A great classroom routine can create both excitement and predictability. Here are 5 ideas with ready-to-go resources to start your school year strong. 

1. Mathematician of the Week 

Each week, showcase one mathematician from the Math in Action Slide Deck, which includes ready-to-go profiles and discussion questions.

Bonus: Print the profile slides for easy classroom decoration!

2. Data Dive

Data Crunches and Questions of the Day make great bellringers and bring real-world stats into your class. 

Start with these 3 popular Data Crunches

• DATA CRUNCH: How Does Your Asset Mix Impact Your Returns?
• DATA CRUNCH: What Does the Average Household Spend Money On?
• DATA CRUNCH: Which Careers Are the Biggest Gamble?

Start with these 3 popular Questions of the Day (view all)

• What percentage of people make purchases due to FOMO?
• What percent of 18-29 year old are investing in the stock market?
• How many math errors did taxpayers make on tax returns last year?

3. Word Wall

Post key vocabulary for each unit. 

• The Financial Algebra Course has Quizlets for each unit, linked in the Unit Plan
• The Personal Finance Dictionary includes a more comprehensive list of personal finance terms, as well as Spanish translations

4. Application Stations

For Financial Algebra teachers: At the end of each unit, set up stations for each Application Problem. This works for test review and allows students to make up missed work to raise their grades. 

• Students complete the station(s) for any Applications they missed, scored lowest on, or completed the lowest Level for
• Consider choosing Student Experts for each station to help their classmates.
• Consider having a reward or extension activity for students who have completed ALL levels of ALL Applications for the unit

5. My Financial Flipbook

At the end of each unit, students record their biggest takeaways in CREATE: My Financial Flipbook.

• Modify the template to add 1-2 key math takeaways per unit
• More implementation tips in this blog post: 10 Creative Ways Teachers Use My Financial Flipbook

Bonus: Fincap Friday Videos!

Each week, engage students with a FinCap Friday that combines a five-question competition with a short video about a trending topic.

Explore FinCap Fridays by Unit!

We hope you have a great start of the school year!

About the Author

Kathryn Dawson

Kathryn (she/her) is excited to join the NGPF team after 9 years of experience in education as a mentor, tutor, and special education teacher. She is a graduate of Cornell University with a degree in policy analysis and management and has a master's degree in education from Brooklyn College. Kathryn is looking forward to bringing her passion for accessibility and educational justice into curriculum design at NGPF. During her free time, Kathryn loves embarking on cooking projects, walking around her Seattle neighborhood with her dog, or lounging in a hammock with a book.