Lesson
Stocks, Bonds and Mutual Funds
Summary
Investing options fall into two general categories: lending money and owning companies. This lesson explores the core investment vehicles (stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and index funds) and the risk-reward tradeoff that ties them together.
Bellringer: Lend or Own?
- Pose the lawn-mowing loan scenario — 2 minutes to pick and record.
- Reveal Option A = bond, Option B = stock; stress no wrong answer.
Instruction
- Walk through asset classes, equity vs. stocks, bonds, and the risk-return see-saw.
- Introduce mutual funds and index funds with the S&P 500 copycat framing.
Discussion: Buffet Diversification
- Run the buffet A/B choice and connect to picking stocks vs. index funds.
- Draw out diversification as the takeaway concept.
Activity: Investment Types Article
- Students read the Investment Types article to reinforce the categories of investments discussed in class.
Wrap-Up & Assessment
- What is the difference between a stock and a bond?
- What is an index fund?
| Est. Time | Activity | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 8 min | Bellringer: Lend or Own? |
|
| 10 min | Instruction |
|
| 10 min | Discussion: Buffet Diversification |
|
| 12 min | Activity: Investment Types Article |
|
| 5 min | Wrap-Up & Assessment |
|
Lesson Prep
Investment Types
Students learn about stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs.
Class Presentation
Includes an 18-slide deck with teacher notes. Present from Banzai, download a PDF, or copy it to Google Slides.
Presentations, Ready to Go
- Built-in PresentationPresent full screen, straight from Banzai
- Copy to Google SlidesMake an editable copy for your class
- Download or PrintSave as a PDF or print
- Teacher NotesSlide-by-slide guidance, printable as one handout
Unit 7: Investing Money
The Time Value of Money
The time value of money isn't about how much you have; it's about how long you let it grow. This lesson explores compounding, inflation, and the Rule of 72 to show why starting early beats saving more.
Stocks, Bonds and Mutual Funds
Investing options fall into two general categories: lending money and owning companies. This lesson explores the core investment vehicles (stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and index funds) and the risk-reward tradeoff that ties them together.
Risk and Reward Tradeoffs
Chasing the biggest payout often means accepting the biggest chance of losing it all. This lesson explores risk tolerance, the risk-reward relationship, and why our brains make calm investing so hard.
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