How to Teach About Bank Services
Dec 05, 2020
Our next topic in the Consumer Math Blog Series is about how to teach Bank Services. Read more about why and how you can teach Bank Services using my Bank Services Lesson Unit (click here to get your copy).
Purpose of Teaching Bank Services
If students understand the value that banks can offer them, then they will be more likely to take advantage. When students know what services they should use, then they know what services to seek out.
Bank Services Lesson Unit
Key-Must-Teach Concepts
Choose a local bank- As little as someone might actually visit the bank building, they will be using their services almost daily. If something occurs or they need assistance with managing their money, it is easier if they can get to the bank quickly.
More services as you get older- As students age they will probably will take advantage of more and more bank services. It’s important for them to know that they may not see a lot of advantages to using a bank now, but they will as they get older.
Lesson Objective
Choose a bank and identify the services that are provided for customers.
Lesson Unit Break Down
Day 1- Start class off by referencing the visual flow chart and show how learning about bank services will help in managing your money as banks assist people with both spending and saving. Get the brain juices flowing with the brain teaser, then jump into the reading passage. As I mention below (Reading Passage Option), you can use this reading passage as a jumping off point for adding more first time bank customer questions to the back side. After the reading, do a ‘check for understanding’ by having the students complete the T/F questions. Round out the day with the writing prompts.
Day 2- Using both types of notes, the Notes (general) and Parts worksheet (more detailed), this lesson will scale from general to specific. This day is a great point in the lesson to bring in true artifacts that show how you personally use bank services, such as deposit slips, ATM receipts, brochures or informational paperwork about other services.
Day 3- The guided practice (picture below) has students use the internet to start exploring local banks and their services. In partners, students will search the website and find different services and a detail or two about that service. Feel free to outline some ‘must finds’ for the class, like a student checking account or savings account.
Day 4- Class time on Day 4 is dedicated to getting a bank representative to come to the class and speak about their bank, the services they offer, and what it is like to work at a bank. Have questions prepped and ready, but allow time for students to ask their own questions. If you have time, use the Quick Question as an exit or entrance slip.
Day 5- Close up the lesson unit with a task card review (see below for a way to utilize the cards) and then jump into the assessment. There is a bank services word search and a functional math review that can be covered during the remainder of the class period.
Bank Services Lesson Unit
Reading Passage Option
After your class has read the reading passage, think of more questions that a first time bank customer might want to know. The reading covers three, but you can have students add more questions to the back side of their reading. *These will come in handy during the Day 4 presentation!
Listen and Learn
A Listen & Learn is a short, 5 sentence PowerPoint/Google presentation that introduces the topic using visuals and audio. Ideal for non-readers! Read about what they are and how they might be right for your classroom here.
Task Card Idea
Using a projector and the task cards in electronic form, write the numbers 1-16 on the board. Have students pick a number (I like to choose students using a randomized picker (like wheelofnames.com or pull names from a hat) and then show that question for them to answer. Give everyone a set amount of time to read and answer the question, between 30 seconds and 1 minute is typically enough time.
Bank Services Lesson Unit
Further Practice Idea
As part of Day 4, a representative from a local banker can come speak to the class. If you have the opportunity to take the students to the bank on a field trip, all the better. They could tour the space and see what other services could be available to them in the future.
Ultimate Goal of the Lesson Unit
Increasing your students' familiarity with the local banks in their community and the services they provide is the ultimate goal. The hope is that they will seek the services they need from those local banks and continue to make smart financial decisions with the help of bank personnel.
Bank Services Lesson Unit
May I Also Suggest Teaching
Since the two obvious bank services that your students would take advantage of at their age would be Checking Accounts and Savings Accounts, then I would recommend covering those two lessons around the same time as Bank Services, if possible.
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