• In The Box

  • Story summary and teaching strategies
  • Detailed lesson plans (before, during, and after reading)
  • 8 ready-to-photocopy handouts with answer keys
  • Multiple activity variations for differentiated learning
  • Discussion questions and vocabulary lists
  • Cross-curricular activity suggestions

• Pairs With

  A Day in the Life of a $20 Bill storybook (sold separately or in complete kits)

• Resource Details

  • Grade Level: Grades 4-6 (Ages 9-12)
  • Curriculum Alignment: Ontario Mathematics Curriculum & Financial Literacy Expectations
  • Subject Areas: Financial Literacy, Mathematics, Literacy, Social Studies, Citizenship
  • Teaching Time: 8-10+ hours of curriculum-aligned activities
  • Format: 32-page comprehensive teacher's guide
  • Photocopiable: Yes - 8 student handouts with answer keys
  • Language: English (French version also available)

• Educational Benefits

  • Understand how money circulates in communities
  • Learn about saving, spending, and sharing money
  • Master real-world money calculations and problem-solving
  • Explore taxes and government services
  • Develop critical thinking through financial scenarios
  • Practice literacy and numeracy simultaneously
  • Build empathy and social responsibility
  • Discover volunteerism and community contribution

• Perfect For

  • Elementary teachers (Grades 4-6)
  • Financial literacy instruction
  • Cross-curricular units
  • Math workshops and centers
  • Literacy development
  • Social studies classes
  • Character education programs
  • Differentiated instruction

• How It Works

  Follow Lisa's $20 bill as it travels through the community, touching lives and supporting local businesses, taxes, and community services. The guide's three-part structure—before, during, and after reading—helps students explore how money circulates while building financial decision-making skills.

  Before Reading: Activate prior knowledge about money, introduce vocabulary, and connect to students' experiences.

  During Reading: Answer comprehension questions, discuss taxes and government services, explore saving/spending/sharing relationships, and examine community contribution.

  After Reading: Map money's local journey, calculate fundraising scenarios, practice vocabulary through games, and create original money stories.

  Each activity includes step-by-step instructions, discussion prompts, and answer keys—truly ready to use.

• Teaching Tips

  • Use as a complete unit or select specific activities
  • Perfect for literacy and math centers
  • Ideal for small group or whole class instruction
  • Works well for differentiated learning
  • Multiple versions of math handouts (whole numbers, decimals, order of operations)
  • Can extend with creative writing projects
  • Audio version support available for diverse learners

• Key Topics Covered

  • Money Circulation: How purchases support local businesses, money's journey through community, individual choices and community impact
  • Financial Decision-Making: Saving for goals, spending on wants vs. needs, sharing through donations and volunteering
  • Community Economics: Role of taxes in funding services, supporting local businesses, fundraising for causes
  • Mathematical Applications: Real-world money calculations, multi-step word problems, costs/sales/profits, whole numbers and decimals

ISBN 9781772228618