Ourselves uses compelling stories read aloud by the volunteer, along with hands-on activities, to demonstrate helping, working, earning, and saving. There are five required, volunteer-led activities.

 

The key learning objectives, listed beside each activity, state the skills and knowledge students will gain.

 

Activity One: Robbie's Trip to the Farm 

 

Students are introduced to a storybook character and his visit to a family farm. Through a group discussion and drawing pictures of their favorite animals, they discover that individuals make choices.

 

 

Key Learning Objective 

 

 

Students will be able to:

 

* recognize the role of self.
* appreciate individual differences.

Activity Two: Angie and the Carnival 

 

Students are introduced to a storybook character and her plans to earn money by making and selling crafts at a carnival.

 

 

Key Learning Objective 

 

Students will be able to:

 

* define money.
* identify one form of money coins.
* differentiate coins.

Activity Three: Charlie Plants a Garden 

 

Students learn how the storybook characters work together to plant a community garden.

 

 

Key Learning Objective 

 

Students will be able to:

 

* recognize the importance of working together.
* discover rewards other than money.

Activity Four: Meagan Buys a Present 

 

Students recognize the importance of saving money to buy something they want through a story about a girl who must save to buy a birthday present.

 

 

Key Learning Objective 

 

Students will be able to:

 

* discuss the importance of saving money.
* identify a place where people save money.
* demonstrate how to save money.
* name something they would like to save for.

Activity Five: Dylan and the New Playground 

 

Students learn how the storybook characters save money to buy new playground equipment for their school.

 

 

Key Learning Objective 

 

Students will be able to:

 

* identify ways money can be used to benefit others.
* recognize the value of work.
* appreciate the importance of giving.

Ourselves enhances students’ learning of the following concepts and skills:

 

Concepts: Barter, Benefit, Buying, Choices, Consumer, Costs, Earning, Entrepreneurs, Giving, Goods, Incentives, Income, Money, Resources, Rewards, Saving, Scarcity, Selling, Spending, Voluntary exchange, Wants, Work

 

Skills: Abstract thinking, Coin recognition, Coin valuation, Decision-making, Drawing, Following directions, Interpreting information, Listening responsively, Matching, Responsibility, Sequencing, Teamwork

 

Ourselves is a series of five activities recommended for students in kindergarten. The average time for each activity is 30 minutes. Materials are packaged in a self-contained kit that includes detailed activity plans for the volunteer and materials for 30 students.