This instruction guide provides a lesson plan for teaching students about saving and budgeting using a Marvel comic book called "Saving the Day". The guide outlines that students will learn basic banking concepts, the importance of budgeting and saving, and practice balancing their own personal budgets. It includes a warm up activity, teaching key concepts, reviewing financial terms from the comic, reading the comic, discussion questions, and completing a budget worksheet.
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OVERVIEW
AVENGERS // SAVING THE DAY
In this lesson based around the Practical Money Skills comic book, Saving the Day, students will:
Learn several basic banking concepts
Master the importance of budgeting and saving
Practice balancing their own personal budgets
Grade level: 2nd
7th
Time allotment: 60 + minutes
Learning objectives:
Students will
Explain basic banking and budgeting terms
Summarize the reasons for budgeting and saving
Develop a personal budget
Balance a personal budget
Course: Math/Social Studies/Language Arts
Core competencies: Earn/Save/Spend
Key vocabulary: Bank, banking, budget, credit card, currency, debit card, expenses,
investment, interest, loans, prepaid card, savings account
Materials:
Saving the Day comic book is available digitally and in print (via online order) at
www.practicalmoneyskills.com/avengers
Budget Blaster worksheet is available for download at
www.practicalmoneyskills.com/avengers
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AVENGERS // SAVING THE DAY
INSTRUCTION
Understanding the importance of maintaining a personal budget and building savings is a critical
financial literacy skill for elementary and middle school students. This educational comic book
introduces students to the concepts of banking, budgeting and saving in a fun and engaging
way. They will learn important concepts and terminology via the story and by utilizing the glossary
of financial terms and budgeting worksheet.
WARM UP (10 mins.)
Open your discussion by asking students how many of them know what a budget is, what can
happen when you dont have a budget and why they think saving is important. Then explain
that saving is easier when you set short-term (one-month) savings goals (like buying a video game)
and long-term (six-month) savings goals (like buying a bicycle).
Complete the warm up by having students write down a short-term goal and a long-term goal
of their own, and about how much they think each would cost.
TEACHING KEY CONCEPTS (10 mins.)
Why create a budget?
To have a plan for your spending
To ensure you spend within your means
To earmark money for savings
To help you reach financial goals
Why is saving important?
Allows you to meet specific short-term goals (e.g., buying a new bicycle)
Prepares you for unexpected expenses (e.g., bicycle repair costs)
Helps you plan for a future goal (e.g., saving for a car)
REVIEWING FINANCIAL TERMS (10 mins.)
Have students take turns reading the financial definitions in the inside back cover of the comic.
Challenge them to find those terms while reading the comic.
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AVENGERS // SAVING THE DAY
Instruction (continued)
READING THE COMIC (25 mins.)
Have students open their printed comics or gather around classroom computers to view digital
copies of the comic book. Students can take turns reading pages or portions of the comic.
DISCUSSION (5 mins.)
After reading the comic, pose the following discussion questions to the class (possible responses
are included below):
Question 1: What does Spider-Man learn about managing his money in Saving the Day?
- The importance of creating and maintaining a budget.
- That saving is critical so you can meet financial goals and prepare for the unexpected.
Question 2: Spider-Mans goal is a gift for his aunt. What is a savings goal you have? Volunteer
to share a savings goal you have with the class and discuss how much it might cost and how
long it might take you to save for this goal.
- New video game system ($300 over 6 months), new bike ($250 over 4 months), etc
End the discussion by encouraging students to talk with their families about their own values
around budgeting and saving.
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AVENGERS // SAVING THE DAY
extra credit
BUDGET BLASTER EXERCISE (20 mins.)
Have students turn to the Budget Blaster worksheet on the back cover of the comic, or print
copies of the pdf for each student. Let them know they will be creating budgets of their own.
Next, read aloud the instructions at the top of the worksheet and review each item students
will be recording. Explain that the goal of a budget is to have a greater income than you have
expenses so you can set aside money for saving. If they find that their expenses are greater
than or equal to their incomes, they will need to lower their expenses.
Then have students complete the worksheet individually. Finally, review their worksheets to
ensure theyve been completed correctly, congratulate them on completing their own personal
budgets, and encourage them to use their new budgets as a guideline for spending.
Additional Resources
Access these additional Practical Money Skills resources for teaching financial literacy in
your classroom:
Lesson plans: www.practicalmoneyskills.com/lessonplans
Games: www.practicalmoneyskills.com/games