Teacher Cheat Sheet — Session 2

Money, Values & You · 6th Grade Financial Literacy

90 minutes Ages 11–12 Session 2 of 8 ND-Friendly

90-Minute Agenda

Time	Block	What's Happening
0–5	Hook	"Hold up your hand if you want a new phone... but would you DIE without one?"
5–20	Lesson 1	What do you need? — shelter, food, water, clothing vs. desires
20–35	Lesson 2	Power of advertising — how ads blur the line between needs and wants
35–50	Activity	"Need or Want?" sorting game (10 min play + 5 min debrief)
50–65	Lesson 3	Opportunity cost — every choice costs another choice
65–75	Journal	"Describe something you WANT. Is it actually a NEED?"
75–85	Recap	"One thing you'll think about differently now?" — quick round
85–90	Close	Preview Session 3: Budgeting. Assign take-home tracking.

Note:Lesson 4 (Israf & Qasad) can be a brief closing mention or take-home reading — assign if time allows.

Key Vocabulary

Need — something required for survival or basic functioning

Want — something desired but not essential to survive

Opportunity Cost — what you give up when you make a choice

Advertising — messages designed to make you want things

Israf (إسراف) — wasteful excess; forbidden in Islam

Qasad (قصد) — moderation and intentionality in spending

ND-Friendly Teaching Tips

Show agenda first — "Here's exactly what we're doing today." No surprises.
Physical sorting — use actual cards on desks for "Need or Want?" — kinesthetic learners shine here.
Acknowledge gray areas — avoid making students feel judged for their answers. "It depends" is a valid answer.
Opportunity cost — always use a concrete example they relate to (snack choice, screen time vs. homework).
Israf & Qasad — some students may know these from home; invite sharing without pressure.
Warn before transitions — "2 more minutes on this, then we switch."
Celebrate gray areas — "That's a great point about why it feels like a need."

Discussion Questions + Teacher Notes

"Can you think of something that used to be a want but is now a need for many people?"
→ Internet, phone, car in some places. Accept all thoughtful answers.
"Have you ever really WANTED something, saved up for it, then not cared about it a week later?"
→ Validates their experience. Leads naturally into opportunity cost.
"What's an example of a time you had to choose between two things you wanted?"
→ Opportunity cost in action. Every student has an example.
"How do ads make you feel? Do they work on you?"
→ Self-awareness moment. Most will laugh and admit yes — that's the lesson.
"Is it wrong to want things?"
→ No! Wants motivate us. Israf is about waste and excess, not desire itself.
"What would Qasad look like in YOUR life right now?"
→ Personal application. Even one idea is a success.

"Need or Want?" Sorting Game Setup

What you need: Index cards or printed slips — one item per card. Each group gets the same deck.

Item Cards to Sort:

Phone

Water

New Shoes

Electricity

Video Game

House

Internet

Candy

School Supplies

Car

Vacation

Glasses (if needed)

Toothbrush

Pet

Netflix

Debrief Questions:

Which items caused the most debate?
Were any surprises? (phone? internet? glasses?)
What does that tell us about how needs change over time?

Gray areas ARE the lesson.Debate = learning happening.

Opening Hook

Ask the class:
"Hold up your hand if you want a new phone."

"Now keep it up if you'd die without one."

Watch hands go down. Ask: "So... need or want? Let's debate."

Let them argue both sides. Some WILL argue phone is a safety need. That's great — gray areas are the lesson.

Journal Prompt

Write on the board:
"Describe something you want right now. Be honest — is it actually a need? Explain."

Give 8 min quiet writing.

If stuck: "What's one thing you saw this week and wanted to buy?"

Invite 2 volunteers — never force.

Close + Preview

Recap:
"One thing you want that you'll think about differently now?"

Preview Session 3:

"Next week: BUDGETING — a plan for every dollar. Start noticing what you or your family spends on this week."

Take-home:

Track spending (yours or family's) for 3 days. Label each: Need (N) or Want (W).