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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Do You Need?

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students discover the difference between needs and wants. Using pictures, they develop a list of the needs and wants shown in each. They answer and discuss the answers to the questions as a class to end the lesson.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Give It Back From a Snack Lesson 2: Invest With the Best

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students survey schoolmate as to what type of snacks they would prefer to purchase. They graph the results and apply them to planning a classroom snack sale while examining what wants, needs, and consumers are.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Learning to Live Responsibly Within One's Personal Resources

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students explore survival techniques in the light of their own values and personal situations. The differences between needs and wants and how consumerism effects the environment forms the main focus of this three lessons unit.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Geo Jammin' By DeSign - Day 2, Lesson 10: Wanna Trade?

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Students listen to a book that facilitates a discussion of trade and things that people need. They determine what things might be traded.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Needs or Wants

For Teachers 1st - 6th
Students explore which items are needs and wants and explore basic budgeting principles.
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Website
The Wonder of Science

The Wonder of Science: K Ess3 1: Environmental Relationships

For Teachers K - 1st
This NSTA vetted source includes resources to teach about the relationship between the needs of different plants and animals and the places they live. Included are assessment ideas, videos, examples, lesson plans, and photos of student...
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Website
The Wonder of Science

The Wonder of Science: K Ess2 2: Environmental Change

For Teachers K - 1st
This NSTA vetted source includes resources to teach how plants and animals (including humans) can change the environment to meet their needs. Included are assessment ideas, videos, examples, lesson plans, and photos of student work.
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Lesson Plan
Scholastic

Scholastic: Adventures in Math: Lesson 2: Plans and Goals

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Planning is essential to financial success. In this lesson, students will define the word "budget" and identify the three key components associated with creating a budget, evaluate wants versus needs, and demonstrate an understanding of...
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Lesson Plan
Scholastic

Scholastic: Adventures in Math: Lesson 3: Money in Our Community

For Teachers K - 1st
Lesson focuses on how and why money circulated within our community. Being able to discern the difference between things we need and things we want is one of the foundational concepts for using money wisely. Goods and services are things...
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Article
California State University

California State University: Curiosity and Exploration

For Students 9th - 10th
California State University student research into the psychological theories of curiosity and what motivates people to do what they do.
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Primary
Library of Congress

Loc: Poetry 180: Sister Cat

For Students 9th - 10th
This poem describes how sometimes needs cannot be filled. A cat is used to exemplify this concept.
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Website
Robert Schenk, PhD

Cyber Economics: Supply and Demand Overview

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a site from the St. Joseph's College with an overview of the supply and demand model. It is actually the first page of a lesson on supply and demand complete with links to more in-depth discussions including graphs and charts...
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Unknown Type
Other

Mcwdn: Needs and Wants Quiz

For Students 2nd - 5th
Answer five questions about needs and wants to test knowledge about this basic economic principle.
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Unit Plan
Sophia Learning

Sophia: What Is Conflict? Common and Practical Definitions: Lesson 2

For Students 9th - 10th
At the end of this tutorial, the learner will understand in a general sense the definition of conflict. It is 2 of 5 in the series titled "What is Conflict? Common and Practical Definitions."
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Article
Other

Santa Clara Univ.: Framework for Ethical Decision Making

For Students 9th - 10th
A discussion on how to recognize a moral issue and how to make decisions that are ethically sound.
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Unit Plan
CPALMS

Florida State University Cpalms: Florida Students: Where Have All the Scrub Jays Gone?

For Students 6th - 8th
Learn how organisms rely on one another but also compete with one another within the same ecosystem.
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Lesson Plan
Utah Education Network

Uen: Lesson Plan: All I Really Need!

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
Lesson that helps students understand the difference between needs and wants. Students discuss the story The Bag I'm Taking to Grandma's by Shirley Neitsel and then decide which items they need to take to grandma's house and which items...
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Lesson Plan
Utah Education Network

Uen: Lesson Plan: Do I Want or Need?

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
Lesson that reinforces the difference between needs and wants as students discuss the book Alexander, Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday by Judith Viorst. Includes link to discussion questions.
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Lesson Plan
Council for Economic Education

Econ Ed Link: Scarcity With the Lewis & Clark Expedition (Student Version)

For Students 3rd - 5th
Use this EconEdLink intermediate lesson to teach your students about the concept of scarcity. Allow students to use the interactive simulation of the Lewis and Clark Expedition to demonstrate their ability to make sound decisions in the...
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Lesson Plan
Council for Economic Education

Econ Ed Link: No Extra Room on the Mayflower

For Students Pre-K - 1st
Choose what to bring on a voyage. Space is scarce, so choices must be made about what to leave behind.
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Website
Other

Tip: Drive Reduction Theory

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from the Theory Into Practice Websit provides scientific explanation of the drive reduction theory proposed by American psychologist Clark Hull. Good example and list of main principles.
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Activity
Other

Instructional Design: Creativity

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This article provides a short introduction into some of the psychological views concerning curiosity. It provides a long list of references for further research.
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Website
Other

Theory Into Practice: Cognitive Dissonance

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from the Theory Into Practice website provides a simple and straitforward explaination of the Cognitive Dissonance theory. The page gives a good example of the theory in action and references for further information.
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Graphic
Curated OER

Social Studies for Kids: Needs vs. Wants: Basic Economics

For Students 3rd - 5th
This website examines the difference between needs and wants, offers the chance for the student to make a budget, and discusses personal finance with an emphasis on income and expenses.