Investing Like an Economist
Unit 5 · Lesson 5.2 · Last updated June 10, 2026
A 45-minute lesson exploring foundational investing advice through a choose-your-own-adventure activity, with a focus on how cognitive biases shape financial decisions — and how to reduce their impact.
Overview
In this lesson, students explore foundational investing advice grounded in economic research through a choose-your-own-adventure-style activity. As students make decisions, they identify how cognitive biases such as present bias and overconfidence shape investing choices and learn how to reduce their unhelpful influence. The lesson concludes with students creating their own investing "cheat sheet" based on the tips they generated throughout the primary activity.
Learning Objectives
- Generate evidence-based advice for investing success.
- Explain how cognitive biases influence personal finance decision making and identify strategies to minimize their impact.
Materials
- Instruction Slides (display during class period)
- Student Handout pp. 3–5 (1 copy per student)
- Investing Adventure (make a copy and provide each student with electronic access as "view only")
- Computer or tablet (1 device per student)
- Index card (1 per student)
- Optional: Headphones (1 pair per student)
Lesson Sequence
Slides 2–6
- Display Slide 2. Instruct students to discuss the prompt on the slide with a partner. Call on several students to share their responses with the class. Additional educator tips and suggested answers are in the notes section throughout Instruction Slides.
- Advance to Slide 3. Use the text on the slide to explain why investing is important for achieving long-term financial goals.
- Progress through Slides 4–5. Use the information on the slides to tell students that many Americans are not financially prepared for retirement, at least in part due to present bias.
- Proceed to Slide 6 and introduce the learning objectives for the lesson.
Slides 7–10
- Progress through Slides 7–8. Distribute 1 copy of Student Handout to each student and introduce the task using the information on Slide 8.
- Advance through Slides 9–10. Provide an overview of how students will navigate Investing Adventure to complete their handout. Demonstrate how to view the slides as a "Slideshow," use the buttons to navigate the adventure, and when to record information on Student Handout.
- Provide each student with a device and access to Investing Adventure. Allow students approximately 30 minutes to complete the exercise individually. Circulate while students work, answering questions as necessary. Note: Slides 13, 15, and 17 of Investing Adventure include videos. If students have headphones, they may use them for this portion. If time is tight, tell students to skip these video slides.
- Be prepared to distribute 1 index card to each student as they near the end of Investing Adventure. Students should ask for an index card soon after recording Tip #5 on their handout.
Slides 11–12
- Display Slide 11 after approximately 30 minutes of student work time, or when all students have written their 5 key tips for investing like an economist on their index card.
- Advance to Slide 12. Instruct students to write their responses to the prompts on the slide on the back of their index cards. If time permits, call on several students to share their responses and refer to the "Bonus Option" in the notes section of Instruction Slides.
Aligned Standards
National Standards for Personal Financial Education
What Educators Are Saying
I treated this lesson like a "choose your own adventure" and very much liked that students could explore investing at their own pace using the prompts to encourage them.
I like this lesson because it covers several important investing topics efficiently and effectively. This helps in a general econ class when time is tight.
I liked the ease of the web quest-style activity. Students are able to address misconceptions on the fly. I also appreciate the "time in the market" vs "timing the market" when making sound investment decisions.