Lesson
Investing Intro
Summary
A seed costs less than an apple but can grow into a whole orchard — that's the heart of investing. Explore how saying no to money now can mean more money later, and discover how building skills is its own kind of investment.
Warm-Up: Cash or a Lemonade Stand?
- Pose the "$10 or a lemonade stand kit" question
- Ask students to defend their choice before revealing the investing connection
Instruction
- Define investing using the apple-vs-seed comparison
- Introduce risk and reward with a simple real-world example
Share: Saving vs. Investing
- Ask students to compare saving and investing in pairs
- Share out, emphasizing risk vs. reward tradeoffs
Activity: Banzai Swap
- Distribute cards and run rounds of Banzai Swap
- Debrief how trading decisions relate to investing and risk
Exit Ticket
- Why would someone buy a seed instead of an apple?
- How is saving different from investing?
| Est. Time | Activity | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 3 min | Warm-Up: Cash or a Lemonade Stand? |
|
| 8 min | Instruction |
|
| 7 min | Share: Saving vs. Investing |
|
| 8 min | Activity: Banzai Swap |
|
| 4 min | Exit Ticket |
|
Lesson Prep
Elementary Personal Finance Workbook
Offline activities covering financial vocabulary, budgeting, and saving.
Class Presentation
Includes a 14-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 2: Banks, Credit, and Insurance
How We Save
A piggy bank can be raided any time you feel like spending — a bank account quietly pays you just for leaving your money alone. Explore the difference between stashing cash at home and depositing it into a real bank or credit union, and discover how interest turns saving into a reward instead of a chore.
Investing Intro
A seed costs less than an apple but can grow into a whole orchard — that's the heart of investing. Explore how saying no to money now can mean more money later, and discover how building skills is its own kind of investment.
First Lessons in Credit
Credit isn't free money — it's a promise with a price tag attached. This lesson introduces 3rd-5th graders to how borrowing works, why interest exists, and how trustworthiness shapes a person's ability to borrow, using a lending activity and real-world reasoning.
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