Economics

Grade 1

 

Overarching Question:  What are wants and needs?

Essential Questions:

 

¨       Why do people need to make choices about their needs and wants?

¨       How do people use various resources?

¨       How do people decide how to use things in the world?

 

Enduring Understandings

Skills and knowledge

 

MA History/ Social  SCIENCE CURRICULUM  Framework (2003)

Assessments/learning experiences

Enduring Understandings:

Resources are limited.

 

People make choices because they can not have everything that they want.

 

Goods and services satisfy people’s needs and wants.

 

We depend on others to meet our wants and needs.

 

Knowledge:  Students will know:

 

People work at jobs to earn money so that they may purchase goods and services to meet their wants and needs.

 

Economics Terms to learn:

Goods:  Things people make or use to satisfy needs and wants

 

Services:  Activities that satisfy people’s needs and wants

 

Buyer:  A person who uses money to purchase goods or services

 

Seller:  A person who sells goods or services

 

Skills       Students will be able to:

 

Differentiate between wants and needs, goods and services 

 

Explain that people make choices because they cannot have everything they want.

 

Describe jobs that produce goods or provide services

 

Give examples of products (goods) that people buy and use

 

Give examples of services that people do for each other.

 

Give examples of the choices people have to make about the goods and services they buy (e.g. a new coat, a tie, or a pair of shoes) and why they have to make choices (eg because they have a limited amount of money.)

 

 

Sample Assessments

 

A snowstorm is predicted with at least two feet of snow.  Give an example of 1 good and 1 service that is likely to be in demand.

 

Explain 2 ways producers can meet those wants and needs

 

Sample Learning Experiences

 

Discuss and sort pictures into goods and services

 

Discuss and sort pictures of  wants and needs

 

Discuss goods and services provided in the town

 

Discuss various ways that people earn money

 

 

 

Resources:

 

Needs and Wants – www A to z.com

Do we Need It?  Do we Want it? Benchmark Education Co.