Financial Literacy, Barter Day & Kids’ Business Fair Preparation (Session 5, Week 1)

Hello parents and family members,I hope you all had a great week—Discovery certainly did!

This session, our learners are diving into a financial literacy quest. We began by discussing needs vs. wants, with everyone sharing examples from their own lives. For instance, food is a need, while video games are a want. Learners explored how needs are essential for survival, while wants are things we enjoy but don’t require.

The next day, learners created lists of items they wanted to buy and organized them into categories. For example, a basketball would go into a sports category, along with a realistic price. This activity encouraged practical thinking—so no, buying 12 private islands wasn’t an option!

On Friday, we held an exciting Barter Day, where learners brought in items to trade. Many made successful trades and walked away with things they truly wanted, reinforcing real-world economic concepts in a fun, hands-on way.

In Writer’s Workshop, we began working on entrepreneurship (E-Ship) in preparation for the upcoming Children’s Business Fair on May 23rd. To start, learners compared name-brand and off-brand products, deciding which they would buy and explaining their reasoning. While many preferred name brands, others pointed out that branding doesn’t always matter.

Later in the week, learners brainstormed ideas for their own businesses, choosing products or services they’d like to sell at the fair. Next, they will develop and write sales pitches, and even record videos—just like they’re pitching on Shark Tank!

On Wednesday, during PD, we also made our long-awaited return to Mollicone Park. After a winter away, it was exciting to enjoy the park again and welcome the spring season outdoors.

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