Grades 1–3
My Savings Goal
A savings goal tracker: kids pick a goal, color a step of a 10-rung ladder for every dollar saved and plan where the money will come from.
Social studies worksheet · Needs and wants
Not Enough for Everyone
Learn the word scarcity with 4 classroom problems (6 kids and 3 swings, one last cookie), then think of fair ways to share.
- Grade level
- Grades 1–2
- Time
- About 20 minutes
- Topic
- Needs and wants
- Answer key
- Not needed: answers vary
- Kids practice
- Needs and wants, Money and choices, Goods and services, Basic economics
What kids do
“When there is not enough of something for everyone, that is called scarcity. Read each problem and decide what to do.”
Printed on the sheet:
- Scarcity means there is not enough of something for everyone who wants it.
- When something is scarce, people have to make choices, like taking turns or sharing.
- 1. 6 kids want to use 3 swings at recess. What could they do?
- 2. There is one cookie left and two friends want it. What is a fair choice?
- 3. The class has 10 markers and 20 kids. What could the teacher do?
- 4. The store has only 1 red bike left and 2 families want it. What could happen?
- Draw kids sharing something fairly.
Teacher tip
Talk about fair ways to share, like taking turns.
How to use it
- Bring in a few real items and sort them as a class first.
- Use play money for the money sheets.
- Read the sheet aloud for early readers and let them answer with drawings.
Watch for
Money can be a sensitive topic. Keep examples pretend and never ask about family income.
Talk about it
- Why do we have to make choices with money?
- How does this connect to where we live?
Take it further
Run a classroom store for a week.
US Letter, prints well in black and white. Free for home and classroom use: print as many copies as you need.
More needs and wants worksheets
Grades 1–3
Money Words
Match 8 money words (save, spend, earn, deposit, withdraw, budget, interest and price) to their meanings, then use one in a sentence.
Grades K–2
Needs and Wants Word Search
A 10 by 10 word search with 10 needs-and-wants and money words (food, water, home, clothes, save, spend, share and more) for early readers.
Grades K–2
Made From Nature
Natural resources for little learners: match 8 everyday goods (paper, wool, glass, milk, jeans, chocolate, honey and fries) to what they are made from.
Free for teachers
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