Business Day Handbook for Third Grade Teachers

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BUSINESS DAY HANDBOOK FOR THIRD GRADE TEACHERS

A Project

Presented to the

Faculty of

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

In Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements for the Degree

Master of Arts

Education

Option in:

Curriculum and Instruction

Shannon E. Joyce

2021

SIGNATURE PAGE

PROJECT: BUSINESS DAY HANDBOOK FOR THIRD GRADE TEACHERS

AUTHOR: Shannon E. Joyce

DATE SUBMITTED: Spring 2021

Department of Education

Dr. Nancy Prince-Cohen ______Project Committee Chair Professor of Education

Dr. Jaymi Abusham ______Principal La Verne Heights Elementary

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

To my family- Mike, Melissa, and Matthew,

Thank you for your patience and encouragement during the many long hours as I tucked

myself away with my computer. We all hung in there quarantined together during a

global pandemic and everyone on distance learning. Thank you, Mike, for keeping us all

well fed.

To the Corrigan Clan,

Thank you for your words of encouragement and giving me grace.

To the girl friends in my life,

Thank you for letting me complain, joining me on much needed nature hikes, and the much needed happy hours. Lisa, I did it!!

To Dr. Prince-Cohen,

Thank you for all of your provided resources, quick responses to my panicked emails, and for finally approving my format. I appreciate your help and your patience.

iii

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the project was to create a handbook for third grade teachers who participated in Business Day. This handbook was developed based on Common Core

Standard requirements. Information, directions, templates, and tools that guided teachers to implement Business Day were included.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SIGNATURE PAGE...... ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...... iii

ABSTRACT...... iv

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION...... 1

Rationale...... 1

Purpose...... 1

Background...... 1

Need...... 3

Methodology...... 4

Content ...... 4

Format...... 4

Scope ...... 4

Assumptions...... 4

Limitations...... 4

Delimitations...... 4

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE…...... 5

Content...... 5

The relationship between entrepreneurial skills and California State standards...... 5

Skills learned through the development of entrepreneurial skills...... 6

Reading...... 6

Writing...... 7

Listening and speaking...... 8

Mathematics...... 8

Standards for mathematical content and practices...... 8

Economics...... 9

Collaborative groups...... 11

Brainstorming an idea...... 11

Creativity and developing an idea...... 12

Working cooperatively...... 12

Critical thinking...... 14

Planning...... 15

Strategies for developing entrepreneurial skills...... 16

Writing...... 16

Reading...... 20

Close reading...... 21

Annotation...... 22

Rereading text...... 24

Listening...... 25

Speaking...... 27

Mathematics...... 29

Number lines...... 30

Skip counting...... 30

Computer games...... 31

Economics...... 33

Collaborative groups...... 34

Critical thinking...... 37

Planning...... 38

Strategies for implementing a project...... 39

Strategies for creating a product...... 40

Strategies for involving parents in project based learning...... 42

Format...... 43

CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY...... 46

CHAPTER FOUR: CONCLUSION...... 47

REFERENCES...... 48

PART TWO: THE PROJECT...... 57

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CHAPTER ONE:

INTRODUCTION

Rationale

Purpose. The purpose of the project was to create a handbook for third grade teachers who participate in Business Day.

Background. Entrepreneurship has become very popular and has gotten an increased amount of attention politically and in education in recent decades (Pepin & St-

Jean, 2019). “Promoting entrepreneurship goes beyond assisting incumbent entrepreneurs and business owners; it also encompasses inculcating an enterprising spirit among young people because adolescents are the source of the next wave of entrepreneurs” (Ringo Ho,

Uy, Kang, & Chan, 2018, p. 2). In a study involving forty-eight countries including the

United States, 62.41% of adults asked believed entrepreneurship was a good professional option. With two thirds of those questioned in the study holding a positive attitude towards entrepreneurship, the focus in training in needed proficiencies was expected to increase in primary schools (Pinkovetskaia, Arbeláez-Campillo, Rojas-Bahamón,

Novikov & Iniesta, 2020, p.10). However, as documented by the Global Entrepreneurship

Monitor study, “the lack of exposure of students in primary and secondary schools to entrepreneurship is a worldwide concern, particularly in developing countries (Hassi,

2016, p. 84). The direct experience or hands-on opportunities that lends to an individual’s success in skills used for entrepreneurship is what is lacking in primary levels. “A skill stands for the capacity of performing a certain task or activity based on an integrated knowledge content, coming from direct experience and from a mediated learning process.

It engenders the consideration of both tacit and explicit knowledge” (Bratianu and

Vatwamanescu, 2017, p. 493).

In another study, students ages seven to eight years old gained positive results in a short span in developing entrepreneurial skills and abilities that reflected positively on their curricular activities. They were able to accomplish this when given hands on opportunities (Floris & Pillitu, 2019). Some abilities necessary for this world’s economy was communication, economics, and innovative and creative problem-solving faculties.

Effective communication skills, according to the Conferenced Board of Canada, was one of the most important and highest employability skills for those seeking employment as well. (Al-Musalli, 2019). Communication skills (abilities that could be learned and developed with practice and experience) that were key in entrepreneurial success were presentation, listening, and interpersonal skills (Dunn & Lane, 2019).

Verbal persuasion was another skill that seemed to play an important role in developing an entrepreneurial mindset (Ringo Ho, Uy, Kang, & Chan, 2018). Not only were written and oral communication skills important, but according to MacDermott & Ortiz, employers began to seek out to hire people with those specific skills in the 1980’s and they continued to up to present time (2017).

Learners of business skills also benefited if they were experienced and had early training in the area of economics and mathematics. “Economics is the study of making decisions given limited resources” (Meszaros & Evans, 2010, p.4). To be able to understand the tradeoffs or choices necessary in life, that one cannot have everything they want and how to make these choices prepared children for decisions they will make in throughout their lives. The ability to understand how markets work was an important skill

2 that helped students learn their roles in the economy as producers, consumers, and savers

(Meszaros & Evans, 2010).

Innovative and creative skills in problem-solving were skills that involved developing items or a plan to resolve a problem. Students who were able to invent, conceive and propose new ideas at an earlier age had a noticeably positive impact on enterprise creation (Hassi, 2016) and learned to create something by using available resources as well as conceive and propose new ideas ( Floris & Psillitu, 2019).

Needs. National Mathematics test scores which also involved problem solving was an indicator of effective teaching strategies in the United States. In 2019, data showed that eight grade math scores dropped from 283 in 2017 to a score of 282 in 2019 on a scale that ranges from 0 to 500 (National Center for Education Statistics, 2019).

These results placed these students slightly below the National Assessment of

Educational Progress (NAEP) proficiency level which indicated that students were not entirely competent in subject matter competency over challenging subject matter and in showing application of such knowledge in real-world situations (2019). Students who took the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) scored

33.5 points below the state’s standard in mathematics. Part of these assessments included a performance task (PT) based on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for ELA and mathematics. The PTs were activities that measured a student’s ability to integrate knowledge (https://www.cde.ca.gov, 2019). According to Bosman & Fernhaber, there was limited opportunity for students to learn through hands on participation in learning experiences. “As entrepreneurship serves as an integral part of the economy, developing an entrepreneurial mindset through authentic learning experiences is essential” (2019,

p.1). If educators began to emphasize the growth of a mindset that allowed students to

think critically and creatively, they would develop ways to allow learners to solve

problems and “find opportunities throughout a student’s coursework to infuse this

entrepreneurially minded learning (Bosman & Fernhaber, 2019, p.2). This handbook

created for third grade teachers, provided a user friendly and affective way to allow for an

opportunity for students to apply the needed entrepreneur skills in the classroom such as

communication, mathematics, and creative problem solving experiences.

Methodology

Content. This project was created using peer reviewed sources using best

practices.

Format. The format for this project was developed using peer reviewed

handbooks and best practices.

Scope

Assumptions. It was assumed that the peer reviewed research provided in the

handbook was appropriate for third grade teachers to use in their classrooms and that the

research used was accurate. It was also assumed that the real-life experience offered

would benefit student learning.

Limitations. This project was limited to the length of the school year.

Delimitations. This project was delimited to third grade teachers for the purpose of introducing students to business and entrepreneurial skills in a meaningful way.

CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

This chapter will discuss peer-reviewed literature on standards and best practices used to develop skills and knowledge relevant to creating and implementing “Business

Day” activity.

Content

The relationship between entrepreneurial skills and California State

standards.

"Entrepreneurship education, at all levels of education, teaches students how to handle

real-world problems” (Rodriguez & Lieber, 2020, p.3). It was necessary for programs

designed for entrepreneurial learning to be set up in a way that promoted both the

cognitive and noncognitive aspects of learning (Rodriguez & Lieber, 2020). College and

Career Readiness (CCR) standards were developed as a set of anchor standards that

included cross-disciplinary expectations to be met for kindergarten to grade 12 students

in order to be prepared to successfully enter college and workforce training programs.

The California Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in

History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects (CA CCSS), also referred to as

“the Standards”, were developed in an effort to respond to the need to create specific

standards that would help all students be literate and college and career ready by the end

of high school (https://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/finalelaccssstandards.pdf,

2010). In the same vein, The California Common Core State Standards for Mathematics

(CA CCSSM) were also developed.

https://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/ccssmathstandardaug2013.PDF

The CA CCSSM are designed to be robust, linked within and across grades, and

relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that young people

will need for success in college and careers. With California’s students fully

prepared for the future, our students will be positioned to compete successfully in

the global economy. (2010, p.2)

“As students must learn to read, write, speak, listen, and use language effectively in a variety of content areas, so too must the Standards specify the literacy skills and understandings required for college and career readiness in multiple disciplines”

(https://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/finalelaccssstandards.pdf, 2010, p. 2). The disciplines necessary for success not only included cognitive skills, but needed to be integrated with the development of noncognitive skills. In 2020, Rodriguez & Lieber claimed noncognitive skills showed to be a predictor of academic success and had a place in the classroom in an addition to cognitive skills. “Optimal learning takes place by having both cognitive and noncognitive activations of the mind” (p. 4).

Skills learned through the development of entrepreneurial skills

Reading. The following are some of the College and Career Readiness Anchor

Standards for Reading listed in the CA CCSS (2010) for K-5 students.

To build a foundation for college and career readiness, students must read widely

and deeply from a broad range of high-quality, increasingly challenging literary

and informational texts . . . . [and] also acquire the habits of reading

independently and closely, which are essential to future success.

(https://www.cde.ca.gov, 2010, p.10)

• Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development;

summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

• Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the

course of a text.

• Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining

technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word

choices shape meaning or tone.

• Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the

validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.

Writing. The following are some of the College and Career Readiness Anchor

Standards for Reading listed in the CA CCSS (2010) for K-5 students.

To build a foundation for college and career readiness, students need to learn to

use writing as a way of offering and supporting opinions, demonstrating

understanding of the subjects they are studying, and conveying real and imagined

experiences and events. (https://www.cde.ca.gov, 2010, p. 20)

• Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts,

using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

• Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and

information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization,

and analysis of content.

• Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and

style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

• Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and

revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of

tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Listening and Speaking. “To build a foundation for college and career readiness, students must have ample opportunities to take part in a variety of rich, structured conversations-as part of a whole class, in small groups, and with a partner”

(https://www.cde.ca.gov, 2010, p. 26). Following are the anchor standards for communication that involved listening and speaking skills and are listed in the CA CCSS

(2010) for K-5 students.

• Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and

collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing

their own clearly and persuasively.

• Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats,

including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

• Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can

follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are

appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

• Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and communicative tasks, demonstrating

command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.

Mathematics

Standards for mathematical content and practices. The CA CCSSM include two types of standards: Content Standards and Practice Standards. Standards for

Mathematical Content were constructed to the needs of student’s cognitive development

as well as logical mathematical structure, each topic individualized for each grade level.

They were designed to work together with the eight Mathematical Practice Standards to

further develop problem solving, reasoning and proof, communication, representation, connections, adaptive reasoning, strategic competence, conceptual understanding,

procedural fluency, and productive disposition in mathematics skills in K-5 students.

Listed below are “The Standards for Mathematical Practice [that] describe varieties of

expertise that mathematics educators at all levels should seek to develop in their

students” (https://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/ccssmathstandardaug2013.PDF,

2010, p. 6).

• Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

• Reason abstractly and quantitatively.

• Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.

• Model with mathematics

• Use appropriate tools strategically.

• Attend to precision.

• Look for and make use of structure.

• Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.

Economics. The College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social

Studies State Standards were developed in order to help the states prepare students for

college, career, and civic life

(https://www.socialstudies.org/sites/default/files/2017/Jun/c3-framework-for-social-

studies-rev0617.pdf, 2000). Encompassed in its guidance is the understanding of

economics.

Effective economics decision making requires that students have a keen

understanding of the ways in which individuals, businesses, governments, and

societies make decisions to allocate human capital, physical capital, and natural

resources among alternative uses. This economic reasoning process involves the

consideration of costs and benefits with the ultimate goal of making decisions that

will enable individuals and societies to be as well off as possible. The study of

economics provides students with the concepts and tools necessary for an

economic way of thinking and helps students understand the interaction of buyers

and sellers in markets, workings of the national economy, and interactions within

the global marketplace. (p. 35)

Based on these above standards, California created a “new History–Social Science

Framework for California Public Schools as a welcome update to the state curriculum in

history and the social sciences”

(https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/hs/cf/documents/hssframeworkwhole.pdf, 2016, p. v ). In this

framework, third grade standards included that “students demonstrate basic economic

reasoning skills and an understanding of the economy of the local region” (2016, p. 11).

Teachers were expected to include activities, lessons, inquiry projects, and service- learning projects that helped students develop in cost benefit skills and human capital

(https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/hs/cf/documents/hssfwchapter6.pdf, 2016). The following

were third grade standards to develop these skills.

• Describe the ways in which local producers have used and are using natural

resources, human resources, and capital resources to produce goods and services

in the past and the present.

• Understand that some goods are made locally, some elsewhere in the United

States, and some abroad.

• Understand that individual economic choices involve trade-offs and the

evaluation of benefits and costs.

• Discuss the relationship of students’ “work” in school and their personal human

capital.

Collaborative Groups

One of the anchor standards for communication listed in the CA CCSS (2010) for

K-5 students was to “prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations

and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their

own clearly and persuasively” (https://www.cde.ca.gov, 2010, p. 26).

Brainstorming an idea. “When facing challenging problems, many organizations rely on idea generation sessions (e.g., brainstorms) to come up with

creative ideas and solutions” (Ritter & Mostert, 2018, p. 264). According to Wahib &

Zidane (2001), brainstorming helped encourage all members of a team contribute new

ideas (as cited in Abdelkarim, Malkawi, & Smadi, 2018). Brainstorming in a group

helped with collaboration and enabled the exchange of ideas to build on each other’s

ideas which resulted in solutions for complex problems (Ritter & Mostert, 2018).

Creativity and developing an idea. According to Ritter and Mostert (2018), it was the creative employees who held the innovative positions of the fast-changing, knowledge-based economy. Creative Problem Solving (CPS), first introduced by Osborn

(1953) in his book Applied Imagination (as cited in Puccio et al., 2018) included skills

such as divergent thinking, which was a search for many original options and benefited

entrepreneurial minds. Teachers often put emphasis on convergent thinking which was

when a student must select the one correct option such as for an answer on a test. (Ritter

& Mostert, 2018). Ritter and Mostert (2018) defined creativity as the conception of

original ideas or products. They criticized the educational system and explained the need for allowing students to strengthen creative thinking skills for success in the future.

Most educational efforts emphasize convergent thinking, and therefore may do

very little, if anything, for creative potential. Instead of stimulating and teaching

students how to think divergently, the current education system—which puts a

heavy focus on standardization—encourages individuals to find the single right

answer. However, most complex and ill-defined questions don’t have one single,

correct answer. To successfully deal with problems and challenges in our complex

and fast changing world, we have to rely on and trigger our divergent thinking

skills. (p. 264)

Working cooperatively. It was stated in the CA CCSS that “students must learn

to work together, express and listen carefully to ideas” (2016, p. 7). Cooperative learning,

which was a form of learning that depended primarily on the cooperation and positive

participation of students in the classroom, was important because it was an effective way

to have students work together to improve cognitive skills along with social-emotional

learning (Saad, 2017). When children worked together with a peer or in a small group, it

helped develop “collaborative skills and teamwork [that] have an important place in all sets of 21st-century skills, as they are expected to become even more important in the future because of social and economic developments” (Veldman, Doolaard, Bosker, &

Snijders, 2020, para. 2). Floris & Pillitu (2019) argued that these entrepreneurial skills

were not taught enough in primary levels and stated that if skills such as teamwork

building were introduced earlier in education, children would have more opportunities to

practice the skills that had a great impact on future labor market outcomes. Veldman et

al. (2020) explained that some of the techniques for group work that would benefit

students were speaking skills which included asking questions, providing answers, giving

suggestions, and reflecting on other’s ideas. Promoting collaborative situations also

helped students provide mutual support and share resources with each other.

Furthermore, children who learned in a collaborative environment, had

opportunity to interact with other children who differed in learning abilities, culturally,

racially, and in gender. This diversity prepared learners to collaborate with a diverse

society to meet shared goals (Saad, 2017). Additionally, cooperative learning helped

students to use imagination and perception skills during the learning and teaching process

while working in a diverse environment because they used a variety of activities and

ideas from others in order to understand a certain subject. Cooperating with others

prepared the students to think creatively which aided in problem-solving skills as well

(Ibrahim, 2017).

Critical thinking

College and Career Readiness (CCR) Anchor Standards were designed to help students develop critical thinking intelligences as they improved in reading skills

(https://www.cde.ca.gov, 2010). “Many experts in the field of education in the last decades have emphasized the importance of children’s early exposure to stories and its role in improving the children’s vocabulary and strengthening their critical-thinking skills” (Bennelong & El Allame, 2018, pp. 350-351). John Dewey (1910) described critical thinking as the process when one thought deeper through investigating, interpreting and drawing one’s own conclusions as opposed to taking other’s information for granted (as cited in Amrullah & Suwarjo, 2018). Defined by Watson & Glaser (1991) as knowing the methods of reasonable and logical thinking based on past experience, scrutiny, evaluation, and logical evidence; critical thinking was used when “looking deeply into the problems and issues raised by a previous experience” (as cited in

Bahatheg, 2019, p. 217). Bennelong & El Allame (2019) argued that students who read a variety of stories and other texts in general were given more opportunities to discuss ideas related to the stories that went beyond the concrete lines of the text, thus developing in critical thinking skills. “Critical thinking skills is an essential skill in life, job, and functions effectively in all aspects of human life. It has been a primary objective of education” (Amrullah & Suwarjo, 2018, p. 2). The CCR Standards through a student’s school career increased in text complexity that rose from beginning reading to the college and career readiness level (https://www.cde.ca.gov, 2010). According to the CA CCSS

(2010),

Students who meet the Standards readily undertake the close, attentive reading

that is at the heart of understanding and enjoying complex works of literature.

They habitually perform the critical reading necessary to pick carefully through

the staggering amount of information available today in print and digitally. They

actively seek wide, deep, and thoughtful engagement with high-quality literary

and informational texts that builds knowledge, enlarges experience, and broadens

worldviews.

(https://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/documents/finalelaccssstandards.pdf, p. 2)

In order to achieve this level of critical thinking in literacy, educators needed to teach students critical and complex thinking through analyzing, evaluating, clarifying, reasoning, connecting, and synthesizing various forms of literature (Bennelong & El

Allame, 2019). The Standards encompass many expectations for critical thinking skills in reading, but also in math, writing, and across the academic subjects. The goal in all levels of curricula should be to enhance these skills among students (Bahatheg, 2019).

Planning

Veldman et al. (2020) expressed that group dialogue was a necessary skill to discuss the planning of a task or idea. The European Commission, 2006 (as cited in

Floris & Pillitu, 2019) reported that “the sense of initiative and entrepreneurship refers to an individual’s ability to shape ideas into actions” (p. 1,149). This included creativity, innovation, risk taking and ability to plan and manage projects. (Bisanz, Hueber, &

Lindner, 2019). Skills that students needed to plan and implement a task involved organization. To be successful, students needed to learn how to complete tasks independently or with others, even if the task was difficult. They needed to carefully plan

15 projects and tasks and thought ahead to their consequences and persisted through the task to its completion (Bisanz et al., 2019).

Strategies for developing entrepreneurial skills

Reforms in American education continued to reshape academic programs. These reforms were a result of high school students who graduated unprepared to read and understand the texts in college and the workplace (Pearson, 2013). Society demanded expertise to succeed in work and life, requiring students to have content, knowledge, specific skills, expertise and literacies (www.benchmarkuniverse.com, 2020). The goal of standards-based reforms was to increase student achievement (Troia & Olinghouse,

2013). “Standards-based instruction is at the forefront of these educational reforms because it presents a framework to ensure that all students are exposed to rigorous content and prepared to contribute positively to an increasingly complex world”

(www.benchmarkuniverse.com, 2020). California’s adoption of the CCSS along with the

CCR Anchor Standards led to the creation of new curriculum in English language arts/English language development (ELA/ELD) and Mathematics which, in turn, led to a new framework with a shift in instruction to increase student achievement through content standards and assessments. “Content standards are designed, ideally, to inform curriculum development, guide instruction and assessment, provide clear goals for student achievement, and raise performance expectations” (Troia & Olinghouse, 2013, p.

345). The following are strategies and best practices to meet the needs.

Writing. There was a limited body of literature that indicated how the states' writing standards and assessments influenced curriculum selection and how it was taught in the classroom. “As the United States further transitions to an economy based in large

16 part on information, technology, and services, the demands for proficient writing in the workplace will continue to escalate” (Troia & Olinghouse, 2013, p. 344). There was a need for elementary students to be exposed to opportunities for writing in order to improve and become successful in their future skills.

One student‐centered writing practice used in elementary classrooms was reflective journaling. Reflective journaling was used as an opportunity for students to freely write about any topic decided by the student or teacher (Portman, 2019). It was also used to allow students to reflect on a lesson, classroom learning, or a student’s accomplishment (Can & Kutluca Canbulat, 2019). These types of reflective writings had many benefits as well as improving student composition skills (Portman, 2019).

Psychologist Ira Progoff (1965) and his colleagues began to see the value of personal journals in enhancing growth and learning (as cited in Portman, 2019). Can and Kutluca

Canbulat (2019) found that reflective writing provided opportunities for students to take ownership on their own learning and be more invested as opposed to only receiving instruction. When teachers coupled journal writing with occasions for students to share their writings, students became motivated and even gained useful insights into student beliefs, values, and attitudes. Portman (2019) noted that when journal writing put an emphasis on the creative aspects of personal expression, students were motivated to write more, and by writing more, they became better writers.

Portman (2019) provided the following list modified and adapted from Ponsot and

Deen (1982), which offered benefits and best ways to use journaling in the classroom.

• Practice journaling without lecture or explanation.

• The best way to make something easy is to make it a habit.

• Journaling perfects itself through use; for example, a baby learns to walk by

walking. So it is for journaling.

• Journaling cannot, and should not, be measured.

• Daily, prolific journaling generates and sustains writing.

• Journaling is energizing, pleasureful, and self‐evidently constructive. (p.600)

Portman (2019) continued to explain more specific guidelines in order for it to be used effectively. Reflective writing needed to be used daily but it was to be introduced slowly.

He suggested having students begin by writing only one minute the first day and slowly increase the time over a period of time to up to twelve minutes. “For me, twelve minutes is the magic number where writing begins to flow; less than that and I am still warming up” (p. 600). Topics could sometimes be provided by the teacher, but students should often times have the freedom to choose their own topic. Another important component was allowing time for students to share their writing in class. Through sharing, students learned to revise, edit, and add to their writing.

Another strategy used to meet the standard of writing informational text in an organized way was color-coding using five elements of informational/expository writing

(Auman, 2008). This strategy helped students recognize the steps in the writing process, taught the key elements of informational writing, and provided learners with practice to create outlines for their own writing. “Understanding the writing process and how writing is organized are skills that writers need to present ideas, facts, and opinions in a clear, logical manner” (Auman, 2008). Since writing informational text can be organized using five different text structures including description, compare/contrast, sequence,

18 cause/effect, and problem solution, it added to the complexity of this type of writing for emergent learners (Herbert et al., 2018). With effective writing interventions that helped students self-regulate, plan, and organize thoughts and details before they wrote, it assisted in the development and quality of writing (Herbert et al, 2018). Using color- coding and teaching the five elements approach helped students plan and organize single and multiple paragraph writings.

The Traffic Light colors and the descriptions below helped students recognize the different parts of information/expository paragraphs, essays, and reports (Aumann, 2008, p. 144).

• Green on a traffic signal means go. Topic sentences are colored green

because the topic sentence shows what the writer is going to prove or

explain.

• Yellow on a traffic signal means slow down. The sentences that support

the topic are colored yellow to remind writers to slow down and provide

support for the topic sentence

• Red on a traffic light means stop. Sentences used to elaborate and add

examples or explanations are colored red to remind the writer to stop,

explain, and add evidence.

• Green for the conclusion reminds students to go back and remind the

reader of the topic.

The five elements below were included in all informational/expository writing and worked together with the Traffic Colors above. The five elements were presented to the

19 students with pictures to “help them visualize the strategies that will help them organize their ideas and make it easier to write (Aumann, 2008, pp. 144-145).

1. Organization is the Key- Traffic Light colors and informal outlines are the

keys to organizing their writing.

2. Topic sentences are the Heart- The green heart is a reminder that in a

topic sentence, writers should tell readers what they are going to prove or

explain.

3. Transitions are the Glue for the key/star ideas- The key/star ideas are

introduced by transitions and are colored yellow to remind the students to

slow down and support their topic sentences with reasons, details, or facts.

4. Examples, Evidence, and Explanation are the Meat- Red reminds students

to stop and explain using examples, evidence, and elaboration. This is the

meat of the paragraph.

5. Conclusions tie it all together with a Ribbon- The green reminds students

to go back to the topic sentence and make a strong, meaningful connection

with it.

Reading. Students were expected to adopt the use of more complex texts in classrooms to meet the CCSS. Students needed to read significantly more complex texts than ever before (Ensley & Rodrigues, 2019). Therefore, good readers needed to build good comprehension skills in order to retrieve information and construct meaning (Riandi

& Triana, 2019). The following are a variety of strategies educators used to prepare and teach students to read and comprehend complex text.

Close Reading. Close reading was a best practice used in the classroom to meet the CCSS which stated the students were “to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it” and to “cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text” (https://www.cde.ca.gov, 2010, p.

1). Close reading involved observation and interpretation between the reader and a text. It required rereading and reflecting to fully comprehend the text. Close reading engaged readers, so they were able to “successfully read and understand a complex text…and lead to the development of an independent reading process” (Ensley & Rodrigues, 2019, p.

224). This engaged type of reading required close teacher observation and continual guidance and instruction that involved other best practices as well. Fisher and Frey

(2012) noted that the optimal text for close reading was shorter passages and complex text which was at or above reading level (as cited in Ensley & Rodrigues, 2019). Close reading, however, does not replace the needed instruction in foundational reading skill such as phonemic awareness, phonics, and fluency. “Instead, close reading provides students an opportunity to apply what they have learned to complex texts” (Fisher &

Frey, 2015, p. 57).

Ensley and Rodrigues (2019) developed the following steps to help teachers successfully implement the close reading process. The first step was to assess students- to see what students know and what they need to know next. Teachers found what strategies students used when they got to vocabulary they don’t know.

The next step in the process was for teachers to select an appropriate text.

Passages should be shorter, engaging, and more challenging for the student, usually at or above reading level. “The goal is to push the students into reading a more

21 complex text than what they would read independently” (Ensley and Rodrigues, 2019, p.224).

After selecting the text, teachers modeled good reading strategies. They

“read the selection out loud to students as they follow along. Model fluent reading and the strategies that are being used. The goal is to model the reading strategies that you want students to take on as readers” (Ensley and Rodrigues, 2019, p. 225). It is also during this first phase of reading the passage that students, with the support of teachers, detect the main idea and key details (Mariage, Troy, Englert,

& Mariage, 2019, p.35).

Next, teachers provided opportunities for students to practice. Teachers continued to model and allow students to practice the reading as a class. Many strategies are used through this process which is why it was important to choose a shorter, more engaging text. “The goal is to give an opportunity to practice the modeled strategy in a safe and supportive environment” (Ensley and Rodrigues,

2019, p. 225).

The last step in the close reading process was to provide opportunities for application. Students began to apply the strategies such as annotating, writing out their thinking about the text, or verbally sharing with a partner. The goal was to have students become more familiar with the taught strategies as they worked in groups of three to four or individually (Ensley and Rodrigues, 2019, p. 225)

Annotation. One of the strategies used alongside with the close reading process was annotation. This was the process with which a reader actively

22 interacted with complex text in order to better understand it. “Annotating the text helps [students] to stay mentally awake and active, and provide an authentic context with appropriate literacy tools and symbol systems for talking-to-the-text and making notes associated with particular thoughts and strategies visible to themselves and others”

(Mariage et al., 2019, p. 3). It required the readers to reread and mark up the passage to gain understanding of the structure of the text and to move into the inferential level

(Fisher & Frey, 2015). This process was effective and required continued modeling and support of the teacher along with collaboration with peers.

Another advantage for this strategy was to prepare students to cite evidence.

According to the CCSS, in order to be college ready, students needed to “cite specific evidence when offering an oral or written interpretation of a text”

(https://www.cde.ca.gov, 2010, p. 6). Fisher and Fry (2015) took it even further and suggested annotation should not be taught in isolation. Rather, “wise teachers press for evidence and show students how annotations would have helped them quickly locate the evidence (p.60).

Fisher and Frey (2015) also suggested teachers introduce minimal annotation marks as each needed extensive instruction and practice to develop each skill. Manzo, A.,

Manzo, U., and Albee (2002) agreed that annotation marks should be introduced one or a few at a time but stated that mastery was not expected before introducing more. The following three were suggested as the most effective annotation notes (Fisher & Frey,

2015).

• Underlining the central, main, or key ideas because this requires that students

learn to note important information.

• Circle confusing or unclear words and phrases because this requires that

students learn to monitor their understanding.

• Write margin notes in their own words because this requires that students learn

to summarize and synthesize information. (p. 60)

Mariage et al. (2019) called it the Mark It strategy when teachers and students read a passage following along with a pencil in hand. They underlined, circled, and recorded questions marks and other symbols directly in the text (p. 35).

Rereading text. Rereading text was a large component in the close reading strategy as well. By nature, close reading required several readings of a passage.

Introduced in 1979 by Samuels, repeated reading as an instructional method was extensively studied over almost forty years and research consistently revealed that rereading passages helped readers with fluency and comprehension (Fisher & Frey,

2017; Strong, Amendum, Steven, & Conradi Smith, (2018). One study by Therrien

(2004) revealed the following critical conditions when using this method. “Repeated reading (a) is performed in the company of an adult who reads the passage first, (b) requires that the text be read three or four times by the student, and (c) involves corrective feedback” (as cited in Fisher & Fry, 2017, p. 442). Mariage et al. (2019) agree that multiple readings of a text were essential “to construct deeper meanings and interpretations of complex texts” (p. 30). It was important to remember, however, that teachers needed to continually support the students through this process. This method was more effective when readers were given a new purpose with each reading.

Sometimes the teacher presented an interesting question or asked the students to provide evidence when reading for comprehension (Fisher & Frey 2015).

The first reading may focus on determining what the text says, paying

close attention to the main ideas and details in the expository passage… In the

second reading, the reader figures out how the text works, keying in on the

author’s purpose for the section, and how the text is structured through literary

devices, features, and text structures... In the third stage, the reader attends to

what the text means. This stage invites the students to elaborate and connect their

experiences to the text, making connections and comparisons with other texts,

forming judgments and inferences. (Mariage et al., 2019, p. 30)

Rereading passages several times also helped to build fluency in young readers, therefore, this type of reading for improving fluency usually occurred in primary grades

(Strong et al., 2018). Similarly, teachers read the first reading of a shorter passage aloud to model good reading and fluency. For the next readings of the same passage, students echo read (repeated the teacher’s reading), choral read (read together as a group or class), and then partner rereading (partners took turns reading the same passage to each other) (

Listening. Listening was a crucial part of the learning process (Goldin, Naic,

Zaccarelli & O’Neil, 2019, p. 418). Students needed to listen in order to increase the other language skills like speaking, reading, and writing and was delivered by the speaker through the process of communication. Therefore, “in communication and education process, listening is vital” (Puspitasari, Setiawan, & Munir, 2020, p. 341). While some teachers believed listening skills developed naturally or others prioritized teaching other aspects of language skills, listening skills were often neglected in elementary classrooms

(Fisher & Frey, 2019). According to Brownell (2016), the following list contained several aspects of listening required to learn: hearing, understanding (decoding spoken language),

25 remembering, interpreting, evaluating, and responding (as cited in Fisher & Frey, 2019).

The first two listed were linguistic skills, but the latter four were cognitive skills and those were skills that needed to be taught and developed for students to improve listening comprehension (Fisher & Frey, 2019).

Listening Stations was a best practice used to develop critical listening skills in the classroom either independently or with others (Fisher & Frey, 2019). Teachers set up stations or centers providing audio devices with headphones so students could access the device to stop, pause, or repeat the narration. Fisher and Frey (2019) suggested three features of running a successful listening station. First, teachers needed to make the rules and expectations of the station very clear. It was important to post expectations at the station as well as what the purpose for learning was with each activity. For example, one teacher posted the following as a guide for her students:

• I can be attentive so I don’t miss important information.

• I can make notes for myself as I listen to help me recall information.

• I can ask clarifying questions of my fellow listeners to help me

understand.

• I can address the questions my fellow listeners raise during discussion.

(p. 771)

The second feature of a station was assessment. “Learning intentions and success criteria provide a means for students to engage in self-reflection to gauge their learning”

(Fisher and Frey, 2019, p. 771). Since the listening centers were not teacher lead, students needed to learn how to self-reflect. One teacher required her students to rate themselves on a piece of paper. The following was the self-assessment listening skills:

• I listened carefully to the listening passage without getting distracted.

• I thought about the ideas in the passage as I listened.

• I described the key ideas and details from today’s listening passage.

• I asked and answered questions in my group discussion. (Fisher and Frey,

2019, p. 771).

The last element needed for developing listening skills at a listening center was interaction. Although students could listen to a story or narration independently, it was important that they used listening and speaking skills to interact and work together to complete the response activity provided by the teacher.

Speaking. Speaking was also important in the learning process. According to the anchor standards, teachers were expected to help students “prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively”

(https://www.cde.ca.gov, 2010, p. 22). Malec, Peterson, and Elshereif (2017) claimed that oral language was foundational to social and conceptual learning. Learning was enhanced when students had opportunities to put words together to communicate, express ideas, reflect on experiences, or even participate in “storytelling performances” (p. 365).

Readers Theater was a strategy used to engage students as they actively participated in reading text out loud with their peers. It was normal for students to experience “conditions as being anxious, uncomfortable feelings of nervousness, being afraid of making mistakes, or even foolish in front of others…” (Dianawati, 2018, p. 98).

Readers Theater provided an opportunity for students to reread a designated passage or a passage that the student developed (Fisher & Frey, 2014). Readers Theater utilized

27 repeated readings that contributed to the success of this activity. Students gained motivation and confidence of speaking and reading out loud with others (Young, Stokes,

& Rasinski, 2017). In preparation for the culminating performance of the reading, students worked with partners or in groups to reflect, summarize, and sometimes “infer, predict, debate, make judgments, apply principles, and other sophisticated approaches to discuss texts and apprehend meaning (Young et al., 2017, p. 353).

Young et al. (2017) suggested the following five-day plan as an option for teachers to apply this best practice in their classroom. On Monday the class listened to an audio version or the teacher model and read the selection as students took notes. Students were given the opportunity to ask questions about text meanings and vocabulary words

(Fisher & Frey, 2014). Tuesday, students selected their scripts and were often times put into smaller groups. Students continued to reread scripts and often times choral read with the group. Wednesday was a day to rehearse parts with the group. Students continued to practice their script on Thursday with a run through of the entire selection with props and costumes if desired. Friday was they day to perform their roles in front of the audience which was usually the class, but could also include parents, other classes, or visitors.

Oral presentations were another strategy educators used to facilitate opportunities to strengthen public speaking skills in students, which was expected in elementary

(https://www.cde.ca.gov, 2010). Oral presentations could be given about a particular informational topic the student had researched or could be a shared event about the student’s life (Fisher & Frey, 2017; Dianawati, 2018). The benefit of an oral presentation was to give opportunity for students to practice discussing a topic in front of an audience in a safe environment. Speaking publicly was considered one of the most difficult skills to

28 master compared to other language skills and commonly brought anxiety to many students

(Zakaria, Hashim, & Yunus, 2019). “Such conditions as being anxious, uncomfortable feelings of nervousness, being afraid of making mistakes, or even [feeling] foolish in front of others attack the speaker”(Dianawati, 2019, p. 98). Therefore, it was important for teachers to be clear with expectations, give careful instruction, and provide a positive environment where students felt safe and comfortable making mistakes (Zakaria et al.,

2019).

A framework of the underlying tools that influence public speaking competence was created by Herbein et al. (2018).

The three dimensions knowledge, motivation, and skills form the basis for the

public speaking competence. Each speech is realized within a certain context. The

context is defined by the specific situation, the target audience, the

communicational intention, and the topic, and implies certain norms and

standards. The speech performance is composed of micro-level skills which can

be subdivided into four dimensions: nonverbal behavior–visual, nonverbal

behavior–auditory, language usage, and organization. (p. 159)

Mathematics

Students needed to be competent in adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing whole numbers to understand rational numbers and related mathematical knowledge and skills (Koc, 2019). Furthermore, “The National Mathematics Advisory Panel (2008) identified fluency with whole numbers as a critical skill for math achievement” (as cited in Hawkins, Collins, Hernan, & Flowers, 2017, p. 141). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Education claimed that “mathematically proficient students can apply the mathematics they know to solve problems arising in everyday life, society, and the workplace” (2015, p. PG27). The following strategies helped students achieve fluency in the four operations.

Number lines. Studies showed that a child’s precision on a number line, whether students could accurately place numbers correctly on a number line, was a strong predictor of how they performed on achievement test scores (Koc, 2019). Using number lines to teach basic math facts as well as other skills, was more popular as studies and test scores continued to show many benefits to this visually spatial learning tool (Hamdan &

Gunderson, 2017). Approximate calculation, counting abilities, and number comparison were some of the benefits that aided students as they learned basic math facts. Number lines were helpful when learning facts was students benefited to visually have a point of reference on a linear model (Van’t Noordende, Van Hoogmoed, Schot, & Kroesbergen,

2015). Studies revealed that children as young as kindergarten, used reference points on the line. When students recognized the points (beginning, middle, and end) of a given number line, they used the “estimation strategy by the proximity of the reference point to the number that had to be estimated” (Van’t Noordende et al., 2015, p. 369). The achievement of this skill transitioned to success in other mathematic performances including the understanding and relationship of numbers which led to math fluency.

Skip counting. Skip counting was another strategy that elementary teachers used to help students achieve mathematical fluency. Gibbs, Hinton, and Flores (2018) explained that a child who had number sense and an awareness of numbers and could easily transfer real-world quantities into mathematical expressions and vice versa. Those who developed number sense were usually mathematically successful. Counting, which

30 involved regular counting, skip counting, and flexible counting (counting on from any given number), was the primary way students gained number sense that led students to

“perform mental mathematics and observe the world and make comparisons (Gibbs et al.,

2018, 49). Oral counting was:

One of the essential sub-skills and principals involved in learning to count and

manipulate sets of objects, which, together with an understanding of the base-ten

system provide a basis for addition and subtraction…. Oral counting forwards and

backwards in steps of two, five and ten and the capability to continue counting

from any point of the counting sequence is a skill that is encouraged in the early

years of primary education as it can help children not only with multiplication and

division but also with developing partitioning strategies for addition and

subtraction. (Voutsina, 2016, pp. 177- 178)

There were many best practices teachers used to allow children to practice skip counting in class. Many made it part of a daily routine, sang songs with skip counting, read books, played computer games, and participated in hands-on activities (Montalvo,

2018).

Computer Games. “Students who are not fluent with their math facts are more likely to struggle with concepts and application problems, which require students to build on foundational skills such as computation fluency” (Hawkins et al., 2017, p. 141). The repetitive nature of drill and practice strategies showed to be effective in helping strugglers develop fluency; however, students lost interest and often did not engage in repetitive activities (Hawkins et al., 2017).

Computer assisted instruction (CAI) was a solution as technology became available and widely accessible to students at home and at school. Engaging activities could be used on software or web-based programs on desktops, laptop computers,

Chromebooks, as well as mobile applications on smartphone and tablet devices (Hawkins et al., 2017). While CAI programs were not a substitution for the needed core instruction of the standards, they were “an effective curricular supplement for improving students’ addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division fact fluency” (Hawkins et al., 2017,

142). Outhwaite, Faulder, Gulliford, and Pitchford (2019) claimed that math apps delivered on touch-screen tablets offered an opportunity for students to practice specific skills and when “blended” with the directed instruction from the teacher, they provided an “efficient child-centered but scaffolded learning environment tailored to individual needs” (p. 285). These apps gave qualities such as repetition, feedback, self-regulation, control, and rewards which were particularly motivating for younger children (Outhwaite et al., 2019).

Another benefit about using CAI programs to improve math fluency was that the games adapted to the different abilities among students and provided the feedback and progress reports to teachers who could then give extra support to those in need

(Callaghan, Long, Van Es, Reich , & Rutherford, 2018). Since teachers’ knowledge and experiences with technology differed, teachers had the flexibility to use CAI programs with their students as they chose (Callaghan et al., 2018). Teachers assigned CAI programs as homework, designated time during class time, or had students use the program during small group rotation.

Economics

Financial education in elementary classroom was limited (Batty, Collins, &

Odders-White, 2015; Hagedorn, 2019). There was evidence, however, that students were capable to learn economics at a young age and retained the concepts of markets and finances when they were exposed to real-life examples and hands-on opportunities in the classroom (Hagedorn, 2019). Furthermore, studies showed that students learned economics better when teachers understood the content they were teaching and had access to effective educational materials and curriculum (Hagedorn, 2019). “Exposure to financial education also results in improvements in behaviors and attitudes that are associated with enhanced financial capability more broadly, including on students’ attitudes toward saving and banking, as well as spending and saving behaviors” (Batty et al., 2015, p. 70). Not only did children learn basic economic concepts at an earlier age when they were taught, but they were able to use the knowledge of the financial concepts as they continued to develop economic skills and experiences in later years (Batty et al.,

2015).

Whitlock (2015) designed a unit called One Hen that was a project-based unit that involved the inquiry approach to be used in class for students to learn “social responsibility and social entrepreneurship and develop students’ awareness of their roles in the local and global community” (p. 119) This unit had sixteen lessons and was based on a book:

One Hen (Smith-Millway 2008), a book about a boy named Kojo who builds a

large chicken farm starting with a small loan of a hen. He eventually transforms

the economy of his village in the country of Ghana through his practice of giving

small loans to other entrepreneurs. (p. 118)

The lessons progressed as the teacher stepped the students through the following strategies using concepts learned in the book:

• Develop Applying Disciplinary Concepts and Tools

• Applying Questions and Planning Inquiries

• Evaluating Sources and Using Evidence

• Communicating Conclusions and Taking Informed Action (pp. 119-121)

In the One Hen unit, students applied their learning of specific economics concepts through the starting and maintaining of their social businesses. They learned about revenue, cost, profit, loans, along with math and language arts concepts. According to

Whitlock (2015), “ One Hen might offer a way for students, even at a young age, to realize how they can engage in their community as an agent for change, even possibly discovering a future career as entrepreneurs” (p. 125).

Collaborative Groups

“The richest conversations have ideas that become clearer and stronger as students talk--such that all participating walk away from the conversation with more insight and clarity than they had before they conversed” (Benchmark Education

Company, 2017, p AR16). Teachers supported collaborative group work where students worked and talked together in the learning process. Studies showed that Collaborative learning (CL) promoted academic and social educational outcomes (Le, Janssen &

Wubbels, 2016). Jeff Zwiers recognized two types of conversations that took place in a collaborative group.

In the first, participants build up an idea together. In the second, participants

discuss multiple ideas in order to choose one idea over another. An idea can take

many forms: an answer to an essential question, an opinion, an inference, a

hypothesis, a description of a complex process, a solution to a problem, a theme

in a story, a comparison, etc. (Benchmark Education Company, 2017, p. AR16)

While collaboration, even as young as kindergarten, proved to be beneficial, it was evident that children needed guidance and instruction from teachers on how to have meaningful conversations with their peers (Kelly, Ogden, & Moses, 2019). When students interacted with each other, and not in teacher led conversations, they needed support in appropriate ways of communication

Le et al. (2016) recognized other challenges for teachers when they tried to facilitate collaborative conversations or group work. It was often difficult to organize students into appropriate groups (e.g. heterogeneous or homogeneous, gender, academic ability). Unequal participation in conversations or work was another factor in selecting groups. Class time management and finding appropriate tasks for the groups to complete were a few other challenges teachers faced. It was evident that the benefits of collaboration far outweighed the challenges and once trained, the gains of collaboration skills would continue to help the students in their life (Kelly, 2014).

Teachers saw a need to “adequately train students in collaborative skills prior to collaboration” (Le et al. 2016, p.117). One first grade teacher taught the class an acronym

L.E.T.’S. Talk! and provided sentence starters to provide support. The students learned to have appropriate conversation in response to the literature circles. This acronym hung on a chart in the classroom:

L- Listen and look at the speaker!

E- Equal participation!

T- Take turns!

S- Sit up and show respect!

TALK!

This reminds me…

I wonder why…

I don’t understand…

I agree with ____ because….

I politely disagree with ____ because…l

I’d like to add to…

So what you’re saying is…

Can you tell me more? (Kelly, 2014, p. 32)

Critical Thinking

Proper strategies and curriculum had an impact and increased development of critical or reflective thinking skills in students (Bennelong & El Allame, 2019). Bahatheg

(2019) stated there was an importance and a place for critical thinking in elementary education curricula. According to Piaget, the third stage of the learning stage for children was the concrete operational stage that developed in students ages 7-11. This was the time they improved in logical reasoning, as long as reasoning was applied to specific concepts (Amrullah, & Suwarjo, 2018). Three activities in this thinking was investigation

(finding evidence), interpretation (determining facts), and judgement (drawing conclusions) (Amrullah, & Suwarjo, 2018). Critical thinking required students to investigate information or take knowledge that they knew of a subject (prior knowledge) and use judgement to “draw a conclusion and make a decision related to the existing problems” (Amrullah, & Suwarjo, 2018, p. 67; Bahatheg, 2019).

Benjamin Bloom categorized six types of thinking skills known as Bloom’s

Taxonomy: remembering, understanding, application, analysis, evaluation, and

creation (Bennelong & El Allame, 2019, 344). The latter three skills, when

applied to stories, literature, or project-based learning strengthened critical

thinking skills in students. Teachers used small group literature circles or reading

groups as a best practice to help students with this process of learning. When

teachers read a story with a class or small group, they asked questions and applied

several strategies that led students to make their own decisions or conclusion

based on what they read (Bennelong & El Allame, 2019).

One even more specific strategy teachers used in the response to literature discussion was close reading (Mesmer & Rose‐McCully, 2018). During this time, instructors helped students reread passages, underlined or circle important information, take notes, and engage in collaborative discussion. These strategies guided students to draw their own conclusion based on the evidence in the text and prior knowledge. This, in turn, strengthened critical thinking skills (Amrullah, & Suwarjo, 2018; Mesmer &

Rose‐McCully, 2018).

Planning

Planning pertained to supporting learners in developing and implementing ideas and creativity as well as having the ability of communicating ideas to others. As part of entrepreneurial education that was important to teach at younger grades, helping students organize ideas was beneficial to their learning. The benefit of teaching organization and planning skills showed evidence of motivating students (Siew, & Mapeala, 2017). The following objectives were introduced by Lindner (2014) and listed as a reference framework of entrepreneurship competences at the primary level:

Implementing Ideas- Organizing

• I can carefully plan simple projects and consider their consequences.

• I can complete my tasks by myself or as part of a team, even when things

get difficult.

• I can see myself as part of my environment and take responsibility for the

completion of my tasks.

• I can recognize what I have to learn in order to perform my tasks well. (as

cited in Bisanz et al., 2019, p. 145)

One strategy teachers used to help students structure information was the use of graphic organizers or thinking maps. Graphic organizers were usually a one-page tool with lines, blank spaces, and had visual shapes and spaces that helped learners organize various types of information. Using graphic organizers helped students understand content of the activity and aided to help students remember the information or the plan better than those who did not use a thinking map (Ponce, Mario López, & Loyola, 2018).

Some graphic organizers used were Venn diagram, tree chart, sequence chart, and bubble/circle maps. Students worked individually or in a small group to arrange or plan according to the given activity, and teachers often used colors to help with organization. Placing terms and ideas was engaging, motivating, visually stimulating, and helped students retain the information (Ponce et al., 2018).

Strategies for implementing a project

Education shifted from the idea of teachers transferring knowledge to students who in turn memorized information, into learning that was deeper and more personalized.

Deeper learning involved elements such as “content mastery, critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, effective communication, self-directed learning, and academic mindsets” (Bloom, Doss, & Dole, 2017, Introduction, para. 1). Project-based learning

(PjBL) fostered this type of education which was needed to prepare students for 21st century job skills. Kokotsaki, Menzies, & Wiggins (2016) recognized three key principles of PjBL: “learning is context-specific, learners are involved actively in the learning process and they achieve their goals through social interactions and the sharing of

39 knowledge and understanding” (p. 267). Effective PjBL facilitated students to look at the world around them to question and interpret its problems. Furthermore, students engaged to come to a solution of the problem (Kokotsaki et al., 2016). Key features and strategies of PjBL were:

1. Asking, and finding solution to, questions that are meaningful to them

2. Planning and performing investigations to answer the questions

3. Collaborating with fellow students and teachers and other key members of

society in answering the question and making sense of the data

4. Familiarity with learning technologies in accessing information, researching the

question and developing learning artifacts (Kelly, 2014, para. 1)

Strategies for creating a product

A central feature in PjBL was the creation of and completion of a product. True learning occurred when the focus was for “participants to achieve a shared goal through collaboration. In their engagement with a project, students can encounter problems which need to be addressed in order to construct and present the end product in response to the driving question” (Kokotsaki et al., 2016, p. 268). PjBL needed to culminate in an end product for students to have the opportunity to collaborate with others as well as experience learning with active reflection and engagement. Kelley (2014) added that product and project creations fostered opportunity for involvement of authentic tasks and application of knowledge.

Students as early as kindergarten were able to participate in PjBL. Teachers who used this approach with younger children provided a rich environment that stimulated

40 interest. Teachers collaborated with young students to model questioning the environment and asking questions about topics of interest that the children had.

Furthermore, “the project approach to learning integrates all of the basic elements of literacy” needed for foundational learning (Young & Morgan, 2015, p. 289). The following are strategies offered by Young and Morgan (2015) that teachers used to promote PjBL in classroom:

1. Create an environment that promotes student collaboration and

engagement. 2. Observe the children interacting and questioning the world

around them. Allow students’ interests to guide your instruction. 3. After an

interest topic is established, allow the children to brainstorm a list of questions

about that topic. Use anchor charts and photographs of student’ work to

document the ongoing investigation of the project idea. Think ahead as you

investigate the topic and determine the ways the children can show their

learning. 4. During the process, intentionally integrate CCSS and curriculum

requirements established by your school district. Look for authentic

connections between the standard and students’ topic of interests (e.g., in your

read-alouds, minilessons, or other instructional approaches). 5. Begin to

explore sources such as books, websites, parent and community resources. 6.

Allow the time frame for each project to vary and to be guided by the

children’s interests. 7. Celebrate the children's learning by inviting the school

community and families into the classroom. Share the project through

photographs, student work, video clips, anchor charts, or documentation

boards explaining the scope and sequence of the children’s investigation and

learning. (p. 392)

Strategies for involving parents in project based learning

Parent involvement with homework or projects at home and at school had a positive effect on children’s learning (Pomerantz, Moorman, & Litwack, 2016). Research indicated that when parents showed involvement at school, such as parent conferences and attending back to school night where students showed off projects, children's performance in school and the “extent to which children performed up to their ability during the elementary through high school” was correlated and was associated with improved grades (Pomerantz et al., 2016, p. 377).

Research indicated that parent involvement with school work at home supported learning that occurred in the classroom. Parent help influenced the child’s motivation

(intention to work) and engagement (action to work) (Núñez et al., 2019). Parents who helped with homework played an important role not only in fostering learning, but also with time management and problem-solving skills (Moè, Katz, Idit, & Alesi, 2018).

Moe et al, (2018) offered autonomy-supportive scaffolding as a strategy for parents.

Motivational scaffolding is providing the minimum amount of support to enhance

learners’ motivation until they succeed in self-motivating; it is provided by

showing concern, praising effort, sustaining control, being optimistic and

empathic, and providing encouragement and a sense of caring. (p. 342)

Format

Review of Handbooks. The format of Physical Education Handbook for

Kindergarten Teachers by Rodger Ng (2018) and Third Grade Teacher’s Activity

Handbook for Multiplication Fluency by Laura Wood (2019) were compared and contrasted.

Cover. The cover of Physical Education Handbook for Kindergarten Teachers by

Rodger Ng (2018) had a white background and the words “Developing Physical Literacy and Academic Knowledge across the Standards” were added under the title in smaller black font. A large, colorful photograph of several young children running on a grass field was also on the front. Under the photograph was the author’s name.

Third Grade Teacher’s Activity Handbook for Multiplication Fluency by Laura

Wood (2019) was in a digital format. The first page contained the title in large, black font and had a completely white background. Beside the title was a large cartoon type character of a little girl in pigtails holding a sign that read “I love Math”.

Organization of table of contents. After an overview and introduction, Physical

Education Handbook for Kindergarten Teachers by Rodger Ng (2018) was organized into two parts. The first part had five sections and the second part had six sections. There were no chapters. Third Grade Teacher’s Activity Handbook for Multiplication Fluency by Laura Wood (2019) had a table of contents that consisted of two sections: Teachers and Worksheets. This handbook also was not organized into chapters, just page numbers.

Preface. Neither handbook had a preface.

Introduction. Physical Education Handbook for Kindergarten Teachers by

Rodger Ng (2018) had a three page introduction. The author brought the reader back to

childhood memories of physical education classes, then gave a slight history of how over

time, physical education (PE) classes were decreased in priority, then increased again in

recent years. The importance of how kindergarten teachers introduce PE and the need for

including physical activity their students in order to develop well-rounded students was

stressed.

Third Grade Teacher’s Activity Handbook for Multiplication Fluency by Laura

Wood (2019) had no introduction.

Target population. Physical Education Handbook for Kindergarten Teachers by

Rodger Ng (2018) was written for kindergarten classroom teachers and Third Grade

Teacher’s Activity Handbook for Multiplication Fluency by Laura Wood (2019) was written for third grade teachers and parents.

Content. The first part of Physical Education Handbook for Kindergarten

Teachers by Rodger Ng (2018) contained 96 pages of content that discussed topics that

influenced learning, the role of kindergarten teachers, and why it was important to teach

physical education to children. Academic and physical educational standards were

provided in this handbook along with several PE lesson plans and pacing guide for

teachers to utilize and successfully implement in their classrooms.

Third Grade Teacher’s Activity Handbook for Multiplication Fluency by Laura Wood

(2019) contained 92 pages of content. The first section was written for teachers and

parents and explained the importance of learning multiplication facts fluently. The topics

in this section were fluency, the need for learning multiplication, anxiety some students

feel, how to build confidence, and how parents can support the learning. Section two was

filled with colorful and visually stimulating flashcards, games, and worksheets to support

the learning of multiplication facts.

Similarities between handbooks. Physical Education Handbook for

Kindergarten Teachers and Third Grade Teacher’s Activity Handbook for Multiplication

Fluency were both presented in digital form and were created for teachers. Both manuals were also researched based and written for adults who were interested in successfully educating students.

The Format of How to Facilitate Business Day for 3rd Graders. The format for

How to Facilitate Business Day for 3rd Graders incorporated features from both of the

handbooks that were discussed. This handbook was written for third grade teachers to use

with their students, and the format for this project was developed using peer reviewed

and best practices on handbooks for educators. The table of contents were included that

outlined the handbook sections which included an overview, introduction, and three

chapters. Chapter one was instructions for the teachers to help the students prepare for

Business Day. Chapter two was instructions for the teacher on how to implement

Business Day in the classroom. Chapter three described how parents would have the opportunity to be involved with this event. Needed reproducibles were provided throughout the handbook.

CHAPTER THREE:

METHODOLOGY

Target population

This project was created for third grade teachers who wanted to implement

Business Day with their class.

Content

This project was developed using peer-reviewed literature and best practices discussed in Chapter Two.

Format and delivery

Peer reviewed research and best practices were used to create this handbook.

Peer-reviewed handbooks were used as a guide to organize and complete this handbook.

CHAPTER FOUR:

CONCLUSION

Further research is required to determine if an integration of lessons teaching children how to write a business plan would be beneficial for the purpose of experience for future entrepreneur opportunities. If future research maintained that it would be advantageous for young children to have the experience and knowledge of writing a business plan, another supplementary section may be written with included lessons to

teach students the step by step process of writing a business plan.

Subsequence handbooks on Business Day could be modified and developed in order that other teachers could conduct this event in different grade levels.

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PART TWO: THE PROJECT

Business Day Handbook for Third Grade Teachers

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By Shannon Joyce

Table of Contents Section One: Information for Teachers………………………….……………………………4 How to use this Handbook………………………………………….……………………………..……5 Overview………………………………………………………………….………………………………..………6 What is Business Day? ...... 7 Why have Business Day? ...... 8 Behavior Modification Program……………………………………………………………………..9 Introducing Business Day………………………………………………….………………………….11 To the Students………………………………………………………………….………………………….11 To the Parents/Guardians ………………………………………………………………………….13 Parent Support………………………………………………………………………………………………13

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Section Two: Implementation of Business Day………………………….…….……….15 Introducing Business Day Terminology……………………….………………………………16 Classroom Banks…………………………………………………………………………………….………18 Bank Card Template……………………………………………………………………………….…….19 Debit/credit Chart…………………………………………………………………………………….…..20 MyKidsBank.org……………………………………………………………………….……………………..21 Money Templates………………………………………………………………………………………….22

How to Prepare For Business Day………………………………………………………………27 Prepare Student Banks……………………………………………………………………..27 What to sell at Business Day ………………………………………………………..…………...29 Home-made Craft Ideas………………………………………….………..…………………………30 Activity Center Ideas.……………………………..……………………………………………..…..32 Other Ideas……………………………………………………………………….………………………….33 Design a “Storefront”…………………………………………………………………………………..33 Storefront Samples……………………………………………………………………………34 How to price items………………………………………………………………………………………..35 How much product to make…………………………………………………………………………35 The Big Day…………………………………………………………………………………………………..36 Rotation Schedule………………………………………………………………………………………….36 Items for Teachers to have on hand………………………………………………………..38 Starting Over with a New Bank Balance…………………………………………………38 Counting Profits……………………………………………………………………………….…………..39 After Business Day……………………………………………………………………………………….40 Writing and Reflection………………………………………………………………………..41 Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………………………………43

Section One

Information For Teachers

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How to Use this Handbook

This handbook is designed for teachers to easily implement an engaging Business Day for students whether it be for an individual third grade class, or for an entire third grade event involving more than one class. There are two sections in this handbook. The first section is to communicate to teachers so they fully understand what Business Day is and its benefits.

The second section is devoted to providing teachers needed information, links, examples, and templates for easy implementation of Business Day.

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Overview

Section One. This first part of this handbook explains what Business Day is in a third grade class and why students benefit from this meaningful event. The option to also use this as a behavior modification program in the classroom is explained as well as how teachers can introduce and explain this to parents and students.

Section Two. The second half of the handbook contains everything a teacher will need to hold their own Business Day. Links to websites, templates, pictures of examples,

6 letters to parents, rotation schedules, product ideas for students, and much more is provided. After reading both sections, any educator will be enabled to facilitate their very own Business Day.

What is Business Day?

What is this Business Day? This day is a hands-on project based experience that will have your students buzzing with excitement! You will not believe your students’ enthusiasm as they experience creating a business, selling products, calculating expenses, counting their profits, and experiencing the feeling of being a successful entrepreneur for the day! Business Day can easily go along with a behavior modification program that motivates students throughout the year in the classroom. It also allows your students the opportunity to think of or create a product or activity to sell to their classmates, create a simple business plan, design a marketing poster, and sell and shop with their friends. Kids will have a blast as they are able to sell

7 their products and earn more classroom money. They will equally enjoy the chance to shop at the “stores” that their peers have set up.

Why Have Business Day?

There are many benefits to having Business Day in a third grade class. First, the opportunity provides the students a chance understand and apply entrepreneurial skills in a safe environment. Entrepreneurs usually take financial and career risks to begin a business. Here is an opportunity for students to try it out and see how it feels to reap the rewards involved in a successful business.

Students also get the chance to experience many of the skills entrepreneurs need for their success. The most important lessons the students will experience during the

process of Business Day is hard work, risk taking, innovation, learning through mistakes, and leadership.

stock.adobe.com Third graders will also understand terms and ideas of business that they usually will learn later in their school career. Business Day gives the students the chance to understand terms such as deposit, withdrawal, credit, profit, price adjustment, supply and demand, marketing, product, and consumer. Learning terms like these now in a fun and exciting way develop prior knowledge for future learning! Finally, if the teacher chooses to incorporate Business Day with the classroom’s established behavior modification system, it can provide an opportunity for students to reap the benefits and be rewarded for their efforts throughout the year.

Behavior Modification Program

Incorporating a behavior modification program to complement the Business Day event is most beneficial, but not necessary to host a Business Day with the class. There are many variations and levels of involvement of behavior programs that could work. Presented in this handbook is one way that has worked in several classrooms.

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As in most programs, students are given positive or negative consequences depending on behavior. In this system, classroom money is earned and given to each student who is also given a class bank account. Expectations and classroom rules are established and clearly posted for children to see. Depending on behavior, students are either paid money and may credit an established amount into their bank or they lose money requiring them to make a debit. A chart has been provided in section two as an example of classroom expectations with attached debits and credit qualifiers.

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The money that is earned each day is the money that will be distributed to the student on Business Day. The more a child earns throughout the year, the more they will have to spend at the event, therefore, students are very motivated to meet classroom expectations.

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Introducing Business Day: alfredpolo.com To Students It is exciting to introduce Business Day to the students and explain how the kids are expected to participate and to explain how Business Day works. They kids are always motivated and enthusiastic about the day. I usually reserve a good amount of time at least one month before the event. The following links will direct you to a variety of videos that can be used to inspire the students as they learn about becoming an entrepreneur.

Kid Entrepreneurs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHz9BF4LIkI

A silly brother and sister talk to kids about selling at school: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9SHVASD26Q https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_4YyPzMCIw

Ted Talks from inspiring, young entrepreneurs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fKVyeGdKxY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EblQj_pZFlQ

Caine’s Arcade: An inspiring story from a 9 year old that teaches creativity and ingenuity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faIFNkdq96U https://www.youtube.com:watch?v=Ul9c-4dX4Hk

After presenting a variety of the videos, limitations and rules need to be established. The following list are some

12 possible rules to establish and decide on before you present to the children. 1. Do you want them to be allowed to sell food? If so, do you want to only allow packaged food? Food with ingredients causing allergies and messy treats with frosting may be problematic. 2. Set a maximum cost for families to spend on materials and items to sell, but encourage students to spend no money if possible. ($10-$20 is a reasonable limit)

To the Parents/Guardians: Plan to send a parent letter to introduce this event before or the day students learn about Business Day. The next page contains a sample letter that could be used to inform families about this event. sccoe.org Parent/Guardian Support Students will need parent support and help preparing items to sell. Parents and guardians are encouraged to attend Business Day. After helping with preparations, parents enjoy observing their children sell the products they worked hard to create.

There are other opportunities for parents and guardians to help on campus. Debit cards and bank totals will need to be totaled and Business Day money (fake) needs to be printed, cut, and sorted into envelopes for students to use the day of the event. Further directions for this opportunity are specified in the second section of this handbook.

Dear Parents/Guardians, I am excited to inform you that your child will be participating in an exciting 3rd grade event call Business Day! This is a big day when your child will be able to sell products to their peers. They will also be able to buy other students’ products. The students will use classroom money that they have been earning this year in class.

Item to sell can be… • Student made • Purchased items to resell • Used items (examples: books, toys) • Activities (examples: photo booth, game) NO FOOD ITEMS ALLOWED!

No child should spend above $_____ in real money in preparation of products to sell.

Business Day will be on ______.

Items to sell are due on ______. Parents are welcome to join their child to observe the fun of this event. Please be sure to let your child manage the “store”. You are simply there to observe and encourage!

Section Two

Implementation Of Business Day

Business Day Is Here!!

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Introducing Business Day stock.adobe.com Terminology It will be beneficial to begin to introduce entrepreneurial vocabulary to the students and to begin to use the terminology on a regular basis. I don’t worry too much about how fully they comprehend the terms. Most of the meaning of these words will gain deeper understanding and meaning as they prepare for, during, and after Business Day. Remember, one purpose of this event is to establish prior knowledge for future learning. These terms can be introduced in a variety of ways. Here are a few ideas:

Business Day Booklet: Provide a booklet for students to log terms, write definitions, and draw pictures. The booklets stay in student desks for easy reference. Terms can be provided daily or weekly, but I recommend they are not introduced all at once.

Classroom Anchor Chart: Display a class anchor chart and write words, definitions, and pictures as you present new terms to the students. This chart should stay visible for students to use as a reference. Class or group discussions along with allowing students the opportunity to use the words in a sentence will help with their understanding of these terms.

Business Day Vocabulary: Business Profit Entrepreneur Customer service Product Business partner Bank account Advertise Credit Advertise Debit Supply and Transaction Demand

Business Day Vocabulary Chart

Vocabulary Definition Use in a Draw a Picture Sentence

Classroom Banks Students are provided a classroom bank account in the beginning of the year. The bank transactions can be recorded manually or digitally. There is no transaction of money until the day before Business Day. Students are continually given credits or making deposits depending on classroom behavior, reading and homework incentives, or anything you choose. Credits can be made individually or whole group. Students are responsible to write their own transactions and record the balance so math skills are utilized continually. If you choose to uses the paper form of the bank account, I would recommend that you make a copy of the provided template on both sides of sturdy cardstock and cut it in half. If both sides fill up, provide another copy and staple it to the original. Students keep the half sheet on their desk or keep it easily accessible.

Bank Card Template

Debit/credit Chart stock.adobe.com The chart below is an example of actions or behaviors from students that determine whether a credit or debit will be assigned. It is an effective form of behavior management that students respond to as they visually watch as their bank balance increases or decreases based on their behavior and participation. It is especially affective after the first Business Day when they realize the benefits of collecting more money in their account. I give each action a value amount depending on its importance to me. I usually only use numbers counting by 10’s or 5’s to so it is easier for them to add or subtract correctly.

What can add Credit to What can add Debit to your your account: account: (add) (subtract) Daily parent signature in assignment No parent signature in assignment book ($5) book ($5) Completed homework/classwork ($5) Incomplete homework/classwork($5) Return library book on time($10) Forgot library book ($10) 100% on AR reading test($10) Off task ($5) Caught showing good character Moved to “yellow light” ($5) Stayed on “green light” all day Moved to “red light” ($10) Clean desk ($10) Messy desk ($10) Not using kind words ($10)

MykidsBank.org If you choose to have the students use a digital bank account, I highly recommend MyKidsBank.org. It is a free and very well thought through web based account systems for classroom purposes. It is easy to navigate and each student gets their own account with private passwords that you can keep track of. Below is a snapshot of the website and how it works.

22 http://mykidsbank.org/about.htm

The following pages are money templates if those are needed for classroom cash. Money templates: One dollar bills

23 uscurrency.gov Money templates: five dollar bills

uscurrency.gov Money templates: Ten dollar bills

uscurrency.gov Money templates: Twenty dollar bills

uscurrency.gov Money templates: Hundred dollar bills

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How to Prepare For Business Day

Prepare Student Banks The week before Business Day is when it is time to prepare the students’ banks. This is another opportunity for volunteers to assist. It is very time consuming and parents and guardians usually love this opportunity to help and participate in the event. One task is to run off copies of the provided templates and cut the bills for distribution. If you have access to other money such as Monopoly play money, curriculum math manipulative bills, or other fake money,

29 use that. If not, it will take a lot of copies and prep work. Since these bills can be used year after year, it is worth it. Another job is to collect the bank account cards from the students or print up the bank account totals from MyKidsBank.org to calculate how much money each child should receive on Business Day. The volunteer then counts and sorts different amounts of bills to total what each child has earned in the trimester or time period.

My students have varied in amounts depending on behavior and academic involvement. It is possible that one child may have $255 while another has $875. Whatever the amount is, they receive that money in an envelope with their name on it. They are given this fake money the morning of Business Day and it is their responsibility to take care of it and keep it with them all day. If it is lost, it cannot be replaced.

What to sell at Business Day The ideas of what to sell are endless! I encourage the students and families to jump on Pinterest.com or type “cheap crafts for kids” into a search engine online. I also find pictures of crafts online and copy and paste them into a Google Document. I print them, cut them out, and students can choose from the pile of ideas I present or come up with their own idea.

Ideas to Think About Selling:

Animal puppets out of socks or brown lunch bags

Finger puppets: pipe cleaner and googly eyes Necklaces: beads, shells, metal washers, sting, rubber bands, etc.

Pencil holders made out of toilet rolls Marshmallow shooter or Pom Pom poppers Bookmarks: Paper Mache, origami, painted popsicle sticks, ribbon… all sorts Melted crayon molds Flower pens/pencils Plastic bottle piggy banks Painted rocks Clay molds made into magnets Pom Pom people magnets

Home-Made Crafts Ideas Here are some photos I have found on the internet.

Teacherspayteachers.com

Below are some photographs I took of past creative creations that students put together for Business Day.

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Activity Center Ideas

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Other Ideas

There are so many more ideas other than crafts. Students have continually amazed me with their creativity and ingenuity.

Games Yard sale items Purchased items Activity Centers Art Comic/Coloring Books Poems Design a Storefront A good business name is one of the most important parts of a business. It is important that it catches the attention of the customer. You want shoppers to come check out your “store” and you want them to remember the store and the product. Encourage students to brainstorm possible names for their “store” once they have decided what to sell. Once they have a list of options, they need to narrow it down and pick their favorite name for their business. Then it’s time to have fun and design a poster (aka. Storefront) that they will use when they display their product on Business Day.

This is a project that is completed at home. I usually make the due date for this project a week before the event. Storefront Samples

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How to price items How much to charge for the activity or item is one of the biggest questions students and families have. I rarely provide an answer to this question. I find it a valuable learning experience for students to come up with their own prices. I do encourage them to adjust the prices as they see fit throughout the day. If they are selling their items too quickly, they learn that they can adjust their price and charge more. If they are not selling any product, they see benefits of lowering the price a little at a time or having a sale. Kids will often shout out “2 for the price of 1” when they are anxious to make a sale. I allow them to cross of prices on their storefront poster and adjust prices as they see fit.

How much product to make Another question that is often asked is, “How much product should I make?” This is another question I don’t provide an answer for. The best I can do is tell how many 3rd graders will be shopping. It’s hard to know. What sells and does not sell is unpredictable. It usually turns into a great hands-on learning experience of supply and demand. The Big Day Rotation Schedule The shopping schedule for the day is certainly something to think about. One way that works, is to reserve a large multipurpose room with tables set up. Students get a small area stock.adobe.com designated for their “storefront”. The first 20 minutes allows students to set up their shop with signs and merchandise. If there is more than one class participating, each class gets a different color sticker. For example, room A gets a red sticker, room B a green sticker, room C a blue sticker and so forth. It is

38 announced which color will be shopping for the first 20 minutes. All other classes are selling their product while the first class shops. Then each class get their 20 minute turn to shop. The room will get very crowded and seem a bit chaotic, but the excitement and the buzz of the day is fun and stock.adobe.com electrifying and the kids love it.

Business Day Rotation Schedule 8-8:20 students set up shop in their own classroom 8:20-8:45 students shop in their own classroom 8:45-9:00 Class A shops in Class B Class C shops in Class D 9:00-9:15 Class B shops in Class A Class D shops in Class C 9:15-9:30 Class A shops in Class D Class C shops in Class B 9:30-9:40 Class D shops in Class A Class B shops in Class C 9:40-9:50 Class A shops in Class C Class B shops in Class D 9:50-10:00 Class C shops in Class A Class D shops in Class B

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Items for Teachers to have on hand throughout the day

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Extra fake money (to make change) Sharpies/Markers (so kids can adjust prices on posters) Duct tape (tape is often requested for many reasons) Camera (you will want to take lots of pictures) Schedule of rotation (keep a close eye on the time) Extra fake money (I like to buy some products, especially if I see someone not selling much)

Starting Over with a New Bank

Balance:

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Counting Profits:

After Business Day is over, students now take the time to carefully count the money they ended up with at the end of the day. They have combined their profits along with their shopping money. Some end up with large sums if they sell a lot of items and buy minimal product, and some end up almost at zero if they don’t see that much and then buy a lot. You never know. This is an excellent opportunity for 3rd graders to count money. I encourage them to separate and organized value amounts, count each stack, then add those together. I have partners count each other’s money again to double check that the amount is correct. This is always a fun time in the classroom full of collaboration and excitement. They then take the total and put it on the first line of their new, blank bank card they are given. They will continue to add or subtract amounts from the new total from the day. Students return all cash bills to be organized and stored safely for the next Business Day. This is another opportunity to have a volunteer help out. There is an example of a new bank card and how students would add the amounts onto the first line on the next page.

Student Name Here

After B. D. Total after Business Day $ credit New

After Business Day: The students will learn a lot during Business Day. It will be beneficial to take the time after the event to think about and reflect on the day and how it went, positive and/or negative. The following papers can be used to reflect and write. stock.adobe.com

Writing and Reflection

My Business Day Experience ______

______

______mysaline.com/kid-business-expo

My Business Day Reflections:

How did I do with sales? Did I sell a lot or a little product? ______Did customers like my product? ______Did I sell out or end up with left over product? ______How did I price it (too much, too little)? Did I make any changes with pricing over the day? ______What would I do differently next time? ______What was I most excited to buy from others? Why? ______Did I end up with more or less money? ______

Bibliography

“Download Materials.” Download Materials | U.S. Currency Education Program, 2021,

www.uscurrency.gov/educational-materials/download-materials.

Http://pngimg.com/. (n.d.).

Https://bizkids.com/learn/entrepreneurship/. (n.d.).

MySaline, 2021, www.mysaline.com/.

Stock photos, royalty-free images, graphics, vectors & videos. (2021). Retrieved April 14,

2021, from https://stock.adobe.com/

T. (n.d.). Market Day [PDF].

Teaching resources & lesson plans. (2021). Retrieved April 14, 2021, from

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/

Vector images. (2021). Retrieved April 13, 2021, from https://www.vectorstock.com/

Wood, J. (2018, December 08). Teaching business basics to kids - part 4 to teach kids'

entrepreneurship. Retrieved April 14, 2021, from https://eseedling.com/teaching-

business-basics-to-teach-kids-entrepreneurship/

Wood, J. (n.d.). More than a Lemonade Stand, Student Workbook. Retrieved April 13,

2020, from

file:///C:/Users/s.joyce/Downloads/Here's%20Your%20Download!%20More%20Th

an%20a%20Lemonade%20Stand%20Student%20Workbook.pdf