Time Is Your Superpower
Two people each put in €100 once. A gets two 10% rounds, B starts a round later and gets one — A ends at €121, B at €110.
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In the year workbook
My Money YearThis lesson has a companion in the printable year workbook: pupil pp. 124–125, teacher companion p. 101.
Learning objectives
- Find A’s balance after two 10% rounds (€110 then €121)
- Find B’s balance after one round (€110) and compare the €11 gap
- Explain why one company share is riskier than a broad fund, and why the 10% model is not guaranteed
Vocabulary
- Invest
- To put money into something hoping it grows — it can also drop.
- Index Fund
- A basket that spreads your money across many companies at once.
- Diversify
- To spread money across many things to lower the risk.
- Compound
- When your growth also starts to earn growth over time.
- Long Term
- Something planned for a long time ahead, like many years.
Materials
Minute-by-minute flow
7′
Hook
Teacher does
Read the story: two fictional people each contribute €100 once; A has two 10% rounds and B starts a round later with one, no fees or extra deposits. Ask what is known and what to find out.
Students do
Say both start at €100 but get a different number of rounds.
13′
Model
Teacher does
Think aloud through task 1: find A’s balance after rounds 1 and 2 (€110 then €121).
Students do
Work out €110, then 10% of €110 to reach €121.
22′
Practise
Teacher does
Set tasks 2 and 3: find B’s one-round balance (€110) and compare, then why is one company share riskier than a broad fund and why is the 10% model not guaranteed?
Students do
Show A ends €11 higher, and explain diversification and that real returns can vary or be negative.
12′
Discuss
Teacher does
Surface the misconception: do not claim everyone who starts earlier always ends ahead — the model uses fixed fictional growth.
Students do
Test a first-round 10% loss then 10% growth: €100 → €90 → €99.
6′
Exit
Teacher does
Pose the reflection: why can time help without promising a particular final amount?
Students do
Say more time allows growth on growth, but real paths and losses are uncertain.
Check for understanding
Can the learner reach €121 for A and €110 for B, explain the €11 gap, and say why a broad fund spreads company risk without removing it?
Exit ticket
Fill in: A ends at €__, B at €__ — the extra 10% round is worth €__ here, but it is not guaranteed because…
Support
Prefill €110 after the first round.
Stretch
Test a first-round 10% loss followed by 10% growth: €100 → €90 → €99.
Home connection
Use the Little Finance Heroes compound tool to show someone how one extra 10% round takes €100 from €110 to €121.