Lesson 3: Weighing Needs and Wants

Topic: Needs and Wants

Overview

This lesson uses storybooks and math activities to help students understand the difference between needs and wants. Students will think carefully about how to tell needs and wants apart and how to decide which matters more. They'll sort items, make mini-books, and play games with the class. Independent and small-group activities are also included so students can keep exploring this topic throughout the school year.

Objectives

1. Define needs and wants
2. Tell the difference between needs and wants
3. Compare needs and wants and decide which comes 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

Pre-Assessment:

• Activity: What Are Needs and Wants?

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 presentation slides)
• A stuffed animal and play objects representing 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
• Review the glossary of key vocabulary (page 10)

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Deepen the discussion of needs and wants by exploring picture books. Start by introducing a story—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 introducing the book, ask students to guess what the main characters need in the story and what they want.

Begin with the Definitions: Needs and Wants and Chart: Needs and Wants slides. Read the definition of a need and a want, and look at example items in each category. Use the slides to build a class chart, or create a T-chart on poster paper.

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

Explain to students that a need is something we must have to get through our school day successfully. A want is something that would be nice to have but isn't required. Ask students to look around the room and spot one item that fits each category. Record their answers on the chart.

MONEY SMART TIP!
After talking about classroom needs and wants, it helps to discuss strategies with students for making sure everyone has the supplies they need and that classroom materials are taken care of.

Teacher Tips:

• Look for grade-level modifications throughout this lesson to adapt activities for your students.
• Focus on the concept of needs and wants, and connect it to daily classroom life. Give students time to practice deciding which matters more.
• Make time to explore the books and technology resources mentioned in the guided and extended exploration sections.

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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.

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

Examples of needs: Shelter, Food, Water, Clothes
Examples of wants: Ice Cream, Toys, Candy, Video Games

CHART: Needs and Wants

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

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Guided Exploration: The Difference Between Needs and Wants (20 minutes)

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

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

Discuss how she might make decisions during the shopping trip.

Introduce the My Needs and Wants Mini-Book handout. Read the pages aloud and show students how to fill out each page and put the book together.

Grade Level Modifications:

Pre-K–K: Cut out the pages of the books ahead of time and assemble them for students. Instead of writing, students may draw or paste pictures onto the pages—using stickers, magazine cutouts, or their own drawings to show items they need and want. The mini-book can also be completed together as a class during circle time: model reading the pages, coloring the needs, circling the wants, and building a class list of needs and wants. Send individual copies home afterward for families to complete together.

Grades 1–2: Students may add an estimated price for each item they list as a need or want. After finishing their books, they can read them aloud in pairs.

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Prioritizing Needs and Wants (10 minutes)

Ask students whether it's always possible to get everything we want. Explain that sometimes we have to choose between a need and a want—or even choose between two things we want. As a group, discuss the choices the characters in the story made. Reflect together on three things the main character wanted.

Ask students:

• How would you decide between these choices if you were the main character?
• Which would be your first, second, or third choice?
• What influenced your choices and the order you ranked them in?

After discussing the story, have students practice sorting items by completing the Needs and Wants handout or playing a Pet Needs Classification game. In the game, choose a pretend pet and have students identify and sort its possible needs and wants.

Grade Level Modifications:

Pre-K–K: For the handout, students may match each item to "needs" or "wants" together as a group, then color the page. For the game, give students a stuffed animal and play objects representing needs and wants (a blanket, food bowl, treats, toys, etc.) and have them sort the objects into the two categories.

Grades 1–2: For the handout, students may extend the activity by ranking the three pictured wants in order of personal importance. For the game, break students into small groups, give each group a picture of a type of pet, and have them brainstorm and draw its possible needs and wants.

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Wrap Up: Class Reflection (5 minutes)

Ask students: What are needs and wants? How do you choose between things you need and want? Invite them to share their answers. Check for understanding, and consider introducing free-exploration centers so students can dig deeper into the topic.

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Extended Exploration

Note: Use the following activities to extend the lesson throughout the year. They can be done as a whole class, in small groups, or during center time. Time needed will vary.

Literacy Center

Possible Book Selections:

Note: Choose books that connect to this lesson's financial literacy topic. The suggestions below are a starting point—your library may have other options that spark similar discussion. For students who aren't yet reading independently, read books aloud or do a "picture walk," looking closely at the illustrations to preview the story before reading the text.

Pre-K–K: Bunny Money by Rosemary Wells: Max and Ruby set out to find the perfect birthday present for their grandmother. But when unexpected costs come up, they must carefully spend the money they've saved.

Discussion Questions: Do Max and Ruby need to buy their grandmother a birthday present? List some things they needed to buy and some things they wanted to buy. If you had no money for a present, what could you do instead?

Sam and the Lucky Money by Karen Chinn: Now that Sam is old enough to spend his Chinese New Year money however he likes, he discovers he doesn't have enough for everything he wants. Sam learns about making choices and spending wisely—and that some things money can't buy.

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

Almost Zero by Nikki Grimes: Dyamonde really wants a pair of expensive red high-top sneakers. Her 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 show-and-tell, circle-time discussion, partner conversations, or writing.

Grade Level Modifications:

Pre-K–K: Provide a picture or real object to support the discussion. Students who aren't yet writing can talk about pictures and objects while the teacher records their ideas through guided writing, either in a small group or as a class.

Topic: 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 may explore these prompts through journaling or independent writing.

Topic: Name 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 choose?

Math Center

Math Station:
Using the materials below, students can explore these activities independently or in a small group—for example, during center time or as an option for students who finish other work early.

Grade Level Modifications:

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

Instructions: Have students sort objects into two piles—needs and wants—placing each item in the correct bag. To build early writing skills, students may trace or copy the name of a need and a want, or a simple sentence, and turn it in to show they've completed the task.

Grades 1–2: Materials: Poster board or large paper, glue, markers, scissors, and magazines.

Instructions: Have students draw a line down the middle of their paper, labeling one side "Needs" and the other "Wants." They'll cut out and glue pictures of needs and wants onto the correct side.

At the bottom of the poster, have students write a number sentence: ___ Needs + ___ Wants = ___ Total.

Story Problems

Display the Story Problems: Weighing Needs and Wants slide. Print or project the problems, then work through and solve them as a whole class or in small groups.