By Grade 1 Lead Teacher Emily Ferestien
This week in social studies, Grade 1 students explored the grade level theme of community through the lens of an economist. Several economical key terms were introduced through experiential learning: Needs and wants and goods and services.
![B714A480-F554-422C-87D0-B2ED879F3415 Grade 1 students raise their hands to answer a question about the book they're listening to](https://www.rashi.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/B714A480-F554-422C-87D0-B2ED879F3415-scaled.jpg)
Students worked together in small teams to create a lemonade stand that would attract customers and provide goods and services to their community. Using the kindergarten puppet theater, we created a “real lemonade stand” and each team of students got to offer their class both goods and services.Â
Then, students engaged in the dramatic play of a community entity (library, fires station, supermarket, etc.) while the rest of the class had to guess what goods and services this entity is providing for their community.
![IMG_9626 Grade 1 students gather around Adam Fischer to interact with the book he's reading](https://www.rashi.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/IMG_9626-scaled.jpg)
The week culminated with a visit from Rashi’s Head of School, Mr. Fischer, who read the book “Rufus the Writer” by Elizabeth Bram. The book describes a boy who opens a “story stand” and trades his stories for goods such as a seashell or a kitten. Reading the book opened a discussion on how the value of items is determined.
With the help of the students we created a list of needs and wants, as well as goods and services that Rashi provides and discussed the economic choices The Rashi School makes every day. It was a full and fantastic week!