If you only have half an hour before your next class, follow this checklist. By the end, your classroom will be live and ready for students.
✅ Step 1: Create Your Classroom (3 minutes)
From your dashboard, click All Classes.
Click + New Class in the top-right.
Name your class clearly so you can identify it later — we recommend the format Subject – Period (e.g., "Personal Finance – Period 1" or "Economics – Block B").
Confirm the start date and click Create.
You'll land on your new classroom's Classroom Performance tab. The dashboard will be empty until students join — that's normal.
✅ Step 2: Add a Course (3 minutes)
Click the Assigned Courses tab.
Click Add Course in the top-right.
Browse the available courses. For most personal finance classes, we recommend Personal Finance Core Foundations (2e) — it's our latest, fully standards-aligned curriculum.
Click the course to assign it to your class.
Choosing between Legacy and 2e? If you're brand new to Intertwined, go with 2e. The Legacy versions remain available for teachers who started a course mid-year and want to finish on the original curriculum.
✅ Step 3: Add Your Students (10 minutes)
You have two options for adding students. Pick whichever fits your classroom:
Option A: Share the Class Code (best for students who can self-register)
Click the blue Share Class Code button in the top-right.
Display the code on your projector, write it on the board, or send it via your LMS.
Students go to intertwinedfinance.com → Register → I am a Student, then enter the class code.
Option B: Generate Credentials (best for younger students or classrooms without student email)
Click the Students tab → Create Credentials.
Type a base username (e.g., "Apple") into the Default Username field.
Enter the number of accounts you need (e.g., 25).
Click Create Accounts.
Intertwined will generate a list of usernames (Apple01, Apple02, etc.) with secure auto-generated passwords (e.g., Tape-139, Time_852).
Export the list and distribute credentials to students — printed slips work great for younger learners.
Important: If a student already has an Intertwined account, share the class code instead. Don't create duplicate credentials as it might cause login confusion.
✅ Step 4: Configure Your Simulator (5 minutes) (Core tier and above)
If your plan includes the Personal Budget Simulator:
Go to the Settings tab.
In the Quick Links panel on the right, click Budget Simulator Settings.
Click the blue Activate Budget Sim button in the top-right.
Without activation, students can see the simulator but can't participate. Repeat this for Stock Simulator (Plus+) and Startup Simulator (Pro) if you plan to use them.
✅ Step 5: Create Your First Assignment (5 minutes)
Click the Assignments tab → + Create Assignment.
Choose the lesson or assessment you want to assign (start with the first lesson of your assigned course — usually something like "Definition of Financial Responsibility").
Set a Publish Date (when students can see it) and a Due Date (when it's due).
Click Create.
Your assignment will appear in the Pending tab until the publish date, then move to Active, and finally Complete after the due date passes.
✅ Step 6: Do a Quick Sanity Check (4 minutes)
Before students log in, take a moment to verify everything looks right:
Classroom appears in your All Classes list
At least one course is in Assigned Courses
Students appear in the Students tab (or class code is ready to share)
Simulator shows as Active (if you're using one)
First assignment is visible in Assignments
What to Do Next
Once your students log in for the first time and start completing lessons, head to the Classroom Performance tab. Data will start flowing in within minutes, and you'll see real-time mastery and engagement metrics by the end of class.
Related articles:
2.1 Creating Your First Classroom
2.4 Creating Student Accounts in Bulk (Generated Credentials)
4.1 Creating Your First Assignment
5.1.2 Activating the Budget Simulator for Your Class
6.1 Classroom Performance Tab Explained