LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE
Your Name: Hollie DeFreitas
Title of Lesson: Wants VS. Needs
Grade: 3rd
STANDARDS
Common Core State Standards (math and language arts), Comprehension and Collaboration- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1c
Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their comments to the remarks of
others.
Next Generation Science Standards (science), 3-5-ETS1-1. Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that
includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.
Arizona State Social Studies Standards (social studies)]. Strand 5 Economics - Concept 5: Personal Finance Decision-making
skills foster a person’s individual standard of living. Using information wisely leads to better-informed decisions as consumers,
workers, investors and effective participants in society.
LESSON SUMMARY/OVERVIEW
Students will be introduced to the book, “Tough Times” by Barbara Shook Hazen. The book discusses a family struggling to
survive after a father loses his job. The child would like a family dog but they do not have enough money to support another
mouth to feed. The boy later finds a homeless kitten and takes it in to nourish it back to health. The boy must give up items he
wants in order to help the kitten to become healthy. Students will discuss the difference between a need and a want in a class
discussion. The class will view photos of families from around the world and record differences between photos.
OBJECTIVES
Describe what you want students to know/be able to do as a result of the lesson.
Students will be able to define the difference between a need and a want by comparing and contrasting lifestyles of families
around the world.
ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION
All students will create a foldable listing at least four needs and four wants and why. 90% of students will be able to list 4
needs and 4 wants and why. 95% will be able to list 2-3 needs and 2-3 wants and why. 100% will be able to list 1-2 wants and
1-2 needs and why.
PREREQUISITE KNOWLEDGE
Students will need to know from the prior days lesson what poverty is, who it effects, and ways it effects people.
MATERIALS
White board
Dry erase markers
Book - Tight Times by Barbara Shook Hazen
Computer Internet Access:
A look at our worldly possessions slideshow
Hungry Planet: What a World Eats
Construction paper
Crayons
Scissors
Markers
VOCABULARY/KEY WORDS
want (verb) :to desire or wish for (something)
need (noun) : a situation in which someone or something must do or have something: something that a person must have :
something that is needed in order to live or succeed or be happy: a strong feeling that you must have or do
something: necessary duty : obligation: a lack of something requisite, desirable, or useful: a physiological or psychological
requirement for the well-being of an organism: a condition requiring supply or relief: lack of the means of subsistence:
poverty
rich [rich]
(adjective): having a lot of something
materialism [muh-teer-ee-uh-liz-uhm]
(noun): interest in having a lot of money or material possessions
TEACHING PROCEDURES
Procedural Steps (Step by step instructions for teaching the lesson):
1.
Teacher will recap the previous days lesson on poverty. The teacher will ask students for ideas of things they believe
could cause poverty:
a. Natural Disasters (Hurricane Katrina, Tornados, earthquakes),
b. Loss of a parent or family member,
c. born into a family who was already living that way (where they live in the world),
d. loss of a job or income,
e. Not going to school
2.
3.
4.
The teacher will have students listen to the story “Tight Times” by Barbara Shook Hazen
Students will discuss with a shoulder buddy how the father’s loss of a job effected the family.
Teacher will ask students to give a guess on what they think a need is and what they think a want is. The teacher will
have the students contrast similarities and differences using a T-chart written on the white board.
Students will discuss how the little boy gave up his want for a dog for the needs of the kitten.
The teacher will discuss that each person has a set of values different from anyone else. To some personal belongings
are important and to another shelter and food is most important.
The teacher will show A look at our worldly possessions slideshow and have students work independently to identify
the needs and wants depicted in the photos. This can be done using a T-chart on a scratch piece of paper. There are
no wrong or right answers. This is completely based off of personal values.
Students will share with a shoulder buddy. They will compare and contrast their findings.
As a whole group students will discuss the similarities and differences of wants and needs. The teacher will have
students share with the class their charts. Useful questions are:
a. Why did you make this item a want or need?
b. How were wants and needs categorized differently between classmates?
c. Did hearing someone else’s perspective change your initial thought?
d. After seeing photos of other people around the worlds needs/want, did change your views of what you feel you
need/want?
e. Will this change how you spend your or your parent’s money for your needs and wants?
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10. Students will then create a foldable (Shutter fold with 8 doors) and teach others the difference and similarities of a
need and a want. This is based off what they have learned in the lesson and the values they come to class with. There
are no right or wrong answers. Students must express why the items they chose are a need or a want to them.
11. When finished students are encouraged to view: Hungry Planet: What a World Eats and reflect on the days lesson.
RESOURCES
List any references you used to create this lesson. If you borrowed ideas from any lesson plans please note them here. Use APA
format.
WAYS OF THINKING CONNECTION
Provide a complete explanation of how your lesson plan connects to futures, system, strategic, or values thinking. Define the
way of thinking you selected and used in this lesson plan. Remember, this should be included meaningfully in the lesson plan.
This lesson specifically uses values thinking. Students are able to see what people from around the world hold as necessity verses a
want. Students can reflect on what they hold valuable compared to someone else within the same classroom. This lesson also
contributes to the future thinking of the student. They are considering what they held valuable and what they will look for in the future
after knowing what others need and want.