The book How the Second Grade Got $8,205.50 to Visit the Statue of Liberty, written by Nathan Zimelman, provides and fun and kid friendly introduction into the topic of economics.
Summary
This book is extremely fun and witty as it introduces the some of the basic ideas of economics through the use of expenses and profits. The book chronicles a second grade class and their attempts to raise enough money to go on a class field trip to the statue of liberty. The students try to raise money through several ways (many that could be deemed ‘childhood pastimes’) including lemonade stands, dog walking, candy sales, baby sitting, and car washing. The book goes through the expenses and profits for each one of these ‘fundraisers’. For example…
“Profit: Our candy sale profit was seven and a half dollars which Geraldine Arthur’s mother gave us after her first beaming bite. We are getting closer to the Statue of Liberty.”
However, even through all of their attempts to collect this money, the real reason for their profits comes unexpectedly at the end.
Curriculum Connection
I think this book would be suitable for a read aloud in grades 1-3, and for individual reading in 3-4. The sentences are a bit long and take some focus in order to comprehend what is going on.
This book gives an excellent introduction into the basic ideas of economics. It deals with earning money, saving it, expenses, and profits. It also discusses the idea of failure (there are a few cases in which the students don’t earn any money).
This book can also be tied to a math lesson, if you wanted to include numbers and had the students add the expenses and profits while following along with the book.
Additional Resources:
1. This website, Econopolis, offers several fun games and quizzes for children to play while learning about different economic topics
2. Here is a list of different economic books that can be used in the classroom (with suggestions for each grade)
3. This website has a variety of different economics posters that are a colorful, fun, and helpful way to help students remember the different vocabulary terms.
General Information:
Book: How the Second Grade Got $8,205.50 to Visit the Statue of Liberty
Author: Nathan Zimelman
Illustrator: Bill Slavin
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
Publication Date: 1992
Pages: 32
Grade Range: 2-4
ISBN #: 0807534315