1. Personal Finance Education
Outline Lesson Plan
Value for money and decision making
Key Stage 3 Unit 1 Duration: 50 minutes
Learning Objectives
Financial Knowledge Financial Skills Financial
Students learn about Students learn how to Responsibility
how mobile phone assess value for money Students become aware
deals/tariffs vary of benefits of considering
spending options wisely
Resources
• http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_7280000/newsid_7288800/72888
63.stm?
bw=bb&mp=wm&news=1&ms3=6&ms_javascript=true&nol_storyid=72888
63&bbcws=2
• Costs and Benefits of Mobiles worksheet
• Cost a benefits of mobiles statement bank
• Choosing a Mobile questionnaire
• Deciding on Best Mobile Phone Option” print outs
Activities
Starter:
Present BBC mobile phones video from
http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_7280000/newsid_7288800/7288863.s
tm?
bw=bb&mp=wm&news=1&ms3=6&ms_javascript=true&nol_storyid=7288863
&bbcws=2
Alternatively, show students a mobile phone picture and encourage
responses. What do students know/think/feel about mobile phones?
Main:
• Students complete ‘Costs and Benefits of Mobiles’ worksheet drawing on
their ideas on the advantages and disadvantages of mobile phones (use
statement bank where necessary)
• Students complete the ‘Choosing a mobile’ questionnaire to identify the
most important factors that influence their choice of mobile
• Students look at four different phone tariffs and decide which the best tariff
is. (Resource may need differentiating for standard sets). Students
feedback which phone they would chose and reasons why.
• Students discuss the importance of getting value for money and what
services or deals they would expect for their money e.g. £35 a month
should provide 600 free minutes and 200 free texts. Could deviate from
mobile phone context and discuss in general terms e.g. would you pay £50
to watch Barnsley vs. Bristol City (championship football) or Chelsea Vs

2. Manchester City (premiership football). Would you pay more than £1 for a
can of coke? Are there any circumstances when you would? What about a
500ml bottle?
Plenary
Class survey on mobile phone use and knowledge of costs of calls and texts.
E.g. who knows how much an off/on-peak call is on their tariff?
Who knows how much a text is on their tariff?
Who knows if or how many free calls/texts on their contract?
Who knows how many calls/texts made last month?