It’s been five years since we launched our Racial Discrimination in Finance mini-unit, so we’ve given the mini-unit a full refresh with up-to-date data and resources.

In the Racial Discrimination in Finance mini-unit, students look at the role racial and ethnic discrimination has played in the financial lives of people in the United States. Students learn the history of lending and housing policy, the laws that protect borrowers today, and how to recognize and respond to discrimination.

“I believe this mini-unit is important because students need to understand how historical and current discrimination can affect people’s financial opportunities and outcomes. Understanding this history, along with the laws and resources available to protect consumers, helps students become more informed and confident in navigating their own financial lives.” — Shawn Brigham, Garland ISD, TX

What’s new and notable?

Five lessons, 45 minutes each
All of the mini-unit lessons were designed in a 45-minute format, to match the structure of NGPF’s updated Semester Course lessons (coming Nov. 12). That makes it easier to fit into your schedule and to pair with the rest of the course.

Current content
Every lesson has been refreshed with recent resources, data, and examples. Sources include surveys from the Federal Reserve and FDIC, Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census Bureau earnings data, and more.

New activities
We’ve created 10 new activities, including Data Crunch: Who Gets Denied Credit?; ANALYZE: Investigating the Wage Gap; MOVE: Who Borrows to Buy?; and more.

Designed with all educators in mind
Each lesson is built on documented history and current law, so teachers in all 50 states can bring it into their classroom with confidence.

All lessons align with the National Standards for Personal Financial Education from the Council for Economic Education and Jump$tart Coalition.

Shaped by teachers
As with the original mini-unit, a cohort of active teachers and education leaders in the NGPF community reviewed the lessons and gave feedback that shaped the final version.

Explore the updated Racial Discrimination in Finance mini-unit.

About NGPF Mini-Units

A mini-unit generally consists of three to five lessons, and each mini-unit has the same components as any other NGPF lesson: a unit plan, lesson guides, activities, and more.

They are designed with flexibility in mind, so you can use them where it makes the most sense in your curriculum. You can teach all of the lessons as a stand-alone unit or use individual lessons where they fit best in your course.

Mini-units are not a required component of the flagship NGPF Semester Course and may be used at teacher discretion, consistent with district and state guidance.

About the Author

Hannah Rael

As NGPF's Marketing Communications Manager, Hannah (she/her) helps spread the word about NGPF's mission to improve the financial lives of the next generation of Americans.

More posts by Hannah