Little Bianca—Economics Lesson Plan
Program/Lesson 3 for “Little Bianca”
Economics/Language Arts Focus
Ages: 5-8
Grades: Pre-K through 2nd
Materials Required:
Book – “Little Bianca” by Mack H. Webb, Jr.
Art materials like paper, markers, crayons, paints
Optional Materials:
Free word searches and activity sheets on financial terms from Pilinut Press. These optional materials include financially related words beyond those used in the book “Little Bianca” and can be used to extend the learning objectives.
Links to optional materials:
Overview: This lesson focuses on the role of work in the economy and a person’s life. It explores what money is, what a job is, why it is important, and what types of jobs there are.
Set Up: Arrange a chair for the reader and clear floor space in front of the reader for the children to sit. For step 8 when the students are asked to create artwork, they can either make a space on the floor to do so or return to their desks.
Methodology:
1. Have the children sit down to listen to a story.
2. Read the story “Little Bianca” by Mack H. Webb, Jr.
3. After the story is over, discuss the following points.
4. Using a blackboard/whiteboard/poster board, write the word – Money. Money is what we use to buy things. (At this point show your class examples of coins and bills.) This is money. Here is a penny, a nickel, a dime, a quarter, and a dollar bill. (Have the students repeat the names.) Money is important because money is what we use to buy the things we need in order to live. Things like the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the car that takes us to the stores, school, and the doctor’s office. Money pays for the electricity that lights up our houses and makes the TV work. Money pays for the house we live in. So money is important because it is what we must give to get the things we need.
5. Discuss the following questions with the students and add answers to the whiteboard.
A. I’ve given you a few examples of what money buys. What other things does money buy?
B. In the story, Poppa is concerned because he has not sold a painting recently. What does Poppa think might happen if a painting does not sell soon?
6. Using a blackboard/whiteboard/poster board, write the word – Job. Explain that a job is what a person does to earn money. There are all types of jobs. Name a few.
A. Discuss the following questions with the students and add answers to the whiteboard.
B. Ask the students to name some jobs. If they have trouble thinking of some, ask what do their parents do, or ask questions like who checks out their books at the library, who grows the food, who would save them in the event of a fire, and so on.
C. In the story, what job does Poppa do?
7. Hand-out or have your students get art materials. Have them be an artist like Little Bianca and her Poppa. Encourage them to draw a picture of the job they would like to do when they grow up.
8. Use the free activity sheets and word searches to help your students learn and reinforce the financially related vocabulary. These can be done in class or as homework.
9. Conclusion: Today we learned what money is, what a job is and why a job is important. Let’s post your pictures around the room of what you would like to do as a job.
Note: Teachers can encourage parents to assist in the education process by providing specific suggestions for activities which can be done at home to reinforce the learning objectives. Suggestions for parents to help reinforce the concepts in this lesson plan include:
1. Empty your wallet once a week and have your child help you sort and count the change and bills.
2. Take your child shopping with you and put them in charge of the shopping list. Have your child mark off each item as the item is put in the basket.
3. Have your child help you find the items on your list in the store.
4. Show your child where to find the price. Have your child read the numbers on the price tag.
5. Have your child compare two items of the same type. Ask them which of the two items has the lowest price.
6. Tell your child what you do for work. Where do you go to do your work?
7. If your workplace offers a “Bring your child to work day” take your child along so they can see where you go each day and what you do.
8. Talk about what other family members do for work. Ask other family members to share something about their work with your child.
