Financial Literacy in CWS and SSH:
An OHASSTA-OHHSSCA
Collaborative Project
Ontario History and Social Sciences Teachers'
Ontario History and Social Sciences Teachers' Association
Financial Literacy Lesson Plan CIA4U
Funding from the Ontario Ministry of Education
2011
Financial Literacy Lesson Planning Template 2011
Financial Literacy Lesson Plan CIA4U
Connections to Financial Literacy
-
Understanding the economy
Active citizenship
Planning for the future
Unit 1: Day 1: Federal Election and Canada’s Economic
Goals
Analysing Current Economic Issues,
Grade 12, University Preparation,
CIA4Ul; The Ontario Curriculum
Grades 11 and 12, Canadian and
World Studies, Revised 2005
Curriculum Expectations
Learning Goals
Economic Decision Making
Overall Expectations
Analyse the causes and consequences of economic instability
and the effectiveness of stabilization policies designed to help
Canadians achieve an appropriate level of economic security.
Specific Expectations
Evaluate how well current fiscal and monetary policies are
achieving the goal of economic stability
At the end of this lesson, students will know,
understand and/or be able to:
Explain a variety of key economic
concepts.
Briefly describe the economic and
financial priorities of each of the major
political parties.
Discuss and debate the different
views and priorities held by the
various political parties on key
economic and financial matters facing
Canada.
Explain Canada’s economic goals.
Analyse the extent to which a political
party’s priorities match or contribute
to the achievement of Canada’s
economic goals.
Instructional Components and Context
Readiness
Materials
Students need to have knowledge of Canada’s
economic goals, and need to have an understanding
of the major political parties and their placement on
the political spectrum.
Copies of “Money and the Economy: Class Quiz Show Game” by Gary Rabbior, Canadian
Foundation for Economic Education, April 2010 (www.globeclassroom.ca), and a copy of
the answer key. Teachers will have to register (free) to use the site.
Terminology
-
Debt
Deficit
Corporate taxes
Productivity
Competitiveness
Provincial transfers
Party platform
Access to computers to research newspaper articles online pertaining to the election.
Websites of each of: the Conservative Party of Canada; Liberal Party of Canada; New
Democratic Party of Canada; Green Party of Canada.
BLM A – Placemat exercise (adapted from Differentiated Instruction Teaching and
Learning Examples, 2009)
BLM B – Canada’s Economic Goals
BLM C – Concentration exercise (adapted from Differentiated Instruction Teaching and
Learning Examples, 2009)
BLM D – Political Party Choice Board
BLM E – Political Party Checklist
BLM F – Self Assessment of Group Work Contribution
Financial Literacy Lesson Planning Template 2011
Minds On
Connections
 Establishing a positive learning environment
 Connecting to prior learning and/or experiences
 Setting the context for learning
Timing: One 75 minute period
Explicitly label:
Assessment for learning
Assessment as learning
Assessment of learning
Explicitly identify planned
differentiation of content, process, or
product based on readiness, interest, or
learning
Whole class divided into pairs– Money and the Economy Quiz Show
Description:
This lesson aims to provide the teacher with an opportunity to gain further insight
into what students know or don’t know about some basic economic and money
concepts. This quiz show game could be used at the beginning of the year or
unit to see what students already understand, or it could be used towards the
end of the year or unit to see what they have come to understand.
1.
2.
3.
Assessment for learning
At the beginning of the class, inform students that they are about to participate in
a contest – one that will focus on basic economic and money concepts. Students
will be pairs and the questions will be posed to everyone.
You could provide small prizes for the pairs that had the most correct answers.
You could follow this up with another quiz game show where you ask each
student to prepare a question and submit it for consideration, along with the
answer. This would get students thinking about other money and economic
topics.
Group activity – Placemat exercise to gather students’ thoughts about key economic
issues for political parties. Have a representative from each group share their summaries
with the class. Clarify any terms some students may not be familiar with. (Appendix A)
Group activity – Concentration exercise to review Canada’s economic goals. Students
are not asked simply to recall vocabulary, but must try to find out the connections
between the pairs. See Appendix C for this exercise. Appendix B lists the goals.
Pairs – Students, in pairs, are instructed to examine the Canadian economic goals and
brainstorm how each goal can/could impact on them personally. Students are then asked
to share their interpretations with the class. The teacher should note responses on the
board.
Individually – Students are instructed to prioritize the 10 Canadian economic goals and
be prepared for tomorrow’s class to explain why they felt their “top 4” were the most
important.
Action!
 Introducing new learning or extending/reinforcing prior learning
 Providing opportunities for practice and application of learning (guided > independent)
Timing: One 75 minute period
Financial Literacy Lesson Planning Template 2011
DI
D
Assessment for learning
Whole Class and Groups of 4-6 – Canada’s Political Parties and Canadian
Economic Goals
Description:
A large part of Canada’s economic future, and therefore, collectively, our
economic future, depends on who leads this country and the policies they put in
place. Students have a grasp of some economic concepts (based on the quiz
game show played), now we need to examine how young people have a strong
role to play in determining which political party/candidate should decide
Canada’s future.
1. Placemat exercise: Distribute sheets of paper for students to individually
complete. They are to divide the placemat into four sections, each for
one of the “top 4” economic goals they prioritized as homework. In the
centre write Most Important Economic Goals for Canada. In each area
explain why that goal was particularly important.
2. Have the students share their interpretations and reasons aloud. The
teacher should have the ten Canadian economic goals on the board,
and jot reasons why each was important. As well, have the class vote on
the top 5.
3. Divide the class into four groups. Each group gets assigned at political
party to research – Conservative, Liberal, NDP, Green.
Inform each group that their challenge is to select one or two of the
Canadian economic goals the group felt was important. And then
examine the extent that their particular political party’s perspective on an
issue supports the economic goal, and explain.
4. Assign a date in the near future when groups should be ready to present
the party’s views on the issues. Students will choose which type of
presentation they would like to use: a poster; commercial; mock TV
interview. Share with the students the Political Party Checklist (Appendix
E); the Political Party Choice Board (Appendix D); and the Political Party
Rubric (Appendix F). Ideally the students would contribute to composing
the rubric.
Consolidation
 Providing opportunities for consolidation and reflection
 Helping students demonstrate what they have learned
Timing: One 75 minute period
Financial Literacy Lesson Planning Template 2011
Assessment as learning
Assessment as learning
Assessment as learning
DI
Groups of 4-6 students
Description:
1. Students assess themselves on the degree to which the team’s efforts in
researching and presenting their political party’s platform ideas shows
financial literacy understanding. Students use a check list of
responsibilities for both peer and self-assessment. The class should
discuss the criteria to be assessed prior to the research or presentations
so all members are aware of their responsibilities.
2. Finally, students could be asked in groups, to develop their own political
party with its platform. This could be composed as an election campaign
format. Groups would divide up responsibilities for posters, commercials,
speeches, and so on. The same checklist can be used for this exercise.
3. As an extension of this lesson the teacher may also want to sign up for
the next Student Vote and organize an all candidates’ debate at his/her
school. (http://www.studentvote.ca/)
4. Or, encourage students to participate in the Financial Reality Check
contest sponsored by Investor Education Fund in partnership with the
Ontario School Counsellors’ Association. It is a competition where
students research and analyze the cost of a post-secondary programme.
http://www.getsmarteraboutmoney.ca/ The federal government makes budgetary
decisions for the country as a whole, but students will have to make their own
budgetary needs based on their own educational choices. This contest is a very
practical exercise that has the added bonus of possibly winning a prize for the
successful student(s).
Financial Literacy Lesson Planning Template 2011
Assessment as learning
Assessment as learning
DI
Appendices
Appendix A
Placemat Exercise
This is a great activity for students to gather their thoughts about any topic, or to
come up with “key issues”. A piece of chart paper is divided into pieces based on
the number of members in the group, with a square or circle in the middle. (This
can be used with groups of 2 to 5). We are beginning to examine how much the
students know about politics and economic decision-making. You want to know
what the students already know. Ask them to write down what they know about
government setting economic policies or decisions. Each student writes this
down in his or her space. Then you ask students to place their comments in the
middle space under one of two headings: Economic goals of Canada or Political
Party (Platform) ideas.
E.g.
Group of 4
Financial Literacy Lesson Planning Template 2011
Group of 3
Appendix B
Canada’s Economic Goals
Not in order of priority, a number of economists have determined that Canada’s
economic goals consist of the following
Economic Goal
political stability
reduce public debt
economic growth
increased productivity
equitable distribution of income
full employment
stable currency and a viable balance of
payments
environmental stewardship
economic freedoms
Financial Literacy Lesson Planning Template 2011
Appendix C
Concentration exercise
On the board or overhead projector, draw a template of 20 squares, with
numbers down the side, and letters across the top. The letters and numbers
allow the students to easily select choices: eg. A1 and E4
Sample: (for a game of 20 squares – 4 columns horizontally, 5 columns
vertically)
The teacher would have each square filled in with either the economic goal or the
definition of one of the goals. The squares would be covered, and students would
have to pair up each goal with the appropriate definition.
A
B
C
D
E
1
2
3
4
Pairs:
Political stability……..consistency in policy promotes confidence in the economy
Reduced public debt……balancing the budget and increasing revenues through
taxes
Increased productivity…..improving Canadian competitiveness globally
Equitable distribution of income…..a more fair division of wealth
Economic growth…..increasing the total production of goods and services
Stable currency and viable balance of payments….imports and exports should be
fairly equivalent
Price Stability……neither inflation nor deflation
Full Employment……no more than 6 or 7% unemployment
Environmental stewardship….sustainability to provide for future generations
Economic freedoms…choices available to consumers, workers, investors
Financial Literacy Lesson Planning Template 2011
Appendix D
Political Party Choice board
Choose one of the options. Present your political party research and your opinion
on how well the party adheres to the Canadian economic goal(s) you felt
was/were important.
a) Draw/create - Poster
b) Write/act - Commercial
c) Do/say - Mock TV interview
Appendix E
Political Party Checklist
Criteria
Yes/No Evidence
Knowledge/Understanding
Identified at least 5 key
economic issues this party
feels strongly about
Identified Where this party is
on the political/economic
spectrum
Identified the leader of the
party
Identified this party’s issues
connect with important
Canadian economic goal(s)
Thinking
I have stated an opinion on
the party platform
I have supported my opinion
with relevant facts based on
my understanding of
Canadian economic goals
I have made clear
connections between my
opinion and the main
argument
Communication
I have presented by ideas
logically
I have expressed my ideas
clearly using examples,
definitions and elaborations in
language that is appropriate
for purpose
Financial Literacy Lesson Planning Template 2011
Appendix F Self Assessment of Group Work Contribution
Success
Criteria
-meaningful
discussion of
assignment
- students
organized
themselves
efficiently and
used class time
effectively
- workload is
divided equitably
among members
- everyone
communicated
ideas and shared
information
- end product
was a team effort
What would success look like
(student check-list)
-I talked about the assignment with the
group members so that I knew what
was expected of me. I understood the
Canadian economic goal(s) on which
we were focusing, and the parts of the
political platform needed to research.
-I worked well with the others and
stayed focused on the assignment
-I asked the teacher questions to be
sure I understood
- I knew exactly what my job was, and
did it with positive effort
- I talked with others and made sure I
understood the task, and helped others
when I came across information
that they needed for their part.
- I coordinated my research with the
group and put together a good final
product that showed a solid grasp of
financial literacy.
Financial Literacy Lesson Planning Template 2011
Y/N and Evidence