Teaching guide : Lesson ONE
The Evolution of Money
Contains:
Lesson Plan #1a:
What Is Money and Why Do We Need It?
Lesson Plan #1b:
The Many Forms of Money
Lesson Plan #1c:
Plastic Payment
Lesson Plan #1d:
Smart Cards
Lesson Plan #1e:
Paying On the Internet
Lesson Plan #2:
An Experiment in Barter Exchange
Lesson Plan #3:
How Do You Pay?
Lesson Plan #4:
How Do You Pay?
Instructor’s Note:
The first five lesson plans (#1a through #1e) are designed as a modular set to be used
together. They consist of a series of discussions covering various parts of the video. You may
use them in several ways. One is to alternate between discussions and watching segments of
the video. There are three pause points on the video. The discussions are designed to fit with
these points. The first lesson (#1a) fits before the video begins; lessons #1b through #1d fit
well at the three pause points; and the final one (#1e) fits best at the end of the video
segment. Alternatively, the video can be viewed without interruption and the discussions
divided between topics to be discussed before and after viewing. No continuity will be lost if
some discussions are skipped.
Because much of this material may be unfamiliar to teachers, each of the lessons has an
extended presentation of background information for teachers. This information, along with
additional materials from the references cited in the section called “For More Information,”
should help you to be an informed discussion leader.
Lesson Plan #1a:
What Is Money and Why Do We Need It?
Grade Level:
9–12
Time Required:
10–15 minutes, or more if desired
Overview:
This lesson is a guided discussion about the nature of money. The video discusses many ways that money has changed and is
changing due to the development of electronic communication. This discussion would work well as a preview to viewing the
video or after viewing.
Objectives:
This discussion encourages students to reflect on fundamental characteristics of money. It helps students to realize why we
need money in moder