LEARNING EXPERIENCE OVERVIEW

JA Personal
Finance 2.0 ®

■ Financial Literacy

JA Personal Finance introduces high school

students to the interrelationship between today’s
financial decisions and future financial freedom.
To achieve financial wellness, students learn about
money-management strategies, including earning,
employment and income, budgeting, savings, credit
and debt, consumer protection, smart shopping, risk LEARNING EXPERIENCE
management, and investing. HIGHLIGHTS
Students also explore how their decisions can affect
• Digital Guide on the Side for
volunteers and teachers to
other people with whom they have relationships and
effectively manage remote or
healthy behaviors to discuss and manage shared
virtual delivery
financial decisions. At the conclusion of this learning
experience, students will identify how their personal • Infusion of healthy financial
finances affect their quality of life. They will understand relationships concepts,
how their financial choices will be the basis for meeting discussion, and talking points
their needs and wants. • Eight 45-minute sessions:
Sessions One through Five are
This learning experience is part of the JA Financial required and volunteer-led.
Literacy Pathway and can be placed in Grades 9 –12. The Sessions Six through Eight are
program may receive 5 or more ICH based on delivery optional and designed to be
of the optional content. The program is primarily student self-guided activities
volunteer-led with options for student self-guided with teacher or volunteer
sessions/activities. support.
• Three new optional modules
focusing on credit cards, debt
management, and net worth

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JA Personal Finance 2.0
CURRICULUM OUTLINE

Session Overview Objectives Activities

Session One: Students learn that healthy Students will... Warm-Up (5 minutes)
Earning, personal finances require • Explain how values, Students are introduced to the term personal
Employment, planning and managing. priorities, and educational finance and discuss how making sound
and Income They begin to analyze goals can affect career financial decisions is important for everyone.
(Volunteer‑led) the financial implications decisions. Explore: Earning Money (10–15 minutes)
of their educational and • Identify employment
career choices as a basis Students learn how making choices about
options that align with your
for understanding the how to earn the income they need to pay
priorities and values.
relationship between for their needs and wants is the first step in
• Recognize how your
earnings and personal managing their personal finances.
financial decisions can
finance. Students also affect others. Discuss: Healthy Financial Relationships
explore how their decisions • Use healthy relationship (15–20 minutes)
can affect other people with behaviors to discuss Students discuss how their financial
whom they have relationships shared financial decisions. decisions can affect other people, and how
and practice using healthy taking responsibility
behaviors to discuss shared for their financial decisions can affect their
financial decisions. family, their friends, and even someone they
may not even know yet.
Wrap-Up (5 minutes)
Students review key concepts and terms
from the session.

Session Two: Students investigate the Students will... Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Budgeting importance of budgeting • Recognize the importance Students are introduced to the concept of
(Volunteer-led) and how to plan for staying of making and keeping a budgeting and its importance.
within a budget. They review budget or spending plan. Explore: Budget Basics (10 –15 minutes)
characteristics of a healthy • Identify categories of
relationship and explore how Students learn budgeting terms (income,
expenses on a budget.
shared budgeting creates expense, budget, fixed expenses, variable
• Explain how to use a
opportunities to talk about expenses, periodic expenses), categories, and
budget to clarify shared
equality, independence, and healthy budgeting behaviors.
financial decisions with
respect. another person. Get Together: Budget Choices (15–20
• Prioritize expense minutes)
categories on a budget. In this activity, students play a game that
requires making budgeting decisions.
Wrap-Up (5 minutes)
Students review key concepts and terms
from the session.

(continued)

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JA Personal Finance 2.0
CURRICULUM OUTLINE

Session Overview Objectives Activities

Session Three: Students analyze the role that Students will... Warm-Up (5 minutes)
Savings saving plays in their personal • Recognize reasons for Students are introduced to key terms for the
(Volunteer‑led) finances. They explore how saving. session.
having a healthy savings plan • Explain how saving can Explore: Why Save? (10 –15 minutes)
is necessary in all phases of help you earn interest
life but is especially critical Students learn why saving is important and
instead of paying interest.
for big-ticket items and strategies for achieving savings goals.
• Use strategies to achieve a
emergencies. Students learn saving goal. Discuss: Healthy Financial Relationships
how to apply communication • Recognize unhealthy (15–20 minutes)
strategies when discussing relationship behaviors Students learn how to use a budget to reduce
financial issues. related to saving. expenses to allow for saving. They explore
how their savings choices can affect people
with whom they have relationships.
Wrap-Up (5 minutes)
Students review key concepts and terms
from the session.

Session Four: Students analyze the Students will... Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Credit and Debt importance of credit and the • Differentiate between Students are introduced to key terms for the
(Volunteer‑led) outcomes of wise and poor credit and debt. session.
use of credit. They examine • Recognize the factors that Discuss: Credit Basics (20 –25 minutes)
the potential consequences affect an individual’s credit
of sharing credit or cosigning Students learn the difference between credit
score and credit history.
for loans. and debt and explore how people’s behaviors
• Recognize the with credit can affect their credit score.
consequences of a low
credit score. Get Together: Sharing Credit Decisions
• Recognize the impact of (15–20 minutes)
sharing credit cards or Students examine the potential
cosigning for loans. consequences of sharing credit or cosigning
for loans.
Wrap-Up (5 minutes)
Students review key concepts and terms
from the session.

(continued)

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JA Personal Finance 2.0
CURRICULUM OUTLINE

Session Overview Objectives Activities

Session Five: Students explore consumer Students will... Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Consumer Protection protection basics, including • List ways to protect online Students are introduced to key terms for the
(Volunteer‑led) how to avoid scams, manage information. session.
their money, use credit and • Recognize how a credit Discuss: Securing Your Online Information
loans carefully, and protect report can help identify (10 –15 minutes)
their personal information. suspicious activity related
They learn some of the risks Students learn how to identify suspicious
to your finances.
associated with sharing online behavior as well as strategies for
• Recognize risks involved
finances with others. protecting their online information.
with sharing finances.
Get Together: Sharing Finances
(15–20 minutes)
Students learn some of the risks associated
with sharing finances with other people and
develop a tip sheet to help people who are
trying to decide whether to share an account,
a credit card, or a loan with another person.
Wrap-Up (5 minutes)
Students review key concepts and terms
from the session.

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JA Personal Finance 2.0
For these three optional, student self-guided sessions, the teacher or a
volunteer introduces and wraps up each session.

CURRICULUM OUTLINE

Session Overview Objectives Activities

Session Six: This optional, student self- Students will... Optional Introduction (5 minutes)
Smart Shopping guided activity focuses on • Identify the factors The teacher or a volunteer introduces the
making informed purchasing necessary for making an session.
decisions to maximize buying informed purchase. Smart Shopping (20 minutes)
power. Students learn about • Compare and contrast
comparison shopping and Students interact with and learn through the
prices and data when
participate in a simulated online session content. Activities include:
making a purchase
shopping experience. They What Would You Do? Scenarios; Comparison
decision.
explore communicating with Shopping; and Shop ‘til You Drop.
• Calculate savings gained
other people about consumer through smart shopping. Optional Wrap-Up (5 minutes)
behaviors and shared The teacher or a volunteer reviews the
shopping. session’s key terms and leads a debrief
discussion with students.

Session Seven: This optional, student Students will... Optional Introduction (5 minutes)
Risk Management self-guided activity focuses • Recognize risk of financial The teacher or a volunteer introduces the
on risks that can lead to loss as an everyday reality session.
financial loss. Students for everyone. Risk Management (20 minutes)
practice applying appropriate • Recognize risk
risk management strategies Students interact with and learn through
management strategies
in scenarios and learn how to the online session. Activities include: Risk
and apply them
discuss risk management and Management Scenarios; Strategy Quick Sort;
appropriately.
manage the risks associated and Risky Trivia.
• Understand the role of
with shared financial choices. personal responsibility in Optional Wrap-Up (5 minutes)
preventing financial loss. The teacher or a volunteer reviews the
session’s key terms and leads a debrief
discussion with students.

(continued”

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Achievement ™
JA Personal Finance 2.0
CURRICULUM OUTLINE

Session Overview Objectives Activities

Session Eight: This optional, student self- Students will... Optional Introduction (5 minutes)
Investing guided activity explores the • Evaluate investments with The teacher or a volunteer introduces the
difference between saving different levels of risk and session.
and investing, the advantages reward. Investing (20 minutes)
and potential returns of • Describe the role that
investing, and common types Students interact with and learn through
compound interest plays in
of investment products. the online session. Activities include: How
wealth over time.
Students also learn about the Penny Grows; Savings vs. Investing; and
• Recognize that investment
various types of investment Investment Advisor.
options carry different
risks and self-assess their levels of risk and reward. Optional Wrap-Up (5 minutes)
personal investment risk • Analyze the risk tolerances The teacher or a volunteer reviews the
tolerance and communication for different investment session’s key terms and leads a debrief
with others about shared strategies. discussion with students.
investments. • Recognize the importance
of practicing healthy
relationship behaviors
in shared investment
decisions.

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JA Personal Finance 2.0
These modular sessions contain several self-guided activities that can be
used in any order or combination. The learning objectives for each session
vary depending on which activity, or activities, are implemented. All possible
learning objectives are listed in the outline below.

For these three optional, modular sessions, the teacher or a volunteer

introduces and wraps up each self-guided activity.

OPTIONAL, STUDENT SELF-GUIDED CURRICULUM OUTLINE

Session Overview Objectives Activities

Session Nine: Credit This optional, modular session Students will... Credit Card Basics (10 min.)
Cards consists of four 10-minute, • Define the term credit card. Students interact with and learn
self-guided activities focused on • Understand the difference from the online activity about
various aspects of credit cards. between a credit card and a credit cards as forms of short-term
Topics include their purpose, uses, debit card. financing and the pros and cons of
advantages and disadvantages, • Discuss the reasons to use and credit cards.
consumers’ rights, and the not to use a credit card. Types of Credit Cards (10 min.)
responsibilities of shared credit. • Describe how using a credit card Students interact with and learn
can impact their credit rating for
from the online activity about
better or worse.
different kinds of credit cards They
• Discuss some of the pros and learn to choose the right kind of
cons of sharing a credit card.
card for individual needs.
• Recognize many types of credit
cards. Credit Card Terms (10 min.)
• Differentiate between positive This interactive activity defines
and negative features of credit and demystifies the jargon and
cards. terms associated with credit
• Identify appropriate credit cards card statements and contracts to
for various situations. acquaint students with the lingo
• Recognize which kinds of cards required to understand credit
to avoid. cards.
• Define the meaning of many Credit Card Rights and
important credit card terms. Protections (10 min.)
• Recognize their consumer rights Students explore consumer rights
under the Credit Card Act of
and responsibilities under the
2009.
Credit Card Act of 2009.
• Recognize where to get help
with credit issues.

(continued)

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JA Personal Finance 2.0

OPTIONAL, STUDENT SELF-GUIDED CURRICULUM OUTLINE

Session Overview Objectives Activities

Session Ten: Debt This optional, modular session Students will... What Is Bankruptcy? (10 min.)
Management consists of five 10-minute, • Recognize the process, purpose, This interactive activity explains
self-guided activities focused on and outcomes of declaring the process, purpose, and impacts
debt management, including the bankruptcy. of declaring bankruptcy as a last
responsibilities of shared debt. • Identify the different types of resort-option to debt management.
bankruptcy. What Is a Loan? (10 min.)
• Evaluate the pros and cons of This interactive activity explains
declaring bankruptcy in different
loans, the responsibilities
situations.
of shared debt, and the
• Analyze the impact of consequences of failing to pay
bankruptcy when debt is shared.
loans on time.
• Define a loan.
• Identify responsibilities of Managing Debt (10 min.)
shared debt. This interactive activity describes
• Recognize consequences of desirable and undesirable debt,
failing to pay loans on time. how to seek help with debt
• Compare and contrast desirable repayment and management, and
and undesirable debt. strategies for managing individual
• Identify resources for help and shared debt.
with debt repayment and Defaulting on a Loan (10 min.)
management.
This interactive activity describes
• Formulate strategies for the consequences of failing to pay
managing individual and shared
back loans.
debt.
• Identify the consequences of Consumer Credit Counseling
failing to pay back loans. Services (10 min.)
• Analyze the options available for This interactive activity explores
people who can’t afford to pay consumer credit-counseling
back their loans. services, the services they
• Evaluate the implications of provide, and how to evaluate their
cosigning for a loan that is not legitimacy.
paid back.
• Identify the consequences of
failing to pay back loans.
• Analyze the options available for
people who can’t afford to pay
back their loans.
• Define what a consumer credit
counseling service is and how
they help people.

(continued)

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Achievement ™
JA Personal Finance 2.0
OPTIONAL, STUDENT SELF-GUIDED CURRICULUM OUTLINE

Session Overview Objectives Activities

Session Eleven: This optional, modular session Students will... What Is Your Net Worth? (10min.)
Net Worth consists of three 10-minute, self- • Define net worth. Students explore net worth and the
guided activities focused on net • Explore the process of process of determining net worth.
worth, including shared net worth. determining net worth. Setting Financial Goals (10 min.)
• Summarize the different types Students learn how to set SMART
of net worth. financial goals.
• Investigate the significance of Investing to Build Wealth
shared net worth.
(10min.)
• Calculate their own net worth.
• Identify SMART financial goals Students learn how to build wealth
based on priorities and values. through passive income and long-
• Identify three ways to build term investing.
wealth. .
• Explain how they can build
wealth through passive income.
• Describe how long-term
investing and compounding
interest can build wealth.
• Compare various types of
investment vehicles.
• Explore the pros and cons of
shared investment.

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