The cost of a variety of math aids and manipulatives, inclding the Giant Classroom Money Kit, Menu Math, and Market Math is $503, including shipping and <a target="new" href="http://www.donorschoose.org/html/fulfillment.htm" onclick="g_openWindow('http://www.donorschoose.org/html/fulfillment.htm', 300, 800, 'fulfillwindow');return false;">fulfillment</a>.
One of the most practical skills we can teach students is how to manage money and be smart consumers. Being smart consumers means being discriminating consumers of the information that is around them.
I teach information skills to K-5 students in a public school -- how to find information, understand it, use it, and share it. While this instruction does include more traditional reference sources, it goes beyond that in order to prepare students for the information age that we live in. Some information skills they learn are ones they will use during their academic careers while others are practical skills they can use day in and day out.
For this project, I would like to help students with the day-to-day skill of locating, comparing, and analyzing information to better manage money and become savvy consumers. To develop these skills, we will simulate situations at the supermarket, a department store (both with price lists) and at a restaurant (with menus). Students will use reading skills, information skills, and math skills to problem solve different scenarios. I would like to try the project with a first grade class as well as a third grade class, with the hope of repeating the project with other classes or grade levels.
Students have to be prepared to manage their money as adults, but we cannot wait until they are adults to teach them these valuable skills. Providing them with opportunities now in which they work through real-life situations will create a solid building block for their development as savvy consumers of both information and goods and services.
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Goodman and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
