New Business Opened in Prague
by Tanya Brabec
March 03, 2010
Firefighter, scuba diver, chef, 1st & 2nd grade teacher, basketball player, fighter pilot, farmer, elementary teacher, join the U.S. Army, and to be in the Olympics… these were the answers I received when I asked my 12 first and second grade students: “What will your career be?”
It is always exciting to think about what you will be when you grow up. The thoughts of how wonderful it will be when you can make your own choices and do what you want to do. The thought of no longer having a bed ‘time’ or having to eat your vegetables before dessert. My students’ excitement, wonder, creativity, and thrill of feeling like a grown up poured into our class business project of opening our very own class concession stand for Parent-Teacher Conferences.
To prepare, the students learned the basics of money. They know the name of each coin, coin values, how to count a group of mixed coins, add and subtract money, and a select few of the second graders can even figure out how to count change! We also read about several great people who helped our country with their inventions or businesses, such as, Thomas Alva Edison, George Washington Carver, Cyrus McCormick, and Madam C.J. Walker. We learned about our needs and wants, goods and services, and what taxes are.
For the concession stand the students made posters to put around school and town to help advertise their new business. They colored signs to label their goods in order to help their customers easily find the product they wanted to buy. The first and second graders made hats and signs to wear during the hours of operation, and they worked together to help their business run smoothly. Oh, and did I mention the items they sold were buttery popcorn, savory lemonade and delicious home-made goodies (with some help from their parents)!
Each hour, four students came to work with a helpful parent to assist them on Monday night. Our busy workers sold $135.00 worth of concessions with each item costing only fifty-cents. The students are undecided what to do with the abundance of money. We will be taking a class vote soon.
Roxanne and Loretta read the no refunds sign.
