What will students learn in this course?

Financial literacy will focus on the important fiscal knowledge, habits, and skills that must be mastered in order for students to make informed decisions about personal finance. Financial literacy is an integral component of a student's college and career readiness, enabling students to achieve fulfilling, financially secure, and successful careers. All curriculum was developed using the 2020 New Jersey Student Learning Standards - Career Readiness, Life Literacies, and Key Skills. Disciplinary concepts include:

Financial Health

Financial wellbeing includes understanding how emotions, peer influencers, advertising, personal money habits, financial decision-making processes, lifestyle choices, and personal financial values influence choices that are made involving finances. In addition, it includes topics that relate to planning and aligning career opportunities and possible entrepreneurial objectives with financial goals.

Financial Landscape

Financial landscape incorporates building an awareness of the various forms of money, financial institutions, and the role of economic and government influences has on one’s personal finances. Within the economic and government categories are topics such as consumer protection laws, taxes (e.g., impact on income and/or investments), a general understanding of inflation, and how government policies can affect one’s personal finances.

Money Management

Money management includes examining various aspects of budgeting, building and maintaining a credit profile, loan and debt planning, identifying and managing potential risks and investments, and understanding various insurance options.

Below is a brief preview of what each grade will be learning:

Grade 5 - Savings, Taxes, Budgeting Basics, and Risk Management

Grade 6 - Basics of Checking, Teens and Taxes, Comparison Shopping and Receipts

Grade 7 - Checking Accounts, Mobile & Online Banking, Loan & Debt Planning

Grade 8 - Investing, Paying for College, Analyzing Interest Rates, Legal & Ethical

               Behaviors when making financial decisions

Beginning in fifth grade, students will learn disciplinary concepts and the core ideas of financial literacy which will increase in sophistication each subsequent year as students engage with these ideas in new and varied contexts. Classes will meet one day per week for 40 minutes. Students will receive a number grade for this subject.  

Please feel free to contact me at sozga@hollandschool.org with any questions or concerns.

I look forward to an exciting school year with your child(ren)!