Title: The Economics of The Giving Tree

Grade Level: 5th Grade

Objective: Students will be able to understand the economic concepts of scarcity, opportunity cost, and trade-offs through the story of The Giving Tree.

Materials: - The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein - Whiteboard and markers - Handout on economic concepts

Procedure:

1. Introduction (5 minutes) - Begin by asking students if they have ever heard of the book The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. - Ask students if they know what the book is about. - Explain that today, we will be reading The Giving Tree and learning about some economic concepts.

2. Reading The Giving Tree (15 minutes) - Read The Giving Tree aloud to the class. - Pause at certain points in the story to ask students questions about what is happening and how it relates to economics.

3. Discussion of Economic Concepts (15 minutes) - After reading the book, ask students if they noticed any economic concepts in the story. - Write the following economic concepts on the whiteboard: scarcity, opportunity cost, and trade-offs. - Explain each concept and give examples from the story. - Hand out the handout on economic concepts for students to refer to.

4. Group Activity (20 minutes) - Divide students into small groups. - Give each group a scenario where they have to make a trade-off and explain their opportunity cost. - For example, a scenario could be: You have $10 to spend at the store. You can either buy a toy or a book. If you buy the toy, your opportunity cost is not being able to buy the book. - Have each group present their scenario and explain their trade-off and opportunity cost.

5. Conclusion (5 minutes) - Ask students to reflect on what they learned about economics through The Giving Tree. - Ask students if they can think of any other books or stories that relate to economics.

Assessment: - Students will be assessed on their participation in the group activity and their understanding of the economic concepts discussed in class.