Why People Work

Prep ahead of lesson:

• Print, laminate, and cut out, and sort attached pictures.
• Draw a large + on tagboard, or whiteboard, to divide into quadrants.
• Have poster putty available (to tack pictures on the quadrant)

Learning Target:

Students will learn 4 different reasons why people work (to earn money, to help, to learn, and to create) and will be introduced to examples from each.

Lesson activity:

Ask students if they've ever heard a grown up say, "I'm going to work," or "I had a good day at work."

Ask students why people work, and elicit responses (usually several examples are given regarding money).

Inform students that there are many reasons people work.  Money is important, but it is not the only reason people work.

Introduce each reason why people work, and label each quadrant: To Earn Money, To Create, To Help, and To Learn.

For each reason, allow students to guess and come up to place the picture in the appropriate quandrant.

If time allows, have students partner share or classroom share which is their favorite, or which reason they could see themselves working.  Students can also get up and stand in "quadrants" on the floor to show their thoughts.

Summarize the learning target at the end of class: there are many reasons people work.  Four reasons why people work are to earn money, to help, to learn, and to create.