December in the classroom is tricky. Teachers want to get as many teaching days as possible before testing testing. They also want to get a little fun in before the break. Every year, It’s a double-sided coin, with trying to get everything in and still have time for fun. Teaching Needs and Wants during December solves that!
One easy way is to combine the two. Start with the wants most children know what they want for Christmas. Like any Social Studies Unit, your objectives come from your state or district. Basic objective are:
- define economic terms : Needs and Wants
- differentiate between the two
- understand how to make good choices
Define the Economic Terms
This is the input part. Most kids will have a good idea of a want, especial in the December season. Start with the words they generate. Write those on the board or an anchor chart, then come up with a definition together.
Differentiate Between Needs and Wants
Sorting needs and wants into lists is the second step for the primary student to understand the concepts. You do this several ways:
- Sorting cards with pictures in whole group or on pocket chart can serve for several activities
- You can make lists on anchor charts during a class discussion
- Have students search photos on the net and beam up to the teacher to sort on the screen
Understand How to Make Good Choices
Giving your students a glimpse into family budgets sets the stage for understanding choices. Seeing the choices that family members make every month makes Needs and Wants real to them, and how credit has brought problems into the mix. Other related economic terms come into play:
- scarcity (think back to the pandemic) (check your objectives, this might be included)
- good/bad choices (it’s so easy to go overboard during the holidays)
- income (is the same during December as always)
My favorite books to use for needs and wants:
Some Holiday Needs & Wants Ideas:
If you need to save time, click to see premade resources :
Needs and Wants are the perfect place to start your financial literacy unit. You could cover this part during the holidays, and blend in other parts during the Winter. It’s so great when a teachable moment happens when you can have fun with your kids too!
Happy Holiday Teaching!!
For more Social Studies ideas, check out other blog posts here.