“The more you learn, the more you earn.”
Warren Buffett
We all remember how we felt when we were given our first money. Some of us earned it by helping with chores, some for good grades or as a birthday present. At that moment we believed that we could buy anything in the world. It did not matter how much money we actually earned. Those money were ours to use or save. Teaching children about money is important. They are exposed to them every day and they have many questions about them. Learning about money and world currencies is a great way how to boost students’ critical thinking skills and expand their views about the world.
Luckily, the month of February was all about money. Grade 2B students learned about banks, types of businesses and ways to pay. What they loved the most was the day when they could explore currencies from all around the world. Wells teachers got together and checked their shelves to bring as many currencies they could find to school. We collected more than 14 international currencies and let the Grade 2B students study them. They worked together, explored them together and worked on their own projects. This exciting activity led to many interesting discussions. For instance, the students noticed how various currencies were made from different materials. They noticed that some banknotes had hidden pictures which they could only see when they checked them against the light. They noticed how some coins had holes or were shaped like flowers instead of circles. Also, they had a chance to read interesting facts about each currency on display and note them down.
Students had a lot of fun on that day and the fruitful conversations lasted until the recess time. Great job, everyone!
-Ms. Veronika, Grade 2B Homeroom Teacher
