Submitted by: Crystal Aveson, Lisa Farthing, Amy Feaver, Janet Givens, Kristina Rilee
School: Echo Lake Elementary
Summary
Over the course of a 2 week period, we covered the Economics Essentials. After the students had mastered the basic economics concepts, the focus for this part of the unit was for students to take an active role as producers and consumers. Each class would have a ‘simulated factory environment’ to create goods to sell to each other. Not only would we sell goods to Echo Lake first graders through the annual “Holiday Shop”, we also planned on advertising our goods to a first grade class at Tuckahoe Elementary.
TIPC Ratings
With some guidance, the students themselves selected what kind of tools were needed for each commercial project. Students had to follow step by step directions to gather photos, record voices, add background music, and transitions in order to create the movie “Soap for Sale” in Pixie. Students created graph on sale of goods to Tuckahoe Elementary to help analyze data.
In the future, we will also create the database for Tuckahoe to complete as they place their orders.
Students chose roles, worked out differences, and encouraged each other as we made the commercials. Making a real ‘commercial’ to sell real goods to real children—that’s pretty real world!
Not only did students collaborate to make the commercials, they also had to communicate with each other as they made the goods, sharing supplies, interacting, and cooperating to reach a common goal.
Evaluating the sale afterwards required effective communication and facilitation of discussions. We effectively communicated with audiences within and beyond the classroom. Having the commercials on the grade level web page allows many others to view them, from grandparents to friends all over the country.
Students are actively using multiple resources to plan, design, and execute the creation of the commercials to be shared with an outside audience. Students had to think critically to solve problems such as what parts of the script to use/not use, what words best sold the product, and what kinds of music could positively influence students to buy their product over another.
Students brainstormed and selected original ideas for the goods that were to be sold. Students collaborated and came up with ideas that they felt would best sell their goods. Students applied thinking skills to decide on scripts, goods, and gave their first grade insights to the project. Each class created a unique, one of a kind commercial that made their product special. Each class brought their own experiences and personalities to the final products, both the goods and the way in which they decided to advertise them.
Student Artifact
Mrs. Rilee’s Airplanes from Janet Givens on Vimeo.
