Course Plan: Business & Finance for Multi-Age Homeschool Group (Grades K–5)

Course Overview

Duration: 4 Weeks
Total Lessons: 20
Target Audience: Grades K–5
Mentor Text: Civic Square: The Grand Opening
Course Goals and Aims:

To introduce students to fundamental concepts of business and finance through real-world scenarios.
To develop reading, writing, grammar, and math skills in the context of personal finance and entrepreneurship.
To engage students in hands-on activities and roleplay simulations that foster practical understanding and application of learned concepts.
To encourage teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving while reflecting on real-world decision-making in a safe learning environment.

Weekly Breakdown

Week 1: Business & Finance

Lesson 1: Introduction to Business

Objective: Students will understand the basics of business and why businesses exist.
Activities: Read Chapter 1 of Civic Square: The Grand Opening, followed by a group discussion. Create a "What is a Business?" poster.
GSE Standards: ELAGSEKRL1, ELAGSEKRI7

Lesson 2: Types of Businesses

Objective: Identify different types of businesses (e.g., retail, service) and their purposes.
Activities: Group brainstorming to categorize local businesses. K–2 will create a drawing booklet of business types; 3–5 will write a paragraph describing each type.
GSE Standards: ELAGSEKRI4, ELAGSE3W2

Lesson 3: Store Design and Budgeting

Objective: Learn basic budgeting skills through store design.
Activities: Students design a store layout (K–2 create blueprints; 3–5 use graph paper) and list necessary items. Introduce budgeting concept and have students allocate fake currency to their designs.
GSE Standards: ELAGSE2MD6, MAFS.K12.MP1

Lesson 4: Marketing a Business

Objective: Discover ways businesses attract customers.
Activities: Create a simple marketing flyer for their store (K–2 as a colorful drawing; 3–5 using persuasive language).
GSE Standards: ELAGSE2W5, ELAGSE5W1

Lesson 5: Business Simulation

Objective: Participate in a mini-economy to experience running a business.
Activities: Set up classroom "businesses" using designs and budgets. Roleplay transactions with fake currency.
GSE Standards: ELAGSE5SL1, MAFS.K12.MP5

Week 2: Bank Careers

Lesson 6: What is a Bank?

Objective: Understand the role of banks in the economy.
Activities: Read Chapter 2 of Civic Square: The Grand Opening. Discuss the functions of banks. Create a "What is a Bank?" poster.
GSE Standards: ELAGSEKRL1, ELAGSE3RI3

Lesson 7: Careers in Banking

Objective: Explore various job roles within banks.
Activities: Research different banking careers. K–2 will create a job chart with pictures; 3–5 will write job descriptions.
GSE Standards: ELAGSE2RI6, ELAGSE5W7

Lesson 8: Bank Booth Design

Objective: Design and set up a mock bank booth.
Activities: Using STEM materials, create a bank booth setup incorporating visual elements. K–2 focuses on colors and shapes, while 3–5 incorporates budget and design plans.
GSE Standards: MAFS.K12.MP2, MAFS.3.MD.5

Lesson 9: Savings Tracker Creation

Objective: Create a personal savings tracker.
Activities: Develop a simple savings tracker using tables (K–2 will create a poster; 3–5 will use digital tools).
GSE Standards: ELAGSE3W6, MAFS.K12.MP4

Lesson 10: Roleplay as Bankers

Objective: Roleplay different banking scenarios.
Activities: Simulate a day at the bank, where students take on banking roles such as tellers and loan officers.
GSE Standards: ELAGSE4SL1, MAFS.3.OA.3

Week 3: Investment & Stock Market

Lesson 11: What is Investing?

Objective: Understand the basic concept of investments.
Activities: Explore the idea of stocks; discuss why people invest. Read relevant portions of Civic Square.
GSE Standards: ELAGSEKRL1, ELAGSE5RI2

Lesson 12: The Stock Market Basics

Objective: Learn how the stock market works.
Activities: Create a simple class stock trading simulation where students can "buy" shares.
GSE Standards: ELAGSE4RI4, MAFS.4.MD.1

Lesson 13: Investment Tracking

Objective: Track "investments" and calculate gains/losses.
Activities: Use a tracking sheet to record stocks. K–2 will use visuals, while 3–5 will calculate percentage gains.
GSE Standards: MAFS.1.OA.3, MAFS.4.NF.C.5

Lesson 14: Graphing Investments

Objective: Create graphs to visualize investment performance.
Activities: Teach basic graphing skills and have students create their investment graphs.
GSE Standards: MAFS.K12.MP6, MAFS.3.G.2

Lesson 15: Mock Stock Presentation

Objective: Present their stock market strategy and findings.
Activities: Each student shares their “portfolio” and discusses their investment choices.
GSE Standards: ELAGSE5SL5, MAFS.4.G.2

Week 4: Insurance Careers

Lesson 16: Understanding Insurance

Objective: Learn what insurance is and its importance.
Activities: Read Chapter 3 of Civic Square: The Grand Opening and discuss benefits of insurance.
GSE Standards: ELAGSEKRI1, ELAGSE4RI1

Lesson 17: Careers in Insurance

Objective: Explore various job roles within insurance.
Activities: Investigate different insurance careers. K–2 will create a "career wheel"; 3–5 will conduct a research project.
GSE Standards: ELAGSE2RI6, ELAGSE5W7

Lesson 18: Creating an Insurance Plan

Objective: Develop a basic insurance plan.
Activities: In pairs, create a mock insurance plan for fictional items, including coverage details.
GSE Standards: ELAGSE3W2, MAFS.3.OA.1

Lesson 19: Writing an Insurance Claim

Objective: Draft a simple insurance claim.
Activities: Teach students to write an insurance claim to report a fictional loss. K–2 will verbalize a claim; 3–5 will write a structured claim.
GSE Standards: ELAGSE4W3, ELAGSE5W2

Lesson 20: Final Presentations & Wrap-Up

Objective: Present their mock businesses and share insights from the month.
Activities: Students showcase their businesses and insurance plans to the group. Reflect on what they learned about business and finance.
GSE Standards: ELAGSEKSL6, MAFS.K12.MP7

Monthly Wrap-Up

By the end of the month, students will have:

Applied reading, writing, grammar, and math skills to role-play as "Business & Finance" participants.
Completed a month-long project including city-building, business simulations, and insurance plans.
Reflected on real-world decision-making and demonstrated growth across academic and creative disciplines through a final market showcase or civic simulation.

Evidence of Learning

Weekly writing journals
Completed task checklists and learning guides
Final presentation, either in the form of a market showcase or civic simulation

This course aims to reinforce academic skills through hands-on, engaging activities that mirror real-world scenarios, setting students on a path toward financial literacy and entrepreneurship.