Acorn Jar Slides Acorn Jar Saving
Keeping our treasures safe for later!
Financial Literacy
Lesson 1: The Concept of Saving
Where did it go?
The Clear Jar
When we put something in the jar, is it gone forever ?
No! It is just staying safe for LATER.
Meet Sammy!
Sammy is a very smart squirrel. He loves acorns, but he doesn't eat them all at once.
"If I eat them now, I won't have any for the snowy winter!"
What is Saving?
KEEPING
Holding onto something special.
SAFE
Protecting it so it doesn't get lost.
FOR LATER
Using it at a better time.
The Special Toy
Maya wants a big red ball. It costs 5 coins. Maya only has 1 coin today.
What should Maya do?
Buy candy now?
OR
Save for the ball?
Ready to Save?
"Saving is like planting a seed. We wait for it to grow into something amazing!"
Sammy Acorn Jar Worksheet Sammy's Acorn Jar
Save your treasures for later!
Name:
Date:
How to play: Color the acorns at the bottom. Cut them out and "save" them by glueing them inside Sammy's jar!
Place Acorns Here
Cut & Glue
Cut & Glue
Cut & Glue
Cut & Glue
Cut & Glue
Sammy Saving Story Script Sammy's Saving Story
Teacher Script & Discussion Guide • Lesson 1
Part 1: The Forest Discovery
"Deep in the Oak Forest lived Sammy Squirrel. Sammy loved acorns more than anything! One sunny morning, Sammy found the biggest, crunchiest acorn he had ever seen. He wanted to eat it right away—CRUNCH! But then, he looked at the brown leaves falling from the trees."
Discussion Prompt:
"Why do you think Sammy stopped? What happens to the forest when the leaves turn brown and fall?"
Part 2: The Acorn Jar
"Sammy knew that winter was coming. In winter, the snow covers the ground and finding food is very hard. Sammy looked at his big acorn. He said, 'If I eat this now, I will be happy for a minute. But if I save it for later, I will be happy when I am hungry in the snow!'"
Action:
Show the clear jar. Place a paper acorn (or real one) inside. "Sammy put his treasure in his Acorn Jar. He was SAVING it."
Part 3: The Winter Reward
"Months later, the wind blew COLD and the snow was deep. Sammy was very hungry. He reached into his hollow tree and found... his Acorn Jar! He pulled out the big, crunchy acorn and—CRUNCH! It was the best snack ever, because he had been patient enough to save it."
Lesson Takeaways
Saving is Waiting
Reinforce that saving isn't "losing" something, it's just waiting to use it.
Future Happiness
Connect the small sacrifice today with the big reward tomorrow.
Now or Later Slides Now or Later?
Choosing the path to big rewards!
Financial Literacy
Lesson 2: Short-Term vs. Long-Term Goals
Which one takes longer?
Small Cupcake
Bakes Fast!
Giant Party Cake
Bakes Slow!
"Good things are worth the wait!"
Right Now!
A "Now" goal is something we can have today . It's small and fast!
One sticker
One piece of candy
Playing with a toy for 1 minute
Later On!
A "Later" goal is something bigger and better . We have to wait and save for it!
A treasure box prize
A whole box of candy
A playground party!
How do we get there?
Start
Wait
Save
Big Goal!
What do YOU want?
Is there something BIG you want to work for?
New Bike?
Lego Set?
Goal Path Worksheet My Big Goal Map
Working hard for something special!
Name:
My Goal: Think of something big you want later (like a new toy or a special trip). Draw it at the end of the path. Then, color the steps to get there!
Start Here
Step 1:
WAITING
Step 2:
SAVING
My Big Goal
Waiting Game Slides The Waiting Game
Building our "Patience Power"!
Financial Literacy
Lesson 3: The Marshmallow Test Adaptation
The 60-Second Challenge
Can you sit perfectly still and silent for 60 seconds?
READY... SET... WAIT!
How did waiting feel?
Boring?
Wiggly?
Hard?
Proud?
Waiting can be tricky, but we can get better at it with practice!
The Big Choice
1 Treat NOW
OR
2 Treats LATER
If you can wait until the timer rings, you get DOUBLE!
How to Wait Like a Pro
Don't look at it!
Sing a quiet song.
Think about something else.
Take 3 deep breaths.
I DID IT!
Waiting is hard, but the BIG reward feels amazing!
Waiting Game Simulation Guide The Waiting Game Guide
Teacher Facilitation Instructions • Lesson 3
Materials Needed
Small rewards (stickers, pretzels, or erasers)
A clear timer (visual countdown is best)
"Waiting Game" Slides
Learning Objective
Students will understand that waiting is a skill that can be practiced and that delaying gratification leads to a bigger reward.
1
The Small Challenge
Start with the 60-second "Freeze" challenge from the slides. Tell students: "If you can stay completely still until the timer rings, everyone gets a high-five!" This builds initial confidence.
2
The Choice Simulation
"I have a special treat for you. You can have ONE sticker right now. OR, if you can wait until we finish our story time (about 5-10 minutes), I will give you TWO stickers."
Pro-Tip:
Place the "Later" reward in a clear jar on your desk where they can see it but not touch it.
3
The "Patience Power" Coaching
While waiting, explicitly teach the strategies from Slide 5:
Distraction: "Let's sing our ABCs while we wait."
Mindfulness: "Let's take three deep 'dragon breaths'."
Debrief Discussion
"Which was harder: waiting for 60 seconds or waiting for the stickers?"
"What is one thing you did to make the waiting easier?"
"Was it worth it to get TWO instead of ONE?"
Tracking Savings Slides Watching It Grow
Tracking our savings path!
Financial Literacy
Lesson 4: Tracking Our Savings
The Savings Tracker
How do we know if we are getting closer ?
We use a tracker to see our "Patience Power" grow!
One by One
More!
Saving takes time. Each time we wait, we add a point to our tracker. Slow and steady wins the race!
The Grand Prize
What are we saving for?
Dance Party
Snack Time
Extra Recess
Let's Get Started!
Today we start our Acorn Bank Tracker .
Color it in whenever we practice waiting!
Acorn Bank Tracker Worksheet Acorn Bank Tracker
Color an acorn every time you wait!
Name:
My Big Class Goal:
Road to the Reward!
DAY 1
DAY 2
DAY 3
DAY 4
DAY 5
DAY 6
DAY 7
DAY 8
DAY 9
REWARD!
"I have Patience Power!"
Spending Savings Slides The Big Reward
Celebrating our hard work and patience!
Financial Literacy
Lesson 5: Spending Our Savings
Goal Achieved!
We waited. We saved. And now, the tracker is FULL !
"Was it worth the wait?"
Time to Spend!
Our "Acorn Points" have turned into our Grand Prize .
ENJOY YOUR REWARD!
How it happened
WE WAITED
Patience Power!
WE SAVED
Smart Squirrels!
WE REWARDED
Big Celebration!
Looking Back
"Think about when we started. How did it feel when the jar was empty?"
Jar Empty
Jar Full!
I Am a Super Saver!
You have the power to wait for big things!
Super Saver Reflection Worksheet Super Saver Success
I can wait for big rewards!
Name:
How did it feel to finally get the reward?
Draw your face here:
What was the hardest part about waiting?
Seeing the prize
Waiting a long time
Not playing now
Draw or write your answer here:
My Next Big Goal!
I have the "Patience Power" to save for something else. I want to save for: