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Lesson plan

Financial Mathematics: Savings Goals, Expenses & Interest

Teacher-facing plan: I do · We do · You do.

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Explicit teaching — I Do (~15 min)

1. Savings goals WA6MNAF1

A bar-chart savings tracker rising 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120 dollars over six months with a goal line at 120 dollars.
A savings plan: $20 each month reaches a $120 goal in six months.

2. Predicting expenses

Model listing weekly expenses (snacks, transport, a magazine) and subtracting them from pocket money to see what is left to save.

3. Interest

Guided practice — We Do (~20 min)

  1. Plan a goal together. The class chooses a savings target and timeframe, then calculates the regular amount needed.
  2. Budget it. Given a weekly income and a list of expenses, work out the leftover available to save.
  3. Interest check. Calculate the interest on $200, $50 and $500 at 5% per year, and notice that a bigger balance earns more.

Independent practice — You Do (~15 min)

Students complete the worksheet/task:

  • design a savings plan for a chosen goal (amount, timeframe, regular saving);
  • given pocket money and expenses, predict how much can be saved each week;
  • calculate simple yearly interest at 5% on three balances.