Mathematics 12 Pacing Guide - This pacing guide replaces the previous yearly plan. It has been updated to reflect removed outcomes and provide flexibility for responsive instruction.
Mathematics 12 Desmos Activity Collection - A collection of online student Desmos activities organized by unit.
FM01 Students will be expected to solve problems that involve compound interest in financial decision making.
FM01.01 Explain the advantages and disadvantages of compound interest and simple interest.
FM01.02 Identify situations that involve compound interest.
FM01.03 Graph and compare, in a given situation, the total interest paid or earned for different compounding periods.
FM01.04 Determine, given the principal, interest rate, and number of compounding periods, the total interest of a loan.
FM01.05 Graph and describe the effects of changing the value of one of the variables in a situation that involves compound interest.
FM01.06 Determine, using technology, the total cost of a loan under a variety of conditions (e.g., different amortization periods, interest rates, compounding periods, and terms).
FM01.07 Compare and explain, using technology, different credit options that involve compound interest, including bank and store credit cards and special promotions.
FM01.08 Solve a contextual problem that involves compound interest.
FM02 Students will be expected to analyze costs and benefits of renting, leasing and buying.
FM02.01 Identify and describe examples of assets that appreciate or depreciate.
FM02.02 Compare, using examples, renting, leasing and buying.
FM02.03 Justify, for a specific set of circumstances, if renting, buying, or leasing would be advantageous.
FM02.04 Solve a problem involving renting, leasing, or buying that requires the manipulation of a formula.
FM02.05 Solve, using technology, a contextual problem that involves cost-and-benefit analysis.
FM03 Students will be expected to analyze an investment portfolio in terms of interest rate, rate of return, and total return.
FM03.01 Determine and compare the strengths and weaknesses of two or more portfolios.
FM03.02 Determine, using technology, the total value of an investment when there are regular contributions to the principal.
FM03.03 Graph and compare the total value of an investment with and without regular contributions.
FM03.04 Apply the Rule of 72 to solve investment problems, and explain the limitations of the rule.
FM03.05 Determine, using technology, possible investment strategies to achieve a financial goal.
FM03.06 Explain the advantages and disadvantages of long-term and short-term investment options.
FM03.07 Explain, using examples, why smaller investments over a longer term may be better than larger investments over a shorter term.
FM03.08 Solve an investment problem.
Additional Resources and Activities for FM01 (compound interest):
Making Money with Benjamin Franklin and OPTIMISM: Ben Franklin and the 200 Year Endowments from Eddie Thompson - The story of Ben Franklin's bequest to Boston and Philadelphia is an inspiring story of philanthropy as well as an example of the enormous power of compound interest.
The Lowdown - The Math of Credit Cards: A short video on how credit cards work.
Financial Math - A Credit Card Story - Desmos Activity - A story about the math of credit cards... featuring annual percentage rate (APR), making payments, and the compound interest formula.
Payday Loans - A recent article from CBC about interest rates charged by alternative lenders has lots of math about compound interest and interest rates. There are even detailed repayment schedules from Money Mart and Easy Financial. Additional discussion could be had about the ethics of payday loans.
Financial Football - *Updated April 2025* Visa and the National Football League have teamed up to help teach financial concepts with Financial Football, a fast-paced, interactive game that engages students while teaching them money management skills (from practicalmoneyskills.org, available in multiple languages).
Financial Soccer - *Updated April 2025* Take your money skills to the next level with Visa’s Financial Soccer, a dynamic, interactive game designed to both educate and entertain. Hone your practical knowledge of financial concepts while leading your favorite FIFA country to victory (from practicalmoneyskills.org, available in multiple languages).
The Payoff - *Updated April 2025* Play the role of Alex or Jess, two up-and-coming video bloggers, as they prepare for a life-changing video competition whilst managing their finances and handling unexpected events. In the immersive game, developed by Visa, you'll help Alex and Jess make smart financial decisions within the tight three-day deadline and complete their video for the competition (from practicalmoneyskills.org, available in multiple languages).
Additional Resources and Activities for FM02 (renting, leasing and buying):
Fast Freddy's Used Cars Activity - In this activity, students determine the price of eight different used cars on Fred's lot. Fred provides "everyone approved" financing but it is often at very high interest rates. As students to find the best value on the lot. You might start class with a "Would You Rather" prompt to have students brainstorm what information they would want to know before purchasing a used car (e.g. price, MVI, mileage, accident history, fuel economy, etc).
Aaron's Rent to Buy Activity - Investigate the costs of purchasing items from rent-to-own/lease-to-own stores such as EasyHome, Aaron's and Rent-a-Centre. What the benefits and costs of these purchases?
Financial Math - Buying vs Leasing a Car - Desmos Activity - An online Desmos activity that compares the benefits and drawbacks of buying and leasing a car.
Car Shopping - *updated May 2025* Students will compare the total cost of purchasing a car through financing versus leasing. The task provides opportunities for students to solve a multi-step problem (from the Alberta Assessment Consortium).
Additional Resources and Activities for FM03 (investment portfolio):
Note: FM03.03 removed (FM03.03 Graph and compare the total value of an investment with and without regular contributions)
Investing Basics online course from Everfi - An overview of financial investing basics.
GetSmarteraboutMoney *added Apr2025* website has lesson plans, videos for students, and reference materials that support this curriculum.
If You Can - If You Can is a free pamphlet from author William Bernstein aimed at a young audience. He says, "For years I've thought about an eleemosynary project to help today's young people invest for retirement because, frankly, there's still hope for them, unlike for most of their Boomer parents. All they'll have to do is to put away 15% of their salaries into a low-cost target fund or a simple three-fund index allocation for 30 to 40 years. Which is pretty much the same as saying that if someone exercises and eats a lot less, he'll lose 30 pounds. Simple, but not easy."
The Canadian Securities Administrators added Apr2025* site offers a wealth of information (in English and French) on investing, including free downloadable PDF brochures on investing: Investing Basics: Getting Started; Investments at a Glance; and Understanding Mutual Funds.
Make It Count - added Apr2025* An Instructor’s Resource for Youth Money Management,” Canadian Securities Association (Canadian Securities Association 2015):
Passive Investing: The Evidence video - One aspect of analyzing and investment portfolio is whether to choose an actively managed mutual fund or a passively managed fund such as an index fund. A UK investment firm created a 54-minute documentary called Passive Investing: The Evidence, which includes cameos from some of the leading proponents of the passive investment strategy. The film production quality is very high and the interviews include luminaries such as John Bogle, Charles Ellis, Rick Ferri, Kenneth French, William Bernstein, Burton Malkiel and William Sharpe.
What the Fed said: Translated from CNN Money - There is a well written article that goes with this video from CNN Money. I don't know what students will think. It is important to know how much effect a change in the federal interest rate impacts individuals paying mortgages or other loans.
Credit Education Week Grade 12 Essay Contest - Host your own classroom essay contest. Students write submissions of 1,000 words or less covering the topic, “What is the dumbest thing I have ever done with my money and what did I learn from it?” Read the Lemonade Debacle of 2001, the winning essay from 2010. Challenge your students to write a short essay on this or another topic for your own class contest!