Money MattersPre-K–8 Financial Literacy
Scope and sequence

A complete Pre-K–8 financial literacy curriculum

Ten Pre-K lessons, then 36 weekly lessons for every grade from kindergarten to grade 8, in six units with a checkpoint test after each. Every grade builds on the one before it.

Pre-K–8ten grades, one program
334lessons with quizzes and tests
6national standards areas
9languages, read aloud

Choose a grade

Pre-K

Pre-K Free

Ages 3 to 5: ten short lessons read together, with play and pictures.

K

Kindergarten

Money is something we use to buy things; we can earn, save, and choose wisely.

Money · Quarters · Sorting · Choices · Borrowing · Class Saving

1

Grade 1

Ways to pay, counting coins to a dollar, and the spend, save, share habit.

Money Around Us · Counting Coins · Spend · Shopping Plans · Patience · Classroom Store

2

Grade 2

Earning income, adding money, making change, and setting saving goals.

Jobs · Dollars and Cents · Making Change · Weeks to Save · Smart Shopping · The Money Fair

3

Grade 3

Banks, interest, budgeting, comparing prices, and opportunity cost.

Banks · Saving · Budgets · Prices · Choices · Money Projects

4

Grade 4

Percent money math: gross vs. net pay, discounts, tax, tips, and the 50/30/20 budget.

Gross Pay · Percent of a Number · Discounts · Tips · Budgets · Saving

5

Grade 5

Assets, net worth, simple vs. compound interest, good vs. bad debt, and inflation.

Assets · Net Worth · Simple and Compound Interest · Debt · Inflation · Wealth Projects

6

Grade 6

Investing basics: stocks, bonds, diversification, index funds, and risk vs. return.

Investing · Stocks · Diversification · Index Funds · Risk Versus Return and Smart Decisions · Portfolio Project

7

Grade 7

Credit scores, building credit, debit vs. credit, loans, and avoiding debt traps.

Credit · Score Factors · Debit vs Credit Cards · Principal · Debt Traps · Credit Project

8

Grade 8

Taxes, entrepreneurship, retirement, insurance, financial independence, and a capstone.

Paychecks · Entrepreneurship · Retirement Accounts and Compounding · Insurance and Risk · Income · Capstone Money Plan and Year in Review

What each grade focuses on

Each weekly lesson is counted once, under its main topic, so every grade adds up to 36. A shaded number is that grade's focus. Across the nine grades, all six areas of the National Standards for Personal Financial Education are taught, and every grade also gets short Money connection activities from the other areas plus the five-lesson Money and Investing bonus unit.

Weekly lessons by main topic and grade
Main topicKGr 1Gr 2Gr 3Gr 4Gr 5Gr 6Gr 7Gr 8All
Money basics
coins, counting money, percents, money math
1276–6––––31
Earning Income224141––1226
Spending1214151316556490
Saving753132142–349
Investing–111–521–130
Managing Credit1––214–23–31
Managing Risk211–1121514
Review and projects
unit reviews, the year-end review and the capstone
–66666661153
Weekly lessons363636363636363636324

What teachers get

  • Lesson plans, worksheets, answer keys and family letters for every week, ready to print or save as PDF
  • A student workbook and a teacher's guide for each grade
  • Quizzes, checkpoint tests, mastery levels and fall-to-spring growth checks
  • A class Game Show, Money Races, Story Mode and hands-on workshops from 60 minutes to 5 days
  • Young Entrepreneurs in every grade: five lessons and My Business Plan, ending with reading a profit and loss statement (a real company's, from SEC EDGAR, in grades 7–8)
  • Pre-K, free: ten lessons for ages 3 to 5, chosen like a grade, with a printable packet
  • Current figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Federal Reserve in the lessons, updated daily
  • Explore: careers, online safety, Tax City, Quick Choice and a month-on-your-own simulation; the Money Matters Bank for classroom coins
  • Nine languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Chinese, Vietnamese, Haitian Creole, Tagalog and Hebrew