Session 4 · Money, Values & You
Saving & Goals 🎯
How to make your money work for your future
6th Grade Financial Literacy · 90 minutes
⏳ Delayed gratification
🎯 Goal planning
🔢 Savings math
📈 Compound interest
Today's Plan
📋 Here's What We're Doing
- 🎯 Opening hook — what do you want? (5 min)
- 📖 Why saving matters (15 min)
- 📖 Short vs. long-term goals (15 min)
- 🎮 Goal Planner activity (20 min)
- 📖 Math of saving (15 min)
- ✍️ Journal (10 min)
- 👋 Recap & preview (10 min)
Knowing the plan = no surprises 👍
Opening Hook
What Do You Want? 💭
Name something you want but can't afford right now.
What if you could have it — if you planned for it?
That's what saving is: a plan for your future self.
Lesson 1 · Why Saving Matters
3 Reasons to Save 💰
🚨 Emergencies
Life happens. A cushion = peace of mind.
🎯 Goals
Saving turns "I wish I could" into "I planned for this."
🕊️ Freedom
Savings = choices. No savings = stuck.
Lesson 1 · Delayed Gratification
The Marshmallow Test 🍩
Scientists offered kids: 1 marshmallow now OR 2 marshmallows if you wait 15 minutes.
Kids who waited tended to do better in school and life later on.
Waiting for something better = delayed gratification.
It's a skill. And like all skills — it can be practiced.
Lesson 2 · Goals
Short-Term vs. Long-Term Goals
⚡ Short-Term
Days to weeks
- Snack treat ($3)
- New book ($12)
- Game DLC ($10)
🏔️ Long-Term
Months to years
- New phone ($300)
- Laptop ($600)
- Travel ($1,000+)
Both matter. Short-term goals build the habit. Long-term goals build the future.
Lesson 2 · Goal Timeline
How Long Will It Take? ⏱️
Cost ÷ Weekly Savings = Weeks to Goal
Example: $60 game ÷ $5/week = 12 weeks
Save $8/week instead → only 7.5 weeks!
Small increases in saving rate make a big difference in how fast you reach your goal.
⚡ Brain Break
Think-Pair-Share 🧠
What's your #1 goal right now?
How much does it cost? Tell your neighbor.
30 seconds each. Go!
🎮 Goal Planner Activity
Plan Your Way to Your Goal 🎯
- ✏️ Write down your goal
- 💰 How much does it cost?
- 📅 How much can you save per week?
- 🔢 Calculate: Cost ÷ Weekly savings = weeks
- 📆 Set a target date
- ⚡ Bonus: Save $1 more/week — how many weeks do you save?
⏱️ 8 minutes — make it real!
Goal Planner Debrief
🔍 Let's Talk About It
- Who has the longest timeline? The shortest?
- What could help you save faster?
- What might get in the way?
- What happens if an emergency eats your savings?
Goals make saving feel real.
"Save money" is vague. "Save $60 for a game in 12 weeks" is a plan.
Lesson 3 · Savings Math
Watch It Add Up 🔢
If you save $5 every week:
Small, consistent savings beat big, occasional deposits every time.
Lesson 3 · Compound Interest Preview
Money That Makes More Money 📈
If your savings earn 5% per year:
$100 saved → after 1 year = $105
After year 2 = $110.25 (earning on the $105, not just $100!)
After 10 years = $163 — without adding anything!
This is why starting early matters. Time is the most powerful ingredient.
Lesson 3 · What Gets in the Way
Why People Don't Save 🚧
⚡ Impulse
Saw it, wanted it, bought it
😶 No System
Meaning to save "someday"
🎯 No Goal
Saving toward nothing feels pointless
Solutions: Set a goal · Save first (before spending) · Automate if possible
✍️ Journal Time
Take 8 Minutes...
"What's one financial goal I have right now? How much does it cost? How long would it take to save for it?"
- 📝 Write the math — divide the cost by what you can save weekly
- Be honest about what you can actually save
- Set a real target date
Session 4 · Wrap Up
What We Learned Today 🎉
✅ Savings = security, goals, and freedom.
✅ Short-term goals build habits. Long-term goals build futures.
✅ Formula: Cost ÷ Weekly save = Weeks to goal.
✅ Small consistent savings beat big occasional ones.
✅ Start early — time is the most powerful ingredient.
Next session: BANKING — where to keep your savings so they're safe and grow 🏦