Hello everyone!
I hope you are having a nice week! This week, we focused on our reading of Freewater and the presence of economic and civic concepts in literature. From our class slides, economics is defined as “the study of how societies use scarce resources to meet the needs and wants of its population,” and civics is defined as “the study of the rights and obligations of citizens in communities.” Within this conversation about economics and civics and how they are represented in Freewater, we also discussed the meaning and parameters of democracy. For example, although we call the U.S. a democracy, it would be more accurate to say that it is a republic with democratic practices and principles. Furthermore, we engaged in some very interesting discussions in which we questioned the importance of economic concepts in literature, the significance of historical fiction, and what Freewater serves to teach students.
One of my biggest takeaways was our conversation about if and how we would use Freewater in the classroom. There were varying responses to the use of Freewater in the classroom spanning from how much preparation students need to read it, if it is an appropriate book, and in what way teachers should present the book. It was interesting to hear everyone’s preferred method of introducing the material either through class read-aloud, individual reading, or reading groups. Personally, I believe Freewater is the type of book that would be best used in the classroom with ample student preparation for the harmful language and disturbing images they may witness throughout reading. With this in mind, I feel like the group or communal read of this type of book could be overwhelming and emotionally jarring for some students; therefore, this is the type of book that I would assign as a take-home read that we prepare each day before the assigned chapter and reflect the day following.
My second biggest takeaway was a quote that Dr. Stohr-Hunt recited from one of her friends, which reads: “Every book is an economic book because every book has choices.” This idea really stood out to me because it made me completely rethink the books I read throughout my childhood and how moments of economics and civics are present. The book that first came to mind for me was The Giving Tree. Although it is pretty obviously giving commentary on the importance of unconditional giving and selflessness, there are a lot more economic moments than I thought. Throughout the book, there are examples of every single economic concept we discussed in class. Choices, needs, wants, demands, barter, and so much more are omnipresent through the boy’s dealings with the giving tree. Now knowing that we can find concepts of economics and civics in all books, what is one book from your childhood that you can now identify these concepts in? How has this new concept impacted your understanding of this childhood book? Why is it important to identify these moments of economics and civics in classroom books?
I look forward to reading your responses! See you next week!
-Hillery Wynn
Hi Hillery,
This insight is very thoughtful, and I love how you brought in other books and made similar connections to economics. The book that comes to mind is When You Give a Mouse a Cookie. In this book, I saw many concepts related to economics that we talked about in class. One example is when the mouse gets his cookie, he then wants milk, so when he gets what he wants, it leads to decisions, giving up his time and asking for more. This is an example of opportunity cost as he is giving up something else to get another thing he wants. Another concept I saw was demand, as he is in demand for one thing after another.
I feel like looking at the book through this lens has allowed me to see the book from a new perspective, learn something new, and identify a concept each time I read. It is important to understand these topics to have a baseline understanding as you go throughout life, and your understanding of these concepts will mature over time.
Hi Hillery,
Thanks for the great post! One book that I think of is The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown. For example, the bunny makes a choice to try and run away, but the mother barters by explaining the ways she would find him, no matter if he becomes a fish or a bird. It also shows how the bunny starts by wanting to run away before eventually realizing he does not want to. I can definitely see how this lens allows me to see another topic the book teaches I may not have noticed before looking at it through an economic lens which was really interesting to think about!
Thanks again for the post! -Cecilia
Hi Hillery! Thank you for this great blog post. I really liked your reflection on the economic and civic concepts present in Freewater, especially your analysis of how these themes contribute to historical fiction and classroom learning. I also appreciated your discussion on how to introduce Freewater in a classroom setting, considering the emotional weight of its content. Your mention of Dr. Stohr’s quote about every book being an economic book really resonated with me as well. I find it very interesting how literature can serve as an avenue for teaching these concepts in unexpected ways.
Your post made me think more about how literature, especially historical fiction, serves as a bridge to deeper discussions about economics and civics. Aside from just telling a story, books like Freewater give students a way to explore how societies function, how individuals make decisions, and how those decisions shape their communities. I really found your point about the importance of preparing students for emotionally intense content to be very important. I feel that it aligns with trauma-informed teaching practices that emphasize emotional readiness and support.
I also agree with your perspective that Freewater requires careful preparation and guided discussion. Books with complex themes can definitely be very powerful in the classroom, but as you noted, students need to be emotionally prepared for difficult content. I also believe that offering multiple reading formats, whether read-aloud, individual reading, or small groups, can help accommodate different learning styles and emotional needs.
Your post reminded me of many of these types of books I read as a child. At the time, I focused mainly on the bravery of the characters, but looking back, I see clear economic and civic themes in so many books my teachers had us read, or that I just chose to read. While I wish I appreciated this more at the time, understanding these elements now gives me a deeper appreciation of the book’s historical and educational value.
Your blog post highlights an important takeaway, that literature is a powerful tool for exploring economic and civic ideas. By recognizing these themes in books from childhood, we can better understand how literature shapes our understanding of society. Identifying these moments in classroom books is essential because it encourages students to think critically about the world around them and the decisions people make. Thank you again for this great post! I hope you have a great weekend!
Hi Hillery,
Thank you for your reflective post!
Your reflections on Freewater and the connections to economics and civics are so insightful! I love how you highlighted the nuances of democracy and the importance of framing these concepts accurately for students. And that quote from Dr. Stohr in class – was such a lightbulb moment for me too!
Regarding economics in children’s literature, I didn’t realize this concept has been extensively present in most of the books and stories that I read. I remember reading Tuổi Thơ Dữ Dội (Severe Childhood) by Phùng Quán. The story paints a picture of these young men 13–14 years old in the ranks of the Youth Reconnaissance of Tran Cao Van regiment and their life struggle and sacrifice, through which creative survival strategies were meticulously illustrated. Or another one is Cho Tôi Xin Một Vé Đi Tuổi Thơ (Ticket to Childhood) by Nguyễn Nhật Ánh which shows barter systems through children trading marbles and snacks (every kid in Vietnam back then indulged in this book and the admiration for the beloved author – we all call him Uncle Ánh).
I now see and appreciate how economic principles transcend cultures and as an open door, how stories naturally teach students about various economics concept such as resource allocation, choices, trade and barter, or opportunity costs. Even simple stories about sharing toys or saving allowance contain these principles. What’s powerful is that through stories, kids absorb these concepts organically before learning the formal terms.
Your post, and the insights from our last class have me looking at all children’s literature through this new lens – thank you once again!
Tam Vo
Hillery,
Thanks for your post! I appreciate you jumping in to the ideas of both civics and economics in relation to Freewater, noting the presence of economic and civic concepts in literature. As you mentioned, the economic concepts we looked for stemmed from Dr. Stohr’s teacher definition of economics as “the study of how societies use scarce resources to meet the needs and wants of its population,” and civics is defined as “the study of the rights and obligations of citizens in communities.” I enjoyed our review of economics concepts in class using the posters, and would like to use that method in future for my own students. Choices, needs, wants, demands, barter, and then the idea of human versus capital property- all were clearly reflected in our reading, and helped us understand larger and smaller motivations for each characters decision making. It really helped to frame out what kids were looking for, and the economics question guide we used was very in helping kids pinpoint economic moments within the choices each character made.
One historical fiction book I thought of in relation to these concepts was “Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry” by Mildred D. Taylor. In the book, our fourth grade protagonist lives in Jim Crow Mississippi in the 1930’s, and is faced with racism and many hardships as her family struggles to keep their land and protect their children from hardship. I had minimal context for the time period before I read the book, and it was eye opening to me how many hardships choices and opportunity costs every character had as the book progressed. It made me rethink the idea that people were poor because they didn’t work hard, or that all American families had equal opportunities.
Growing up in deep red Texas, understanding of history and researching historical events gave me a better understanding of the things I noticed in life but we didn’t learn about deeply in my school curriculum. Often economics and civics don’t get more coverage time in elementary classes, and using a book to illustrate these concepts through narrative is a clever way to use them throughout social studies units. Our students must understand how simultaneously fragile and powerful a well informed democratic republic must be, and the role that both civics and economics play in upholding and protecting democratic principles for all.
Thanks again Hillery! Looking forward to more discussion on these types of concepts in future readings.
Hi Hillery,
Thank you for sharing this response and providing a recap of what we discussed in class on Monday. The presence of economic principles in children’s books is something that I never thought about before and I believe bringing it to the forefront of children’s minds every once and a while is beneficial in their longterm understanding of these concepts.
A book that I read growing up that I never realized could be associated with economic principles is “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie”. This book can teach children about goods and services. Students can distinguish between goods, such as the cookie, milk, and other tangible items, and services, such as reading a story. This is very simple, but could really benefit a Kindergartener or 1st graders knowledge on basic economics.
Another reason why teaching economics in children’s books is important, is because it establishes connections between subjects which builds analysis skills that can be utilized in all academic courses and in their everyday life. Connection-making keeps students engaged and guides them to view their academic courses as more than just memorization and routine.
Thank you again for your response and I hope you are having a nice weekend!
Thank you for your post, Hillery!
While reading Freewater, I didn’t realize all the economic concepts presented throughout the story, but afterward, it became clear. We as teachers can use all kinds of genres to teach our students economic concepts and ideas like choices, needs, wants, and bartering in a way that they can easily understand. It is important to call attention to the intersectionality of economics and civics in classroom books because it connects concepts and real life allowing students to think about how these ideas can play out in their own lives.
A book from my childhood that has economic concepts woven into it is Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed, by Eileen Christelow. The story involves decision-making, bartering, as well as the concept of a “want”. I remember reading it and having the realization that my actions have consequences, that choosing to do or not do certain things will have a positive or negative outcome. The stories we read to our students are impactful and can bring about more than just one conversation or understanding.
Thank you again for your post Hillery,
Angelina Dickens
Hi Hillery! Thank you for your post!
A book I loved from childhood was “Click, Clack, Moo” by Doreen Cronin. This book is about cows leaving their farmer notes about improving working conditions. As a kid, I thought the story was funny because it was about cows that could write. As an adult, I see how I can use this book to teach about economics. This book looks at the cows’ needs, wants, and demands. It also looks at working conditions and negotiating for better ones. Looking at the book with economic glasses on has given this book a much deeper meaning. Introducing these ideas through classroom books is crucial because it explains these complex ideas more simply. Kids must also be introduced to these concepts at a young age because economics and civics will be a part of their lives forever.
Thank you again for your post, and I will see you Monday!
Mackenzie Woody
Hi Hillery! Thanks for this thoughtful blog post!
I also found our conversation about the use of Freewater fascinating and enjoyed hearing various perspectives on how the book could be best utilized. After that, with the harmful language and sensitive topics, this book would best be used as an individualized read, but one that requires lots of preparation and reflection for students to best absorb the book. One takeaway from this discussion was how important it is, as a teacher, to put lots of thought into how the content you use can be most effectively incorporated into classrooms, especially in social studies, where some content may be upsetting to students.
Thinking about the quote Dr. Stohr shared and learning more about economics and civics in class, one book in which I could identify these concepts in was The Very Hungry Caterpillar. The book includes the idea of wants and needs, as in the book, the caterpillar eats unhealthy foods that he wants and healthy foods that he needs. The book also includes themes of choice and limited resources, as the caterpillar only eats one of each item. Regarding civics, the book touches on responsibility, as the caterpillar experiences consequences when he chooses to eat too much unhealthy food. Recognizing these themes makes The Very Hungry Caterpillar more impactful and makes me appreciate how the book can be used in the classroom even more. I think it’s important to identify these moments of economics and civics in classroom books as this helps students understand how broadly applicable these themes are in everyday life.
Thanks again, Hillery, for a great post, and I look forward to seeing you in class!
Maya
Hi Hillery. Thank you so much for your post. I hope you are safe from all the pollen. I did not realize how much economics and civics were intertwined into everyday kindergarten until I became a teacher. The schools have school wide values that the kids are encouraged to follow. It teaches them how to behave in a public situation and how to interact in a positive way with their peers. Economics comes into the picture with the points they earn for their positive behavior. They can go to the school store once a month and pick a prize. The more points they have the more they can get. Sometimes they will save their points to purchase a bigger prize the following month. Teaching the kids these things is fun because you can see the ones who really take being a good student seriously and then encourage classmates to do the same.
The book I read as a kid was called Just for You by Noah Mercer. The little critter is trying to help his mom in different chores but ends up making more messes. The book shows choices and consequences but in the end it shows a child helping someone they love.
See you in class
Hi Hillery!
Thank you for such an insightful and reflective post. I enjoyed reading it. I completely agree with you on the importance of preparing students for books like Freewater. While it’s a powerful and necessary story, the emotional weight of the content can definitely be overwhelming, especially when read aloud or in a group setting. I really like your idea of assigning it as a take-home read, paired with daily preparation and reflection. That approach gives students space to process the material on their own while still feeling supported by the classroom community. It’s a great balance between honoring the heaviness of the material and ensuring it’s not avoided or sugar-coated.
The quote from Dr. Stohr-Hunt really stood out to me, too: “Every book is an economic book because every book has choices.” It’s such a simple but profound lens through which to view literature. I loved your example of The Giving Tree. I hadn’t thought about it in economic terms before, but you’re right, it’s filled with themes of trade-offs, resource use, and value. It’s so fascinating how a book many of us first read as kids can take on new layers of meaning when we revisit it with a different perspective. I am curious as to what other economic concepts I can find while reading other children’s books. I also really like Dr. Stohr’s idea about creating anchor charts to put around the classroom with these concepts so that students can continually search for these concepts in all of their readings. Identifying these concepts in classroom books is incredibly important because they help students make real-world connections. When students realize that literature reflects society’s systems and choices, it deepens their comprehension and builds critical thinking and empathy. It turns reading into more than just a literary experience but a tool for understanding the world.
Thank you again for your post and I hope you have a great week!
Hi Hillery,
Thanks for your thoughtful post! It is interesting to rethink how often stories contain underlying civic and economic ideas, even when they aren’t the central focus.
A book from my own childhood that took on a new meaning through this lens is Stone Soup. I hadn’t realized until now how clearly it reflects economic concepts like barter, scarcity, and cooperation. The villagers each bring a small ingredient, which individually may seem insignificant, but together they create something meaningful for the whole community. There’s a subtle civic message there too about shared responsibility, trust, and how working together benefits the group.
This new perspective helped me see how books can be used not just for reading comprehension or character analysis, but to explore the broader systems that shape communities. I think identifying these civic and economic ideas in classroom books is valuable because it encourages students to connect literature with real-world thinking. It also helps reinforce that these concepts aren’t just theoretical.
Thanks again for your insights!
– Emily