Our new project……..

Our project is called Vermont Market Share and it will last about six weeks. Students will learn about economy and the industries in Vermont.  Students will be given challenges where they will earn money upon completion of the challenge.  The monies earned will be used as start up funds for their businesses.  Student’s will host an economics fair at the end of this project as they will become business owners and create products to sell. The project’s Driving Question, which focuses our work, is As business owners, how can we produce a product that makes a profit in a market economy?   Students will learn about economy, goods, costs, natural resources, industries, using decimals while tracking a budget, data collection and marketing.

Every project hosts an entry event, something that kick starts the project.  Our classroom became a market economy, for an afternoon, with goods for sale.  To earn money each student chose a challenge card, completed the challenge and finally spun a wheel to see how much their challenge was worth.  The bank would pay each student the amount they spun on the wheel.  Challenges ranged from math, reading, writing, global studies and PE.  At the end of 90 minutes everyone counted there money to see what they could purchase.  There were four VT products for sale: maple syrup shots for $60, Cabot cheese square for $30, pencils for $3 and an empty Seventh Generation soap bottle for $1.  To give a little perspective, the most money they could earn for a challenge was $7.  Some shared what they earned, some saved what the earned others pooled together and shared goods.  All were intrigued to learn more about the economy and wanted to start “today!”

The only maple syrup shot sold was purchased by Reesa and Eva and split down the middle!