Standards-Aligned Financial Literacy Lesson Plans on Spending Smart. Featured Resource: Song — Don't Spend More Than You Make
Core Concept Across All Grades:
Spending within your limits builds confidence, stability, and strong money habits.
K–2 Lesson Plan
Grade Band: K–2 (Ages 5–7)
Theme: Basic Awareness & Limits
Big Idea
I shouldn’t spend more than I have.
Learning Objective (Student-Friendly)
“I can stop and think before I spend money.”
Standards Alignment
CEE – Decision Making: Simple choices and consequences
CEE – Money Management: Limits and balance
Jump$tart – Money Management: Responsible spending
CASEL: Self-management, impulse awareness
Materials
Play coins or counters
Simple “wallet” (cup or envelope)
Lesson Flow (15–20 minutes)
1. Warm-Up Conversation (3 minutes)
Ask:
“What happens if you give away all your snacks?”
“What if you try to use more than you have?”
Teacher script:
“Money works the same way. You can’t spend more than you have.”
2. Listen & Repeat (5 minutes)
Play the song.
Have students repeat the rule aloud:
“Don’t spend more than you make!”
Clap once for “don’t,” twice for “spend,” three times for “make.”
3. Guided Discussion (5 minutes)
Ask:
“Why do we need limits?”
“How do limits help us?”
Key takeaway:
“Limits help us feel safe and in control.”
4. Practice Activity (5 minutes)
Give each student 5 coins.
Teacher offers pretend items costing 1–6 coins
Students decide whether they can buy it
Reinforce:
“If you don’t have enough, you wait.”
Assessment (Informal)
Students can:
Say the rule
Decide whether they can afford an item
Take-Home Connection
“Before you spend, stop and ask: Do I have enough?”
Grades 3–5 Lesson Plan
Grade Band: 3–5 (Ages 8–10)
Theme: Balance & Planning
Big Idea
What I spend should match what I earn.
Learning Objective
Students will explain why spending more than they earn causes problems and how planning helps avoid mistakes.
Standards Alignment
CEE – Decision Making: Costs and benefits
CEE – Money Management: Balance and planning
Jump$tart – Financial Decision Making: Avoiding overspending
NFEC: Responsible money behavior
CASEL: Self-control, accountability
Materials
Whiteboard or chart paper
Simple income vs. spending scenarios
Lesson Flow (20–25 minutes)
1. Warm-Up Question (5 minutes)
Ask:
“What happens if you spend your allowance on day one?”
Introduce:
“That’s called overspending.”
2. Song Analysis (5 minutes)
Play the song.
Ask:
“What warning does the song give?”
“Why is it important?”
Write on board:
Earn → Plan → Spend → Save
3. Scenario Activity (10 minutes)
Present scenarios:
Earn $10, want to spend $12
Earn $10, plan to spend $7
Ask:
“Which one works?”
“Which one causes stress?”
Discuss:
“Overspending creates problems—even without borrowing.”
4. Reflection (5 minutes)
Students complete:
“One way I can avoid overspending is…”
“A smart spending choice is…”
Assessment
Students can:
Explain why spending must match earning
Identify overspending as a problem
Take-Home Extension
“Track one spending choice this week and reflect on it.”
Grades 6–8 Lesson Plan
Grade Band: 6–8 (Ages 11–13)
Theme: Responsibility & Consequences
Big Idea
Overspending causes problems now and later.
Learning Objective
Students will analyze the consequences of spending more than they earn and connect the habit to future financial decisions.
Standards Alignment
CEE – Decision Making: Short- and long-term consequences
CEE – Money Management: Living within means
Jump$tart – Money Management: Budgeting foundations
NFEC: Intentional decision-making
CASEL: Self-management, foresight
Materials
Scenario comparison sheets
Optional simple budget outline
Lesson Flow (30 minutes)
1. Opening Question (5 minutes)
Ask:
“Why do people overspend even when they know better?”
Discuss impulse, pressure, and emotions.
2. Song as a Warning System (5 minutes)
Play the song.
Ask:
“What problem is the song trying to prevent?”
“Why repeat this rule?”
Introduce:
“Simple rules protect us from big mistakes.”
3. Scenario Comparison (10 minutes)
Compare:
Person A spends within income
Person B spends more and borrows
Ask:
“Who feels more stressed?”
“Who has more options later?”
Connect to:
Budgeting
Credit
Debt (introductory, no detail)
4. Personal Application (10 minutes)
Students write:
One spending habit they want to improve
One strategy to pause before spending
One future goal overspending could affect
Assessment
Students can:
Explain consequences of overspending
Connect spending habits to future outcomes
Real-World Extension
Tie to:
Allowances or part-time work
Subscriptions and impulse buys
Preparing for budgeting and credit lessons
Teacher Notes (All Grades)
Emphasize awareness before restriction
Avoid shame; focus on learning and growth
Reinforce that mistakes are learning opportunities
Pair with saving and earning lessons for balance
Bottom Line
Don’t Spend More Than You Make! helps children understand that:
Good money habits start with knowing your limits—and choosing to live within them.
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