[ Home ] [ Overview ] [ Narratives ] [ Exhibits ] [ Reflection ]

Written by Joanne Gilbert

Economics-5th grade
Date: 11/8/04 & 11/9/04
Lesson 3: Scarcity

Objective:
TSWBAT identify scarcity and explain why people experience scarcity.

Michigan Benchmarks:
SS.IV.1.1: Explain why people must face scarcity when making economic decisions.
Tech.2.LE.3: Retrieve and communicate information using a technological system.
Tech.2.LE.4: Evaluate information received through technologies.

NETS:
Prior to completion of Grade 5 students will:
1. Use keyboards and other common input and output devices (including adaptive devices when necessary) efficiently and effectively. (1)
2. Use telecommunications and online resources (e.g., e-mail, online discussions, Web environments) to participate in collaborative problem-solving activities for the purpose of developing solutions or products for audiences inside and outside the classroom. (4, 5)

Materials:
Other classes: transparencies of Wishes and Rainbows, question sheet
My class: computers with internet connection

Anticipatory Set:
What did you learn last time? Then I will have the students tell me what natural, capital, and human resources are and together we will come up with definitions to write in our Word Books.

Modeling Activity:
Other classes: together we will read Wishes and Rainbows on the overhead. Then we will quickly discuss the story. The main points to cover in the discussion are resources and scarcity. I will bring up prices briefly, by explaining when something new, like a toy, comes out, everyone wants it and will pay lots for it. Then, after a few months when lots of people have it, it doesn't seem so cool anymore, and you don't want to pay lots for it-if you even still want it.
My classes: I will demonstrate how to get to the website and how to answer the questions. (http://www.geocities.com/miss_joanne_gilbert/economics) (http://ecedweb.unomaha.edu/ve/library/WISH.PDF) 

Guided/Independent Practice:
Other classes: Students will complete the questions about the reading.
My class: Students will read and complete the questions online. I will give them the question packet as well, so that if they don't have time to finish, they can just send me what they have, and then fill out the rest of the questions by hand.

Closure:
I will ask students as they leave the computer lab/classroom "what is scarcity?"

Assessment:
I will check their question packets.