Social Studies - 1st Grade
Standard 4 Objective 2
1 class periods of 45 minutes each
Large Groups
Students will learn to identify the difference between things they want and items they need for survival.
Teachers should familiarize themselves with the "Making Choices" lesson plan listed in the resources.
Students need to be familiar with coins.
Students should also understand the terms wants and needs.
Students will understand economic choices that need to be made.
Show students a candy bar and a bottle of water to review the concept of wants and needs. Ask which one they would need in order to survive.
Hand out the pinch cards to the students. Students will hold the card under their chin as the teacher lists different items students will pinch the word according to if it is a want or need.
Pass out 2 sticky notes to each student. The students will draw a want on one sticky note and a need on the other. Then they will place them on the T-chart on the chart paper under the correct heading, want or need. Discuss the T-chart as a class, moving sticky notes if needed.
Gather class to read the book, Alexander Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday. Refer to the lesson from the site Finance in the Classroom to complete activities.
While reading the book, Alexander Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday, by Judith Viorst, give each student a zip-lock bag with a dollar's worth of plastic coins in it. They can take away coins from their plastic bags as Alexander spends his own money in the book.
** If you choose to do this activity, make sure you preview the book first so that you know which coins need to be in the plastic bags.
Hand out index cards, or small slips of paper. Have the students roll a die twice.
For each odd number rolled, they need to draw a picture of a need. For each even number rolled, they need to draw a want.
You can follow up by having them roll the dice more than twice.