Free K-3 Financial Literacy Unit: Three Jars — Spend, Save, Give
Six 15-minute lessons aligned to Ohio Financial Literacy standard K3-1: choices with money (spend, save, donate), including banks and credit unions.
Download a complete, classroom-ready unit pack you can teach next week. Scripted lessons, student handouts, and an observation rubric, all in one PDF.
What you get inside
This free unit is pulled directly from the full K-3 sequence and is ready to print and use.
- Six 15-minute session plans (S9–S14), fully scripted for teacher read-aloud.
- Clear unit objectives tied to K3-1 (spend, save, give; bank or credit union).
- Materials list and classroom management notes for the three class jars.
- Five student handouts: jar labels, chant card, allowance practice sheet, class save-jar tracker, and parent note.
- Observation-based assessment checklist with sub-indicators, exemplars, and re-teach plan.
- Standards restatement chant for daily review.
Who this unit is for
Designed for K-3 classroom teachers, homeschool co-ops, and parents who want financial literacy that is both standards-aligned and simple to run.
- Single-grade or combined K-2 / 1-3 classrooms
- Homeschool co-ops and parish programs
- Curriculum coordinators evaluating financial literacy options
Primary standard
Ohio Financial Literacy K3-1 — “Choices can be made with your money. Choices include spending, saving and donating. Money can also be saved in financial institutions.”
How it fits in your year
Unit 3 is written as an anchor unit for the K-3 year. The three-jar habit (spend / save / give) stays visible in the room for the entire semester and is revisited in later units on earning, budgeting, and giving. Use this sample on its own, or as a model for building the rest of your financial literacy block.
About Kitchen Table Finance
Kitchen Table Finance provides K-12 financial literacy units aligned to Ohio's Learning Standards (Financial Literacy) with a classical education cadence. Each unit incorporates the relevant standard IDs inline, alongside lesson scripts, student handouts, and observation rubrics.