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Lesson 2. Barter in action

Introduction

Would barter encourage people to get along or not? Would people feel that they were treated fairly or not? In this lesson, students get a chance to answer these questions by participating in and evaluating a bartering experience.

Resources

Time: Single class period

Materials:

CCPC Money Matters Money Talks Lesson 2 Barter cardspdf | 1707 KB

Activity 1: Barter in action

Step-by-step instructions: 

1. Explain to the students that they are going to participate in an activity where they will put bartering into practice.

2. Display the Barter cards sheet

3. Invite students to identify whether the items listed are a good or a service.

4. Ask students to name additional goods or services which young people might successfully trade in a barter situation.

5. Distribute one card from Barter cards to each student.

Note: You may wish to allow students to create their own Barter Cards based on the additional items they suggest in step 4 (above)

6. Explain that they must barter the good or service on their Barter card in exchange for the good or service on another person’s card. The deal or barter will be considered complete when one card is exchanged for another, for example, the ‘Hoodie’ Barter card is exchanged for the Barter card saying ‘Cut the grass’ (an exchange of a good for a service).

7. Encourage students to think about their good/service and find out what goods/service others have. What would they be happy to exchange their good/service for? What would be a fair deal? Invite them to move around the room and talk to a number of different people before making an exchange.

Note: If students make their first exchange quickly, allow them to make a second exchange.

8. Bring the students back together for a whole class discussion using the following prompts:

  • Did anyone in the class fail to make a trade? Why?
  • Did anyone in the class barter with more than one other person? Please give details.
  • Is there anyone who is completely happy with their barter? Why?
  • Is there anyone who is very unhappy with the deal they made? Why
  • Was it easy to figure out if you were getting a fair deal?

9. Ask the class to list the factors they think influenced whether or not they were satisfied with their deal. Note their responses on the white/blackboard.

Note: Depending on your class, you may wish to provide the following prompts: needs, wants, urgency, condition of good/quality of service, popularity or trendiness of item, etc. 

Homework task

Ask students to write a short reflective piece about what it would be like to live in a world without money and to have to barter for goods and services. Their assignment should include reference to if/how they think their new knowledge impacts on their lives.

Depending on your class you may decide to take-up and correct these reflections once completed.

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