Lesson
How We Earn Money
Summary
A paycheck isn't the only way kids can picture earning money — skills, time, and effort all play a part. Explore the basics of jobs, the skills behind them, and the four ways people get paid, then kick off a summer-long savings adventure with Lemonade Tycoon.
Warm-Up: How Do You Earn Money?
- Jobs require certain skills.
- What skills do you think these jobs would require?
Instruction
- Walk through why skills raise earning power
- Introduce the four payment types — wages, salary, commission, tips — one slide at a time
Share: Career Charades
- Students act out a job from the list
- Discuss what that job would require
Activity: Lemonade Tycoon Pretest & The Financial Scoop
- Help students establish what they already know in the Lemonade Tycoon Pretest.
- Complete first two pages of the Elementary Personal Finance Workbook
Exit Ticket
- Describe the skills you would need for a chosen job to a partner.
- Give students the chance to ask any lingering questions.
| Est. Time | Activity | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 5 min | Warm-Up: How Do You Earn Money? |
|
| 5 min | Instruction |
|
| 8 min | Share: Career Charades |
|
| 9 min | Activity: Lemonade Tycoon Pretest & The Financial Scoop |
|
| 3 min | Exit Ticket |
|
Lesson Prep
Lemonade Tycoon Pretest
Assess student knowledge before beginning Lemonade Tycoon.
Elementary Personal Finance Workbook
Offline activities covering financial vocabulary, budgeting, and saving.
Class Presentation
Includes a 17-slide deck with teacher notes. Present from Banzai, download a PDF, or copy it to Google Slides.
Presentations, Ready to Go
- Built-in PresentationPresent full screen, straight from Banzai
- Copy to Google SlidesMake an editable copy for your class
- Download or PrintSave as a PDF or print
- Teacher NotesSlide-by-slide guidance, printable as one handout
Unit 1: Earning, Spending, and Saving
How We Earn Money
A paycheck isn't the only way kids can picture earning money — skills, time, and effort all play a part. Explore the basics of jobs, the skills behind them, and the four ways people get paid, then kick off a summer-long savings adventure with Lemonade Tycoon.
Be Your Own Boss
Owning a business isn't just about selling things — it's about solving problems for people who'll pay you to fix them. Explore what it means to be an entrepreneur, the difference between products and services, and why taxes take a bite out of every paycheck.
Wants, Needs, and Spending Choices
Every dollar can only be spent once, and that simple fact shapes every money decision we make. Explore opportunity cost, the difference between wants and needs, and how personal values guide spending choices.
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