We know each student’s path will be unique, and it’s our goal to help them remember that their personal values define what’s important to them and should be used as a guide for how to save and spend money. It’s also essential we help them keep in mind that success looks different for everybody. Middle school financial literacy along with college and career readiness education are vastly important, and we have the perfect lesson plan to get your students starting to think about their possible futures. This Blueprint for Success activity will help students prepare to meet their own big goals.
Overview
After completing the “Build Your Blueprint” module in FutureSmart, students will have learned about the different decisions they will have to make when thinking about their future. In this extension lesson plan, students will create a randomly generated Blueprint that will determine their future for them. Students will then reflect upon the M.A.S.H. Blueprint and compare it the one they created on their own through FutureSmart. Finally, students will explain the importance of developing their own Blueprint.
Students must complete the “Build Your Blueprint” module of FutureSmart; it is recommended that students have completed the entire course.
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to:
- Identify their current plan for the future based on their values and interests.
- Compare and contrast how a randomly generated blueprint relates to their personal one.
- Explain why it is important for them to create their own blue print and not rely on others.
Download and print the Lesson Plan and Blueprint Poster to get started.
FutureSmart
FutureSmart empowers students to effectively manage their finances, make sound decisions, and become stewards of their financial future. Through the story-based narrative, students play the mayor of a town as they help local citizens make real-life, personal finance decisions. Interactive exercises challenge students to make choices in real-life scenarios to achieve important goals around saving, education and career planning, and budgeting. [Currently available only to U.S. Schools]
Topics Covered:
- Financial Values & Goal-Setting
- Budgeting and Opportunity Costs
- Saving and Investing
- Payment Types
- Banking
- Risk vs. Return
- Planning for the Future
Teachers have access to robust measurement and assessment tools to track their students’ knowledge gains, and additional resources such as a curriculum guide and supplementary lesson plans.
Published in March 2021 in the Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning, the University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute study of FutureSmart found “significant, substantial and consistent” financial knowledge gains among students who partook in the FutureSmart course. Additional details highlighting the impact of FutureSmart are available in our blog article.
Are you interested in bringing FutureSmart to your school? Connect with us and we will contact you to provide access to the program free of charge.