Teaching Tips for Lesson 16: Understanding Builds Ownership

This is the sixteenth 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 16. It's inspired by and derived from the song's lyrics.

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

Summary

Lesson: Discuss how understanding the reason why behind a money habit increases responsibility and accountability. When children truly grasp why saving matters, they are more likely to take ownership of their actions and feel responsible for their choices and outcomes. Understanding turns a rule into a meaningful habit kids choose for themselves.

Share with kids: When you understand why something matters, you want to do it yourself. Understanding saving helps you make good choices and feel responsible for your money.

1. Simple Discussion Questions

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

Why do you think saving money is important?
Is it easier to do something when you know why it matters?
How does understanding help you make better choices?
What happens when you take responsibility for your money?
How does saving show that you care about your future?

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

---Micro-Activity 1: Why or Just Because?

Materials: None

Read simple statements aloud and ask kids to respond with Why or Just Because.

Examples:

Saving money so you can reach a goal (Why)
Saving money because someone said so (Just Because)
Putting money aside to be ready later (Why)

Ask:

Which one helps you want to save more?

Purpose: Helps kids see how understanding “why” builds motivation and ownership.

---Micro-Activity 2: My Saving Why

Materials: Paper and crayons (optional)

Ask kids to:

Draw or say one reason why they want to save
Share how that reason helps them remember to save

Have them say:

“I save because it matters to me!”

Purpose: Makes saving personal and meaningful.

3. Challenge Action Step

Challenge:
This week, save money with purpose.

Ask kids to:

Save something at least three times
Say their reason each time they save
Say:
“I know why I save!”

This builds accountability and helps habits stick.

4. Key Vocabulary Words

These words help children connect understanding with responsibility.

Why: The reason something matters

Understand: Knowing something well enough to use it

Responsibility: Taking care of your choices

Accountability: Owning what happens because of your actions

Choice: A decision you make

So when we talk about understanding why, we’re learning that good habits stick when kids choose them for themselves.

Now Check Out Lesson 17

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.

When ready, check out Teaching Tips for Lesson 17: Do Not Quit or Give Up Easily. It focuses on the importance of persistence and not giving up too easily when building good habits.

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!

Contact Sammy Today!

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.