North Carolina Standards Alignment
We compared our curriculum and the core financial literacy concepts that are covered in our Budget and Stock Games to the social studies standards for the state of North Carolina.
A list of the North Carolina Standards for Economics and Personal Finance are below, along with a selection of activities from our games and library that align with each standard. Our curriculum library contains over 300 total lessons that can be customized for every class, so this may not include every lesson that may apply for each standard.
Legend:
- : Long-Term Game
- : Comprehensive Chapter
- : Short Lesson
- : Interactive Calculator
- : Includes Automatically-Graded Assessment
| Standard | Activity | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economics | ||||||
| Compare how individuals and governments utilize scarce resources in traditional, command, market, and mixed economies. | Lesson – Comparative Economic Systems – Capitalism, Socialism, and Communism Lesson – Supply and Demand Examples in the Stock Market Lesson – What is Economics? | |||||
| Distinguish market structures in terms of economic characteristics and the roles they play in decision-making and opportunity costs. | Lesson – Opportunity Cost Lesson – Externalities Lesson – Comparative Economic Systems – Capitalism, Socialism, and Communism Lesson – Government impact on the economy | |||||
| Explain how supply and demand determine equilibrium price and quantity produced. | Lesson – What is Supply? Lesson – What is Demand? Lesson – Supply and Demand Examples in the Stock Market | |||||
| Compare the ways in which incentives and profits influence what is produced and distributed in a market system. | Lesson – What are Incentives? Lesson – Benefits of Competition Lesson – Competitive Advantage | |||||
| Summarize basic macroeconomic indicators and how they vary over the course of a business cycle. | Lesson – Major Economic Indicators (GDP, CPI, Jobs) Lesson – Gross Domestic Product Lesson – The Business Cycle | |||||
| Summarize basic microeconomic indicators and how they vary over the course of a business cycle. | Lesson – Supply and Demand Examples in the Stock Market Lesson – What are Price Controls? Lesson – The Business Cycle | |||||
| Explain how fiscal policy and monetary policy influence overall levels of employment, interest rates, production, price level, and economic growth. | Lesson – Fiscal Policy Explained Lesson – Monetary Policy Lesson – The Importance of Interest Rates Lesson – Unemployment Lesson – Labor and Productivity | |||||
| Differentiate organizations in terms of their roles and functions in the United States economy. | Lesson – Types of Companies | |||||
| Identify the role the government plays in providing a legal structure to protect property rights and enforce contracts. | Lesson – Property Rights Lesson – What makes a contract valid? | |||||
| Explain how government regulation impacts market activity. | Lesson – Government impact on the economy | |||||
| Explain how taxes and fees fund government goods and services. | Lesson – Fiscal Policy Explained | |||||
| Explain the impact of trade on the interdependence between nations. | Lesson – International Trade | |||||
| Income and Education | ||||||
| Explain how education, income, career, and life choices impact an individual’s financial planand goals. | Lesson – Career Development Lesson – Income and Compensation Lesson – Family Planning Lesson – Preparing for Retirement Lesson – Planning for Long Term Purchases | |||||
| Differentiate career and education options after high school in terms of desired lifestyle. | Lesson – Work or Study Lesson – Student Loans Lesson – Career Development | |||||
| Identify the costs of post-secondary education and the potential increase in income from a career of choice. | Lesson – Work or Study Lesson – Student Loans Lesson – Career Development | |||||
| Compare strategies which can minimize the costs of post-secondary education. | Lesson – Work or Study Lesson – Student Loans | |||||
| Summarize various types of income. | Lesson – Income and Compensation Lesson – What is Money? | |||||
| Explain how payroll deductions modify an employee’s disposable income. | Budget Game – Core Component Lesson – Payroll Best Practices | |||||
| Identify the types and purposes of local, state, and federal taxes and the way each is levied and used. | Lesson – Taxation Overview Lesson – Sales Tax | |||||
| Implement appropriate computations and procedures to prepare a federal or state tax form. | Lesson – Tax Filing and the Form 1040 | |||||
| Money and Credit Management | ||||||
| Explain how fiscally responsible individuals create and manage a spending plan. | Lesson – Budgeting Lesson – Spending and Savings Plans Lesson – Budgeting and Spending Strategies | |||||
| Critique income and spending plans in terms of age, individual needs, and available resources. | Lesson – Budgeting Lesson – Family Planning Lesson – Preparing for Retirement | |||||
| Compare the costs and benefits of renting, leasing, or owning. | Activity – Use the Buy vs Lease Calculator | |||||
| Compare various types of mortgages. | Lesson – Mortgages | |||||
| Design a plan that uses the services of various financial institutions to meet financial goals. | Lesson – Pay Yourself First Lesson – Banks, Credit Unions, and Savings and Loans Lesson – Investing Strategies | |||||
| Explain how interest and fees impact spending, debt, and savings. | Lesson – The Importance of Interest Rates Activity – Use the Saving to be a Millionaire Calculator Activity – Use the Compound Interest Calculator Activity – Use the Credit Card Payments Calculator | |||||
| Compare costs and benefits of cash, debit, payment applications, and credit card transactions in terms of interest rates, fees, penalties, costs, and benefits. | Lesson – What is Money? Lesson – Debit Cards Lesson – Credit Cards Lesson – Using Credit Lesson – Short-Term Financing Lesson – Automatic Payments | |||||
| Compare credit sources and services. | Lesson – Managing Debt Lesson – Credit Cards Lesson – Using Credit Lesson – Short-Term Financing | |||||
| Explain how debt management and creditworthiness impact an individual’s ability to become a responsible consumer and borrower. | Lesson – Managing Debt Lesson – Credit Reports Lesson – Using Credit | |||||
| Summarize the advantages and disadvantages of debt. | Lesson – Good Debt, Bad Debt | |||||
| Classify the various types of insurance and estate planning including the benefits and consequences. | Lesson – Renter’s Insurance Lesson – Home Owner’s Insurance Lesson – Car Insurance Lesson – Life Insurance Lesson – Health Insurance | |||||
| Financial Planning | ||||||
| Compare various investing strategies and tax implications for their potential to build wealth. | Investing101 Certification Stock Game – Core Component Lesson – Investing Strategies Lesson – Taxation Overview Activity – Use the Investment Return Calculator | |||||
| Identify factors (i.e. income, budget, cost of living, experiences) that influence financial planning. | Lesson – Building a diversified portfolio Lesson – Family Planning Lesson – Planning for Long Term Purchases Lesson – Preparing for Retirement Lesson – What is Wealth? Lesson – Building Wealth | |||||
| Summarize the role of philanthropy, volunteer services, businesses, and nonprofits in community development and quality of life. | Lesson – Charitable Giving Lesson – Types of Companies | |||||
| Critical Consumerism | ||||||
| Explain how advertising, social media, and business practices impact consumer decisions. | Lesson – Spending and Savings Plans Lesson – Analyzing Consumer Behavior | |||||
| Identify information, reviews, and reports consumers use to make financial decisions. | Lesson – Researching Spending Lesson – Investing Strategies Lesson – Risk | |||||
| Explain how consumer-driven decisions impact the economy. | Lesson – Analyzing Consumer Behavior Lesson – Supply and Demand Examples in the Stock Market Lesson – The Business Cycle | |||||
| Explain how consumer protection laws contribute to the empowerment of the individual. | Lesson – Consumer rights and responsibilities | |||||
| Summarize various types of fraudulent solicitation and business practices. | Lesson – Protecting Against Fraud | |||||
| Summarize ways consumers can protect themselves from fraudulent and deceptive practices. | Lesson – Protecting Against Fraud |
Learn More
If you would like to learn more about PersonalFinanceLab, schedule a personalized demo, or get a Test Drive account to preview our games and lessons for yourself, please fill out the form below!