EconEdLink Navigation BarStandards Contact Lessons Current Events WebLinks DataLinks CyberTeach
A premier source of classroom tested, Internet-based economic lesson materials for K-12 teachers and their students

Sign up! | Forgot Password

Online Lesson

About this lesson
 grade level: K-2
EconEdLink Line Break
curriculum standards:
2
EconEdLink Line Break
author: Mickey Ebert
EconEdLink Line Break
More lessons from this author
EconEdLink Line Break
posted on: February 7, 2002
EconEdLink Line Break
State Standards
EconEdLink Line Break
Printable Glossary
EconEdLink Line Break

EconomicsMinute

Little Star's Problem

Key Economic Concepts:

Description:

Little Star has a problem, she wants a best friend. Learn how Dora and Boots help Little Star solve this problem and introduce the word "cost" in decision-making.

Lesson Objectives:

Students will:

  • Define cost as what you give up when you decide to do something.

Introduction:

Little Star shares a special wish with "Dora, the Explorer" and Boots in this computer read story. Little Star's wish is for a best friend, but when Dora and Boots try to solve her problem they find out that the other characters in the story have costs that prevent them from becoming Little Star's best friend. This lesson teaches what cost is and applies it to Little Star's problem.

Students' Version
star and moon
 Little Star will share a special wish with "Dora, the Explorer," Boots, and you as you read a story. Little Star's wish is for a best friend, but when Dora and Boots try to solve her problem they find out that the other characters in the story have costs that prevent them from becoming Little Star's best friend.

Resources:

Process:

Effective decision-making includes the ability to think through the costs and benefit of a decision. Being able to recognize costs of decisions is a skill that can be taught even to students at an early age. Lead the learners through these questions to establish the understanding of the word "cost."

Students' Version
www.nickjr.com/playtime/cats/stories/all_stories/dora_littlestarswish.jhtml [1] Click on the star [1] and then click on "Stories" and then click on "Dora the Explorer" and Little Star for Little Star's story. This will take you to a story read to you by the computer. This story can be read in English or Spanish.

Dora and Boots wanted to find a best friend for Little Star.

When you are finished reading the story, take the 'Little Star Quiz'.

Whom did they ask first?
  1. Isa[Correct]
  2. Mommy Bugga Bugga
  3. Moon
But Isa couldn't be Little Star's best friend. Why?
  1. Isa already has a best friend
  2. Isa had to wake up early to water her flowers[Correct]
 
If Isa became Little Star's best friend, what would happen?
  1. Isa would lose sleep. [Correct]
  2. Isa would not be able to water her flowers in the morning. [Correct]
 

So, if Isa became Little Star's best friend, she would pay a "cost." Not a cost in dollars, but still a cost.

What would Isa's cost be if she decided to become Little Star's best friend?

  1. Isa would lose sleep. [Correct]
  2. Isa would not be able to water her flowers in the morning. [Correct]
 
Was Isa willing to pay that cost?
  1. Yes
  2. No [Correct]
 
Was Isa willing to give up her sleep to be Little Star's best friend?
  1. Yes
  2. No [Correct]
 
Whom did Dora and Boots ask next?
  1. Isa
  2. Mommy Bugga Bugga [Correct]
  3. Moon
 
Why wouldn't Mommy Bugga Bugga become Little Star's best friend?
  1. She has to clean the nest in the evenings.
  2. She was too busy with her baby Bugga Buggas. [Correct]
 
What would happen if Mommy Bugga Bugga became Little Star's best friend?
  1. She would give up time with her baby Bugga Buggas. [Correct]
  2. She would have to clean during the day.
 
So, what was Mommy's cost if she decided to become Little Star's best friend?
  1. Time with her baby Bugga Buggas. [Correct]
  2. Cleaning in the evenings.
 
Was Mommy Bugga Bugga willing to pay that cost?
  1. Yes
  2. No [Correct]
 
Whom did Dora and Boots ask last?
  1. Isa
  2. Mommy Bugga Bugga
  3. Moo [Correct]
 
Did Moon want to be Little Star's best friend?
  1. Yes [Correct]
  2. No
 
Did Moon have to give up sleep to be Little Star's best friend?
  1. Yes
  2. No [Correct]
 
Did Moon have to give up spending time with her babies?
  1. Yes
  2. No [Correct]
 
So, Moon became Little Star's best friend.

Conclusion:

Students should understand that Isa and Mommy Bugga Bugga would love to be Little Star's best friend, but the costs are too high. Watering the flowers in the morning and taking care of the babies are things that neither Isa nor Mommy Bugga Bugga is willing to give up.

Assessment Activity:

Decisions have costs to which students can relate. If they decide to wear a jacket instead of a coat, what might their cost be? [They might get cold.] If they decide not to carry an umbrella, what might their cost be? [They might get rained on.] If a student makes a decision to misbehave, what might his/her cost be? [Whatever the discipline plan of the classroom is.] Question the students to see if the students can relate what they give up every time there is a cost. When they don't wear a jacket, they give up being warm. When they decide not to carry an umbrella, they give up being dry.

Students' Version

Decisions have costs to which you can relate.

If you decide to wear a jacket instead of a coat, what might your cost be? freezing man
boy in the rain
 If you decide not to carry an umbrella, what might your cost be?
If a student makes a decision to misbehave, what might his/her cost be? boy in timeout
sick in bed
 If you decide not to wash your hands, what might your cost be?
If you decide to stay up late at night, what might your cost be? tired man
boy with broken leg
 If you decide to run in the halls, what might your cost be?
If you decide to eat all the cake instead of a piece of cake, what might your cost be? tummy ache

 

Click on the following site for extra stories, activities, and color pages featuring Dora and Little Star: www.nickjr.com/shows/dora/printables/index.jhtml [3]

Students' Version
www.nickjr.com/grownups/home/printables/dora/index.jhtml [4] Click on the crayons [3] for extra stories, activities, and color pages featuring Dora and Little Star:

Links Used:

1. ^ ^ "http://www.nickjr.com/playtime/cats/stories/all_stories/dora_littlestarswish.jhtml" - (www.nickjr.com)
2. ^ "www.nickjr.com/playtime/shows/dora/stories/dora_littlestarswish.jhtml" - (www.nickjr.com)
3. ^ ^ "www.nickjr.com/shows/dora/printables/index.jhtml" - (www.nickjr.com)
4. ^ "http://www.nickjr.com/grownups/home/printables/dora/index.jhtml" - (www.nickjr.com)

Teacher Reviews

Be the first to review this lesson!

Insert a comment, suggestion or review of this lesson here. The comments will not appear immediately due to a time delay to allow for a review by a member of our staff.