Teacher
Teacher
Unit overview, suggested pacing, objectives for every lesson, and the numbers to check each year.
Unit overview
Consumer Math prepares students for the money decisions that arrive right after high school. Each lesson has a plain-language explanation, a worked example with real numbers, a calculator, practice problems with hidden answers, and a "Can you…" checklist that saves progress on the student's own device. No logins, no tracking, nothing collected.
Each lesson is planned for one or two 45–60 minute class periods. Case studies end with discussion questions for small groups or a written response.
Suggested pacing (9 weeks)
| When | Lesson | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Paychecks and budgeting | Start here: every later lesson uses take-home pay. |
| Week 2 | Banking and savings · Savings accounts and your brain | Pair with NGPF COMPARE: Types of Savings Accounts (jigsaw: one account type per team). |
| Week 3 | Credit and debt | Card payoff calculator; student loans + FAFSA. |
| Week 4 | Insurance | Compare plans in a good year vs. a bad year. |
| Week 5 | Renting your first place | Students check a real local listing. |
| Week 6 | Buying a car | Students price a real used car and a loan. |
| Week 7 | Saving and investing basics | Start early vs. start big. |
| Week 8 | The fall of Nokia | Reading + discussion + percent change (1–2 days). |
| Week 9 | Study a company | Worksheet on a real company; short presentations. |
Learning objectives
Money Basics After High School
Banking and savings
- Compare checking, savings, and high-yield savings accounts, and banks vs. credit unions
- Explain APY vs. interest rate and calculate compound growth
- Identify deposit insurance limits and common fees (overdraft, minimum balance)
Savings accounts and your brain
- Compare traditional savings, online savings, certificates of deposit, and money market accounts
- Match an account type to a savings goal and timeline
- Name five cognitive biases that affect saving and a fix for each
- Calculate what leaving money in a low-rate account costs
Paychecks and budgeting
- Distinguish gross pay from net pay and name each paycheck deduction
- Estimate federal income tax using marginal brackets and the standard deduction
- Fill out a first W-4 with confidence
- Build a monthly budget using 50/30/20
Credit and debt
- Name the five factors in a FICO score and how to build credit from zero
- Calculate monthly credit card interest from an APR
- Compare payoff time and interest for fixed vs. minimum payments
- Describe how federal student loans work and estimate a payment
Insurance
- Define premium, deductible, copay, coinsurance, and out-of-pocket maximum
- Calculate yearly cost of a health plan for different amounts of medical bills
- Describe the basics of health, auto, renters, and life insurance
Renting your first place
- Apply the 30% of income guideline to find a rent limit
- Calculate move-in costs and split costs fairly with roommates
- Read the key terms of a lease and avoid losing a security deposit
Buying a car
- List the costs of owning a car beyond the purchase price
- Compare new vs. used, and paying cash vs. financing vs. leasing
- Calculate a monthly payment and total interest for different loan terms
- Spot common dealer tactics and plan an inspection and test drive
Saving and investing basics
- Size an emergency fund from monthly expenses
- Explain an employer 401(k) match, a Roth IRA, and an index fund
- Show with compound growth why starting early matters more than starting big
Case Studies
The fall of Nokia
- Describe how Nokia went from market leader to selling its phone business
- Explain how pride in past success (hubris) and fear of bad news led to slow decisions
- Calculate percent change in market share and share price
- Connect one company's collapse to why investors diversify
Study a company
- Define revenue, profit, debt, market cap, and P/E ratio
- Calculate profit margin, EPS, P/E, and market cap from basic numbers
- Explain diversification and why index funds are a common default
- Research a real public company and complete the worksheet
Numbers to update
Rates and limits change. They all live in src/content/facts.ts: change the value and its "as of" date, run npm run deploy, and every lesson and calculator updates. Check these each fall (new tax numbers come out in October/November).
| Source | As of |
|---|---|
| FDIC: Understanding deposit insurance | Oct 2026 |
| NCUA: Share insurance coverage | Oct 2026 |
| IRS: tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2026 (Rev. Proc. 2025-32) | Tax year 2026 |
| SSA: 2026 Social Security changes fact sheet | 2026 |
| IRS: Topic 751, Social Security and Medicare withholding rates | 2026 |
| IRS: 401(k) limit increases to $24,500 for 2026, IRA limit to $7,500 | 2026 |
| Federal Student Aid: Direct Loan interest rates for 2026–27 | Loans first paid out Jul 1, 2026 – Jun 30, 2027 |
| Federal Reserve G.19 via FRED: credit card interest rate, all accounts | May 2026 (all accounts; about 22% on accounts actually charged interest) |
| AAA: Your Driving Costs 2025 | 2025 study |
| AAA: Your Driving Costs 2025 | 2025 study (full coverage) |
| FDIC: National rates and rate caps | Oct 19, 2026 |
| Federal Reserve: Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households (SHED), unexpected expenses | 2025 survey |
| HealthCare.gov: Coverage for children under 26 | Oct 2026 |
Printables
Printing any lesson shows all practice answers, so print lessons as answer keys and the worksheet for students.