Subject:

Possessions

Thematic Scenario:

Luxury vs. Necessity

Contexts\Outcomes:

Students convey/acquire information and make comparisons about their personal possessions.

Learn from Selected Countries/Cultures:

Cultural information about personal possessions in other countries.
Economic information about obtaining possessions in other countries.
Differentiating between wants and needs in relation to personal possessions.

Instructional Strategies:

Pair Activities:
Students plan personal possession survival kits.
Students make posters of “Work Hours Required to Purchase Luxury vs. Necessity Items.”
Cooperative Learning:
In groups, students plan both a luxury vacation and a low cost vacation.
Inventory:
Students do a self-inventory of their possessions and compare with possessions of students in target countries.
Students make a T-Chart of self-inventory categorizing luxuries and necessities.
Students do a cost analysis of luxury vs. necessity items.
Interview:
Each student interviews parents about their family budget.
Each student plans a monthly budget.
Students conduct personal possession internet surveys or interviews for target countries. (i.e. How many people in Germany have 5 TV’s?)

Assessments:

Presentations:
Students write and perform a “rap” about possessions, meeting specified criteria.
Students design and compare personal possession survival kits for U.S. and target countries.
Students complete a research project and prepare a culminating oral presentation, meeting rubric criteria.
Class Debate - Students engage in a class debate “Luxury vs. Necessity.”

Resources:

Internet resources
Library resources
Embassies/travel agencies