Verizon Innovative Learning Lab Program Operating instructions

Verizon Innovative Learning Lab

Program

Digital Product Innovations

Lesson Facilitator Guide: The

Ancient Past of Money

Overview

This lesson should take one class period, or about 50-minutes.

We have time traveled back all the way to 400 BC to learn about Entrepreneurship and Currency.

In this lesson, students will design their own money using pencils and markers.

Lesson objectives

SWBAT:

• Learn about life in Ancient Greece.

• Complete a hands-on activity to learn about bartering and currency in Ancient times.

• Design money for an ancient high school: Athens High.

Materials

To complete this Lesson, students will need:

• A laptop/tablet

• Paper

• Pencil

• Coloring tools (markers, crayons, etc.)

• For Activity 1A (in person) print out the bartering cards at the end of this Facilitator Guide.

• Student worksheet

Standards

• Common Core State Standards (CCSS) - ELA Anchors: L.6

• Common Core State Standards (CCSS) - Mathematical Practice: 5

• Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) – Science and Engineering Practices: 2

• International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE): 3

• National Content Standards for Entrepreneurship Education (NCEE): 3

Key vocabulary

• Barter: A type of trade where goods are exchanged directly for other goods without using

money.

• Currency: Anything that is generally accepted as payment for goods. Also known as money.

• Denomination: the amount that a specific currency piece represents.

Before you begin

• Review the "Lesson 1: Ancient Past of Money" presentation and/or lesson module.

• Activity 1A (Want/have game): Print Activity 1A if students are in person, included at the end

of this facilitator guide. When running the activity, first make sure you have the correct

number of cards and then mix them up and distribute. Many thanks and credit to Carolina K12

for the free use and modification of their lesson plan on money.

• Activity 2: Design your own Currency—Gather pencils, paper, and coloring tools for Currency

Activity, or have students use Gravit or Vectr.

Lesson Procedures

Welcome and Introductions (2 minutes)

Welcome students to class. Use the included presentation, or direct students to the self-

guided SCORM module if you chose to post it on your Learning Management System.

Allow students 2-3 minutes to complete the warm-up question below.

This lesson is about the history of entrepreneurship and currency. After the warm-up,

students will complete a bartering activity to learn about the purpose of currency, then invent

their very own currency using art supplies.

Warm-up (3 minutes)

Life in Ancient Greece is not so different from the modern world. Look at the image below of "Life

in Ancient Greece", then answer this question: what are the similarities between Ancient Greece

and modern life? Choose all answers that apply.

Answer: Check all

• There are stores where people buy food and other items with money.

• There is art like pottery and sculptures.

• There are houses and buildings.

• There are public places for people to meet and hang out.

Watch: Life in Ancient Greece (10 minutes)

Before we get into today's lesson, students will explore Ancient Greece a little.

Watch the video below to learn more about Ancient Greece, then continue on to the activities!

Activity 1: Bartering in Ancient Greece (10 minutes)

In this lesson, students explore the importance of trade and money in Ancient Greece. Why did the

Ancient Greeks use money instead of just bartering? How did it help their civilization? The goal of

this activity is to help students understand that bartering is not always easy or convenient for

everyone seeking to make a trade.

There are two versions of this activity:

• Version A is designed to be completed in an in-person classroom.

• Version B can be completed on a computer at home!

o Students only complete one version: both versions teach the same concept.

Activity 1 Version A: Bartering in Person

Steps for Activity 1 Version A

1. You will receive a card from your teacher. Your card will list a good that you have (Example:

"You have 4 bales of hay"). Your card will also list a good that you want (Example: "You

want 5 pigs").

2. The goal of this activity is to trade, also known as barter, with a classmate so that your

"want" is the same as your "have".

3. In order to trade, tear your piece of paper along the dotted line. You can trade away your

"have", but you must keep your original "want".

4. When your "have" matches your "want", return to your seat.

5. Discuss the "Discussion Questions" below as a class.

Discussion Questions for Activity 1 Version A:

• Was everyone in your class able to successfully match a "have" card to their "want " card?

(Not all students will be able to find a match)

• How many trades did it take to match your cards?

• Was there any good that no one wanted?

• What are the drawbacks of using a "barter" system to trade?

• Why do you think the Ancient Greeks decided to use money instead?

Activity 1 Version B: Bartering for Remote Learning

If you are learning at home or do not have an in-person classroom, complete this version of the

activity!

1. Go to the online game: Escape from Barter Island

2. Complete all four "islands" in the game.

3. Discuss the "discussion questions" below with a partner.

Discussion Questions for Activity 1 Version B:

• Which island was the easiest to complete your mission? Why?

• How many trades did it take to complete a mission on a "barter" island?

• What are the drawbacks of using a "barter" system to trade?

• Why do you think the Ancient Greeks decided to use money instead?

Question: Why did civilizations like Ancient Greece use money (currency) instead of bartering?

• Money lets you directly purchase something that you want. Bartering limits who you can

trade with.

• Money is lighter and easier to carry around than other goods, like pigs or bales of hay.

Answer: All the Above

Activity 2: Design Your Own Currency! (20 minutes)

For this activity, students will design a currency for a high school in Ancient Greece: Athens High.

The students at Athens High want their own school currency for purchasing food, school supplies,

and other goods.

Use pencils, paper, and coloring tools to design the money for Athens High! The money should:

• Be colorful and include images relating to high school, Athens, and Ancient Greece.

• Have at least three different denominations (for example: penny, nickel, and quarter).

Once students have designed their currency, have them take a picture of it and submit the photo

to their instructor. Don't forget to have students answer the reflection questions!

Wrap up, Deliverable, and Assessment (8 Minutes)

Wrap up: If time permits, discuss the reflection questions as a class, below.

Deliverable: Have students submit pictures of their currency to their instructor.

Reflection Questions: In addition to photos of their currency, students should answer the

following questions in complete sentences:

1. What is something new you learned during this lesson?

2. What are the pros and cons of bartering?

3. Why did the Ancient Greeks use currency instead of bartering?

Quiz: Students can complete the "Student Checkpoint: Ancient Past of Money" as an exit ticket.

Alternatively, you can omit this checkpoint and grade each student’s activity as their formative

assessment.

Differentiation

• Additional Support #1: Have students read about Life in Greece in the Wikipedia Article:

Agora (Ancient Greek Marketplace)

• Additional Support #2: Have students design their currency in use Gravit or Vectr.

• Extension: Have students tell how they would represent the following Amounts of Currency

using only multiples of their designed denominations: $9, $14, $26, $41, $79.

Additional resources

• Clarendon Learning: Ancient Greece

• Activity 1: List of Haves / Wants Cards (next page)

• Federal Reserve: Barter and Money Lesson Plan

Activity 1A (in person): Cards for “I have / I want”

Teacher instructions:

• Below is a list of Have/Want pairs for 24 students. Cut along the solid lines.

• Each student will tear along the dotted line and trade their "have" 2 times. If more students,

just duplicate pairs.

• Many thanks and credit to Carolina K12 for the free use and modification of their lesson plan

on money.

• The goal is for students to see that not everyone was able to match their "want" with their

"have". This is the downside of bartering! What are the odds that someone's wants and haves

match up exactly to your own?

Verizon Innovative Learning Lab Program Operating instructions

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