TeachersFirst - Featured Sites: Week of Apr 14, 2024
Here are this week's features. Clicking the tags in the description area of each listing will present a list of other resources with this topic. | Click here to go to the Featured Sites Archive
Share TeachersFirst's weekly Featured Sites automatically on your teacher blog, wiki, edtech resource page, or educator web page. Use our Featured Sites embeddable widget offered here.
Spent - Urban Ministries of Durham
Grades
8 to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
Spent is an online game that teaches the challenges of poverty and the difficult choices facing low-income earners. Throughout the game, players make choices related to income options...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Spent is an online game that teaches the challenges of poverty and the difficult choices facing low-income earners. Throughout the game, players make choices related to income options and spending needs. Choices include decisions that affect the health, education, and living conditions of the player's family. The game ends when you run out of money or reach the end of the month.
tag(s): character education (76), difficult conversations (58), empathy (26), financial literacy (91)
In the Classroom
Include Spent as a learning resource to use with your lessons on empathy or difficult conversations. Ask students to spend time playing Spent as a way to explore how choices they make affect their living situation. Enhance learning by asking students to take a screen recording of a difficult choice they make while playing Spent and discuss their thinking behind the option chosen. Use ScreenPal (was Screencast-o-matic), reviewed here, to record and share student's recordings. If you teach older high school students, use Spent to introduce a research unit into understanding poverty in your community. Have students share their learning using multimedia presentation tools like Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here, or Visme, reviewed here.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Education for the Real World - EVERFI
Grades
2 to 12
3 Favorites
0 Comments
EVERFI provides free digital curricula in real-world skills through interactive, game-based lessons. Topics include financial education, STEM and career readiness, social and emotional...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
EVERFI provides free digital curricula in real-world skills through interactive, game-based lessons. Topics include financial education, STEM and career readiness, social and emotional learning, remote learning, summer learning, and more. Select any topic to view the courses offered with a summary and grade-level suggestions. Each unit is correlated to Common Core Standards and includes features such as videos, games, digital lessons, and teacher guides. Use the teacher dashboard to create classes and enroll students after completing the free registration information. Once registered, use the site's features to assign topics that are available for both online and offline learning.
tag(s): cross cultural understanding (156), financial literacy (91), literacy (107), mental health (33), social and emotional learning (81), STEM (260), Teacher Utilities (146)
In the Classroom
Discover the many free resources on this site to provide individual lessons or complete learning units for your students. As students complete assignments, use the many offerings found at Class Tools, reviewed here, to enhance learning through creating timelines, completing graphic organizers, and more. For activities that include new vocabulary, use a digital game creation site such as Baamboozle, reviewed here, to review and practice new words and terms. Have students show what they know upon completion of any of the activities using Adobe Creative Cloud Express for Education, reviewed here, to create a collage, poster, flyer, or multimedia presentation sharing their knowledge of the subject.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
The Inflation Calculator - Morgan Friedman
Grades
5 to 12
1 Favorites
0 Comments
Compare the adjusted amount of money from its value in any year, from 1800-2022, using The Inflation Calculator. Enter the dollar amount, the initial year, and the final year for ...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Compare the adjusted amount of money from its value in any year, from 1800-2022, using The Inflation Calculator. Enter the dollar amount, the initial year, and the final year for comparison to view the adjusted amount. For example, enter $100 in the year 1900 and compare to the 2017 value to find that the same item would cost $2988.86 in 2017!
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): 1900s (73), 20th century (59), calculators (37), financial literacy (91)
In the Classroom
Although this calculator seems relatively simple, use it for many purposes in your classroom. When reading stories set in different times throughout the 1900's use the calculator to compare costs in the story to 21st-century costs. Use the calculator for student writing projects set in the past to add authenticity to information included. Take student learning a step further and ask them to create an infographic comparing prices, technology, populations, workforce, or other important indicators of two different eras. Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here, will modify student learning and is a very easy to use tool for creating infographics using their many available templates. Challenge math or economics students to enhance learning and create an inflation calculator based on different sets of statistics using Microsoft Excel or Google Forms. Work together with a history teacher to include those statistics on a history timeline with a tool like Time Graphics Timeline Maker, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Budgeting for the Future - Committe for a Responsible Federal Budget
Grades
8 to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
Use this interactive tool to compare and contrast different plan options for reduction of the federal deficit. Choose from the various plans offered on the site, then select categories...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Use this interactive tool to compare and contrast different plan options for reduction of the federal deficit. Choose from the various plans offered on the site, then select categories to view proposals. Compare up to three plans at one time. Although this interactive compares plans from 2021, the information is still valuable for those interested in understanding the impact of policies on any budget.
tag(s): financial literacy (91), politics (113)
In the Classroom
Share this interactive with students to increase understanding of different budget options. Have students create a word cloud of the important terms they learn from this site using a tool such as WordItOut, reviewed here. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here, to compare and contrast options found in different plans.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
A Beginner's Guide to Bitcoin & Blockchain Technology - Lisa and bitcoinfy.net
Grades
8 to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
This infographic provides background and facts defining bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. Scroll through to learn about the different types of cryptocurrencies, their uses, and obtaining...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
This infographic provides background and facts defining bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. Scroll through to learn about the different types of cryptocurrencies, their uses, and obtaining and using bitcoin. In addition to the infographic, the article on this page shares additional information supporting the infographic details.
tag(s): financial literacy (91), money (119)
In the Classroom
Share this infographic with students as part of finance and economics lessons. Include this infographic and others using a bookmarking tool like Wakelet, reviewed here. Have students find and share additional websites explaining cryptocurrencies to your Wakelet. Ask students to create explainer videos describing different cryptocurrencies using Clipchamp, reviewed here. As an ongoing project, have groups of students create a weekly or monthly podcast using Podcast Generator, reviewed here, to discuss the latest economic news including cryptocurrencies.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Economic Games - Nicolas Gruyer and Nicolas Toublanc
Grades
8 to 12
5 Favorites
0 Comments
Economic Games offers over 40 multiplayer games and 14 simulations to learn economic concepts. Game topics vary from impacts of patents on research and development to an introduction...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Economic Games offers over 40 multiplayer games and 14 simulations to learn economic concepts. Game topics vary from impacts of patents on research and development to an introduction to the stock market. All games include complete details and an introductory demo. To create multiplayer games the instructor selects the number of players and chooses the Get Logins link. Student logins and passwords display in a popup; players use this information to access and begin play. Be sure to view the How to Play link for full information on starting and sharing games. The site was created in France, so some of the pronunciations and spellings may differ from those in American English. Currency is in Euros, not dollars.
tag(s): business (47), financial literacy (91), game based learning (171), simulations (8), stock market (9)
In the Classroom
Include games from this site as part of economics and financial literacy lessons. This site is perfect for use with gifted students for independent study with peers. After completing games, ask students to use a digital storytelling tool like Book Creator, reviewed here, to explain complex financial concepts in an easy to understand manner.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Dollar Street - Gapminder
Grades
3 to 12
0 Favorites
0 Comments
Think of everyone in the world living on one street; the poorest people are on the left and the rich on the right. Everyone else falls somewhere in the middle. ...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Think of everyone in the world living on one street; the poorest people are on the left and the rich on the right. Everyone else falls somewhere in the middle. That is the setup of Dollar Street, a searchable, visual database sharing income features from 264 families from around 50 countries and including over 30,000 photos. Take a quick tour to learn how to use the interactive and understand financial guidelines used based on income per month. Use the drop-down boxes to select specific criteria including the number of beds, homes, or family snapshots. An additional dropbox allows you to select specific countries to view.
tag(s): cross cultural understanding (156), cultures (132), family (53), financial literacy (91), globe (12), homes (4)
In the Classroom
Most teachers will want to bookmark this site to use in many different situations. Share Dollar Street on your interactive whiteboard to compare and contrast your community and living situation to those around the world. When reading books mentioning other countries, look up financial information using this site to help students understand typical living situations. Use Dollar Street as a starting point for research projects. Ask students to create a virtual field trip to their chosen location using Google My Maps, reviewed here. Google My Maps includes tools for labeling stops on a map as participants follow locations created.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Cha-Ching Money Smart Kids - Discovery Education and Jackson Charitable Foundation
Grades
K to 6
3 Favorites
0 Comments
Cha-Ching is a financial literacy program developed for use with students in grades K-6. Animated videos provide lessons on saving and earning money, entrepreneurship, and charity....more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Cha-Ching is a financial literacy program developed for use with students in grades K-6. Animated videos provide lessons on saving and earning money, entrepreneurship, and charity. Each lesson includes classroom activity guides and several also include family activity guides. Educator guides provide complete details for teaching with the videos and correlation to financial literacy and social studies standards.
tag(s): financial literacy (91), money (119)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of these free lessons and videos to teach financial literacy in your classroom. Collect student ideas on how to save and earn money onto an online bulletin board like lino, reviewed here. lino offers the ability to include images, videos, and comments. Have students take pictures of different ways financial situations were faced over the course of a month then create a collage for your class using an image editor like Photo Joiner Collage Maker, reviewed here. Extend learning by challenging students to use their imagination to create a financial adventure game using Scratch, reviewed here. Scratch is an easy to use program that brings adventures to life through interactive stories, animations, and games.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
FutureSmart - EverFi and MassMutual Foundation
Grades
6 to 9
0 Favorites
0 Comments
FutureSmart is an interactive personal finance course designed for students in grades 6-8. The three and a half hour course correlates to National Standards and covers a variety of...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
FutureSmart is an interactive personal finance course designed for students in grades 6-8. The three and a half hour course correlates to National Standards and covers a variety of topics including budgeting, goal-setting, and planning for the future. Enroll using your school email address to register students and access your dashboard that includes student reports and supplemental materials. Be sure to download the information sheet that includes additional details about all available features.
tag(s): financial literacy (91), game based learning (171), money (119)
In the Classroom
Incorporate FutureSmart into your flipped classroom, assign different modules as homework. If integrating technology use in your classroom, try using an online bulletin board tool like Dotstorming, reviewed here, to have students post important decisions they made as mayor while advising citizens about their finances. Then discuss their decisions together in class. Allow students to make comments on the bulletin board during this discussion time, so all students will have a chance to express their opinions. Have students create a personal budget (or work in pairs to create an annual classroom budget) at the end of the course. Enhance learning by challenging students to create a presentation sharing what they learned using an interactive infographic like Infogram, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Banzai! - Banzai.com
Grades
2 to 12
5 Favorites
0 Comments
Teach real-world financial literacy using Banzai! Learn to prioritize spending by using simulations, interactives, and "choose-your-own-adventure" style situations. There are three...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Teach real-world financial literacy using Banzai! Learn to prioritize spending by using simulations, interactives, and "choose-your-own-adventure" style situations. There are three levels: Banzai Jr (grades 3-7), Banzai Teen (grades 6-12), and Banzai Plus (grades 9-12) all available in PDF format. Start the course with an assesment (pre-test) to determine your financial literacy. Then engage in real-life interactive situations covering balancing a budget and paying your cell phone bill, to paying for unexpected bills like car trouble. Student accounts receive free access to Banzai for life, allowing the opportunity to go back and review lessons at any time. After creating a teacher account, request the opportunity to receive the Life Scenario booklets for your class at no charge (this is dependent on funding from local financial organizations). If not available, print the booklets using the PDF download.
tag(s): financial literacy (91), game based learning (171)
In the Classroom
Banzai is an excellent resource for any financial literacy course, or for those who don't have financial literacy classes as an option for your school. Create your classroom account, and then provide students with a class code to sign in to their account. Create as many classes as you like then have students follow the curriculum including pre-tests, simulations of life scenarios, interactives, and post-tests. The Banzai tool grades it all. Set up student accounts and assign activities based on your state standards. Be sure to share Banzai on your class website for students to explore at home. Enhance student learning goals by having students reflect on their learning using a blogging tool such as Penzu, reviewed here. Banzai would work well for blended or remote learning since it works on any internet connected device, including tablets and smartphones at home.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Financial Literacy Resources - KQED Education
Grades
9 to 12
4 Favorites
0 Comments
Financial Literacy Resources offers financial lessons targeted for English language learners. However, this is an excellent unit for any student to learn about money management! Topics...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Financial Literacy Resources offers financial lessons targeted for English language learners. However, this is an excellent unit for any student to learn about money management! Topics include managing money, credit, debt, banking, and more delivered through six lesson plans. Each lesson features new media tools such as a budget builder calculator and an online writing interactive. Click on any lesson plan to view in PDF format for easy printing. Note: at the time of this review several of the interactive activities didn't work; however, the lessons and other information available on the site make this worth considering for use during your financial literacy lessons.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): financial literacy (91)
In the Classroom
Discover the many ready-to-go, free resources that go with these free lesson plans for use with all students, not just English language learners. Include this site on your class web page for students and parents to access as a reference when discussing financial issues at home. Use the calculators found on the site as part of any financial unit or as a math problem solving lesson. Oh, and by-the-way, students will also practice listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills!Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Free Money Basics Tutorial - Goodwill Community Foundation
Grades
6 to 11
5 Favorites
0 Comments
Learn money management skills with this thirteen-step tutorial covering topics such as money management, banking, and retirement planning. Choose any lesson to begin. It isn't necessary...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Learn money management skills with this thirteen-step tutorial covering topics such as money management, banking, and retirement planning. Choose any lesson to begin. It isn't necessary to go in order, but it may be easier to follow as basic concepts build upon each other throughout lessons. Lessons include quizzes, worksheets, and interactive calculators in addition to informative articles.
tag(s): banks (8), financial literacy (91)
In the Classroom
Use these lessons when teaching financial literacy or consumer education courses. Include lessons as part of applied math activities such as balancing a budget, managing savings, or understanding debt. Have students explore on their own. If you are beginning the process of integrating technology, have students create blogs to describe ways to become a good consumer using edublogs, reviewed here.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Life Skills - Barclays
Grades
8 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Life Skills, created in the UK, offers programs for entering the 21st century work force. Begin by choosing the student (I'm here to help myself) or teacher (I'm here to ...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Life Skills, created in the UK, offers programs for entering the 21st century work force. Begin by choosing the student (I'm here to help myself) or teacher (I'm here to help others) portal. Student information includes People Skills, Managing Money, How to Gain Work Experience, and more presented through videos and interactive activities. Access lesson plans, worksheets, and online activities through the teacher registration. Registration is free with email. The site was created in the UK, so some of the pronunciations, spellings, and use of currency will differ from those in American English. The principles are the same, once you figure out slight terminology differences.
tag(s): careers (139), financial literacy (91)
In the Classroom
Help students appreciate that career planning is an ongoing process that includes education, aptitudes, and personality in order to find a "good fit." Life Skills is a great resource for helping students get more concrete information and insight into the sometimes vexing question of "what I want to do when I grow up." Use it in guidance classes or as part of a budgeting and life planning section in Family and Consumer Science or business classes.
This resource requires PDF reader software like Adobe Acrobat.
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Plan Your Dream Prom - Thinkport
Grades
8 to 12
2 Favorites
0 Comments
Budget and plan for prom with 10 easy questions using this "prom planning" site. It's never too early to start saving! Begin with information on how long there is until ...more
Here is the direct link to share this resource review. Feel free to copy and paste this URL into an email or place it on your web page or blog so others can read this TeachersFirst review:
Budget and plan for prom with 10 easy questions using this "prom planning" site. It's never too early to start saving! Begin with information on how long there is until prom, money you will have, and more. Include projected expenses for a dress, transportation, tickets, food, and more. When complete, the planner will let you know if you are on track to have enough money for your dream prom!
tag(s): financial literacy (91)
In the Classroom
Use this site as a fun way to explore budgets and financial planning with teens. Allow students to create different scenarios to find a practical approach to budget planning. Use as part of a debate for students to discuss their opinions on the amount to spend on prom expenses. This is a great lesson to do around prom season as part of a math class or consumerism unit. You could also use it with younger students planning for prom a year or more from now! Even though middle schoolers don't have prom, some of them would LOVE dreaming about it.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Rating (click star to set rating):
You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
Use the form at the top of the page to log in, or click here to join TeachersFirst (it's free!).
Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
Close comment form