Money! Money! Money!

Happy New Year to all of the families of grade 2 Dynamite (near and far)! We've started 2010 with a bang, exploring concepts related to money. We've begun our new unit of inquiry exploring the difference between needs and wants. The boys have determined that a need is something that is necessary and a want is something that is nice to have. We've sorted, classified and categorized different needs and wants. We've also begun exploring money and systems of trade as well. The boys webbed what they know about money, and we start our inquiry off with a solid base of knowledge that we can share with each other as we construct meaning.
Here's just some of the ideas they have about money:

• not all money is the same
• money can be saved in the bank
• coins are made of metal, silver, gold, or bronze and some money is made of paper (bills)
• money is used for buying "stuff" (including needs and wants)
• money can be shared
• some people only care about money
• there are different types of money all over the world
• some people think money is power
• we get money by working and doing chores
• special money can be collected
• lots of money has people on it from history

As you can see, we have a very broad knowledge base about money and how it works. This past week we spent lots of time exploring Canadian money. We learned the value of the different coins and examined each coin for its special features. Then we rubbed the coins. The boys were fascinated that you could rub money, so we are creating art with money rubbings now. We also read about the history of money, and learned that the concept of money came from barter and trade and that money has developed to what it is today over a long time.

As always with our inquiries, the boys are encouraged to ask questions. One of the big questions that has come is "if there were people who don't have money, how would they get what they need?" This is a BIG question, and with recent events in Haiti, one that we will discuss and explore together. Please take some time to talk with your son, particularly if you are involved in helping others meet their needs through financial donations. Lots of boys are also wondering more about the history of money and money in different places. Their curiosity is definitely peaked, and it would be a wonderful opportunity for you to show your son that learning can continue beyond school by helping him search for some of the answers to his questions using books or the internet. Please do encourage him to bring his findings to school to share.