Learning resources by grade

Access our entire collection of learning resources for the grades you teach.

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September 13, 2024

Five bucks: the economics of Treaty relationships

Explore treaties using art, artifacts and historical thinking.
Content type(s): Lesson plans Subject(s): Arts, History, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
September 9, 2024

Investing wisely

Make investment decisions based on what’s important to you and see how your spending and earning connects you to the global economy.
Content type(s): Lesson plans Subject(s): Business and careers, Economy, Financial literacy, Geography, Health, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
September 6, 2024

Tracing Canada’s place in the world

Use a data visualization tool to learn about how Canada’s place in the global economy has evolved.
Content type(s): Lesson plans Subject(s): Business and careers, Economy, Geography, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
June 18, 2024

Decoding Canadian economic data

Develop data literacy skills by interpreting charts of Canadian economic data.
Content type(s): Lesson plans Subject(s): Economy, Financial literacy, Math, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
February 12, 2024

Connecting Canadian industries

Explore different industries in the Canadian economy and see how they are interconnected and evolving.
Content type(s): Lesson plans Subject(s): Business and careers, Economy, Geography, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 06, Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
November 27, 2023

Mo’ money, mo’ questions

By: Heather Montgomery


But what do you do with money once you have it? That’s for you to decide. A budget can really help. It will allow you to keep track of what you earn (income) and what you spend (expenses).
Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Financial literacy Grade level(s): Grade 04, Grade 05, Grade 06, Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
November 16, 2023

Understanding cryptocurrencies

By: Graham Iddon


Un circuit imprimé d’un ordinateur avec des dizaines de circuits et un ventilateur.
Most of us are aware of them, but how much do we really understand about cryptocurrencies?
Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Economy, Financial literacy Grade level(s): Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
October 31, 2023

Building budgets

Balance a monthly budget for a household and learn some financial saving and spending tips along the way.
Content type(s): Lesson plans Subject(s): Business and careers, Economy, Financial literacy, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
October 31, 2023

Thinking like an economist

Introduce your students to foundational economic concepts using everyday examples.
Content type(s): Lesson plans Subject(s): Business and careers, Economy, Financial literacy, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
October 27, 2023

Think like an economist

Staff from the Bank of Canada explain how to think like an economist and look for the economy at work in your daily life.
Content type(s): Multimedia Subject(s): Economy, Financial literacy, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 06, Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
August 29, 2023

Teach financial literacy with the Bank of Canada Museum: resources for grades 1 to 5

The Bank of Canada Museum has free elementary school resources that make learning math and financial literacy fun! This webinar walks teachers through online resources that are linked to all provincial and territorial curricula in math and financial literacy.
Content type(s): Multimedia Subject(s): Financial literacy, Math, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 01, Grade 02, Grade 03, Grade 04, Grade 05
March 22, 2023

Security is in the bank note

By: Graham Iddon


Collage, photo of wild west street, old bank notes, old counterfeiting brochure.
Security printing is a game of anticipating and responding to criminal threats. Counterfeiting is a game of anticipating and responding to bank note design. This cat and mouse relationship affects every aspect of a bank note.
Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Economy, Financial literacy Grade level(s): Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
February 2, 2023

Teaching art with currency

By: Adam Young


From design to final product, bank notes and coins can be used to explore and teach art, media and process.
Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Arts, Education Grade level(s): Grade 05, Grade 06, Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
December 5, 2022

Surprise, It's Money!

Onsite program: See and touch an amazing array of objects that have served as money at one time or another.
Content type(s): School programs Subject(s): Financial literacy, History, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 03, Grade 04, Grade 05, Grade 06, Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2
November 18, 2022

A bank NOTE-able Canadian

Students will use the concept of historical significance to choose an iconic Canadian as a portrait subject for the Bank of Canada’s new $5 bank note.
Content type(s): Lesson plans Subject(s): History, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 06, Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4
November 18, 2022

The changing face of our money

Students will use a historical thinking approach to examine historical significance, continuity and change in Canadian bank notes.
Content type(s): Lesson plans Subject(s): History, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 06, Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4
November 18, 2022

Design your own bank note

Your students will research and choose their own iconic Canadian, theme, images and symbols to go on a new bank note.
Content type(s): Lesson plans Subject(s): Arts, History, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 04, Grade 05, Grade 06, Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4
November 1, 2022

What are cryptocurrencies?

Cryptocurrencies exist outside of the traditional financial system and inside a computer network. Learn about how they work and their possible risks.
Content type(s): Multimedia Subject(s): Business and careers, Economy, Financial literacy, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
October 28, 2022

Growing your savings

Start a conversation with your child about setting financial goals and deciding how to achieve them. Then have some fun with a paper plant they can “grow” to track their progress.
Content type(s): Activities and games Subject(s): Financial literacy, Health, Math Grade level(s): Early childhood / Kindergarten, Grade 01, Grade 02, Grade 03, Grade 04, Grade 05
April 21, 2022

Teaching the green economy

By: Adam Young


From windmills and solar panels to electric cars, signs of the green economy are all around us. Check out our resources for how to teach about the green economy.
Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Business and careers, Economy, Geography, Science, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
April 20, 2022

The Life of a Polymer Bank Note

Examine the life of a polymer bank note from production to distribution and recycling.
Content type(s): Multimedia Subject(s): Business and careers, Economy, History, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 05, Grade 06, Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4
April 4, 2022

Talk to your kids about money

By: Heather Montgomery


Collage, ceramic pig on background of a bank book and a stamp folder with kids on it.
Introduce important financial skills to your children, and help them plan for their futures with free resources from the Bank of Canada Museum and others.
Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Financial literacy Grade level(s): Early childhood / Kindergarten, Grade 01, Grade 02, Grade 03, Grade 04, Grade 05, Grade 06, Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
April 4, 2022

Externalities

Externalities are hidden costs that are not accounted for in the production of a good or service. Explore this concept with our video and discussion guide.
Content type(s): Multimedia Subject(s): Economy, Science, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
February 18, 2022

Canada and the global economy

Explore Canada’s connections to the global economy. Adjust timelines and filters in our online game to view historical data of gross domestic product, trade, foreign investment and immigration.
Content type(s): Activities and games Subject(s): Business and careers, Economy, Financial literacy, Geography, History, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 06, Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
February 18, 2022

Your role in the Canadian economy

Play our game to discover how your economic profile compares with those of other Canadians. Explore population and employment data and spending habits across different regions.
Content type(s): Activities and games Subject(s): Business and careers, Economy, Financial literacy, Geography, Health, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 06, Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
December 2, 2021

The true value of money

By: Graham Iddon


Photo collage, old bank notes and coins, gold nuggets and a computer component.
What is money—when you really stop to think about it? To understand how money works, and what it ultimately represents, we need to strip it down to its very basic function.
Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Economy Grade level(s): Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
October 25, 2021

Assessing the life cycle of a bank note

Examine the environmental impact of everyday items by assessing the life cycle of a universal product: money.
Content type(s): Lesson plans Subject(s): Geography, Science Grade level(s): Grade 05, Grade 06, Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4
August 19, 2021

Fur Trade Economics

By: David Bergeron, Graham Iddon, Krista Broeckx


Photo collage, yellowed document with writing, tokens, carved stick, silver beaver trinket.
Over its 350-year lifespan, the Hudson’s Bay Company has had an enormous impact on Canada’s economy and how the nation was settled.
Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Economy, History, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 05, Grade 06, Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
June 3, 2021

Value is in the Eye of the Consumer

By: Graham Iddon


Collage, money, graphs and people playing with hula hoops.
Supply and demand is part of the very bedrock of an economy. It's what generates the price of any product or service.
Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Economy, Financial literacy, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
May 5, 2021

All About Money

Virtual program: Get your students talking about money with this lively and interactive virtual classroom presentation.
Content type(s): School programs Subject(s): Financial literacy, Health, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 01, Grade 02, Grade 03, Grade 04, Grade 05, Grade 06
May 4, 2021

A Canadian Central Bank: The History of the Bank of Canada

Learn about why the Bank of Canada was created and how it continues to promote the economic and financial welfare of Canadians.
Content type(s): Multimedia Subject(s): Economy, History, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
February 26, 2021

Playing with Economy

By: Graham Iddon


A diverse group of 4 young children playing a board game.
There might be only a handful of basic game formats, but there is an infinity of variations—a surprising number of which require the skills we need to manage our daily economic lives.
Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Economy, Financial literacy, Math, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 03, Grade 04, Grade 05, Grade 06, Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
February 11, 2021

Money: Past, present and future

Explore the history of money in Canada and around the world using an inquiry approach.
Content type(s): Lesson plans Subject(s): Economy, History, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 05, Grade 06, Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4
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 posts Subject(s): Economy, Financial literacy, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
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 and games Subject(s): Business and careers, Economy, Financial literacy, Math, Social studies Grade level(s): Early childhood / Kindergarten, Grade 01, Grade 02, Grade 03, Grade 04, Grade 05, Grade 06
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 posts Subject(s): Business and careers, Economy, Financial literacy, Health, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 01, Grade 02, Grade 03, Grade 04, Grade 05, Grade 06, Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
November 23, 2020

Making sense of currencies

Use this activity sheet to practice converting exchange rates.
Content type(s): Activities and games Subject(s): Business and careers, Economy, Financial literacy, Math Grade level(s): Grade 06, Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4
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 and games Subject(s): Economy, Financial literacy, Health, Math Grade level(s): Grade 03, Grade 04, Grade 05, Grade 06, Grade 07 / Secondary 1
October 5, 2020

If I Had a Million Dollars…I’d Be Reasonably Well Off

By: Graham Iddon


When the Barenaked Ladies released “If I Had a $1,000,000,” they could have considered themselves reasonably rich. And today? Well, there’s this inflation thing…
Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Economy, Math, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
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 Subject(s): Geography, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 04, Grade 05, Grade 06, Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2
August 26, 2020

We all play a role in the economy

The Canadian economy is deeply interconnected, and your part in it is explored in this animated video. From apples to houses, your economic decisions help shape the economy, which in turn helps shape all of us. And the Bank of Canada’s role is to keep an eye on it all while giving you the confidence that your money will hold its value.
Content type(s): Multimedia Subject(s): Business and careers, Economy, Financial literacy, Geography, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 06, Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
August 17, 2020

Funds Management: Selling Bonds

Just like you, the government sometimes needs a little financial help with large projects. Learn how the Bank of Canada handles funding for the government by selling bonds: short-term loans made by businesses and individuals to the government.
Content type(s): Multimedia Subject(s): Economy, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
August 17, 2020

Funds Management: Foreign Currency Holdings

The Bank of Canada holds billions of dollars in foreign currencies on behalf of the government. The Bank buys and sells these currencies to decrease or increase holdings of Canadian dollars. Learn how these transactions help to soften sharp movements in the exchange rate of our dollar.
Content type(s): Multimedia Subject(s): Economy, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
August 17, 2020

Funds Management: The Government’s Bank Account

Where does the government keep its money? At the Bank of Canada. The Bank also ensures that the government has enough money to meet its daily needs and is able to provide the services you rely on. Learn about the Bank’s role as the government’s banker.
Content type(s): Multimedia Subject(s): Economy Grade level(s): Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
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 and games Subject(s): Arts, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 02, Grade 03, Grade 04, Grade 05, Grade 06
June 11, 2020

Nominating an Icon for the Next $5 Bank Note

By: Graham Iddon


Using a Bank of Canada Museum lesson plan, nearly 200 students told us who they thought should be the bank NOTE-able Canadian on our new $5 bill.
Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): History, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 06, Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4
April 28, 2020

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): External resources Subject(s): Business and careers, Economy, Financial literacy, Geography, History, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
March 18, 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 Subject(s): Financial literacy, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 03, Grade 04, Grade 05
May 15, 2019

What goes up…

By: Graham Iddon


Economic bubbles continued to pop up regularly throughout history, and still do today.
Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Economy, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
March 14, 2019

Trading Planets

Onsite program: 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 Subject(s): Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 04, Grade 05, Grade 06, Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2
November 8, 2018

Money of the First World War

By: Paul S. Berry


In Europe, gold and silver coins largely disappeared from circulation as they were hoarded or as governments used the metal for the war effort.
Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Economy, History, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
May 8, 2018

Operation Fish

By: Robert Low


Operation Fish was the largest movement of physical wealth in history.
Content type(s): Blog posts Subject(s): Economy, History, Social studies Grade level(s): Grade 06, Grade 07 / Secondary 1, Grade 08 / Secondary 2, Grade 09 / Secondary 3, Grade 10 / Secondary 4, Grades 11 and 12 / Secondary 5 and CEGEP
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