Grade 1 Social Studies: Needs, Wants, and Everyday Economics
Free Grade 1 Social Studies unit on Needs, Wants, and Everyday Economics: 10 lessons in order. Includes practice questions and answer keys.
10 lessons in this unit
What are needs?
Understand that needs are things people must have to live and stay healthy (food, water, shelter, clothing, care and safety), sort needs from other things, and appreciate that everyone has the same basic needs.
Lesson 2What are wants?
Understand that wants are things we would like but can live without (toys, games, sweets, a bicycle), tell wants from needs, and begin to think about choosing when we cannot have everything.
Lesson 3Food, water, and shelter
Learn about the basic needs of food, water and shelter in more detail, where each comes from in our community (farms, markets, wells, taps, builders), why clean water and healthy food matter, and how different homes suit different places.
Lesson 4Clothing and other needs
Learn that clothing protects us and that other needs include health care, education, rest, safety and love; explain how different weather and places affect clothing; and appreciate the people who make and provide these.
Lesson 5Goods
Understand that goods are things we can touch and use or buy (food, clothes, books, tools, toys), name goods made and sold in our community, and sort goods into groups.
Lesson 6Services
Understand that services are jobs people do for others (teaching, driving, healing, cutting hair, fixing, cleaning), tell goods from services, and give examples of services in the community.
Lesson 7People who provide goods
Learn about people who make, grow or sell goods (farmers, fishers, potters, tailors, bakers, shopkeepers, traders), follow how goods travel from maker to buyer, and appreciate their work.
Lesson 8People who provide services
Learn about service providers in the community (teachers, nurses, doctors, police officers, firefighters, drivers, cleaners, electricians, plumbers, imams, priests, barbers) and what they do, with thanks, respect and safety.
Lesson 9Making simple choices
Practise making simple choices when we cannot have everything: list options, think about what matters most, choose, and say what we give up (the trade-off), using examples such as spending a coin or choosing how to use time.
Lesson 10Sharing limited resources
Understand that resources (water, food, space, time, materials) can be limited, practise fair ways of sharing (equal shares, turns, according to need), and explain why we should not waste.