YFLP — Youth Financial Literacy Project
The YFLP learning pathway

From first money habits to financial independence.

Four levels of financial learning, organized for grades 5–12. Grade ranges guide placement; teachers can choose what fits their students.

4 levels38 units410 planned lessons
Level 1 · Grades 5–6

Financial Foundations

Understand money and develop basic habits around earning, saving, spending, budgeting, and financial decision-making.

8 units Level 2 · Grades 7–8

Financial Essentials

Move from understanding money to actually learning how to manage it.

9 units Level 3 · Grades 9–10

Financial Preparation

Prepare students for increasingly independent financial decisions during high school and early adulthood.

10 units Level 4 · Grades 11–12

Financial Independence

Give students the financial knowledge they need to transition from high school into independent adult life.

11 units

This catalog contains the curriculum structure and lesson outlines. Full teaching content is in development; classroom assignments use lessons published by your school.

Level 1 · Grades 5–6

Financial Foundations

Understand money and develop basic habits around earning, saving, spending, budgeting, and financial decision-making.

Unit 1

Understanding Money

8 planned lessons
  1. What Is Money?
    • Purpose of money
    • Forms of money
    • Medium of exchange
    • Store of value
    • Unit of account
  2. Why Does Money Have Value?
    • Trust in money
    • Fiat money
    • Purchasing power
    • Inflation introduction
  3. Needs vs. Wants
    • Identifying needs
    • Identifying wants
    • Prioritizing spending
    • How circumstances affect needs and wants
  4. Scarcity and Choice
    • Limited resources
    • Money, time, materials, and natural resources
    • Why scarcity requires choices
  5. Opportunity Cost
    • Trade-offs
    • Giving something up to choose something else
    • Comparing choices
  6. How People Earn Money
    • Jobs
    • Wages
    • Salaries
    • Businesses
    • Other basic income sources
  7. How Businesses Make Money
    • Customers
    • Revenue
    • Expenses
    • Profit
  8. How Money Moves Through the Economy
    • Consumers
    • Businesses
    • Workers
    • Banks
    • Government

Unit 1 Review & Assessment

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Unit 2

Earning & Income

8 planned lessons
  1. What Is Income?
  2. Types of Income
  3. Jobs and Wages
  4. Salary vs. Hourly Pay
  5. Gross vs. Net Income
  6. Understanding a Basic Paycheck
  7. Introduction to Entrepreneurship
  8. Skills, Education & Income

Unit 2 Review & Assessment

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Unit 3

Saving Money

8 planned lessons
  1. Why People Save
  2. Short-Term vs. Long-Term Savings
  3. Setting a Savings Goal
  4. Creating a Savings Plan
  5. Saving a Percentage of Income
  6. Emergency Savings
  7. Interest and How Savings Can Grow
  8. Making Saving a Habit

Unit 3 Review & Assessment

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Unit 4

Banking Basics

8 planned lessons
  1. What Is a Bank?
  2. Checking Accounts
  3. Savings Accounts
  4. Deposits and Withdrawals
  5. Debit Cards
  6. ATMs
  7. Bank Account Balances
  8. Keeping Your Money and Account Information Safe

Unit 4 Review & Assessment

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Unit 5

Spending & Budgeting

8 planned lessons
  1. What Is a Budget?
  2. Income and Expenses
  3. Fixed vs. Variable Expenses
  4. Creating a Simple Budget
  5. Tracking Spending
  6. Planning Before Spending
  7. Saving vs. Spending
  8. Adjusting a Budget

Unit 5 Review & Assessment

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Unit 6

Smart Consumer Skills

8 planned lessons
  1. Being a Smart Consumer
  2. Comparing Prices
  3. Unit Prices
  4. Sales and Discounts
  5. Advertising and Marketing
  6. Impulse Purchases
  7. Reviews and Product Research
  8. Making Informed Purchases

Unit 6 Review & Assessment

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Unit 7

Financial Safety

7 planned lessons
  1. Protecting Personal Information
  2. Password and Account Safety
  3. What Is Identity Theft?
  4. Common Financial Scams
  5. Online Shopping Safety
  6. Recognizing Suspicious Messages
  7. What to Do If Something Goes Wrong

Unit 7 Review & Assessment

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Unit 8

Financial Decision-Making

8 planned lessons
  1. How Financial Decisions Work
  2. Comparing Your Options
  3. Costs and Benefits
  4. Short-Term vs. Long-Term Consequences
  5. Financial Goals
  6. Making a Financial Plan
  7. Learning From Financial Mistakes
  8. Building Healthy Money Habits
Open unit outline
Level 1 Final Assessment / Financial Foundations Challenge