ESTIMATING HOW MUCH THINGS COST

Transcription

1 Educational Activities for students ages 8 and 9 ESTIMATING HOW MUCH THINGS COST LEVEL: ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AGE GROUP: STUDENTS AGES 8 AND 9 ACTIVITY SUMMARY During this activity, students become familiar with the prices of consumer goods. They examine flyers from grocery stores and other retailers. They develop guessing games to become more familiar with prices of products that they or their parents use. They end by evaluating their knowledge and preparing a grocery list that stays within their food and budget limitations. FINANCIAL AND COOPERATIVE SKILLS Determining how much goods and services cost Spending sensibly Becoming part of a democracy Working on a team AGE GROUP Students ages 8 and 9 WHEN April and May TIME REQUIRED 10 hours and 30 minutes AREA OF LEARNING Environment and consumerism COMPETENCIES DISCIPLINARY COMPETENCIES TAUGHT Disciplines Competencies Learning progression Mathematics Problem solving Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of decimal numbers using a calculator NON-DISCIPLINARY COMPETENCIES Exercising critical judgment Acquiring effective working habits Educational Activities for students ages 8 and 9 - page 1

2 PREPARATION DURING THIS PHASE, STUDENTS BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE PRICES OF EVERYDAY CONSUMER PRODUCTS. TASK 1 COMPARE THE PRICES OF DIFFERENT ITEMS TIME REQUIRED 60 minutes TEACHING MATERIAL The Price Tag Game On desjardins.com TASK 1 OBJECTIVE At the end of this phase, students will be able to determine the value of everyday items and compare their prices. Instructions 1. Form teams, each with 2 students. 2. Hand out the worksheet for The Price Tag Game and explain it to each team. 3. Give the students time to carry out the task described on pages 1 and 2 of the exercise. 4. Go around the room, entering all the prices on the sheet in ascending order, so the students can compare them to the notes they made on their worksheets. 5. Ask the students to comment on the way prices are set for products. TASK 2 PREPARE A GUESSING GAME TASK 2 OBJECTIVE At the end of this phase, students will be aware of the real prices of certain products. Instructions TIME REQUIRED 120 minutes 1. Form 4 teams with students from the class. TEACHING MATERIAL Store flyers Poster board, glue, scissors, pencils On desjardins.com 2. Each student uses store flyers to choose 1 product. He or she then cuts out a picture of the product, glues it to the posterboard, and writes or glues the price on the back. TEACHER S NOTE Prepare the posterboard for each student in advance. Ideally, there should be different flyers for each team so students can t see the prices of items other teams choose. Our perceptions about price are sometimes influenced by special sales. For instance a child who has shopped with his or her parents for a patio table at the start of the summer may overestimate the cost of the item if the game is played several months later, when prices have been marked down. In addition, children s ideas about prices and the value of money may differ. Consequently they may find it hard to guess the prices of the products shown. Educational Activities for students ages 8 and 9 - page 2

3 TASK 2 PREPARE A GUESSING GAME (SUITE) 3. Gather up all the posterboard pieces. 4. Arrange the teams across from one another, with Team A opposite Team B, and Team C opposite Team D. Teams A and B start. 5. Give each team a piece of paper and a pencil. 6. Select 1 piece of posterboard from the lot and show the students the image of the product. Let them confer for a moment before they write down the estimated price of the item. 7. The team that comes closest to the actual price gets a point. The team that has the most points wins. 8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 with teams C and D. 9. Ask the students if it was easy to estimate product prices, and why. EXECUTION STUDENTS BECOME FAMILIAR WITH GROCERY PRICES AND MAKE SENSIBLE CONSUMER CHOICES. TASK 1 ESTIMATE GROCERY PRICES TASK 1 OBJECTIVE At the end of this phase, students will be able to estimate the prices of certain grocery items. Instructions TIME REQUIRED 120 minutes 1. Form the same teams as in the previous task. 2. Tell students the object of the game: Each team must associate the products that are displayed to them with their prices. 3. Give posterboard playing cards to the students (8 per team). 4. Each team chooses 2 sets of 4 grocery products and glues each of them on a piece of white posterboard. On the back, the team glues or writes the prices of the products. 5. For each product, the students write the price on a piece of yellow posterboard. 6. The students mix up the prices and images within the product sets and then attach them using paperclips. 7. Collect all the product-price sets. 8. Have the teams face off: A vs. C, and B vs. D. TEACHING MATERIAL Grocery flyers Glue, scissors, pencils On desjardins.com TEACHER S NOTES Ask the students to bring in several grocery store flyers. Plan to have 32 pieces of white poster board on which to glue the product images cut out of the flyers, and 32 pieces of yellow posterboard on which to write prices. While students are working in collaboration, introduce the concept of democracy: If they cannot agree on the price of an item, hold a vote to do so. Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion. Note that because some grocery products are sold by the kilo, you ll need to be aware of those situations. It would be interesting to write the unit prices for these products, along with their actual prices. This will let students compare prices and weights for instance, between carrots and broccoli. Educational Activities for students ages 8 and 9 - page 3

4 TASK 1 ESTIMATE GROCERY PRICES (SUITE) 9. Display a set to the first team. Suggestion: display the products and prices on the board. 10. The team should work together to match products and prices. Then reveal the prices by turning the product posterboards over. 11. Teams get points for correct matches. The team that gets the most points wins. 12. Ask the students whether this task was easier than the previous one, and why. TASK 2 BE A RESPONSIBLE CONSUMER TIME REQUIRED 90 minutes TEACHING MATERIAL Making Smart Choices Overconsumption On desjardins.com TASK 2 OBJECTIVE At the end of this phase, students will be able to compare similar products for the purpose of choosing the one that best meets their needs. Instructions 1. Give each student a copy of Making Smart Choices. 2. Read the first scenario with them. 3. Give the students a few minutes to make their choices and justify their answers. 4. Have students break into groups to discuss their choices and justifications. 5. Repeat steps 2, 3 and 4 for the second scenario. 6. After working through both scenarios, discuss good consumer habits with the students. 7. Show the students the Overconsumption video and discuss the needs and wants they experience when they go to the grocery store. Educational Activities for students ages 8 and 9 - page 4

5 EVALUATION STUDENTS MAKE A GROCERY LIST, STAYING WITHIN THEIR FOOD AND BUDGET LIMITATIONS. TASK 1 EVALUATE A PROBLEM-SOLVING APPROACH TASK 1 OBJECTIVE At the end of this task, students will have evaluated their ability to solve a complex problem. Instructions TIME REQUIRED 4 hours 1. Give each student a copy of The Grocery Store. 2. Read and explain the task to the students. 3. Give the students time to work. TEACHING MATERIAL Grocery flyers The Grocery Store On desjardins.com 4. Once they are done and work is collected for correction, talk with the students about the difficulties they have encountered. TEACHER S NOTES Suggestion: Before beginning this activity, arrange an activity to examine units of weight and volume for certain foods sold at the grocery store. Ask students to bring fruits or vegetables from home so you can identify their approximate weight. Examples include weighing a pepper, bunch of grapes, head of broccoli, tomato, etc. Write the weights of the foods weighed on a piece of paper or the board. This will make it easier for the students to solve the problem. Explain to them how purchases can be made by the kilo, and how to indicate this on their worksheets. For example, if the flyer advertises grapes at $6.59 /kg: 0.5 kg of grapes at $6.59 per kilo = $3.30. Use a calculator to do the math. Possible criteria for evaluating this exercise: Students make realistic lists based on the food needs of an 8 to 9-year-old child for 3 days. Students follows recommendations in Canada s Food Guide to develop their lists. Students pay attention to budget limitations. Educational Activities for students ages 8 and 9 - page 5

6 VALUE OF PRODUCTS PRICE TAG GAME Cut out the tags and the larger than >, smaller than < and equal = symbols. Figure out each price to the nearest dollar with your parents. You can find prices by looking at flyers or searching on the net. > < = > < = > < = > < = > < = AUGUST 2013 > < =

7 VALUE OF PRODUCTS PRICE TAG GAME Compare product values by sticking the price tags and > < = symbols in the spaces provided. AUGUST 2013

8 VALUE OF PRODUCTS PRICE TAG GAME Choose products to compare. Put names and drawings / photos of the products on the tags. Figure out each price to the nearest dollar with your parents. You can find prices by looking at flyers or searching on the net. AUGUST 2013

9 SPENDING WISELY MAKING SMART CHOICES SCENARIO 1 William is an avid cyclist. Biking is his favourite summer sport. When he goes to the cottage, he and his father love to ride the hilly trails. William has saved up $250 to buy a mountain bike. His father has agreed to lend him a little money if necessary, provided that he pay it back by working Saturdays and Sundays. At the store, the salesperson shows him 5 different bikes. 1 - A great new mountain bike. No accessories included. Price: $ A used mountain bike in very good condition. No accessories included. Price: $ A new hybrid bike. No accessories included. Price: $375. The price is reduced to $200 with the purchase of 2 wire tires (for winter), valued at $100 each. 4 - A new, high-end road bike. A water bottle and bottle holder are included. Price: $700. The salesperson guarantees that the bike will last a lifetime. 5 - A new hybrid bike from a reputable brand, with several accessories included (pump, bottle holder and multi-function tool set). Since it is last year s model, there is a 40% discount. Reduced price: $250. William should buy bike # Reason: NOVEMBER 2013

10 SPENDING WISELY MAKING SMART CHOICES SCENARIO 2 Charlotte s parents have given her $250 to buy back-to-school clothing. She won t get any more money for new clothes before the winter. She checks out the stores at the mall and finds some items she likes. Which ones should she buy? 1 - A pair of designer jeans she instantly fell in love with: $ Three pairs of pants for the price of two. The selection includes jeans and pants in different colors. Price for three: $ A stylish top at 50% off. Sale price: $ A very practical black jacket that goes with just about anything. Price: $ A top at half price with the purchase of another at the regular price. Regular price: $ Lace-up shoes like the ones her friends have. Price: $ A pair of super comfy black flat-heeled shoes. Price: $60 Charlotte should buy the following clothing items: Reason: NOVEMBER 2013

11 SPENDING WISELY AT THE GROCERY STORE Plan your meals and snacks for 3 days. Follow the Canada Food Guide to ensure you get your servings from the 4 food groups each day. To help you, here are the recommended daily servings of each food group for someone your age. CATEGORY NUMBER OF SERVINGS PER DAY Fruits and vegetables 5 or 6 Grain products 4 to 6 Milk and alternatives 3 or 4 Meat and alternatives 1 or 2 You have $100 to go grocery shopping. Use grocery store flyers or supermarket websites to calculate the prices. If the food is sold by volume or weight, indicate the quantity you will buy. You must also avoid wasting the leftovers of any food you buy. MENU DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 3 Breakfast Snack Lunch Snack Supper NOVEMBER 2013

12 SPENDING WISELY AT THE GROCERY STORE GROCERY LIST FOOD QUANTITY PRICE IN FLYER PRICE PAID e.g., blueberries 1 pint 2/$5 $2.50 NOVEMBER 2013 TOTAL