edTPA Lesson Plan Template (4 Page Limit)

(This template may be modified as needed to fit district or school lesson plan formats.)
Grade Level: 3
Subject / Content area: Social Studies
Unit of Study: Economics
Lesson Title: Budgeting while Building Bridges
Central Focus for the learning segment: What are the costs and benefits of personal
saving choices?
Content Standard(s): NYS CCLS or Content Standards (List the number and text of the
standard. If only a portion of a standard is being addressed, then only list the relevant
part[s].)
SS3E4 the student will describe the costs and benefits of personal spending and saving choices.
SS3E3 The student will give examples of interdependence and trade and will explain how voluntary
exchange benefits both parties.

Learning Objectives associated with the content standards: Students will learn personal
budgeting skills and recognize how their spending actions affect them.
Instructional Resources and Materials to engage students in learning:
- Bridge materials: toothpicks, glue, tape, string, paper, uncooked spaghetti noodles,
gum drop candies, mini marsh-mellows, q-tips, peppermint candies, fake money,
Instructional Strategies and Learning Tasks that support diverse student needs. (Include
what you and students will be doing.):
- The teacher should not show any of the materials to the students unless they are for
sale during the activity.
- Opener: The teacher will explain how the activity will work: students will get out all of
the money they have earned throughout the week. Using this money, students will
buy materials from the teacher to make the strongest bridge. The bridges will be
tested at the end of the class by stacking peppermint candies on the bridges until one
bridge is left standing with the most candies. The winner will receive a prize. The
point of the activity is to make smart spending and saving choices. Students will have
25 minutes to buy supplies and build their bridge. During that time, a limited amount
of each item will be for sale. As time passes, new materials will be added to the for
sale pile or marked down to a discounted price. Once the supply of an item has sold

out, that material is now off the market and cannot be purchased any more. Some
items may be taken off the table as well and not be available for purchase anymore.
In addition to purchasing items, students may make mutual trades with their items
with the students around them at any time during the activity.
-

Work Period: Students will use their money earned throughout the week to purchase
materials to build their bridge. As the time starts, the teacher will place a basket of
toothpicks, a basket of mini marsh-mellows, and a stack of paper on the back table.
Students can get 10 tooth picks for $1, 5 mini marsh-mellows for $1, and 3 sheets of
paper for $1. After a few minutes pass, leave those 3 items on the table but add a
basket of uncooked spaghetti noodles and pieces of string. Students can buy 3
spaghetti noodles for $2 and 1 piece of string for $1. After a few more minutes,
change the price of the mini marsh-mellows so that $1 can buy 10 mini marshmellows. Keep everything else on the table but add pieces of tape. For $2 the
students can get 1 piece of tape. After a few more minutes, take the toothpicks off the
table, they are no longer available. Add a couple bottles of glue to the table. For $7
the students can buy a bottle of glue to use for the remainder of the time. During the
last 5 minute, add a basket of gumdrop candies and a basket of q-tips to the back
table. The students may purchase 5 gumdrop candies for $3 and 5 q-tips for $3.
Change the price of the spaghetti noodles so 3 spaghetti noodles cost $1. When time
is up, have the students stop what they are doing and take a step back. They return
all unused materials to the back table and sit back at their desks.
- Closer: The teacher tell the students that he/she will come around to each table and
test the bridges by placing peppermint candies on the bridge one at a time until it
breaks. The teacher will record how many candies each bridge can hold on the white
board. As the bridges are being tested, the students are instructed to take out a piece
of paper and write a reflection on the activity. They can answer questions such as
What did you learn? What was your strategy for building your bridge? What would
you have done differently? Did you trade any of your items with other students? If so,
what were the advantages or disadvantages? What materials did you choose to buy
and what materials did you not buy and why? How could you have budgeted your
money differently? etc. The students work independently on their reflection while the
teacher walks around and tests each bridge. When a winner has been determined,
they can explain how they built their bridge to the class and redeem their prize. Then
add budget to content specific vocab list and then review all of terms on the list.
Differentiation and planned universal supports: The baskets will be labeled with the
amount the students can purchase at a certain price. If the price changes, a new label will
be placed on the basket. Students needing assistance can exchange all of their money for
$1 bills so it is easier to purchase items with the exact amount. A sheet of paper with the

prices of each item will be provided to those who need it and available for all students who
want it.
Language Function students will develop. Additional language demands and
language supports: Students will predict what items are going on sale next and decide
how they want to spend their money throughout the activity. Students will try to persuade
each other into making trades with neighboring students. Students will summarize their
experience with a written reflection to express their likes and dislikes and strategy of the
bridge building activity.
Type of Student Assessments and what is being assessed:
Informal Assessment: After explaining the activity, the teacher can ask students to
make predictions and strategize before starting the activity. Throughout the work
period, the teacher can listen in on comments students are making while deciding
how to spend their money. If the students are making conscious choices, then it
shows they are thinking about the cost and benefits of their personal spending and
saving. During the closer, the teacher can ask students how this relates to the real
world. Why is budgeting important? Do you have any ideas for ways we could budget
our own money?

Formal Assessment: During the closer, students will reflect on the activity. They will
have to think about how they strategized and if it was successful. Students will have
to think about how they could have changed what they did during the work period to
improve their final product. This written reflection will be taken up and graded.

Modifications to the Assessments: If students are having trouble making real world
connections or their comments during the work period are not showing that they are
using budgeting skills, the teacher can interject and help get them thinking deeper
about the lesson. They could say you might want to save some money, maybe
something that would be really helpful will go on the market later, have you ever
purchased a toy and soon after a cooler version of the toy came out?, or maybe you
dont need to buy 20 of that item at full price, it may go on sale soon. Buy a few and
then come back later and get more.

Evaluation Criteria: Students will be evaluated based on their reflection of the activity and
knowledge of the costs and benefits of their personal spending choices. During the work
period, students will work first hand to learn how saving and spending their money can affect
the outcome of their bridge. With probing questions and time to write a reflection, students

will be able to express how they chose to approach the activity and what they would have
done differently. The teacher will evaluate these reflections by looking for signs that the
students understand that budgeting is important and beneficial.
Relevant theories and/or research best practices: This lesson ties in the theory of situated
cognition that says that knowledge is inseparable from doing. The students learn about the
effects of spending and saving their money through the building bridges activity. They work
hands on and learn about budgeting by applying it. Students will also be able to discuss
their work while building their bridges to compare their strategies with peers around them.
Lesson Timeline:
- Opener: 10 minutes
- Bridge Construction/Supply Purchase: 25 minutes
- Testing the Bridges/Closer: 25 minutes