{"id":6281,"date":"2025-07-10T22:54:03","date_gmt":"2025-07-11T02:54:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/materamabilis.org\/ma\/?page_id=6281"},"modified":"2025-12-15T11:48:52","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T15:48:52","slug":"high-school-financial-literacy-and-society","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/materamabilis.org\/ma\/high-school-level-5-6\/high-school-government-economics-and-civics\/high-school-financial-literacy-and-society\/","title":{"rendered":"High School Financial Literacy and Society"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"color: #c4a990;\">High School Economics: Financial Literacy and Society<\/span><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Recommended for any high school level. This course is designed to be completed once a year over two years for a half credit (0.5).<\/p>\n<p>This course may be completed in addition to the American Government and Economics courses, though you may want to substitute something else for\u00a0<em>Centesimus Annus<\/em> as it appears in both sets of lesson plans.<\/p>\n<p>This course should meet state requirements for a Financial Literacy course, though you should confirm all required concepts are covered.<\/p>\n<p>All previous versions of lesson plans can be found on the <a href=\"https:\/\/materamabilis.org\/ma\/archived-lesson-plans\/\">Archived Lesson Plans<\/a> page.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><div class=\"scbb-content-box scbb-rounded-corners\" style=\"background-color: #f8f6f0\"> \n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"color: #c4a990\">Course Description<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>This course equips students with essential financial decision-making skills while exploring the broader economic and ethical dimensions of money management. The first half focuses on practical personal finance skills including budgeting, debt management, saving strategies, investing basics, insurance, and consumer protection. The second half examines how individual financial choices impact society, business ethics, economic systems, and environmental stewardship. Students engage with Catholic social teaching and ethical frameworks to understand how financial decisions can reflect moral values and contribute to the common good. Students will practice real-world financial skills through simulations, case studies, and hands-on projects that prepare them for adult financial responsibilities while developing a conscience-informed approach to economic participation.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><\/span><\/p><\/div><div class=\"scbb-content-box scbb-rounded-corners\" style=\"background-color: #f8f6f0\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"color: #c4a990\">Books and Resources<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<h6>Mater Amabilis participates in affiliate programs with Amazon and Living Book Press.<\/h6>\n<p><strong>Personal Finance:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World Through Generosity: A Catholic Guide to Managing Your Money<\/em>, Teixeira and Teixeira [<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/4eOEp8Y\">Amaz<\/a>]<\/li>\n<li><em>The Instant Economist: Everything You Need to Know About How the Economy Works,\u00a0<\/em>Taylor [<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3UaedM8\">Amaz<\/a>]<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Society:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Force for Good: The Catholic Guide to Business Integrity<\/em>, Engelland [<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/4lS6xu5\">Amaz<\/a>]<\/li>\n<li><em>Small is Still Beautiful: Economics as if Families Mattered<\/em>, Pearce [<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/4lN5XO6\">Amaz<\/a>]<\/li>\n<li><em>What Matters?: Economics for a Renewed Commonwealth<\/em>, Berry [<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/40dSCGi\">Amaz<\/a>]<\/li>\n<li><em>Centesimus Annus<\/em>, Pope St. John Paul II [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.vatican.va\/content\/john-paul-ii\/en\/encyclicals\/documents\/hf_jp-ii_enc_01051991_centesimus-annus.html\">Vatican<\/a>]<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Implementation:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Students should be offered the opportunity to practice financial skills. Some recommendations include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Opening a savings account<\/li>\n<li>Opening a debit\/checking account<\/li>\n<li>Writing a check (or using an app\/online website to pay a bill)<\/li>\n<li>Setting long-term and short-term savings goals<\/li>\n<li>Comparison shopping for a larger purchase<\/li>\n<li>Signing up for a subscription service (reading carefully for the terms of service, how to cancel, etc.)<\/li>\n<li>Purchasing a savings bond<\/li>\n<li>Getting a job (and completing the tax return)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.stockmarketgame.org\/\">The Stock Market Game<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Researching for the purchase of a vehicle<\/li>\n<li>Researching auto insurance plans<\/li>\n<li>Planning, budgeting, and purchasing ingredients for a meal (and making it!)<\/li>\n<li>Planning, budgeting, and purchasing materials for a party (or other event, etc)<\/li>\n<li>Checking a credit score and reading a credit report<\/li>\n<li>Using a net-price calculator on a college website and comparing estimated college costs<\/li>\n<li>Researching mortgage rates and other home-buying information\n<ul>\n<li>Recommended resources: <a href=\"https:\/\/join1440.com\/t\/homeownership\">1440&#8217;s page on Homeownership<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"scbb-content-box scbb-rounded-corners\" style=\"background-color: #f8f6f0\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"color: #c4a990\">Lesson plans for year 1<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>All readings are narrated, orally or in writing.<\/p>\n<p>TERM 1<\/p>\n<p>Week 1<br \/>\nDay 1: How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World through Generosity, Introduction and Chapter 1 &#8211; What to Expect from this Book<\/p>\n<p>Week 2<br \/>\nDay 2: How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World through Generosity, Chapter 2 &#8211; What Is Money, Anyway?<\/p>\n<p>Week 3<br \/>\nDay 3: How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World through Generosity, Chapter 3 &#8211; Recipe for Success: Introducing the WalletWin Method<\/p>\n<p>Week 4<br \/>\nDay 4: How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World through Generosity, Chapter 4 &#8211; Money Mindset<\/p>\n<p>Week 5<br \/>\nDay 5: How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World through Generosity, Chapter 5 &#8211; Live with a Budget<\/p>\n<p>Week 6<br \/>\nDay 6: How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World through Generosity, Chapter 6 &#8211; Insure Yourself<\/p>\n<p>Week 7<br \/>\nDay 7: How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World through Generosity, Chapter 7 &#8211; Starter Rainy Day Fund<\/p>\n<p>Week 8<br \/>\nDay 8: How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World through Generosity, Chapter 8 &#8211; Get a Month Ahead<\/p>\n<p>Week 9<br \/>\nDay 9: How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World through Generosity, Chapter 9 &#8211; Debt Payoff<\/p>\n<p>Week 10<br \/>\nDay 10: How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World through Generosity, Chapter 10 &#8211; Full Rainy Day Fund<\/p>\n<p>Week 11<br \/>\nDay 11: Make-up<\/p>\n<p>WEEK 12: DAYS 56-60 MAKEUP\/EXAM WEEK<\/p>\n<p>Examination questions for exam week<br \/>\nTo be answered as short in-class essays, taking roughly 30-45 minutes each.<br \/>\nThe student will choose one of the questions to answer.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>What is the WalletWin method?<\/li>\n<li>How would you apply some of the finance skills you have learned about this term?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>TERM 2<\/p>\n<p>Week 13<br \/>\nDay 13: How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World through Generosity, Chapter 11 &#8211; Save a Down Payment<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px\">Recommended resource: <a href=\"https:\/\/join1440.com\/t\/homeownership\">1440&#8217;s page on Homeownership<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Week 14<br \/>\nDay 14: How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World through Generosity, Chapter 12 &#8211; Contribute to Your Retirement<\/p>\n<p>Week 15<br \/>\nDay 15: How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World through Generosity, Chapter 13 &#8211; Save for Your Kids&#8217; College<\/p>\n<p>Week 16<br \/>\nDay 16: How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World through Generosity, Chapter 14 &#8211; Pay off the House<\/p>\n<p>Week 17<br \/>\nDay 17: How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World through Generosity, Chapter 15 &#8211; Live Generously<\/p>\n<p>Week 18<br \/>\nDay 18: How to Attack Debt, Build Savings, and Change the World through Generosity, Chapter 16 &#8211; Be Wealthy (Without Losing Your Soul) and Conclusion<\/p>\n<p>Week 19<br \/>\nDay 19: The Instant Economist, Chapter 1 &#8211; How Economists Think<\/p>\n<p>Week 20<br \/>\nDay 20: The Instant Economist, Chapter 2 &#8211; Division of Labor<\/p>\n<p>Week 21<br \/>\nDay 21: The Instant Economist, Chapter 3 &#8211; Supply and Demand<\/p>\n<p>Week 22<br \/>\nDay 22: The Instant Economist, Chapter 4 &#8211; Price Floors and Ceilings<\/p>\n<p>Week 23<br \/>\nDay 23: Make-up<\/p>\n<p>WEEK 24: MAKEUP\/EXAM WEEK<\/p>\n<p>Examination questions for exam week<br \/>\nTo be answered as short in-class essays, taking roughly 30-45 minutes each.<br \/>\nThe student will choose one of the questions to answer.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>What have you learned about saving?<\/li>\n<li>What have you learned about the economy?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>TERM 3<\/p>\n<p>Week 25<br \/>\nDay 25: The Instant Economist, Chapter 6 &#8211; The Labor Market and Wages<\/p>\n<p>Week 26<br \/>\nDay 26: The Instant Economist, Chapter 7 &#8211; Financial Markets and Rates of Return<\/p>\n<p>Week 27<br \/>\nDay 27: The Instant Economist, Chapter 8 &#8211; Personal Investing<\/p>\n<p>Week 28<br \/>\nDay 28: Life Hack: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lifehack.org\/325117\/why-you-should-start-investing-early-possible-infographic\">Why You Should Start Investing As Early As Possible [Infographic]<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Week 29<br \/>\nDay 29: The Instant Economist, Chapter 14 &#8211; Public Goods AND CFPB: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.consumerfinance.gov\/ask-cfpb\/what-are-some-classic-warning-signs-of-possible-fraud-and-scams-en-2094\/\">What are some classic warning signs of possible fraud and scams?<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Week 30<br \/>\nDay 30: The Instant Economist, Chapter 15 &#8211; Poverty and Welfare Programs<\/p>\n<p>Week 31<br \/>\nDay 31: The Instant Economist, Chapter 17 &#8211; Imperfect Information and Insurance<\/p>\n<p>Week 32<br \/>\nDay 32: The Instant Economist, Chapter 29 &#8211; Money and Banking<\/p>\n<p>Week 33<br \/>\nDay 33: The College Investor: <a href=\"https:\/\/thecollegeinvestor.com\/student-loan-guide\/\">The Definitive Guide To Student Loan Debt<\/a> Chapters 1-4<\/p>\n<p>Week 34<br \/>\nDay 34: Optional &#8211; The College Investor: <a href=\"https:\/\/thecollegeinvestor.com\/student-loan-guide\/\">The Definitive Guide To Student Loan Debt<\/a> Chapters 5-10 &#8211; These chapters may have useful information, but it&#8217;s also possible that much of this information has changed in the intervening years.<\/p>\n<p>Week 35<br \/>\nDay 35: Make-up<\/p>\n<p>WEEK 36: MAKEUP\/EXAM WEEK<\/p>\n<p>Examination questions for exam week<br \/>\nTo be answered as short in-class essays, taking roughly 30-45 minutes each.<br \/>\nThe student will choose one of the questions to answer.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>What have you learned about investing?<\/li>\n<li>What have you learned about insurance?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><\/span><\/p><\/div> <div class=\"scbb-content-box scbb-rounded-corners\" style=\"background-color: #f8f6f0\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"color: #c4a990\">Lesson plans for year 2<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>All readings are narrated, orally or in writing.<\/p>\n<p>TERM 1<\/p>\n<p>Week 1<br \/>\nDay 37: Force For Good, Introduction<\/p>\n<p>Week 2<br \/>\nDay 38: Force For Good, Chapter 1: Doing Business the Right Way<\/p>\n<p>Week 3<br \/>\nDay 39: Force For Good, Chapter 2: A Firm Foundation for Right and Wrong<\/p>\n<p>Week 4<br \/>\nDay 40: Force For Good, Chapter 3: Finding Clarity in the Big Picture<\/p>\n<p>Week 5<br \/>\nDay 41: Force For Good, Chapter 4: Character Counts<\/p>\n<p>Week 6<br \/>\nDay 42: Force For Good, Chapter 5: Integrity-Infused Employee Relationships<\/p>\n<p>Week 7<br \/>\nDay 43: Force For Good, Chapter 6: Integrity-Infused Customer Relationships<\/p>\n<p>Week 8<br \/>\nDay 44: Force For Good, Chapter 7: Integrity, Regulation, and Society<\/p>\n<p>Week 9<br \/>\nDay 45: Force For Good, Chapter 8: Conditions that Lead to Good Decisions<\/p>\n<p>Week 10<br \/>\nDay 46: Force For Good, Chapter 9: Creating an Integrity-Infused Organization<\/p>\n<p>Week 11<br \/>\nDay 47: Make-up<\/p>\n<p>WEEK 12: DAYS 56-60 MAKEUP\/EXAM WEEK<\/p>\n<p>Examination questions for exam week<br \/>\nTo be answered as short in-class essays, taking roughly 30-45 minutes each.<br \/>\nThe student will choose one of the questions to answer.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>How should the principles of Catholic Social Doctrine (or Teaching) inform business practices? Consider such principles as human dignity, solidarity, subsidiarity, and common good.<\/li>\n<li>What must individuals do to keep from living a \u201cdivided life,\u201d in which they leave their personal character and values at home?<\/li>\n<li>Can free markets really make moral determinations? What are the potential limitations to markets and how can we address them?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>TERM 2<\/p>\n<p>Week 13<br \/>\nDay 49: Small Is Still Beautiful, Chapter I: Beginnings and Ends<\/p>\n<p>Week 14<br \/>\nDay 50: Small Is Still Beautiful, Chapter II: Malignant Growth<\/p>\n<p>Week 15<br \/>\nDay 51: Small Is Still Beautiful, Chapter V: Mechanistic and Materialistic<\/p>\n<p>Week 16<br \/>\nDay 52: Small Is Still Beautiful, Chapter VII: The Cult of Bigness<\/p>\n<p>Week 17<br \/>\nDay 53: Small Is Still Beautiful, Chapter XVIII: Ends and Beginnings<\/p>\n<p>Week 18<br \/>\nDay 54: What Matters?, Money Versus Goods pp 3-17 (stop at the break before &#8220;To a ground-level observer\u2026&#8221;)<\/p>\n<p>Week 19<br \/>\nDay 55: What Matters?, Money Versus Goods pp 17-30<\/p>\n<p>Week 20<br \/>\nDay 56: What Matters?, An Argument for Diversity pp 75-88<\/p>\n<p>Week 21<br \/>\nDay 57: What Matters?, Waste pp 157-160<\/p>\n<p>Week 22<br \/>\nDay 58: What Matters?, Conserving Forest Communities pp 161-176<\/p>\n<p>Week 23<br \/>\nDay 59: What Matters?, The Total Economy pp 176-193<\/p>\n<p>WEEK 24: MAKEUP\/EXAM WEEK<\/p>\n<p>Examination questions for exam week<br \/>\nTo be answered as short in-class essays, taking roughly 30-45 minutes each.<br \/>\nThe student will choose one of the questions to answer.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Tell what you learned about our current economic system from the Small Is Still Beautiful essays.<\/li>\n<li>Describe how Wendell Berry (What Matters?) envisions an economy based on conservation (renewable resources) as opposed to consumption.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>TERM 3<\/p>\n<p>Week 25<br \/>\nDay 61: Centesimus Annus, Introduction<\/p>\n<p>Week 26<br \/>\nDay 62: Centesimus Annus, I. Characteristics of &#8220;Rerum Novarum&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Week 27<br \/>\nDay 63: Centesimus Annus, II. Towards the &#8220;New Things&#8221; of Today<\/p>\n<p>Week 28<br \/>\nDay 64: Centesimus Annus, III. The Year 1989<\/p>\n<p>Week 29<br \/>\nDay 65: Centesimus Annus, IV. Private Property and the Universal Destination of Natural Goods<\/p>\n<p>Week 30<br \/>\nDay 66: Centesimus Annus, V. State and Culture<\/p>\n<p>Week 31<br \/>\nDay 67: Centesimus Annus, VI. Man Is the Way of the Church<\/p>\n<p>Week 32<br \/>\nDay 68: Choose a recommendation from the implementation list.<\/p>\n<p>Week 33<br \/>\nDay 69: Choose a recommendation from the implementation list.<\/p>\n<p>Week 34<br \/>\nDay 70: Choose a recommendation from the implementation list.<\/p>\n<p>Week 35<br \/>\nDay 71: Make-up<\/p>\n<p>WEEK 36: MAKEUP\/EXAM WEEK<\/p>\n<p>Examination questions for exam week<br \/>\nTo be answered as short in-class essays, taking roughly 30-45 minutes each.<br \/>\nThe student will choose one of the questions to answer.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Tell what you remember from Centesimus Annus.<\/li>\n<li>Tell how you have been able to put into practice any of the skills you have learned in this financial literacy course.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><\/p><\/div><\/p>\n<p>Copyright \u00a9 2025 Mater Amabilis<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>High School Economics: Financial Literacy and Society Recommended for any high school level. This course is designed to be completed once a year over two years for a half credit (0.5). This course may be completed in addition to the American Government and Economics courses, though you may want to substitute something else for\u00a0Centesimus Annus &#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/materamabilis.org\/ma\/high-school-level-5-6\/high-school-government-economics-and-civics\/high-school-financial-literacy-and-society\/\" class=\"more-link\">Read More <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">about  High School Financial Literacy and Society<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":4838,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":{"0":"post-6281","1":"page","2":"type-page","3":"status-publish","5":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/materamabilis.org\/ma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6281","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/materamabilis.org\/ma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/materamabilis.org\/ma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/materamabilis.org\/ma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/materamabilis.org\/ma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6281"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/materamabilis.org\/ma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6281\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6389,"href":"https:\/\/materamabilis.org\/ma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6281\/revisions\/6389"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/materamabilis.org\/ma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4838"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/materamabilis.org\/ma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6281"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}