A guide for using our resources

Children will explore the difference between needs and wants.

Vocabulary: need, want

Social Studies Focus: holiday economics

  1. Watch a Video:

    Do You Need It or Want It?

     

  2. Read the Issue:

    Let’s Go Holiday Shopping!

     

  3. Review Vocabulary Words:

    need, want

     

  4. Play a Game:

    Need or Want?

    Skill: critical thinking

     

  5. Complete Skill Sheets

    Show What You Know

    Skill: comprehension

    Sort the Shopping!

    Skills: sorting

     

    What Is the Gift?

    Skill: fun phonics practice

     

  6. Lesson Boosters

  • Paired Text: 

    Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday by Judith Viorst

     

  • Bonus Skill Sheet:

    Decorate the Cookies

     

  • Scavenger Hunt:

    needs and wants

     

  • Hands-on Activity:

    My Holiday Home

     

CCSS (and states that have similar standards): RI.K.1 key details, RI.K.4 vocabulary, RF.K.3.A letters and sounds, RL.K.1 key details (literature)

Simple, spectacular ideas to boost your lessons.

Paired Text: Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday by Judith Viorst

  • Expand your holiday economics lesson with this hilarious story. What advice do kids have for Alexander?

Bonus Skill Sheet: Decorate the Cookies

  • Celebrate the holidays with this bonus skill sheet! Kids read simple directions and follow them to decorate the gingerbread cookies.

Scavenger Hunt: needs and wants

  • Work together to find the words need and want in the issue. Circle these words each time they appear. You can circle the word need in one color and the word want in another color.

Hands-on Activity: My Holiday Home

Skill: art, fine-motor

Materials: craft sticks, construction paper or card stock, glue, markers, glitter (optional)

  • As kids learned in the issue, shelter is a need. Let kids create a holiday home—and an adorable holiday gift!
  • Give each child six craft sticks, a piece of paper, and markers. Help kids arrange the craft sticks to create the outline of a house on top of the paper, with a square for the base and a triangle for the roof. (Children can also create a bigger house using more craft sticks.) Once the outline has been assembled, glue it to the paper. If you’d like, trim the paper outside the craft sticks.
  • Have children draw their family inside the house and include any special people who might visit during the holiday season!
  • If you like, kids can also give their home some holiday sparkle! They can use glue and glitter to add decorations to their home.
  • Children can share their holiday homes with the class and talk about who they drew inside them. Then let them bring their crafts home to share with families.