Community and Economy

Lesson Overview

Unit: Decisions for Sustainability
Lesson Number: 2 of 5
Year Level: Year 4
Subject: Social Sciences
Duration: 60 minutes
Curriculum Area: Social Sciences
Curriculum Level: Level 2
Big Idea: Economic activity shapes daily life and influences decision-making.
Key Concept: People and organisations make financial and resource-based decisions to meet their needs and wants.

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Learning Outcomes

By the end of this lesson, students will:

• Identify different types of economic activities in their local community.
• Understand how people make decisions based on resources and needs.
• Discuss the impact of these decisions on individuals and families.

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction and Warm-Up (10 mins)

Activity: Think, Pair, Share – "What is Money Used For?"

• Ask students: "If you had $10, what would you spend it on?"
• Have students think for 30 seconds, then pair up and share their ideas.
• Facilitate a brief discussion: “What do these choices tell us about needs and wants?”

Key Teaching Points:

• Define economic activity as the way people earn, spend, and use resources.
• Explain that everyone (families, businesses, and communities) makes decisions about what to buy, produce, or sell.

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2. Main Activity – Community Economic Map (25 mins)

Step 1: Brainstorm (5 mins)

• On the whiteboard or digital display, brainstorm different businesses and services in the local community (e.g., supermarkets, dairies, banks, farms, builders, bus drivers).
• Categorise them into producers (those who make/provide goods or services) and consumers (those who use goods or services).

Step 2: Create a Community Economy Map (15 mins)

• Provide each group of students with A3 paper and markers.
• In groups of 3–4, students draw a simple map of a fictional town (or their own community).
• They label important locations related to economic activity (e.g., bakery, school, petrol station, farm, hospital).

Step 3: Decision-Making Challenge (5 mins)

• Give each group a scenario:
  • "A storm has flooded the roads—what do you think would happen to the dairy and supermarket?"
  • "A new factory opens nearby—how could this affect local jobs?"
• Groups discuss and share their ideas in 1-minute reflections.

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3. Discussion & Reflection (15 mins)

Activity: "How Do We Make Economic Decisions?"

• Pose the question: “How do families decide what to spend money on?”
• Introduce the idea of finite resources (you cannot buy everything, so choices are needed).
• Students discuss examples from their own lives (e.g., choosing between buying lunch or saving for a new toy).

Wrap-Up Questions:

• What did you learn about the way we make money decisions?
• Why is it important to think about what we buy and use?

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Resources Needed

• A3 paper, coloured markers
• Whiteboard for brainstorming
• Printed images of local businesses (optional)

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Assessment Opportunities

✅ Active participation in group discussions and brainstorming
✅ Contributions to the community economy map
✅ Explanation of decision-making in final reflection

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Teacher Reflection

• Were students able to distinguish between producers and consumers?
• Did they engage actively in the decision-making challenge?
• What adjustments might be needed for the next lesson?

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Next Lesson

💡 Lesson 3: Sustainable Choices in Our Community – Exploring how economic decisions impact sustainability in Aotearoa New Zealand.