Session 1 · Money, Values & You
What Is Money —
and What Is It For?
A 90-minute journey for 6th graders
Ages 11–12 Session 1 of 8 90 Minutes Activity Included
Our Plan for Today
Here's what we're doing
0–5 min
Big Question
A question to get your brain warmed up
5–25 min
Lesson 1 — Origins of Money
Where did money come from? What did people do before it?
25–40 min
Lesson 2 — What Gives Money Its Value?
Why does a piece of paper buy you a meal?
40–55 min
Activity — Barter Simulation
Trade without money and see what happens!
55–70 min
Lesson 3 — Money as a Tool
Money is something you use — it doesn't define you
70–90 min
Journal + Wrap Up
Reflect, share, and preview what's next
Opening Question
Before we start — think about this:
If I gave you a $100 bill right now… what would you do with it?
Take a moment. Then…
But WHY does that piece of paper actually get you anything?
We'll find out — keep that question in mind all session.
Lesson 1 — Origins of Money
Before money existed…
people used barter
- Barter= trading goods directly — no money involved
- Example: A farmer trades wheat for sandals
- A weaver trades cloth for pottery
- In small villages where everyone knew each other — it worked!
Lesson 1 — The Problem
But barter had a BIG problem…
You have wheat. You need sandals.
But the sandal maker wants fish.
The fisherman wants pottery…
- Both people must want EXACTLY what the other has — at the SAME time
- This is called the "Double Coincidence of Wants"
- 3 trades just to get one pair of sandals — imagine doing that for everything!
Lesson 1 — Solution
So people invented money!
Cowrie Shells — used across Africa, Asia for thousands of years
Salt — Roman soldiers were paid in salt. ("Salary" comes from this!)
Metal Coins — first minted around 600 BCE in Turkey
Paper Money— invented in China around 800 CE
Digital Money — today, most money is just numbers on a screen
Lesson 2 — What Gives Money Its Value?
The most important idea in today's session:
A $20 bill is just a piece of paper.
It's worth $20 because everyone agrees it is.
- Money = a shared agreement — it works because we all trust it
- On a deserted island with no one else… cash is useless!
- Trading cards, sports cards, even likes — they work the same way
Quick Brain Break
Think about this…
You're stranded on a deserted island.
You find a suitcase with $10,000 in cash.
Does the money help you?
Turn and tell your neighbor what you think — 60 seconds!
Remember: money only works because everyone agrees it works.
Activity Time!
Barter Simulation
You're going to trade — WITHOUT money. See how it goes!
Wheat
Fish
Cloth
Pottery
Sandals
Firewood
Milk
Honey
1
You get 5 goods cards + a "Need List" of 3 items
2
Walk around and TRADE — both people must agree
3
No freebies! Trade only. You have
10 minutes Activity Debrief
What just happened?
- Did everyone get everything they needed?
- What was the hardest part?
- Did anyone have to make MORE than one trade for one item?
- How would ONE card that everyone accepts have made it easier?
That card everyone accepts? That's money.
Lesson 3 — Money as a Tool
Money is a tool —
not a goal
A Tool Does a Job
- A hammer builds things
- A phone connects people
- Money gets you things you need
- The hammer isn't the house
- Money isn't the good life
What This Means
- Having more money ≠ better person
- Having less money ≠ worse person
- It's a resource — like time or energy
- How you use it matters
- Values guide the tool
What would YOU use money as a tool to do?
Journal Time — 8 Minutes
Write your answer:
"What do I think money is for?"
- There is NO wrong answer — write what YOU actually think
- Even one sentence counts
- We won't grade this — it's for you
We'll revisit this journal at the END of the course — your answer might surprise you!
Today's Summary
What we learned today
Barter
Trading goods directly — the first way people exchanged things
The Problem
The "Double Coincidence of Wants" made barter really hard
The Solution
Humans invented money — from shells to coins to digital
Shared Agreement
Money works because everyone trusts it — not because it's magical
Tool, Not Goal
Money is a resource you use — it doesn't define who you are
Your Journal
You wrote what YOU think money is for — that's big thinking!
Words to Remember
Key Vocabulary from Today
Barter
Trading goods or services directly, without using money
Double Coincidence of Wants
Both people must want exactly what the other has — at the same time
Shared Agreement
Money works because everyone agrees to trust it
Money as a Tool
Money is a resource you use — not a goal or a sign of your worth
Currency
The form of money a group of people agrees to use
Amana (أمانة)
Stewardship — the idea that wealth is a trust we are responsible for
See You Next Week!
Amazing work today!
Your Take-Home
- Keep your journal — finish your entry if you didn't
- Ask someone at home: "What do YOU think money is for?"
- Notice: what do you spend money on this week?
Next Session: Needs vs. Wants
- What's a need? What's a want?
- How advertising blurs the line
- The Islamic concept of Israf (wastefulness)
- A card-sorting game!
You asked big questions today. That's what good thinkers do.