First grade students are learning about needs and wants, analyzing examples of goods and services, and distinguishing between producers and consumers. Students have learned that a need is something one must have in order to survive such as air, food, water, and shelter. A want, however, is something one would like to have but can survive without, such as toys, games, televisions, and computers. In addition to viewing brief videos on the topic, students have participated in a variety of fiction (A Chair for My Mother, A Bargain for Frances, and If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, etc.) and nonfiction read alouds (Do I Need It, or Do I Want It?, Needs, and Wants and Needs).
Expanding our learning, students have participated in numerous stations including games, cut and sorts, and partner reading. Next week, students can look forward to creating goods, services, needs and wants posters, producer and consumer skits, and product advertisements. We will also address a final key concept, how people often want more than they need, and discuss different scenarios that help children to make good choices when saving and spending.
