Curated OER
WANTS VS. NEEDS
Students gain an appreciation for wants and needs by analyzing poems, researching spending choices on the internet, interviewing family members, and create power point slides.
Council for Economic Education
You Can BANK on This! (Part 2)
This is part two in a four-part instructional activity on banking and personal finance. In this instructional activity, learners analyze whether or not they have made a good purchase, then discuss how to make an informed decision about a...
Federal Reserve Bank
Glo Goes Shopping
Making decisions can be very difficult. Show your class one way to evaluate choices with this instructional activity, which is inspired by the book Glo Goes Shopping. Learners practicing using a decision-making grid with the content of...
Curated OER
Making Good Money Choices
Students play a game called Philanthropy EconAround Bingo and learn how to make smart money choices. In this money choices lesson plan, students play the game and discuss what choices would be better than others to maximize their money.
Council for Economic Education
A Perfect Pet
Students read the story "The Perfect Pet". They examine how scarcity is a problem in society when people can not have everything they want which forces them to make (economic) choices.
Federal Reserve Bank
On the Court with... Michael Jordan
Pupils learn foundational economic concepts and consider the importance of decision-making, how to evaluate choices and alternatives, and the benefits of consistent training and practice by learning about the early life of Michael Jordan.
One Hen
Making Choices
When choosing what foods to eat, there are a lot of factors to consider. To help make the decision a little easier, young learners work in small groups developing short plays, stories, or advertisements that address the different issues...
National Park Service
Making Choices
What factors go into a decision to enter a war? Use a collection of primary source documents and images to prompt a discussion about the American Revolution and the reasons for entering a war against Britain.
Federal Reserve Bank
Wants on a Continuum
You can't always get what you want, but you might just be able to teach your class about wants and choices. This plan leads pupils through a discussion and closes with a worksheet and assessment.
Curated OER
High Five
Young scholars discuss making choices, behavior and goals. In this responsibility lesson, students make list of goals they want to achieve. Young scholars share their lists with each other and decide if they make choices that help them...
Curated OER
Making Good Money Choices
Student explore an economic-decision making model to decide where to donate money they have collected. In this philanthropic money instructional activity, students develop a plan for raising money and then decide how to best spend it for...
Curated OER
Fifth Grade Social Studies Multiple Choice Practice
In this grade 5 social studies worksheet, 5th graders complete a set of 17 multiple choice questions about a variety of topics. An answer key is included.
Curated OER
Making Good Money Choices
Students identify the needs of their community. In this communities lesson, students use a decision-making model worksheet to determine what community service project they should donate to. Students count the money they have to donate...
Federal Reserve Bank
Cotton in My Sack
As part of a study of saving choices and opportunity costs, class members listen to a reading of Lois Lenski's Cotton in My Sack, and then evaluate the spending choices made by the Hutley family.
Curated OER
Food Insecurity
Explore food insecurity and resource scarcity with your class. They discuss the sharing of scarce resources, how to be good caretakers of these resources, and how choices impact the entire world.
Michigan Sea Grant
Environmental Decision Making
Pupils participate in a board game activity in which landing on a space called "Decision Card" presents them with a land-use situation to consider and decide how to act. In order to advance in Hydropoly, players must think critically and...
Curated OER
Choose Your Own Adventure Story
Students investigate the concept of writing adventure stories. They follow the model of a "choose your own adventure story". Students practice the skill of making choices to get to a desired outcome. The application is when they follow...
Curated OER
Needs and Wants
Students examine the difference between needs and wants. In this consumption lesson, students illustrate their needs and wants and discuss their own reasons for buying things. They also discuss the connection between their choices and...
Curated OER
Can't You Make Them Behave, King George?
Fifth graders describe the changes in King George III's policy toward the American colonies by sequencing key events between the French and Indian War and the American Revolution. They explain the colonial reactions to command decisions...
Curated OER
"Let's Make Some Money"
Students complete a project about economics, supply, and advertising. In this advertising lesson, students discuss how money is made, entrepreneurs, and advertising. They make their own business with toys to sell to Kindergartners.
Curated OER
Tropical Travel choices
Students recognize the difference between needs and wants. In this tropical travel lesson plan, students observe a coin from the Northern Mariana Islands and plan a trip. Students read text about the island and complete a "weigh your...
Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Education
Popcorn Economics
Scarcity of resources is a fundamental economics concepts that kids need to understand. You'll use a large bag of popcorn to demonstrate this concept. Have the class come up row-by-row to fill their snack bags with popcorn. By the last...
Baylor College
Need or Want?
Even as adults it can be hard to distinguish needs from wants. Using pictures of common, everyday items, children make a pocket chart separating the objects they need from those that they want. Discuss their choices, explaining that...
Curated OER
The Great Paper Airplane Factory
Students investigate the economics of starting a business in this series of lessons. They role play parts of a business organization that sells paper airplanes making decisions based on calculations to make the most profitable organization.