Teaching Tips for Lesson 12: Say You Understand

This is the twelfth of seventeen blogs providing practical teaching tips inspired by the lyrics and concepts from the Sammy Rabbit song Get in the Habit!

In the original blog, How the Sammy Rabbit Song Get in the Habit Teaches Kids 17 Money Lessons — Plus Powerful Vocabulary, we explored how the song supports financial education in three powerful ways:

Through clear, repeatable phrases directly from the song
Through real-world money lessons that naturally emerge when kids discuss and apply those phrases or concepts
Through everyday money language that builds financial vocabulary.

Now, we’re expanding on that foundation with a series of blogs that offer teaching tips for each of the 17 individual lessons embedded in the song. Each blog will include: (1) Simple questions to ignite discussion and learning (2) Two easy-to-implement micro-activities (3) A challenge action step (4) Key words to build personal finance and life-skills vocabulary.

Let’s begin with Lesson 12, built on the phrase: "say you understand!"

For context, the full lyrics for each phrase are:

Come on and clap your hands, say you understand

The full phrase has been intentionally organized into separate lessons, making it easy to teach one concept at a time or combine them as a sequence.

You can click on the following links to find: song lyrics and a karaoke Video.

Summary

Lesson: Discuss why true understanding matters more than memorization. When children really understand a money concept—like saving—they can show it through their actions. Understanding becomes tangible when kids put knowledge into practice and begin building the habit of saving on their own.

Share with kids: Understanding means you know something well enough to do it. When you really understand saving, you show it by actually saving your money—your actions match what you know and what you care about.

1. Simple Discussion Questions

Use one or two—short, easy, and great for home or classroom conversations.

What does it mean to understand something?
Is knowing something the same as doing it?
How can you show you understand saving?
What are some actions that prove you understand?
How does saving show what you know and care about?

2. Two Micro-Activities (2–5 Minutes Each)

Micro-Activity 1: Say It or Show It?

Materials: None

Read simple statements and ask kids to respond with Say It or Show It.

Examples:

“I understand saving” (Say It)
Putting money in a jar (Show It)
Talking about saving (Say It)
Saving money when you get it (Show It)

Ask:

Which one shows understanding better?

Purpose: Reinforces that understanding is demonstrated through action.

Micro-Activity 2: Show You Understand

Materials: Jar, envelope, or pretend money

Ask kids to:

Place one coin or pretend coin into a savings spot

Then say together:

“I understand—and I save!”

Ask:

How does this action show understanding?

Purpose: Makes understanding tangible and action-based.

3. Challenge Action Step

Challenge:
This week, show that you understand saving.

Ask kids to:

Save something at least three times
Each time, say:
“I understand—and I’m saving!”

This builds confidence and ownership over learning.

4. Key Vocabulary Words

These words help children connect knowledge with action.

Understand: Knowing something well enough to use it

*Action: Doing something

*Practice: Doing something again and again

*Habit: Something you do regularly

*Choice: A decision you make

So when we say “say you understand,” it means your actions show what you know.

(Note: Words with an asterisk * are not in the song lyrics, but they are important to this lesson, so we’ve included kid-friendly definitions.)

Now Check Out Lesson 12

This blog is part of a 17-lesson series that uses the Sammy Rabbit song Get in the Habit to make it fun, easy, and effective for anyone to talk with and teach young kids about great money habits.

Lesson 12 coming soon!

Additional Songs and Fun Resources

Keep:

kids listening, learning, singing and growing with a FREE or PREMIUM Money School Memberships.
parents, teachers, and community leaders learning and growing their financial literacy teaching skills by reading Sam X Renick's series of articles: Money Lessons Parents Should Teach Kids!
delivering financial education at home, in school, and other venues with Sammy's Dream Big Financial Education curriculum!

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We welcome your questions, suggestions, and ideas! Let’s connect, brainstorm, and partner to keep helping kids, families, and communities build strong financial literacy knowledge, habits, and skills—so together, we can create better and brighter futures for all.