1-2-3 Come Do Some "Needs & Wants" Activities With Me

Is teaching about “Needs & Wants” part of your curriculum?

This bit of economics is one of our standards, so I thought it would be fun to introduce the concept during December, when a list of “I want….” floats through the thoughts of many students.

With that in mind, I designed a writing prompt craftivity, as well as an emergent reader booklet. 

First up is the craft. There are 3 different “gift boxes” where the lid flips up to reveal a list of needs & wants “inside” the present.

I chose Christmas colors, but you can make examples with a variety of colors, to use this packet during another season of the year. (Earth tones for fall, pastels for spring etc.)

For more thinking, have students rank their needs & wants in order of importance.
The order of needs, provides a nice discussion, as most children don’t know that you can live longer without food, than you can without water.

Besides ordering their wants, have students list 2 practical things that they want that they’re likely to get, plus 2 “way out there” ( the sky’s the limit ) wishful thinking wants, or you could tell students that “money is no object” so dream big, and make a list of things they’d like to have, if they could have anything!

For extra pizzazz, instead of having students write their name on the package, run the tag pattern off.
Children color, trim, write their name on it, fold the end over, and glue that tab to the top of their package, so that it flips out a bit.

For more 3D pizzazz and pop, have students press a self-stick real bow or some ribbons to the top of their package.

Completed projects make an awesome bulletin board.

There are several definition posters included in the packet; use them to introduce the lesson, then scatter in the middle of your display.

There’s a Christmas-themed set, as well as a generic one.

Do this as a whole group activity with preschoolers, by making just one together.

You print & assemble the box, hanging it on your white board, then call on students to give you their ideas of what to write on the lists.

Next up is the "Needs & Wants" emergent reader, plus some poster activities.

There are two emergent reader options. A simpler version for younger kiddos, has them trace and write the “need-want” words, then color the graphics.

The other booklet is for older students, who read the simple sentences, which are packed with plenty of Dolch sight words, color the graphics, then fill in the blanks.

I’ve included both question marks and periods, so you can review end punctuation as well.

The emergent reader templates come with 4-pages on a one-page pattern.

Children color, cut, collate and staple the pages together, creating a “just the right size” booklet, which saves paper & ink.

The packet also includes a “Needs & Wants” poster that children create, by choosing from a collection of black & white graphics on their worksheet, then coloring, cutting and gluing them to the appropriate section on their poster.

There are full-color options, so that you can quickly & easily make an example to share, or if you’re pressed for time, use my completed sample.

Completed projects make an awesome bulletin board.  I’ve also included a set of colorful, “Needs” posters.
Use them to introduce your lesson, then scatter them on your display.

The posters also come in black & white for students; and are printed 2-on-a-page, with a cover, so you can create another “Needs & Wants” booklet, as a culminating review.

There are also blank poster patterns, which allow students to illustrate their own pages to help assess and check comprehension.

Today's featured FREEBIE is an "It's Turkey Time!" packet. 

Use these themed turkey cards to teach/review digital and analog time to the hour and half hour.

The packet includes an assessment worksheet, as well as a cover, plus a black & white "turkey time" page, so that your kiddos can make an Itty Bitty Telling Time booklet.

Well that's it for today.  Thanks for stopping by. 

I'm getting in the Christmas mood, so I might even mosey on down to the bassement, commonly referred to as our "dungeon" ,to sort through the Christmas boxes.

Scaling down this year because of a new puppy.  Wishing you a jolly-holly day.

"I heard the bells on Christmas Day. Their old, familiar carols play, and wild and sweet the word repeat of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

- "Henry Wadsworth Longfellow