Lesson Plan

Do You Like to Spend or Save?

Main Subject Area: Mathematics

Keywords:

• Probability
• Problem Solving
• Statistics

Brief Description:

After briefly discussing spending and saving habits, the class takes a poll to see how their peers like to manage money. Then students graph their findings and discuss the survey results.

National Standard(s):

• Data Analysis and Probability

Additional Subject Area Standard(s):

Objectives:

Students will collect, organize, and describe data; construct, read, and interpret data; solve problems that involve collecting and analyzing data; and explore concepts of chance.

Materials (online):

Materials (offline):

Paper (chart for the graph, construction for the small squares), crayons, and glue.

Coins Used in Lesson:

Grade Level(s):   K-2  

Procedures (online):

Procedures (offline):

1.Cut out a small paper square for each student in the class, and use chart paper to create a classroom graph with two areas - Spend and Save.

2. As a class, discuss coins and the different places people keep their money - wallets, coin purses, piggy banks, jars, banks, etc.

3. Give each student a paper square and crayons. Have them draw a piggy bank to represent their own money.

4. Ask the students, Do you like to spend or save? To answer the question, have each student come to the front of the room and glue his or her bank under Spend or Save on the graph.

5. As a class, analyze the results. Ask questions such as: How many students in our class like to save their money? How many like to spend their money? How many more people in our class like to spend their money instead of save it? (or vice versa.) What else can you tell about the students in our room from this graph?

Assessment / Evaluation:

Teacher observes and discusses the activity with students.

Differentiated Learning Options:

Have students create a bar graph of the classroom responses using graphing software, such as The Graph Club or The Cruncher. Find Web pages or books about saving money and how interest lets people earn money while saving money. Take a class field trip to a local bank.