Moira Tanner

December 11th 2014

Grade 1: Social Studies
Focus: Needs and Wants
Outcome(s)

Learning Targets

GCO: Students will be expected to

demonstrate the ability to make
responsible economic decisions as
individuals and as members of
society.
By the end of grade 3, students will
be expected to:
give examples of economic
decisions made by individuals and
families.
distinguish between needs and
wants.

Students will be expected to:

1.4.1 recognize that all people have needs
and wants.
1.4.2 demonstrate an understanding of the
factors that influence how needs and wants
are met.
1.4.3 demonstrate an understanding of how
communities depend on each other for the
exchange of goods and services.

Assessment Summative or

Differentiation
o Open task
o Parallel tasks
o _____________

Who?
What?

Explanation: There will be a variety of

learning styles addressed throughout
the lesson, including verbal/auditory
(generated through discussion of Needs
and Wants), visual (anchor chart),
kinesthetic (cutting out/gluing/sorting
the activities into needs and wants),
intrapersonal (thinking about needs and
wants in terms of themselves),
interpersonal (thinking about needs and
wants in terms of others).

When?
Conversati
ons
Observatio
ns
Products

Formative
Formative assessment:
Recognition that all
people have similar
needs.
Can give examples of
how wants vary from
person to person due
to a variety of factors.
Demonstrate ageappropriate actions
that show respect for
other peoples needs
and wants.
Summative Assessment:
Needs/Wants Sorting
Activity

Grouping
Individual work

Heterogeneous Grouping

o Pairs
o

Vocabulary

Groups of ___

Technology Link(s)

Homogeneous Grouping
o Pairs
o Groups of ___

Needs
Wants
basic needs

Parts of the
Lesson

Time to Teach:

Begin with a
simple version of
the task
Brainstorm
Estimate or use
mental
computation
Be sure the task
is understood
Establish
expectations

Time to
Explore:
Provide hints and
suggestions
Encourage
testing of ideas
Suggest
extensions or
generalizations
Find a second
method

Time to
Reflect:
Engage the class
in discussion
Identify rules,
hypotheses, and
future problems
Use praise
cautiously
Engage all class
members

Activities and Questioning during the lesson

Begin with discussion of what a basic

need is: (necessary for survival; example
of water/food/shelter)
How does this differ from a want:
(something a person desires but is not
necessary for survival; a present or junk
food)
Create an Anchor Chart featuring the
Pigeon from Mo Williems series
o What are some basic needs that the
Pigeon has? (good food, water,
shelter, sleep, safety, bath, family)
o What are some of the things that the
Pigeon wants? (puppy, drive the bus,
hot dog, stay up late, walrus)
o How do the Pigeons Needs and
Wants differ from our own? (Not a
lot but lets think about a puppy)
o Does everyone have the same
needs and wants? (Use example of
what they want for Christmas vs.
what I might ask for)
Allow for individual exploration by asking
students to sort a range of pictures into
Needs or Wants based on their own
perspective.
o Encourage students to discuss with
each other what they consider to be
a need or want. If there is
disagreement, have the students
explain to each other why they
chose to sort their Needs and Wants
that way.
Ask students to think about Needs and
Wants when they are eating their lunch
today.
Is there anything that you may have
because you need it? (Water, milk, good
food)
Is there anything that you may have
because you want it? (Cookies, chips,
dessert)

Materials
Needed

Chart
Paper &
Marker

Individual
Needs/Wan
ts chart
Sheet of
Needs and
Wants to
sort

As students are eating, play Needs and Wants

video.