Pupils turned the classroom into a shop where they sold goods. They strengthened the math skills of their own (sellers) and of their classmates (buyers). They also developed communication and cooperation skills in various situations. In a fun way, they practised math, estimates, and orders.
The activity was carried out with 17 pupils of class 2.A. The goal was to develop financial literacy, automation and acceleration of numeracy, and the use of mental arithmetic in everyday practice. Pupils simulated practical situations by transforming the classroom into a shop, creating fake goods and money and inventing various competitions for buyers, which also focused on the development of financial literacy. Buyers had to know the prices, quickly calculate how much to pay in bills and notes and how much changes they should receive back from sellers.
The class worked in teams of four who created a specific type of shop, gave it a name, and selected the range of goods. Furthermore, they created fake goods and put price tags on them.
There was a ceremonial opening of the shops, which was gradually attended by pupils of the first, second, and fifth grades. When buying/selling, all pupils practised, except for addition and subtraction, also mathematical estimation and orders of units, tens, hundreds.
Another effect of the activity was that the pupils met pupils from other grades, whom they met in new situations. The activity was characterized by working in teams; pupils designed and developed the activity independently, applied interdisciplinary links, and strengthened communication between individual grades.
Jana Karska
Opinions of students:
The biggest problems during the task solution:
The biggest problem was to create some way how to combine teaching Maths and making fun.
The biggest problem was to create shops and decide what they would sell.
The problem was to decide who would sell what.
The problem was to find goods for the shop.
The problem was to make tasks for children because they were from different classes.
Did you work with digital technics?
I used the calculating machine.
Did I learn anything new?
I learnt how to make a new shop and sell in it.
I learnt to calculate quickly and to make up games for children.
What shall I do better next time?
I would try to find more goods for the shop and better calculating machines.