First graders have recently been learning about the difference between needs and wants. We have discussed how a need is something you must have to be healthy and safe, and a want is something you would like to have but could live without.
We started by reading a book called All We Need Is Love, and A Really Soft Pillow by author Peter H. Reynolds and his son Henry Rocket Reynolds. In the story, Poppy and Little One discuss the things they need in life, creating a list item by item through the book – a toilet, some books, a fruit tree, a vegetable garden, a bathtub, a cooking pot, chocolate (the only one that is a “want”!), water, four walls, a roof, two really soft pillows, and of course… LOVE!
After reading, we brainstormed a list of needs and wants that people might have. Some items are tricky, such as food. Healthy food is a need while unhealthy food can be a want. Same with clothes! Weather-appropriate clothes are a need while dress-up clothes are a want. Here is what the first graders came up with!
Needs:
toilet
sink
bath
healthy food
shelter
water
clothes
coat
shoes
medicine
learning
books
Wants:
chocolate – Elliot
nail polish – Brinley
popcorn – Clarke
Tamagotchi – Georgie
candy – Daniel
screens – Archie
video games – Brooks
toys – Tristan
flowers – Zach
Nintendo Switch – Hudson
Legos – Rowe
Next we read The Can Man by Laura E. Williams. This is a touching story about a boy who collects cans to recycle for money in order to buy himself a skateboard for his birthday. Tim works hard to collect the cans but realizes that a homeless man he often sees collecting cans in his neighborhood now doesn’t have any cans to collect. The Can Man, Mr. Peters, really needs the money he was planning to make from recycling the cans to buy himself a new coat before winter comes. Tim eventually realizes that Mr. Peters needs the coat, while Tim just wants the skateboard. Watch the video below to see how the sweet story ends!
Finally, we read A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams. The story follows a family who is working hard to save up money for something they really need – a chair for their living room. This story is a great example of someone being responsible with their money to save up for something they really need.
Throughout the week, students have written about needs and wants and ways to be helpful to others. On Wednesday, first graders made collages from magazine clippings of some items that are needs and wants.
