Financial Mindset(FM) is a combination of the values, emotions, attitudes, behaviors, and external influences that lead to mental habits for thinking about and responding to any financial circumstances; the financial mindset offers the “why,” where the other strands outline the “how.” An individual’s financial mindset is usually influenced by previous financial experiences; however, self-awareness of influences can play a significant role in future decisions. The increasing scope of financial choices makes it essential that students know their resources, rights, and responsibilities as consumers. This includes an understanding of the role of contextual factors in decision making as well as the role of advertising, sales techniques, consumer laws, and consumer organizations. The ability to analyze opportunity costs, value, and benefits of products and services is an essential skill for consumers. The reality and potential for building an intentional financial mindset includes the need for a sense of responsibility to the broader community.

Sections:

FM1 Your Values and Money

Learning Intention: You are learning about how personal values impact financial decision-making.
Success Criteria: You will be successful when you can:

• • Practice making financial decisions
  • Reflect on their personal values and how they can influence their financial decisions
  • Explore how values differ from person to person

FM2 Your Brain and Money

Learning Intention: You are learning about how cognitive biases impact financial decision-making.
Success Criteria: You will be successful when you can:

• Explain what a cognitive bias is and how it can cause someone to make irrational decisions, particularly around money
• Explore and experience a variety of cognitive biases

FM3 Overcoming Cognitive Biases

Learning Intention: You are learning about how cognitive biases impact financial decision-making.
Success Criteria: You will be successful when you can:

• Define common cognitive biases humans have and explain how they might influence someone’s financial decisions
• Identify signs of cognitive bias
• Explore steps someone can take to overcome cognitive bias

FM4 Your Money & Social Media

Learning Intention: You are learning about how social media/influencers impact financial decision-making.
Success Criteria: You will be successful when you can:

• Examine their role as a consumer and their consumer decisions
• Explain how social media and influencers can impact a consumer’s spending decisions
• Identify steps a consumer can take to decrease the influence of social media on their spending decisions

FM5 Comparison Shopping

Learning Intention: You are learning about how to use comparison shopping strategies to make consumer decisions
Success Criteria: You will be successful when you can:

• Understand what comparison shopping is, how it can help consumers, and when it makes sense to comparison shop
• Identify a variety of factors to consider when comparison shopping
• Discuss different factors to consider when comparison shopping beyond things like price and quality, such as environmental impact
• Make an informed consumer decision by using comparison shopping methods

FM6 Advertisements & Dark Patterns

Learning Intention: You are learning about how advertisements and dark patterns influence spending decisions
Success Criteria: You will be successful when you can:

• Identify ways advertisements can influence their consumer decisions
• Explain what dark patterns are and identify common types
• Understand why companies may use dark patterns

FM7 Identity Theft

Learning Intention: You are learning about how to protect yourself against identity theft.
Success Criteria: You will be successful when you can:

• Identify different types of identity theft, how they can occur, and the impact they can have on someone’s life
• Take measures to protect their personal information
• Understand current trends about identity theft
• Outline what steps to take if they are a victim of identity theft

FM8 Scams & Fraud

Learning Intention: You are learning about how to protect yourself against scams and frauds
Success Criteria: You will be successful when you can:

• Define scams and fraud
• Identify red flags to look for in different types of scams and fraud
• Recommend what steps someone should take if they are scammed

Education and Employment(EE) is establishing short-range and long-range financial goals as an essential part of financial literacy. This process begins while a person is in school and continues throughout life. A clear understanding of the interconnectedness of educational attainment, career choice, entrepreneurial attitudes, and economic conditions will help to shape goals and increase the likelihood of reaching them.

EE1 Career Basics 

Learning Intention: You are learning about how to identify career fields that match your interests and skills.
Success Criteria: You will be successful when you can:

• Explore different available career pathways
• Differentiate between hard skills and soft skills
• Recognize how different careers can be connected by similar skill sets

EE2 Choosing a Career 

Learning Intention: You are learning about how to use job boards and websites.
Success Criteria: You will be successful when you can:

• Differentiate between different types of job boards
• Assess how online job boards and websites can be helpful to find different types of jobs
• Explain the importance of different sections within a job posting
• Summarize how LinkedIn can be helpful in searching for a job
• Analyze how face-to-face networking is important in the job search process
• Demonstrate the ability to read and find important information in a job posting

EE3 Paying for College 101

Learning Intention: You are learning about the costs tied to going to college.
Success Criteria: You will be successful when you can:

• Analyze the opportunity cost of going to college when compared to entering the workforce
• Identify the most common costs associated with attending college
• Explain the difference between a college’s sticker price and net price
• Compare the net price of different colleges

EE4 Applying for the FAFSA

Learning Intention: You are learning about the FAFSA.
Success Criteria: You will be successful when you can:

• Explain the role the FAFSA plays in the financial aid process 
• Understand the importance of submitting the FAFSA
• Read a FAFSA Submission Summary and understand the role of their Student Aid Index (SAI) in paying for college

EE5 Time for PayBack

Learning Intention: You are learning about how to balance college debt and a college academic and social experience
Success Criteria: You will be successful when you can:

• Evaluate how the type of college you choose to attend might impact your college experience and post-college lifestyle 
• Make decisions during college to minimize debt while also maximizing your academic and social-emotional college experience  

EE6 Resume Building & Review (November 12)

As a part of this course, students will work to create and refine their resumes and have volunteers provide feedback, currently scheduled for Wednesday, November 12

EE7 Mock Interviews (December 5)

As a part of this course, students will participate in a mock interview session, currently scheduled for Wednesday, December 5

Money Management(MM) is the foundation of being financially responsible. Learning how to plan, develop, use, and maintain a personal budget is the first step in being able to make quality financial choices and decisions. Proactive money management skills, setting financial goals, and understanding effective cash flow strategies are the next steps that allow students to be responsible consumers. Financial institutions and service providers play a significant role in supporting our lifelong learning about money management.

MM1 Racial Discrimination & Financial Wealth

Learning Intention: You are learning about inequities in financial net worth
Success Criteria: You will be successful when you can:

• Define what wealth means and explain why net worth is a useful metric to evaluate someone’s financial wealth
• Analyze how key historical and ongoing financial practices have led to modern racial inequities in the United States
• Consider the role of reparations to redress the harms of slavery and violence against Black Americans and other historically excluded communities

MM2 Racial Discrimination in Banking 

Anticipated lesson 10/6/25

Learning Intention: You are learning about inequities in banking
Success Criteria: You will be successful when you can:

• Identify how racial discrimination has impacted two key functions of banks: keeping deposits secure and lending money
• Analyze the impacts of historical and ongoing racial discrimination in banking
• Consider strategies to recognize and respond to discriminatory credit practices

MM3 Checking Accounts 

MM4 Beware of Bank Fees

MM5 Online & Mobile Banking

MM6 Budgeting 101

MM7 How to Create a Budget

MM8 Build Your Budget

MM9 Taxes and Your Pay Stub

MM10 The Tax Cycle & Job Paperwork

MM11 How to File Your Taxes

Saving and Investing(SI)  is the relationship among financial institutions, investment options, avenues for financial research, the economic history, performance of investments, and the appropriate application of basic economic principles. Using information from these and other sources will lead to wiser financial planning decisions for individuals and families.

Credit and Debt (CD)is the role and responsibility regarding how people incur debt and seek credit for major purchases such as a home, car, education, and business. The ability to choose the most advantageous sources and forms for financing has long-term benefits. It is essential to make informed decisions when incurring debt, understand the true costs of credit, and develop skills for managing existing debt.

Risk Management and Insurance(RMI) is how people address unexpected financial losses or needs, which can affect the financial status of an individual or family for years. In addition to avoiding unreasonable risks in saving and investing, contemporary economics also requires that insurance, including life, property, health, liability, and disability be part of financial planning for individuals and families.