Credit

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Help your class understand the importance of saving and managing their money. Here is part three to a unit on credit, cash, and savings. Learners discuss savings accounts and the idea that a budget plan can help them avoid costly credit...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Loan Amortization - Mortgage

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Upper graders explore the connection between interest and principal. They use an amortization schedule to determine the amount of principal paid vs interest on a $100,000 home loan. Fourteen discussion questions and a research-based...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Debt: Who Does it Affect?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Debt is a topic that affects everybody: the community, the nation, and the entire globe. Kids take charge of debt by designing a project that informs those in their community about good financial choices, keeps personal debt low, and...
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PPT
Curated OER

The Roaring 20s

For Teachers 7th - 8th
America during the 1920s was quite an interesting place! Bring the jazz, poverty, consumer excess, culture, and politics to life with this presentation. Primary source images, excellent descriptive text, and a wide span of topics are...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dietician - Nutritionist

For Teachers 7th - 8th
There are so many different career opportunities in the health care field. Have learners explore what it takes to be a dietician or a nutritionist. They'll view a PowerPoint on each occupation and take mini-quizzes while they watch. A...
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PPT
Curated OER

To Dorm or Not To Dorm

For Teachers 11th - 12th
For some of our students, college is right around the corner. Provide a bit of thoughtful information to help them (and their families) decide if dorm life is right for them. Included here are a list of pros and cons for living both on...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Four Dollars and Fifty Cents

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students role play a scenario between a creditor and debtor. In this consumer education instructional activity, students read the book Four Dollars and Fifty Cents, discuss the vocabulary introduced in the book and role play a  situation...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Deciphering Your Cell Phone Bill

For Teachers 7th - 8th
You just got your first cell phone bill, but what does it all mean? Clear up the confusion for your young consumers as they break down and itemize a cell phone bill to better understand what they are paying for and why. This type of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Equivalents Bingo-Enrichment Activity

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Sometimes you need to play a game in order to reinforce learning. Use Bingo cards to review the equivalents for both dry and liquid portions. Playing Bingo helps learners to practice recognizing measurement units, abbreviations, and...
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Instructional Video5:01
TED-Ed

How to Spot a Pyramid Scheme

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Easy money or pyramid scheme? Help young economists learn the difference with an explanatory video about the ways pyramid schemes take advantage of those who have big dreams for independent wealth and financial freedom.
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Instructional Video4:29
TED-Ed

How Does the Stock Market Work?

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
The stock market seems like an invisible, omnipotent being that can cause an economy to flourish or flounder at its slightest whim. Students learn about the reality of the stock market, including its origins in the Dutch East India...
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Lesson Plan
PLS 3rd Learning

eHealth Insurance

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Comparison shop for health insurance? Yep. Young adults compare and contrast several health insurance plans to determine which would provide the most coverage at the best price. They discuss and work through deductibles, premiums, and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Do I Want or Need?

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Learners explore wants and needs. In this introductory economics instructional activity, students use a "pinch card" to display whether a familiar item is a "want" or a "need". Learners listen to the book Alexander used to be Rich on...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Intermediate Activity: Energy Guide Labels

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore energy efficient appliances.  In this economics and ecology lesson, students compare and analyze EnergyGuide labels of various appliances.  Students discuss federal government involvement with consumer awareness issues. ...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Consumer Education

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students, while examining an intense list of vocabulary terms on types of money, change and simple foods, name and state the cost of food items in supermarkets, grocery stores and flea markets with flash cards and newspaper ads.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Fruit Shopping

For Students K - 1st
In this nutrition worksheet, students learn to recognize and count out fruit on a pretend shopping trip. Students color 5 different fruits the appropriate colors and count out and glue the fruit in the paper bag according to what is on...
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Lesson Plan
PLS 3rd Learning

Shopping for a Credit Card

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young people often get themselves into trouble with credit cards because they don't fully understand interest rates, fees, etc. This activity requires teens to research and record information on three different credit cards in order to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How E-Commerce Influences Consumer Choice

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Class members gather information on different brands of athletic shoes to determine which is the best buy. They identify a toy they would like to buy, and gather comparative information from a store, a catalog, and three websites.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

ADULT ESOL LESSON PLAN--Level 2--Consumer Education

For Teachers Higher Ed
Students, after reviewing an extensive list of vocabulary terms on the board, identify/label food items, how much they cost and the value of using coupons to save money. In addition, they practice reading the labels on the food packaging...
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Worksheet
Utah Education Network (UEN)

Vocabulary Consumerism

For Students 9th - 12th
If you receive poor service, should you contact the FDA or the BBB? Discuss important economic terms with a vocabulary practice page. Learners fill in the blanks after each concept and elaborate on its function in the economy.
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Lesson Plan
Missouri Department of Insurance

Health Insurance

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Confused by how health insurance works? This informational pamphlet and worksheet from the Missouri Department of Insurance offers explanations and examples to help future adults make important decisions regarding health insurance.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Reality Math: Fact or Fiction"

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students investigate the use of math in everyday life. They investigate several occupations and pay scales. They complete spreadsheets that show how monthly bills can be organized using technology. They use word processing software to...
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Lesson Plan
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Council for Economic Education

Satisfaction Please! (Part 2)

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Simply understanding consumer rights may not help people solve their problems. Understanding who to turn to becomes key in many different scenarios. Teach the value of various organizations that fight for consumer rights through...

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