Notice of Temporary Closure

The Bank of Canada Museum remains closed due to COVID-19. Our museum experience is highly interactive, and our top priority is the safety of our staff and visitors. We look forward to welcoming you again once it is safe for us to reopen.

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We make learning about the economy fun, with resources available to suit your curriculum.

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School programs

Inflation Busters

Grades 9 to 12: How do you plan for the future when you don’t know what things will cost? Join the fight against inflation in Inflation Busters, a game-based program for students. Who knew learning about monetary policy could be fun? We did!
Content type(s): School programs Grade level(s): Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grade 11 / Secondary 5, Grade 12, Grade 9 / Secondary 3

Surprise, It's Money!

Grades 3 to 8: See and touch an amazing array of objects that have served as money at one time or another. Then join us in the Museum—explore the games, multimedia, videos and even more surprising artifacts. It’s fun, engaging, and a great way to learn the role the Bank of Canada plays in the Canadian economy.
Content type(s): School programs Grade level(s): Grade 3 / Elementary Cycle 2, Grade 4 / Elementary Cycle 2, Grade 5 / Elementary Cycle 3, Grade 6 / Elementary Cycle 3, Grade 7 / Secondary 1, Grade 8 / Secondary 2

Trading Planets

Grades 4 to 8: Travel to planet Plutopia on a trade mission with your students. Once there, you will see that trading goods without a common currency poses some serious problems. Trading Planets uses interactive, game-based learning to teach about trade, currency, and supply and demand.
Content type(s): School programs Grade level(s): Grade 4 / Elementary Cycle 2, Grade 5 / Elementary Cycle 3, Grade 6 / Elementary Cycle 3, Grade 7 / Secondary 1, Grade 8 / Secondary 2

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Lesson plans

November 27, 2020

Exploring coins and bank notes

Hands filling out a form on a table with art supplies and paper play money.
Explore Canadian money with young learners using our printable worksheets.
Content type(s): Lesson plans Grade level(s): Grade 1 / Elementary Cycle 1, Kindergarten
October 2, 2020

Trading Planets

Take a trade mission to planet Plutopia to discover why trading without a common currency is hard.
Content type(s): Lesson plans Grade level(s): Grade 4 / Elementary Cycle 2, Grade 5 / Elementary Cycle 3, Grade 6 / Elementary Cycle 3, Grade 7 / Secondary 1, Grade 8 / Secondary 2
March 16, 2020

Trade Rules

Introduce three basic economic concepts: consumers and producers, goods and services, and trade. Students will play a game to understand the benefits of trade.
Content type(s): Lesson plans Grade level(s): Grade 3 / Elementary Cycle 2, Grade 4 / Elementary Cycle 2, Grade 5 / Elementary Cycle 3
January 29, 2020

A Bank NOTE-able Canadian

Apply the concept of historical significance to nominate an iconic Canadian for a new bank note. Students will create a design for their proposal.
Content type(s): Lesson plans Grade level(s): Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grade 11 / Secondary 5, Grade 6 / Elementary Cycle 3, Grade 7 / Secondary 1, Grade 8 / Secondary 2, Grade 9 / Secondary 3
December 2, 2019

Trading Up: How Countries Benefit from Freer Trade

Use hands- on activities to explore comparative advantage, opportunity cost and specialization. Students will learn how these key economic concepts help countries benefit from trade.
Content type(s): Lesson plans Grade level(s): Grade 6 / Elementary Cycle 3, Grade 7 / Secondary 1, Grade 8 / Secondary 2, Grade 9 / Secondary 3

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Activities

November 27, 2020

Printable Play Money

A collage of cartoon characters, paper play money, pencils and scissors.
Practise counting and exchanging coins and bank notes with our printable play money.
Content type(s): Activities Grade level(s): Grade 1 / Elementary Cycle 1, Grade 2 / Elementary Cycle 1, Grade 3 / Elementary Cycle 2, Grade 4 / Elementary Cycle 2, Grade 5 / Elementary Cycle 3, Grade 6 / Elementary Cycle 3
November 23, 2020

Making Sense of Currencies

Use this activity sheet to practice converting exchange rates.
Content type(s): Activities Grade level(s): Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grade 6 / Elementary Cycle 3, Grade 7 / Secondary 1, Grade 8 / Secondary 2, Grade 9 / Secondary 3
October 28, 2020

The Economics of Suppertime

Make grocery shopping an economic lesson by helping your kids prepare a meal plan, and shop for ingredients based on a budget.
Content type(s): Activities Grade level(s): Grade 3 / Elementary Cycle 2, Grade 4 / Elementary Cycle 2, Grade 5 / Elementary Cycle 3, Grade 6 / Elementary Cycle 3, Grade 7 / Secondary 1
July 7, 2020

The Art of Guilloche

Explore the art of guilloche. This technique was used to make symmetrical patterns on Canadian bank notes.
Content type(s): Activities Grade level(s): Grade 2 / Elementary Cycle 1, Grade 3 / Elementary Cycle 2, Grade 4 / Elementary Cycle 2, Grade 5 / Elementary Cycle 3, Grade 6 / Elementary Cycle 3
June 24, 2020

Colouring Time!

Let your creativity shine with these colouring sheets.
Content type(s): Activities Grade level(s): Grade 1 / Elementary Cycle 1, Grade 2 / Elementary Cycle 1, Grade 3 / Elementary Cycle 2, Kindergarten

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Education blog

January 4, 2021

Economic Opportunity Costs

By: Graham Iddon


Man in a superhero costume crouching in an aisle of a home renovation warehouse.
With his superpowers, Peter Parker would no doubt do a fabulous job of tiling his kitchen backsplash. But as Spider-Man, he has more valuable things to do with his time.
Content type(s): Blog Subject(s): Education
November 27, 2020

Understanding Money: Common Questions

By: Nathan Sells


Ever wondered who decides what goes on Canadian coins or bank notes? Or why our coins have certain names and our notes are different colours? Use this guide to help answer some of your money-related questions!
Content type(s): Blog Subject(s): Education
November 2, 2020

Teaching Economics During the COVID-19 Pandemic

By: Adam Young


Authentic, teachable moments show students how the Bank of Canada is helping the economy navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.
Content type(s): Blog Subject(s): Education

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Educational resources

Bank of Canada: Educational resources

The Bank of Canada also has some educational resources we think you may find helpful.
Content type(s): Educational resources Grade level(s): Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grade 11 / Secondary 5, Grade 12, Grade 9 / Secondary 3

Bank of Canada: Explainers

Consult these brief articles explaining various topics related to the Bank of Canada's main core functions.
Content type(s): Educational resources Grade level(s): Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grade 11 / Secondary 5, Grade 12, Grade 9 / Secondary 3

Bank of Canada: Glossary

The Bank of Canada Glossary contains definitions of terms from various fields, including economics, finance and currency.
Content type(s): Educational resources Grade level(s): Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grade 11 / Secondary 5, Grade 12, Grade 9 / Secondary 3

Bank of Canada: The Economy, Plain and Simple

It’s right there in the title—The Economy, Plain and Simple: Plain language. Complex concepts made as simple as possible—thanks to the efforts of our economists and a supporting cast of communications professionals. The results are short, quick reads, with engaging visuals, all on a mobile-friendly platform—so you can read them on the go.
Content type(s): Educational resources Grade level(s): Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grade 11 / Secondary 5, Grade 12, Grade 9 / Secondary 3

Money and Monetary Policy in Canada

Money and Monetary Policy in Canada is a web resource to help educate Canadians on the mechanics of their economy and the Bank of Canada’s role in it. It’s written in fun, clear language and supplemented with helpful illustrations, meeting the needs of multiple levels of high school curricula.
Content type(s): Educational resources Grade level(s): Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grade 11 / Secondary 5, Grade 12, Grade 7 / Secondary 1, Grade 8 / Secondary 2, Grade 9 / Secondary 3

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School Bursary Program

Need some assistance getting your class to the Museum?

If you are a school in need and in the National Capital Region, let us help with our transportation bursary.

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30 Bank Street
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0G9, CANADA
613-782-8914

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