Across the country, new schools are popping up. But in place of school bells, video calls ring. In lieu of passing periods, slipper-clad walks down the hallway. And standing in for teachers are good ole’ mom and dad. These new learning institutions aren’t charter schools, private schools, or even co-ops. And their desks smell a lot like this morning’s breakfast. Ah yes, they’re the homeschools we least expected – and the ones we might as well make the most of.
Whether it looks like it or not, the 2020-2021 schoolyear has arrived. And boy, will it be one to remember. As some states attempt to open as usual, many others are keeping students at home to learn from a distance. This week, we present a few (accidental) homeschool resources for a country still under quarantine.
Doc-Style & Sketch Comedy Videos
As the viral reach of homebound Grammy-winning musicians have proven over the last few months, few things have the power to hold our attention like video. Over six award-winning seasons, Biz Kid$ told the stories of real young entrepreneurs, shot parody music videos, filmed sketch comedy, and addressed confusing money topics head-on. Some of the best clips from the public television series are available for free on YouTube and at BizKids.com. Those looking for full episodes can head over to Vimeo, where Season 6 is available for $2.99 per episode or $15.99 for the entire season. Also on Vimeo: three curated bundles of young entrepreneur profiles offering the best of Biz Kid$ for just $4.99 per bundle.
Lesson Plans
Parents literally operating a homeschool this year have a chance to teach a topic left out of traditional education all too often: financial literacy. It’s one thing to decide to tackle topics of financial literacy. It’s quite another to know where to start. Our dozens of free lesson plans empower educators with questions, vocabulary, discussion topics, and even family activities that build upon Biz Kid$ video clips with robust lessons to drive the topics home. We’ve even mapped the plans according to state and national standards, and translated a set into Spanish.
Money Games
Need to kill some time before the next Zoom call? Our free games run the gamut of money topics. Run a simulated lemonade stand in Dollar-a-Glass. Learn about banking in Break the Bank. Manage money in outer space with Bring Home the Bacon. They’re all free, fun, and financially fit.
Young Entrepreneur Toolkit
The only thing more inspiring to kids that careful stewardship of money? Making it. Our collection of resources for young entrepreneurs empowers teen tycoons with simple tools to put their best ideas into action. Our business plan template provides a simple and straightforward framework for thinking through marketing, sales, and profit. How 2 B a Pro tackles the “soft skills” of interviewing and selling, like proper attire, handshakes, and eye contact. And the 4 P’s of Marketing takes a deep dive into product, place, price, and promotion.
Independent Reading as the Path to Millions
If your child has the freedom to choose a book of their choice, give them a shot at millions. Our vibrant and engaging book from Workman Press, How to Turn $100 into $1,000,000, teaches kids how to make, save, and grow their own fortune. It’s the perfect solution for a financial literacy textbook, or even an addition to the afterschool reading list. Plus, it’s less than $12 on Amazon.