When I was student teaching, I actually had to write an economics unit for my kindergarteners. I have also taught an entire economics unit to my second graders this year. The following books are my favorite read-alouds for teaching wants / needs, goods / services, and saving / spending.
Those Shoes is about a boy who really wants the shoes that all of the cool kids at his school have. It is a great way to introduce needs and wants. I am actually using this book with my students on Wednesday this week. There’s a read-aloud video of it on YouTube. Love it!
I like to use If You Give a Mouse a Cookie to practice identifying goods and services. We make a T-chart and categorize all of the things that the mouse asks for as either a good or a service.
Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday is my all-time favorite book to open discussion about saving and spending. It is hilarious to read about Alexander trying to keep up with his money!
Below you will find my complete list of books I’ve used to deepen my students’ understanding of economics. Buy them on Amazon by clicking here!
· A Chair for My Mother by Vera Williams
· Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday by Judith Viorst
· Arthur’s TV Trouble by Marc Brown
· Berenestein Bears and Trouble with Money by Stan and Jan Berenstein
· Chicken Sunday by Patricia Polacco
· How Much Is that Doggy in the Window? by Iza Trapani
· If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by aura Numberoff
· Just Shopping with Mom by Mercer Mayer
· Max’s Dragon Shirt by Rosemary Wells
· The Bag I’m Taking to Grandma’s by Shirley Neitze
· The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
· Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts
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