Resources
Our Invest It Forward resources are designed to equip teachers and volunteers with the essential tools to create engaging and impactful classroom experiences.
Here, you'll find financial education topics for classroom engagements, along with downloadable educational content from the SIFMA Foundation and other trusted resources like the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
We invite you to use these materials as they are or customize them to align with your background, teaching style, or audience needs. Whether you're a seasoned educator, or first-time volunteer, these resources are designed to inspire and educate, making financial education accessible and engaging for students of all ages.
Classroom Engagement Lesson Topics
![]() |
Meet a Financial ProfessionalVolunteers can sign up to speak with classes to share about their career paths, answer students' questions about the financial industry, and help connect classroom learning to the real world— no presentation is necessary! |
![]() |
Getting Started with SMGThis presentation provides students with an introduction to the Stock Market Game (SMG), review the importance of investing and saving, and introduce what companies and stocks are. |
![]() |
What are Capital Markets?These resources were developed in partnership between the SIFMA Foundation and the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Through a series of videos and PowerPoint decks, students will gain a better understand stocks, bonds, primary and secondary capital markets, saving and investing, the roles of the capital markets and more. Volunteers can select one or multiple of these resources to use in their classroom engagement. |
![]() |
What is a Stock?This PowerPoint deck introduces students to essential concepts such as what a stock is, how to read stock quotes, conduct research on company earnings reports, and analyze stock market data. |
![]() |
Buy Sell or Hold? (Beginner)This presentation gives students an opportunity to review their Stock Market Game performance, and introduce concepts like the economic cycle, stock market indicators, and the importance of diversification. This PowerPoint deck is recommended for beginners. |
![]() |
Buy Sell or Hold? (Advanced)This presentation guides students through an in-depth exploration of economic cycles, stock valuation, and the importance of diversification. This PowerPoint deck is recommended for advanced classes. |
![]() |
SMG Essential Mini-LessonsThis YouTube playlist consists of financial education mini-lesson videos for 4th-12th grade students. Each video is under six minutes and concludes with an Exit Ticket. Volunteers can use one or multiple videos to introduce students to topics such as investing, companies, stocks, conducting research, assessing risk, diversification and more. |
Explore Other Opportunities
|
Invest It ForwardJoin our Weekly Open Office Hours session on Thursdays at 12pm ET or share our work with your network by dowloading our one-pager below. Share Our Work > |
|
InvestWriteLearn more about InvestWrite at www.investwrite.org or click below to download our one-pager. |
![]() |
Stock Market GameLearn more about the Stock Market Game at www.stockmarketgame.org or click below to learn how to get involved. Learn More > |
FINRA Review Letters
for Firm’s Internal
Compliance review
View Resource 1 >
FINRA Review Approval letters for Classroom Powerpoints
View Resource 2 >
FINRA Review Approval letters for SMG Essential Mini Lessons