Teachers

The CARE program is a 50 minute classroom presentation on responsible use of credit given by a local attorney or judge. The presentation is based on key financial literacy themes- dealing with money in your life; budgeting know-how; using credit responsibly; common forms of credit and authentic experiences with credit after high school.

The CARE content addresses the new Kentucky Financial Literacy Bill 132. Teachers will find the graphics, videos and web links useful to integrate financial literacy, specifically credit education into instruction.

Request a CARE presenter.

Teaching Standards and Learning Targets

Credit is an essential component of financial education yet too often the classroom lessons stop at spending, budgeting and saving. The CARE content is stipulated in national and Kentucky standards, as you will see below. Certainly the financial decision making, prioritizing goals and long-term planning cut across other instructional disciplines. Below you’ll find the national…

View the Teaching Standards and Learning Targets »

Credit Education Lessons & Activities

Below are some lessons and activities that you can use in the classroom. Use these lessons before a presentation to get your students thinking about financial literacy, or use them afterward to keep the conversation going. We’ve also compiled a list of external websites and resources in which you may be interested.

CARE Team Challenge

Approximate Duration: 15-20 min.

This is a team challenge activity to conduct prior to the start of a CARE presentation. Students break into teams and try to generate as many unique answers as they can to a set of money-related questions. The teams compete for the most points.
Full Lesson » CARE Team Challenge

Defining Bankruptcy

Approximate Duration: N/A

This lesson defines bankruptcy and covers some important information about the consequences and long-lasting effects for those who declare bankruptcy.
Full Lesson » Defining Bankruptcy

Econ Ed Mobile Learning App for iPhone

Approximate Duration: N/A

The Econ Ed Mobile Learning App is a free app for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad developed by the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank. Economics is all about making wise choices as citizens, workers and consumers. The Econ Ed Mobile Learning App allows you to visualize and understand how inflation and the cost of credit…
Full Lesson » Econ Ed Mobile Learning App for iPhone

Develop a Budget and Live by It

Approximate Duration: 30 min.

This activity will give students experience with calculating their income and expenses while in high school. The students will consider how and when they spend money for their wants.
Full Lesson » Develop a Budget and Live by It

Making a Purchase Decison and the Decision Making Grid

Approximate Duration: 15 min.

The decision-making grid is an essential part of financial literacy. How individuals make choices about money, use of resources, wants (clothes, cars, cellphone, computers, use of time, etc.) is a skill that starts with filling in a grid and ultimately results in thinking through the process internally. Students can practice the steps of good decision-making…
Full Lesson » Making a Purchase Decison and the Decision Making Grid

Resources Around the Web

Current credit legislation, research and financial data are easy to find on the web. Banks, credit unions, Federal Reserves, the Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions, Kentucky JumpStart Coalition and the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority all have up-to-date information that you can use in the classroom.

Here are some other financial literacy resources that you can utilize.

CARE Booklet Pages

Some of the CARE booklet pages lend themselves to activity and student engagement. Below are a selection of these individual pages to help you focus students on selected financial topics.

Video Series

There are several excellent sources for videos that can be used with middle and high school students. We suggest:

Credit and You 7 short, animated video lessons with credit lessons and activity
The Econ Lowdown from the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank