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Day 4: NGPF / EverFi Financial Literacy + Paying for College

Lesson Overview
Time 50 minutes
Objectives Complete one financial literacy module from NGPF, EverFi, or Practical Money Skills; identify methods for paying for postsecondary education (FAFSA, scholarships, grants, work-study)
TEKS d(5)(D), d(3)(C)
Deliverable Completed NGPF/EverFi module + Paying for College notes sheet
Materials Chromebooks, NGPF Spending and Saving unit OR EverFi FutureSmart module OR Practical Money Skills budgeting game, printed Paying for College notes sheet, projector

Warm-Up (5 min)

WARM-UP: What is the difference between saving and investing? Which one grows your money faster over time? Write your best guess.

Collect 2-3 guesses. Correct answer: Saving protects your money (you keep what you put in, plus a small amount of interest). Investing grows your money (you may earn 5-10% a year on average if the investment is in stocks, but you can also lose money in bad years). Over 40 years, investing typically wins by a huge margin because of compound growth. This primes the financial literacy module.

Activity 1: Financial Literacy Module (30 min)

Source: NGPF, EverFi, or Practical Money Skills (teacher picks based on availability)

Students work through one selected financial literacy module. Options by source:

Option A: NGPF "Spending and Saving" Unit

  • ngpf.org → Curriculum → Middle School → Spending and Saving
  • Covers: needs vs. wants, decision-making, tracking spending, the cost of small daily expenses
  • Time: 25-30 minutes for one lesson

Option B: EverFi "FutureSmart" Module

  • everfi.com → Middle School → FutureSmart
  • Covers: budgeting, saving, checking/savings accounts, the power of compound interest
  • Time: 25-30 minutes

Option C: Practical Money Skills Budgeting Game

  • practicalmoneyskills.com → Games → Financial Football or Cash Puzzler
  • Covers: budgeting decisions through game-based scenarios
  • Time: 20-25 minutes (more engaging for students who struggle with reading-heavy content)

Teacher selects the module based on what is available at the school and the class's reading level. All three options align with d(5)(D) and d(3)(C) standards.

After the module, students write 2-3 sentences on their notes sheet capturing the most important thing they learned.

Facilitation Tip

Compound interest is the most impactful concept in these modules. If the module covers it, pause after that section and do a quick projection on the board: $100 saved at age 22 grows to $2,172 by age 65 at 8% interest. The same $100 saved at age 35 grows to only $800. Starting early matters enormously.

Activity 2: Paying for College + FAFSA Overview (12 min)

Source: Scope and sequence d(3)(C) + federalstudentaid.gov

Transition: "The H&L budgeting work and financial literacy module covered what life costs AFTER you start your career. But there is also a cost BEFORE, the cost of education and training. Let us talk about how you pay for it."

Walk through the four primary ways to pay for postsecondary education (college, technical school, apprenticeship):

  1. FAFSA, Free Application for Federal Student Aid
  2. Free to complete at fafsa.gov
  3. Opens doors to federal grants, work-study, and subsidized loans
  4. Many scholarships require a FAFSA even if you do not think you need aid

  5. Texas requires FAFSA completion to graduate high school

  6. Scholarships

  7. "Free money" based on grades, activities, essays, heritage, career pathway, or community service
  8. Thousands are available, some are local (Irving ISD, DFW companies), some national

  9. Apply to multiple, small scholarships ($500-$1000) add up quickly

  10. Grants

  11. Like scholarships but usually need-based (e.g., Pell Grant)
  12. Also "free money" — you do not pay back

  13. FAFSA is how you qualify for most grants

  14. Work-Study

  15. Part-time campus jobs for college students
  16. Federal program lets you earn money during school to cover expenses
  17. Also accessed through FAFSA

Students take notes on the Paying for College notes sheet. Emphasize: "Apprenticeships are a fifth option. You get paid instead of paying. That is why construction trades are so attractive for students who want to avoid debt."

DOK 2: How would you compare the financial impact of paying for college with scholarships versus paying with student loans? (d(3)(C))

Exit Ticket (3 min)

EXIT TICKET (Mini-Case / Scenario Application) · Printable PDF:

Scenario: My cousin is a HS senior accepted to UT Arlington. Their family cannot pay tuition. They have a 3.4 GPA, played varsity soccer, and their family income is below $80K.

  1. Rank the TOP 2 payment methods my cousin should pursue FIRST:

  2. Rank 1: FAFSA / Scholarships / Grants / Work-Study. Why: _____

  3. Rank 2: FAFSA / Scholarships / Grants / Work-Study. Why: _____

  4. ONE financial literacy concept I learned TODAY that applies to my cousin's situation (compound interest, budgeting, saving vs. investing, needs vs. wants):

Concept: _____

How it applies in one sentence: _____________

  1. IF my cousin chose an apprenticeship INSTEAD of UT Arlington, how would that CHANGE the payment picture? (Apprenticeships pay the student.)

(d(5)(D), d(3)(C))

Differentiation

  • Support: Pre-select Option C (game-based Practical Money Skills) for students who struggle with reading-heavy content. Games are more accessible and still cover the core d(5)(D) concepts.
  • Extension: Research one specific scholarship available to Irving ISD students or DFW-area students. Report back on: dollar amount, application deadline, and eligibility requirements.
  • ELL: NGPF and EverFi have Spanish versions of some content. If available, assign the Spanish version. Pre-teach: Savings = Ahorros, Investment = Inversión, Scholarship = Beca, Grant = Subvención, FAFSA = Solicitud gratuita de ayuda federal para estudiantes.