Teaching Economics With Children’s Literature: Ultimate Kids’ Money Book

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The Ultimate Kids’ Money Book, written by Neal S. Godfrey, and illustrated by Randy Verougstraete, offers an exuberant approach to understanding the financial side of the economy.  Photographic collages and colorful drawings up the levels of interest and engagement.  Godfrey tells the story of money in a cheerful, understandable manner–from bartering to investing to opportunity cost.  Also, readers will learn more about America’s economic structure and the government’s economic role. Fun financial trivia is interspersed throughout, and word problems and matching games are included in each of the nine chapters as well as user-friendly design features like “Penny for your thoughts” and “Word bank” sidebars.

Curriculum Connections
This book would help students understand the financial aspects of the economy.  It also would be a handy math resource when learning about money.  In the state of Virginia, these topics correlate with Economics SOLs 2.8 and 2.9, dealing with bartering and scarcity as well as 3.9, which focuses on opportunity cost.  This book could also be used a a resource to aid in understanding Mathematics SOL 3.9 which covers counting money.

Additional Resources
   *  Click here for an economics lesson geared towards grades 3-5.
   *  Check out this video on play dough economics.  
   *  Check out this webpage to visit “Econopolis!”
   *  Assess student’s evidence of economic learning here.   

Book: Ultimate Kids’ Money Book
Author- Neal S. Godfrey
Illustrator: Randy Verougstraete
Publisher: Aladdin
Publication Date: 2002
Pages: 128
Grade Range: 3-5
ISBN: –978-0689814891

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