Texas TEKS 3.5.B

Social Studies3rd GradeEconomics

The Standard

create a simple budget that allocates money for spending and saving.

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students divide a fixed amount of money between purchases and savings. They record each amount and make sure the total does not exceed the money available.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student can make a clear plan for a given amount, with money assigned to spending and saving. The amounts add up correctly, and the student can explain the choices made.
Common Misconceptions: Students may plan to use more money than they have or forget to include savings. Some treat savings as leftover money instead of choosing a savings amount from the start.
How to Assess It: Give students $30 and ask them to create a budget with at least two purchases and some savings. Have them show that all amounts total $30 or less.

Lesson moves

Give pairs $20 in play money, price cards, and envelopes labeled Spend and Save, then have them build and record a budget.
Ask students to write how they would divide $25 between something they want now and something they want later.
Play Budget Match by having students pair money cards with spending and saving plans that use the correct total.
Use a class party scenario where students plan how to use $40 for supplies while keeping part of the money for a future event.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 3.5.B, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

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