Unit Opener: Money by Linda Brady

Unit Opener by Harding Elementary

Unit Opener General Resources Page

Idea! Unit Closer: Pirates

Foreign Money by Mr. R

Money Unit Opener Planning Form submitted by Jeni Huber

Money in the Real World

In order to acquaint students with money, we scheduled a walking field trip to our local bank. The bank manager gave them a tour of the vault, answered numerous questions and explained what the purpose of a bank is.

Digital Storytelling Concept Question Board

Alice Using VoiceThread, teachers can create an create interactive digital concept/question board.

See an example here.

Money Money Money

As a way to incorporate physical activity/dance/music, I had students get into groups and make up a dance/act to Abba's "Money Money Money" and "For the Love of Money" that plays on Donald Trumps show "The Apprentice" by the O'Jays. The lyrics are perfect in that song! I used about half of each song so that it won't be too long. We performed it for our other third grade classes.

Thinking Maps Connections

Create a tree map of ways to earn, save, and spend money as an on-going support for the persuasive letter at the end of the unit. Use a split circle map to elicit what's good and bad about money or wants vs needs.

Circle Mapping

We had the grade level start the money unit together: all classes in
the auditorium, each class added to circle maps asking "where do you
(personally,as a kid)" get money?" "How do you earn money now?" and "How might you earn money in the future?" We talked about it, then showed a video, "From Piggy Banks to Money Market" (approximate title) as the kids took notes and we stopped the video and talked about the concepts. After that each class completed the opener in their own rooms.

Small Group Tasks

For the money unit I break the students into small groups and give them each a task that is rotated from group to group (usually four or five tasks 15 min each rotation). For example, one group makes a small collage with pictures from magazines/newspapers, another group creates an acrostic poem with the word MONEY, the third task might be read one of the theme books, and the fourth and fifth tasks could , groups can create maps and write about money. I then put their projects on the Concept/Question board for all to see!!! Hope this helps.

One Dollar, One Dollar!

Pass out a one dollar bill to each child in the class. Have them examine the bill. Use what they noticed on the bill and any questions for the bill for the Concept Question Board.

Piggy Banks

Children may bring piggy banks to class. We cut out piggy banks out of paper. Children write about what they are saving money for or tell how they earn money. Use these for the border of your concept question board.

Unit Closer Idea: Pirates:

My third grade students are currently concluding the OCR Money Theme Unit with their in depth exploration culminating activities. We have related money to the lively pirates of the high seas in the 1600's-1700's. Pirates were highly aggressive
over gold coins, jewels, and riches.

My class did a spin off of "Kids Who Did It in Business" by Judith E. Rinard selection and we created our own businesses. We created business proposals, business trademarks, and even prototypes of our business ideas and services. This is not all! We related our created businesses through the OCR Money theme to "pirates". How? We completed the second phase of our business projects by making "Pirate Business Start-Up Kits to Help Keep Pirates More Honorable! My students completed a kit teaching pirates how to start the businesses they brainstormed. I took poloroid pictures of the students business "prototypes" included with the pirate kits to help these pirates understand how to create a selling product instead of seizing treasure ships at sea!

Our whole classroom has been "decked out" in a pirates theme integrating pirates into all multiple subjects. We are inviting all the other third grade classes ,and staff members, to a special open house end of the OCR Money unit to show off our businesses we could teach to those highjackers of riches of the 1600's-1700's. We even are planning to dress up as pirates...we found a lot of "pirate" accessories via "The Oriental Trading Company"....so motivating and fun! We have learned that money comes in different forms and values other than just paper money but in gold coins, jewelry, and forms of silver....all an eyewatering sight for greedy pirates whom led their lives around riches...but in a dishonest way...so my third grade students taught them a better way to be safer and more honest in obtaining their riches!

Return to Money Unit