LESSON PIAN FOR TEACHING ECONOMICS THROUGH
CHILDREN'S LITERATURE
NAME: Holly Gordon
SCHOOL DIVISION: Fairfax County Public Schools
Centreville Elementary
DATE: October 1999
TITLE: Popcorn At The Palace
AUTHOR: Emily Arnold McCully
ISBN NUMBER: O~15-277699-0
COPYRIGHT: 1997
ECONOMIC CONCEPTS:
VIRGINIA SOL:
GRADE LEVEL:
Marketing, Resources (natural. capital and human).
Entrepreneurship
3.7 (reviews - 1.9.2.6)
Third Grade
OTHER SUBJECTS:
Language - communication. written expression. Art, Mathematics
SYNOPSIS:
This story takes place In the town of Galesburg, Illinois In 1837. Maisie Ferris,
and her parents, Olmstead and Concurrance Anne are pioneers who traveled west with the
wagon trains to begin new lives. Maisie's father. Olmstead delighted In the fertile prairie and
Its endless possibilities. While the Femses' neighbors stick to the ordinary, Olmstead,
Concurrance Anne and Maisie experiment with new crops and Inventions. When a reporter
from England questions Olmstead about his popcom crop, Maisie convinces her father to go
to see the queen. It Is up to him to market this "'strange new snack.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
Scissors
chart paper
glue
cut out examples of resources
markers
white construc11on paper and popcom (for subsequent lesson)
TIME FRAME:
one hour time block
PROCEDURES:
I.
A. Preview the following economic concepts with the class using the chart paper
and the cut-out resource examples:
ENTREPRENEUR:
Undertaker of business ventures
RESOURCE: The production of any good or service requires the use of three factors ...
NATURAL RESOURCE: Gifts straight from nature. which hove not been
altered In form. used In the producflon process. .
Ex: water,oll.wood, apples
HUMAN RESOURCE:
People who help with the producflon of goods
and services. Ex: teachers. computer
programmers. construcflon workers, steel workers
CAPITAL RESOURCE:
Tools and equipment used In the producflon of
goods and services. Ex: hammer, drill,
computer, spinning wheel. chair, desk
MARKETING:
Introducing a good or service to the public in a manner which may make It appear appealing or useful. B.After discussing the economic concepts, hold up cut-out "resource" examples.
Have students determine what type of resource each example falls under - (Natural.
Capital or Human).
C.
II.
Hove stUdents watch for resource examples throughout the story.
Read Popcom At The palqce by: Emily Amold McCully
til.
Review examples of resources foundin the story. Review the term "Entrepreneur" and "marketing" . IV. Pass out resource sheet
V
I
#, and resource sheet 12.
Hove students color and then cut out the various resources pictured on the pieces of popcom. VI. Have students sort their pieces of "popcom" Into three plies:
Resources and Human Resources.
Natural Resources, Capital
VII. Students will now match and glue their popcorn pieces to the corresponding popcorn
bags (Natural Resource, Capital Resource, Human Resource) on resource sheet 12.
ASSESSMENT:
Circulate and observe students as they sort and glue their resources with
their corresponding category. Discuss with students their choices.
LESSON EXTENSION: During a subsequent lesson, have students design a marketing
slogan and poster for popcorn. Pop and pass out popcorn for Inspiration and for students to
snack on while they work.
.students may also use the popcorn math sheet to create money math problems.
Res'ources Color and Cut out each of the resources pictured below. So art them into
three categories: Natural Resources, Capital Resources and Human
Resources.
,,- - - "
... ....
I
,
/.
I
,r
\
\
/
""
."",.
-
....
•
?
.,
r"
:'
1//.
Resc
::es
Name:_ __
":' ", " "":-.:::- "~ it" /::: Glue your popcorn pieces over the correct
,~""<-: i i i \~.box.
/;"'Ioo.;,~.
" /
:
/
I .I
Q
I
, ......
-'.
"
... \
l
I
I
'.. • ~
'.............
. :-. . .
r"'I!'
~,!_ .. :I~·
0
•
.,,'"
J\'
{ :':f{.
.
Resource sheet #2
~ •
I·
"
W/~~·Vhh.lW~'/A//.
••
.....
*" .. "
Ha:tur{Jl
Ga.pito.t
Murnan
]e5ources
ye50urceS
.pe50ttrce_.
Resource Production Sentences Designed for use with the Popcorn at the Palace sorting activity.
Follow this pattern to complete the following sentences with
resources sorted in the popcorn game;
The human resource uses a natural or capital resource to produce
a good or service call _ _ _ _ _ __
The Police Officer uses a police car to produce a service called
protecting people.
1. The Doctor uses _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ to produce a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ called _ _ _ _ _ _ __ 2. The Baker uses _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ to produce a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ called _ _ _ _ _ __ 3. The farmer uses _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ to produce a
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ called _ _ _ _ _ _ __
4. The _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ uses a hose to produce a
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ called _ _ _ _ _ _ __
5. The _ _ _ _'--_ _ _ _ _ _ uses a
~
to produce a
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ called _ _ _ _ _ _ __
6. The _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ uses an apple to produce a
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ called _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
7. The _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ uses water to produce a
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ called _ _ _ _ _ _ __
8. The _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ uses ~ to produce a
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ called _ _ _ _ _ _ __
9. The _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.. . ,. uses a hammer and
saw to produce a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ called
10. The _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ uses a milk truck
to produce a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ called
11. The _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ uses a fork to produce a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ called _ _ _ _ _ _ __