Zunal WebQuest Work File

Welcome

Welcome: Money
Description: This WebQuest is about money. Its history, spending and saving and why it it is important to make good financial decisions.
Grade Level: 6-8
Curriculum: Social Studies
Keywords: money, saving, spending

Introduction

In the past week, we have started learning about money in our social studies class. We can all agree that we have discovered that money does not just grow on trees, and it takes a lot of responsibility to handle money correctly! Over the next few days, you will be working closely with your group to take on new challenges and discover even more about MONEY!
While you are working on this WebQuest stay focused on your learning and keep these questions in mind.

  1. Why did money replaced bartering?
  2. How does a cost-benefit analysis chart helps people make choices about spending and saving?
  3. Why do people spend and save?
  4. Why is it important to make good financial choices?

Task

Each member of your team has been assigned a specific role. Use the links provided to become an expert on your topic. After you have done your research and have new ideas and knowledge to bring back to your group, your team will work together to complete one of the following tasks.
BUILD YOUR OWN BANK
Create a brochure OR record a commercial in order to entice consumers to use your new bank. Include the name, logo, important information and the benefits for
consumers of your new bank.
CREATE YOUR OWN CURRENCY
Record a newscast OR write a newspaper article to introduce the new US currency to the country. Include an example of the actual currency, the amount each piece of currency is worth, the benefits of this new currency, any other important information about the currency that the American people will need to know and understand.

Process

General Instructions:
You will be working together as a team exploring web sites that are provided. You should start with the pages that are labeled 'Background Information' before researching your specific role. Each group member has their own set of questions to complete and a separate set of web sites to use.
Phase 1 - Background: Something for Everyone:
These sites are important because they will provide basic information about the topic as a whole. Everyone should explore these sites before starting your Task.
Escape from Barter Island

Money Word Search

Fun Facts About Money

MORE Fun Facts

Spending Smarts

Design Your Own Bill

Economics Glossary

Phase 2 - Looking Deeper: Different Perspectives on the Topic:
These roles were chosen because they each define the most important elements of money and the economy. Each of you has been assigned a particular role with links and instructions below. Here are the general instructions for all of you. Please see your specific instructions and questions below.
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. One member from each WebQuest team will explore one of the roles below.
2. Read through the files designated for your role.
3. Record any important information or findings from your internet exploration into your social studies notebook.
4. Remember to record which site/link your information came from so that you may easily refer to it again later.
5. Focus what you've learned into one main idea that will help your team complete the Task.
Treasurer
Federal Reserve Information for Kids

Inside the U.S.Mint

GA Treasurer

Minting Process

Printing and Engraving

Treasury Tour

Birth of a Coin

Use these links to answer your questions.

  1. What is a treasury?
  2. What is the job of the treasure
  3. What happens at the U.S. Mint?
  4. What is the Federal Reserve?
  5. What does money from other countries look like?

Banker:

Power to the People: Regulation Time Line

Power to the People: Video

Savings and Investments

Ask Buck

Why Save Money?

Use these links to answer your questions.

  1. Why do we use banks?
  2. What is 'interest'?
  3. How are banks 'regulated'?
  4. How can kids use banks?
  5. How to banks make money?
  6. How does money grow? (Hint: Not on trees!).

Historian:

Explore Money Around the World

Historical U.S. Currency

The History of Money

Historical Highlights of the U.S. Mint

Coins & Metals

Use these links to answer the following questions.

  1. When did the use of money start?
  2. What are some of the important points of our U.S. Mint's history?
  3. What coins have we had in the past that we no longer see?
  4. What are some of the newest coins and bills in our currency?
  5. What are some of the similarities and differences of currencies around the world?

Consumer:

Managing Money

Making Money

7 Ways to Earn Money

Savings Calculator

Budget Game

Use these links to answer the following questions.

  1. Why do we need to save money?
  2. What is a want vs. a need?
  3. What is a budget?
  4. Why are budgets so important?
  5. How can one make a budget?
  6. How can kids earn money?

Phase 3 - Debating, Discussing, and Reaching Consensus:
Now you have a small piece of the large economics puzzle! Come together with your team to put all of these pieces together. You will find that without one piece of the puzzle, our economy would have missing parts, and no puzzle is complete unless ALL pieces fit TOGETHER.
You have all learned about different parts of our economy. Now group members come back to the larger WebQuest team with expertise gained by searching from one perspective. You must all now complete the Task as a group. Each of you will bring a certain viewpoint to the answer: some of you will agree and others disagree. Use information from the web sites you explored to teach your group members about your role in our economy.
Discuss the main ideas from your research and answer the following questions with your group about your role before beginning your final task.

  1. What did you find most important about your role?
  2. Why is your role important to our economy?
  3. How can your role contribute to the final task of your group?

Evaluation

CRITERIA / Points
4 / 3 / 2 / 1
Introduction / All questions were answered completely and rationales for the answers were clearly stated. / All questions were answered completely, but rationales for the all the answers were not clearly stated. / Not all questions were answered completely, or greater than 2 rationales for the all answers were not clearly stated. / All questions were not answered completely. / ____
Task / All areas of the task were addressed and handled with a high degree of sophistication. The plan followed by the team demonstrated a great deal of thought. / At least one area of the task was not addressed. The plan followed by the team demonstrated a great deal of thought. / At least two areas of the task were not addressed. The plan followed by the team demonstrated a moderate level of thought. / The task is incomplete and/or it is apparent that little effort went into the development of the task. / ____
Process: Teamwork / It is evident that a mutual effort and cohesive unit created the final product. / The team worked well together, but could have utilized each other's skills to a better degree. / The team had problems working together. Little collaboration occurred. / The final product is not the result of a collaborative effort. The group showed no evidence of collaboration. / ____
Process: Originality / The ideas expressed by the body of work demonstrate a high degree of originality. / The ideas expressed by the body of work are mostly original. The group may have improved upon a previous idea. / The ideas expressed by the body of work demonstrate a low degree of originality. / There were no original ideas expressed in this project.
Grammar, Format , and Spelling / The final body of work was free of grammar, spelling, and formatting errors. / The final body of work had 1 error related to either grammar, spelling, and formatting errors. / The final body of work had 3-5 grammar, spelling, and formatting errors. / The final body of work had major grammar, spelling, and formatting errors.
Total----> / ____

Conclusion

Although you do not have a job and pay bills as a kid, you do play an important part in our economy already. As you are learning more about our economy, you have discovered how it all comes together as a large puzzle made up of smaller pieces. And now, even as a child, you can start making responsible economic choices for yourself and your family! Talk to your parents about how you can start saving your money and even find ways to help earn money. You may also talk to your parents about your family's budget to better understand what needs your family has to spend their money on before buying anything we simply want. And remember... MONEY DOESN'T GROW ON TREES!