Center for Financial Literacy Resources

Students have a ton of questions about money, particularly given how our daily use of money is evolving. You can decode the lingo and impart financial literacy to the next generation using this free resource hub.

Plans of Study for Elementary School Teachers

Investopedia is dedicated to expanding its resources and reach to underserved communities and schools that have historically been excluded from the conversation. The Classroom Investor, our new newsletter, and other free resources we've developed to support the investing environment of today are available here in the Financial Literacy Resource Center.

For kids in grades K–5, you can download lesson plans in the table below that are accompanied by worksheets and instructions to supplement learning in class or at home. Each lesson builds on the one before it, and there are eight lessons per grade. As students get older, the subject matter also becomes more in-depth. You can download the lesson's content by right-clicking on each lesson to open it in a new tab.

Teen-oriented content can also be found by continuing to scroll. Even though this is just the beginning, these tools will enable anyone to participate in the constantly changing financial markets in a knowledgeable and active manner. 

The lesson plans' content was developed with input from teachers working in American nonprofits and public schools, with Kara Cordell of Oklahoma City Public Schools serving as a crucial source of advice. At Orlando, Florida's Timber Lakes Elementary School, the Investopedia team tested the material.

When children leave the nest, they are faced with significant financial obligations, such as making a budget and selecting the best investments for their long-term objectives. However, they are frequently utterly unprepared for those challenges.

Many children are raised in homes where the parents are simply uncomfortable discussing money. Additionally, they are not required to receive a financial education in school in a large portion of the nation. Because of this, up to 76% of Gen Z respondents in a 2019 Experian study said they wished they could have taken a financial education course.

 In addition, only one in four Gen Zers believe they understand the stock market well enough to explain how it operates to a friend, according to the Investopedia Financial Literacy Survey conducted in 2022.

The good news is that you only need to know where to look to find a ton of excellent financial education materials for kids on the Internet and in library bookshelves. Here are some of our favorites for teaching kids the fundamental financial skills they will require as children and, more importantly, as independent adults.