TITLE: SHOPPING
AUTHOR: Cheryl J. Pembroke-Webster
Elementary Special Education; Anchorage, Alaska
OVERVIEW: I use this lesson to give the children a chance to apply what
they have learned about money. I also use it to provide variety and
incentive during review time of other skills.
GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT: Grades K-2, Math.
PURPOSE: Students are often taught money skills through the use of
worksheets. They're seldom given a chance to apply the skill in a realistic
manner and often become bored with the drill of worksheets. This lesson
provides them with practice opportunities prior to going into the
community to shop.
OBJECTIVE(s): Students will be able to:
1. Determine how much money they have in hand.
2. Find and read the price of a product.
3. Determine which product they would like to buy.
4. Determine if they have enough money for the item.
5. Count out the exact change or determine how much change they are due.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS: Clean trash (empty soup cans, cereal boxes,
vegetable cans, etc.) and stickers to use as price tags on items or index
cards with prices to label the shelf the item is on.
ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
1. Each child is given a set amount of change. The particular coins each is
given is determined by which coins have already been introduced to them
and which ones they have prior experience counting. Beginners start with
pennies only.
2. Each child is given a set amount of work in any subject that they need
extra practice on. I usually use computational math skills. How many
problems need to be completed before visiting the store is determined on
an individual basis by the difficulty of the work for each child and how
long it will take them to complete it.
3. As the student completes the assigned number of problems (i.e. three
addition problems), they bring the work and their change to the "store"
where they count their money and decide what to buy while the teacher
corrects the problems. The teacher or a student helper is then the store
clerk and takes the change from the student. The student must tell the
clerk how much change they are due, if any. The student then returns to
their seat and completes another three addition problems (or whatever
their assignment is) before returning to the store.
TYING IT ALL TOGETHER: After each child has progressed at least through
counting quarters, I like to take them on a field trip to practice these
skills in the community. Each child is responsible for paying the correct
fare upon boarding the city bus and if they can bring a small amount of
money, they can actually buy something in the store. If they can't bring
money they window shop and compare prices. This activity is good just
before winter break as it affords the children a chance to shop for gifts
without the family members around they want to buy for, although some
years the children are not quite ready that soon in the school year.
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John Kurilecjmk@ofcn.org