This document outlines a disciplinary vocabulary lesson plan for 5th grade students about the economic concepts of scarcity and trade. It includes definitions of scarcity and trade, related standards, and investigates the terms through fictional texts and informational articles. Students will demonstrate their understanding by creating a trading card defining and exemplifying trade, and by designing a printed piece about scarcity using images to tell a story. The lesson teaches essential economic vocabulary through multi-modal activities aligned to literacy and language standards.

1. CSI-R Vocabulary Lesson Plan
IZORA BROWN
DISCIPLINARY VOCABULARY STRATEGIES LESSON
RED 6545; DR. CHRISTINE JOSEPH
FOR:
G R A D E 5 TH

2. Content
 Disciplinary Vocabulary
Scarcity
(The basic economic problem
that arises because people have unlimited
wants but resources are limited.)
Trade
(is a cooperative activity both
parties in a trade expect to benefit).

3. Standards
 STANDARD SS.3.E.1.1 Standard 1: Beginning Economics
Give examples of how scarcity results in trade.
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.1: Read Closely-Evidence &
Inferences
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.6 Use technology, including the
Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and
collaborate with others.
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.L.4 Determine or clarify the
meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases
by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and
consulting general and specialized reference materials, as
appropriate.

4. Investigate: Text 1 Fiction
Scarcity

http://www.kidseconposters.com/literature-connection/
Bunny Money; by: Rosemary Wells
 http://www.kidseconposters.com/literature-connection/trademoney/bunnymoney/?query=Concepts.eq.Scarcity&xsearch_id=literature_search1
&xsearch[2]=&xsearch[0]=&class0_0=18&back=literature

Explain Ruby's comment, "Money is running through our
fingers, Max."
They were spending all their money too quickly.

Explain why they could not buy the music box.
The music box cost $100; they only had $5 left.

5. Investigate: Text 1 Fiction Cont’d
Trade

http://www.kidseconposters.com/literature-connection/
A New Coat for Anna; by Harriet Ziefert
http://www.kidseconposters.com/literature-connection/trade-money/a-new-coatforanna/?query=Concepts.eq.Trade%20and%20Money&xsearch_id=literature_search1
&xsearch[2]=&xsearch[0]=&class0_0=6&back=literature

Explain how Anna could get a new coat for the winter without any
money.
Her mother traded a gold watch and other nice things for wool and the services of
the craft people to make the coat.

List all the trades Anna's mother made in order to get the new coat.
Gold watch to the farmer for wool; a lamp to the old woman to spin wool into yarn;
garnet necklace to the weaver to weave yarn into cloth; teapot to the tailor for
sewing cloth into a coat.

6. Investigate: Text 2 Informational
http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/economics/theim
portanceoftrade1.htm

Do you always get equal value when you trade?

You have too much grain but not enough rice. How would you trade?
Song Lesson for Kids Homeschooling Economics Barter & Trade
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHY5cdExNa8

7. Investigate: Text 2 Informational
http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/econ
omics/scarcityandchoices1.htm
• How does scarcity relate to supply and demand?
• Explain why some countries food supply is scarce.
• Why was the Harry Potter book scarce when it first came out?

8. Report
Students will create a trading card of the vocabulary word “trade”. They will describe
the word, give an example on how it effects the parties involved, and write a short
story describing the word. They will also create a printing press using the same
concept with the word “scarcity” but will insert images to go along with the stories.