Citation:  Money Madness by David Adler and Edward Miller, ill.  New York:  Holiday House, 2009.

ISBN: 978-0-8234-1474-1

Annotation: Adler provides a clear history of money, why we barter, and the types of money used in ancient times, and why currencies fluctuate.

Media: Artwork is created on the computer

Personal Rating: 5Q/5P

Curricular Connections:  This is an excellent book to introduce students to the history of money and why we need money. Students can research the different types of money used such as stones, coins, and feathers. Adler also explains why the value of money changes.  It is a good introduction to economics for young learners.

Grade Level or Age Range: Grades 5 and 6

Lesson Plans:

Money Madness by David Adler

Concept To Teach

 

•       This lesson is for a 6^th grade Social Studies class

•       Students will learn about the history of money

•       This lesson can be done in a double period which is two hours or split up into two one hour block lessons

 

 

California History Standards

For Sixth Grade

 

•       6.1 Identify the location of human communities…and describe how humans adapted to a variety of environments

•       6.1 Describe the climatic changes and human modifications of the physical environment that gave rise to the domestication of plants and animals and new sources of clothing and shelter.

•       Standards Web Site:

•       http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/histsocscistnd.pdf

 

 

Goals and Objectives

 

•            Students will develop reading comprehension skills by listening to Money Madness by David Adler

•            Students will develop an understanding of the history of money

•            Students will research the different kinds of items used for money

•            Students will learn the term “barter”

•            Students will develop cooperative learning skills by working in groups

 

Materials

 

•       Money Madness by David Adler

•       Pencils

•       The 6^th grade Social Studies Textbook

 

Anticipatory Set (Lead-In)

 

•       The teacher will hold up Money Madness by David Adler and ask the class “What did people do before the invention of money?” “How did they trade and what did they use before money was invented?”

•       She will wait for responses and discuss

•       The teacher will record student answers on chart paper

•       The teacher will then read the story to the class and ask them to listen for all the different items that were used before the invention of money

 

Procedure

 

•       After the teacher has read the book, the teacher will ask the students what items were used in place of money?

•       She will write down responses like cows, sheep, camels, rocks, feathers, salt, dried fish, fishhooks, animal skins, and beads

•       She will ask the students to get into groups and talk about the problems associated with using these items for money

•       She will then discuss their answers-these may be that it takes a lot of effort to feed and maintain animals as money.  It also is hard to determine what an item is worth if it is an animal.  It is hard to trade items that aren’t alike such as a camel for a cow. How would you determine if it is fair?

•       The teacher will then ask the students to discuss the term “bartering”

•       She will ask them what are the problems with bartering?

•       She will look for answers like “What is really a fair trade?” and “How do you know how much something is really worth?”

 

Independent Practice

 

• The teacher will then tell the students that they will work in pairs to research the history of money

•The teacher will go to the school library and work with the teacher librarian to help students research the different items used for money

•The students will use books, databases, and evaluated web sites to do their research

•Each pair will be assigned a different type of money: animals, salt, coins, animal’s skins etc…

•Each pair will take notes on their item

•The class will be given a period to work on this

•The teacher will walk around and check for understanding

•Next, each pair must pick five interesting facts about their item to present to the class

•Each pair must write their five facts on an overhead and draw a picture of their item.

•They must also write down the source where they got their information

•This should take about one period

 

Closure

 

•       Each pair will share their overhead with their five facts and picture with the class

Assessment

 

•       The teacher will check for understanding as she monitors each pair at work (informal assessment)

•       The teacher will grade the overheads to make sure there are five facts, a picture, and that the sources are recorded

•       This assessment could be a checklist or a rubric (formal assessment)

 

Adaptations (Students With Learning Disabilities or English Language Learners)

 

•       Students with writing disabilities could do three facts rather than five and they could also do the writing using a computer

•       Students who are English Language Learners could be given a model of a finished overhead with five facts, so they could see the format

•       They could also be given a list of vocabulary words to help them complete their overhead as well as a c.l.o.z.e or fill in the blanks format

 

Extensions (Gifted Students)

 

•       Students could research a specific ancient civilization’s type of money.  They could research the money of ancient India, ancient China, Mesopotamia, or ancient Greece

•       Students could design their own money

•       Students could play games using money

•       Students could explore these web sites to gather more information about money to share with the class:

•        http://ancienthistory.mrdonn.org/money.html (concise history)

•       http://math.pppst.com/money.html (money games)

•       http://www.moneyfactory.gov/newmoney/flash/dyob/index.html (design your own money)

 

•       http://www.pbs.org/newshour/on2/money/history.html (History of money)

•       www.edmiller.com (activities from Edward Miller that allow kids to make their own money)

By: Joanne Maher July 26th, 2009

 

Money Madness by David A. Adler and Edward Miller, ill. New York: Holiday House, 2009.  978-0-8234-1474-1

 

Annotation:From bartering, early forms of currency, credit cards, and digital payment, a clear and thorough introduction to money. 

Media: computer artwork

Rating: 5th-6th 4Q/4P

Literary Device: Alliteration

 

Alliteration -

 

The title Money Madness is itself an alliteration.

  

lvanburen/6-09