MONEY SMART GRADES PRE-K–2: Educator Guide

Lesson 3, page 1

Lesson 3: Weighing Needs and Wants

TOPIC: Needs and Wants

OVERVIEW:
This lesson looks closely at the difference between needs and wants. It uses fun storybooks and math activities. Students will think carefully to tell needs and wants apart and figure out which ones matter most. They will sort items, make small books, and play games together as a class. There are many activities students can do alone or in small groups to keep exploring needs and wants all year long.

OBJECTIVES:

1. Define needs and wants (explain what they mean)
2. Tell the difference between needs and wants
3. Compare needs and wants and decide which come first

HANDOUTS:

• Needs and Wants
• My Needs and Wants Mini-Book

TEACHER PRESENTATION SLIDES:

• Definitions: Needs and Wants
• Chart: Needs and Wants
• Story Problems: Weighing Needs and Wants

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:

• What are needs and wants?
• How do I choose between my needs and wants?

ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES:

Before the Lesson (Pre-Assessment):

• Activity: What Are Needs and Wants?

After the Lesson (Post-Assessment):

• Handout: Needs and Wants
• Handout: My Needs and Wants Mini-Book
• Story Problems: Weighing Needs and Wants slide
• Activity: Class Reflection

Time: 45 minutes

Supplies:

• Chart paper, markers, pencils
• Projector (for teacher slides)
• A stuffed animal and play items to show an animal's needs and wants (optional)
• Internet access (optional)
• Suggested books (optional):
• Lily Learns About Wants and Needs by Lisa Bullard (Pre-K–2)
• If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff (grades 1–2)
• Bunny Money by Rosemary Wells (Pre-K–2)
• Sam and the Lucky Money by Karen Chinn
• Almost Zero by Nikki Grimes

Preparation:

• Make copies of the student handout
• Set up the projector with the presentation slides
• Glossary with important vocabulary words

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Lesson 3, page 2

Have a deeper conversation about needs and wants by exploring picture books. Start by introducing a story that fits the topic. Two good choices are Lily Learns About Wants and Needs by Lisa Bullard (Pre-K–2) and If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff (Grades 1–2).

After you introduce the book, ask students to guess what the main characters might need in the story and what they might want.

Start by showing the Definitions: Needs and Wants and Chart: Needs and Wants slides. Read the definition of a need and a want, and look at the example items in each group. Use the slides to make a class chart. You can also make a T-Chart (a chart split into two columns) on poster paper.

As a class, label one side "Things We Need for Our Classroom" (examples: pencils, paper, desks). Label the other side "Things We Want for Our Classroom" (examples: markers, stickers, toys).

Tell students that a need is something we must have to get through our school day. A want is something that would be nice to have, but we don't have to have it. Ask students to look around the room and find one item that fits into each group. Write down what students say on the chart.

MONEY SMART TIP!
After talking about classroom needs and wants, it can help to talk about ways to make sure everyone has the supplies they need — and that classroom supplies are taken care of.

TEACHER TIPS:

• Look for grade-level changes throughout this lesson. These show ways to adjust activities for your students.
• Focus on the idea of needs and wants. Connect it to things that happen in the classroom every day. Give students time to practice deciding which needs and wants matter most.
• Make time to explore the books and technology resources listed in the guided and extended exploration sections.

WARM UP

What Are Needs and Wants?
10 MINUTES

Instruction Steps

DEFINITIONS: Needs and Wants

Needs are things you must have to live a healthy life.

Money Smart for Young People Grades Pre-K–2

Wants are things you would like to have, but you could live without them.

Examples of Needs: Shelter, Food, Water, Clothes
Examples of Wants: Ice Cream, Toys, Candy, Video Games

CHART: Needs and Wants

Money Smart for Young People Grades Pre-K–2

Things We NEED for Our Classroom	Things We WANT for Our Classroom
Pencils	Markers
Paper	Stickers

GUIDED EXPLORATION

The Difference Between Needs and Wants
20 MINUTES

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Lesson 3, page 3

Ask students to imagine someone going shopping for school supplies. Ask:

• What items might she need to buy?
• What things might she want, but not need, for school?

Talk about how a student might make choices during the shopping trip.

Introduce the My Needs and Wants Mini-Book handout. Read the mini-book pages out loud. Show students how to fill in each page and put the book together.

Grade Level Changes:

Pre-K–K: Help children by cutting out the pages of their books ahead of time, then putting the books together for them. They can draw pictures or glue on pictures instead of writing. Students can finish the My Needs and Wants Mini-Book by using stickers, magazine pictures, or drawings of things they need and want, instead of writing words. The mini-book can also be

Ask students if it's always possible to get what we want. Explain that sometimes we have to choose between our needs and wants — or even choose between two things we want. Talk as a group about the choices the characters in the story made. As a class, think about three things the main character in the story wanted. Ask students:

• How would you decide between these choices if you were the main character?
• Which would be your first choice? Second choice? Third choice?
• What affected your choices and helped you decide what mattered most?

After talking about the story, have students practice sorting needs and wants. They can complete the Needs and Wants handout or play a Pet Needs Classification game. To play the game, pick a pretend pet. Have students name and sort things the animal might need and want.

Grade Level Changes:

Pre-K–K: For the handout, students can match each item to needs or wants as a whole group, then color the picture.

For the game, give students a stuffed animal and play items that stand for needs and wants (blanket, food bowl, treats, toys, etc.). Have students sort the items into needs and wants.

Grades 1–2: For the handout, students can go further by numbering the three wants shown to rank them by importance.

For the game, put students into small groups. Give each group a picture of a type of pet. Have them think of and draw possible needs and wants.

Prioritizing Needs and Wants
10 MINUTES

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Lesson 3, page 4

Extended Exploration

Note: Use the activities below to build on this lesson throughout the year. Activities can be done as a class, in small groups, or during center time. How long each activity takes will vary.

Ask students: What are needs and wants? How do you choose between things you need and things you want? Let them share their answers. Check that they understand, and consider setting up free exploration centers so students can dig deeper into the topic.

completed as a whole class during circle time. Model reading the pages, coloring the needs, circling the wants, and making a list of class wants and needs. Then send individual copies home so families can make their own.

Grades 1–2: Students can add a guessed price for the items they pick as needs and wants. After finishing their book, they can read it together with a partner.

WRAP UP

Class Reflection
5 MINUTES

LITERACY CENTER

Possible Book Choices:

Note: Read books with your class that connect to this lesson's money topic. Here are some suggestions, but you may find other books in your library that work just as well. For students who aren't reading yet, read the books out loud, or have students do a "picture walk" — looking closely at the pictures to get a preview of the story before reading the words.

• Pre-K–K: Bunny Money by Rosemary Wells: Max and Ruby are trying to find the best birthday present for their grandma. But when problems come up, they have to spend the money they carefully saved.

Discussion Questions: Do Max and Ruby need to buy their grandma a birthday present? Name some things Max and Ruby needed to buy and some things they wanted to buy. If you didn't have money to buy a present, what else could you do?

• Sam and the Lucky Money by Karen Chinn: Sam is finally old enough to spend his Chinese New Year money however he wants — but he doesn't have enough money. Sam learns about making choices and spending money, and finds out that some things money can't buy.

Discussion Questions: What would you buy if someone gave you an envelope full of money? Have you ever gotten money as a gift and had to decide how to spend it? What would you want to buy most? What is one thing you think you would need to buy?

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Lesson 3, page 5

• Almost Zero by Nikki Grimes: Dyamonde is a girl who really wants a pair of red high-top sneakers, but they cost too much! Dyamonde's mom teaches her about wants, needs, and making smart choices with money.

Discussion Questions: Have you ever wanted something as badly as Dyamonde wants her red sneakers? How do you choose between a want and a need?

Speaking, Listening, and Writing Prompts:

Explore these prompts through a themed show-and-tell, circle time talks, partner discussions, or writing.

Grade Level Changes:

Pre-K–K: Give students a picture or a real object to help them think about the prompt. Students who aren't reading yet can talk about pictures and objects while an adult writes down their ideas for them, either in a small group or as a class.

Topics: What is something you need for your classroom or your room at home? What is something you want for your classroom or your room at home?

Grades 1–2: Students can explore these writing prompts by journaling or writing on their own.

Topics: What are three things you want and three things you need? If you could only get one of the things you want, how would you decide which one to pick?

MATH CENTER

Math Station:
Using the materials below, students can explore these math activities on their own or in a small group. These work well during classroom centers or as a choice for students who finish other work early.

Grade Level Changes:

Pre-K–K: Materials: Two large bags (one labeled "Needs," one labeled "Wants"), a large box of items found in the classroom (like crayons, stuffed animals, a milk carton, etc.) or pictures that stand for needs and wants, plus words or sentence starters.

**Instruct