Part of the Canadian Provincial Curriculum Alignment series.
A three-book Canadian financial-literacy workbook series by Michael McCracken: Book 1 — The Money Starter Pack (foundations, suggested Grades 6–9), Book 2 — The Grind (paycheques, taxes, credit, investing; Grades 9–12), Book 3 — Endgame (advanced planning; senior grades/adult). Print workbooks, 8.5×11, greyscale, with write-in activities throughout. CALM remains the required financial-literacy vehicle; the series also anticipates the incoming Grades 7–9 curriculum.
Alberta embeds financial literacy across K–12: renewed K–6 mathematics includes financial-literacy foundations, a combined Career Education and Financial Literacy curriculum for Grades 7–9 is in piloting, and CALM — required for the diploma — carries the core personal-finance outcomes. The table maps each area to specific chapters.
How The Money Skill Tree maps to the Alberta curriculum
| Provincial outcome / requirement | Coverage in The Money Skill Tree (Canadian Edition) |
|---|---|
| CALM (Career and Life Management) — required for the Alberta High School Diploma: financial decision-making, budgeting, banking | B1 Ch 3 (needs vs. wants; sales tax; unit pricing), Ch 5–6 (choosing accounts; fees; CDIC and provincial deposit insurance), Ch 9 (budgeting); B2 Ch 7 (automated money systems) |
| — Credit and borrowing | B1 Ch 10 (debt types; minimum-payment math; credit-score factors); B2 Ch 5 (credit files with Equifax/TransUnion; building a first score; car-loan interest at three credit tiers) |
| — Saving, investing, and risk | B1 Ch 7 (compound interest); B2 Ch 8–10 (how markets work; ETFs and diversification; risk tolerance vs. risk capacity), Ch 3 (TFSA/FHSA/RRSP/RESP) |
| — Insurance and major purchases | B3 Ch 5 (risk transfer; disability, tenant/home, term vs. whole life), Ch 1 (mortgages, CMHC insurance, total cost of ownership); B1 Ch 8 (depreciation — what a car really costs) |
| — Career development, income, and consumer choices | B1 Ch 4 (first earning and pricing work); B2 Ch 1 (pay stubs; wage, salary, commission, piecework, tips, contracts; TD1); B3 Ch 3 (negotiation, incl. fixed-grid/unionized contexts) |
| K–6 mathematics — financial literacy foundations (money, value, budgeting concepts) | Book 1’s early chapters (money as stored value, needs vs. wants, saving) extend these foundations in age-appropriate language for middle grades. |
| Grades 7–9 Career Education and Financial Literacy (draft; classroom piloting from 2026/27) | The draft’s organizing ideas — career exploration and financial literacy in every grade — correspond to Book 1’s full arc and B2 Ch 1–2. A finalized-outcome mapping can be supplied when Alberta publishes the approved curriculum. |
| CTS business/enterprise pathways — entrepreneurship options | B1 Ch 4 (side-hustle economics, pricing formula, safety); B3 Ch 4 (unit economics, productization, GST/HST registration threshold, incorporation basics) |
B1 = Book 1 (The Money Starter Pack) · B2 = Book 2 (The Grind) · B3 = Book 3 (Endgame) · “Ch” = chapter.
Instructional features
Every chapter closes with a hands-on Skill Quest and Elite Quest (write-in activities with worked examples), Guild Chat discussion prompts (adaptable to pair-share or guest-speaker formats), a SOLO reflection prompt, and a self-assessment Summary Checklist. All dollar figures, tax rates, and contribution limits reflect 2026 published values, with in-text reminders to verify current rates at canada.ca.
Scope
Grades 7–9 alignment references the published draft (piloting 2026/27) and will be re-issued against final outcomes. All tax content is federal/Canadian-general or clearly labelled by province; Alberta’s GST-only sales-tax position is explicitly covered in the sales-tax section (B1 Ch 3).
Curriculum source
Curriculum source: Career Education & Financial Literacy — alberta.ca/curriculum-career-education-and-financial-literacy · programs of study: curriculum.learnalberta.ca
Prepared July 2026 · moneyskilltree.com · Curriculum references should be verified against current ministry documents at time of adoption.
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