The Basics of Investing

We invest in things to improve them and increase their value over time. Businesses invest to expand and improve production of goods and services. Governments invest to build or improve public goods and services such as roads, hospitals, and schools. People invest to try and increase the value of their savings over time. And people invest in themselves to improve their knowledge, skills, and talent. This enables them to improve their career, income, and enjoyment of life. It is important to introduce youth early what investing means, ways to invest, types of investments, and how to invest wisely.

Please Note: Teaching Units provided are for support and consideration by teachers and are not prescriptive.

Learning Map and Supports for Instruction

The “Learning Map” identifies teaching opportunities in Alberta’s curriculum for each topic and you will find them as part of the Support Teaching Materials provided here. Teachers can, of course, integrate the target areas of financial knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviours anywhere they can find a fit. The Supports for Instruction provide videos, animations, and links to other resources to support teachers in their efforts to improve the financial literacy of their students.

Investing Money - Division III: Gr. 7-9

Knowledge

  • The concept of “investing” – that is, to make something change, grow, improve, increase in value

  • Ways to invest in oneself

  • How to set goals over different time periods – short, medium, long term to help guide saving and investing decisions

  • Basic types of financial investments

  • The risks that can be associated with investing

  • Investments with a possible high return or gain will also have a high risk of loss

  • The links between investing and progress, growth, innovations, and jobs in our economy

  • Investing wisely can help improve and sustain the environment

Skills

  • Calculate how much will be needed, and how to save, for their future education or training

  • Identify and pursue ways they can invest in themselves

  • If possible, participate in an investment simulation to develop investing skills

  • Find advice and assistance for their investing decisions if needed and affordable

  • When they are ready to do so, set investment goals to help achieve personal goals

Attitudes/Behaviours

  • Continuously look for ways to invest in themselves, financially and otherwise, to improve their life and future potential

  • Set some initial life goals and review goals over time and work with a plan to achieve their goals

  • Start early to plan for achieving financial independence (i.e., when they are not required to work for income) which will also enable them to retire at some point if they wish

  • Invest resources they have – time, ideas, effort, – to find ways to make improvements in their life, their enjoyment of life and their personal happiness

  • If possible, start saving and investing early in life to provide longer time for growth

  • When making any investments, ask questions, seek advice and help when needed to be able to make informed decisions