Bartering, an Early Form of Interdependence

Learners examine a variety of aspects dealing with family life, survival, and mining in Colorado using primary and secondary sources. Research resources and handouts provide a background for this ten lesson unit.

Fifth graders participate in read aloud activities of three books about life in Colonial times. They compare their life to that of children of Colonial times using a Venn diagram. They draw a picture and write about what a day in the...

Students practice bartering. In this colonial lesson, students find that the colonists had to barter with one another to get the items they needed. Students bring in an item to barter with their classmates and discuss this simulation. 

Students review the history of trade and money. They examine an online timeline about barter beginning in 9,000 with cattle up to the future and electronic money. In groups, they role-play past and present situations involving exchange...

Students study the life of a child living at Thomas Jefferson's home of Monticello contrasted to the life of child living on a Quaker settlement. In this early Virginia history lesson, students read background information about the life...

Third graders demonstrate the process of bartering by exchanging with another child an item that is more valuable to them. They engage in Exchange City - a day when the boys and girls bring in items that they would like to exchange with...

Learners explore the concepts of community in relation to how jobs and businesses work interdependently. Through an identification game, students grasp and analyze their importance to a functioning community. Learners discuss the...