We start to teach students this concept typically in the fourth or fifth grade because that is when the basic math concepts are developed, however the students will not have the opportunity to legally have a checkbook until they are sixteen and they must share the account with a parent or guardian.
An understanding the the basics of the associative property, additive inverse property and additive identity property is necessary to balance a checkbooks. and bank accounts. We are constantly adding money, the withdrawing, perhaps using a check card to return something and a credit is added to our accounts.
Having a checking account is a necessity for most people in this fast pace world and can be a bigger issue today than in years past with a high percentage of young students having check cards and not paying attention to their balance. The speed at which the money comes out of our accounts is far greater than 20 years ago.
In Practice
A prime example of this particular problem could be a single mother with a young child, just getting out on her own. She can deposit $200.00 in her checking account and then spend $90.00 for daycare and $75.00 on gas. She deposits another $75.00 and spends $95.00 on diapers and groceries. She goes to the local restaurant to meet with friends and pays her dinner tab of $35.00 with a check card assuming she has the funds to do so. This actually puts her in the red -$20.00.
The above example is very easy for people to do if they do not use their check register properly, using the basic math they learn in elementary school. This video shows how a teacher uses a pretend business to help students understand deposits and withdrawals, and the use of a checkbook.
Free printable checkbooks are available online and can be used in the classroom to carryout exciting activities.
Brainpop offers a game to help understand the associative property. This website offers a free trial, but continued use requires a subscription.
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