Think~Puzzle~Explore

Financial literacy will be the first social studies inquiry unit in my 3/4 and 5/6 classes. To get the students interested in the topic I had them think, puzzle, and explore. This thinking routine comes from the book Making Thinking Visible by Ron Ritchhart, Mark Church, and Karin Morrison. The students analyzed four pictures that related to money.  During the think part of the activity the students activated their prior knowledge, and jotted their thoughts about what they thought and understood about the content of the picture. Next, the students questioned what puzzled them about the picture/topic. This was my favorite part of the activity, because I was able to gather what they would be interested in learning about as we move through the unit. They also had some really interesting questions that I am excited for them to be able to explore. Lastly, the students completed the explore part of the activity, where they determined how they may go about finding the answers to their puzzles/questions they have about the topic. They discussed different ways they can find the answers to their questions besides just searching on the internet, such as interviewing a someone who works in the financial industry.

Below are the pictures that the students analyzed, along with some examples of the questions they wrote during the puzzle portion of the activity. 

• How do the barterers decide the value of these items, or if a trade is fair?
• How does trading now compare to trading today?

   

• What are the pros and cons of money evolving in different ways?
• Did money get better every time it evolved?
• Every time money evolved, did it suit the needs of the people who had it, or were using it?
• Why does money change?
• Is the most evolved form of currency really the best form?

• Depending on how you spend your time, how much would your money increase or decrease even if you had a job?
• What is the difference between stocks and bonds?
• How does something increase in value over time?
• How is money made?

• Why are different currencies used all around the world? 
• How much is money a part of culture in different places?
• What does money mean to different people/cultures?
• How much is each currency worth compared to each other?
• How did paper currency begin?
• Why does money look different all over the world?