Grade Levels: 6-8, 9-12

*Click to open and customize your own copy of the Credit Cards Lesson Plan

This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP topic Credit Cards, and supports the standard of weighing the benefits of different payment options. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of projects.

Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Display this image of a credit card, or show a real one:

Ask:

  • What do you know about credit cards?
  • Why might someone use a credit card?

Step 2: BUILD KNOWLEDGE

  • Read the description on the Credit Cards topic page.
  • Play the Movie, pausing to check for understanding. 
  • Assign Related Reading. Have students read one of the following articles: “Discoveries and Inventions” or “Real Life.” Partner them with someone who read a different article to share what they learned with each other.

Step 3: APPLY and ASSESS 

Assign the Credit Cards Challenge and Quiz, prompting students to apply essential literacy skills while demonstrating what they learned about this topic.

Step 4: DEEPEN and EXTEND

Students express what they learned about credit cards while practicing essential literacy skills with one or more of the following activities. Differentiate by assigning ones that meet individual student needs.

  • Make-a-Movie: Produce a tutorial that explains how to use a credit card responsibly. 
  • Make-a-Map: Create a concept map identifying the benefits and drawbacks of using credit cards. 
  • Creative Coding: Code a game where players determine whether statements about credit cards are true or false. 

More to Explore 

Related BrainPOP Topics: Deepen understanding of personal finance with these topics: Debt, Comparing Prices, and Budgets.

Teacher Support Resources:

Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments