Lesson Plans

SCHOLASTIC READING GROUP GUIDE

Click here to view discussion questions and great classroom activities put together by Scholastic Book Clubs

Financial

The Limit is a great starting point for classroom discussions about several different financial concepts. After reading The Limit as a class, discuss one or more of the following topics:

Needs vs. Wants
Discuss the difference between needs and wants. Make a list of some needs and some wants. You may want to use a website, such as the following to help in your discussion:  Click here (Click on the Needs or Wants option. This site contains several lesson plans for a variety of elementary economics topics.)

Debt
Discuss what debt is. Help children understand how using debt to purchase items results in a higher price tag for that item. The following website has some good teaching tools and worksheets to help kids understand how credit cards work, how to use them wisely, and the advantages and disadvantages to using them: Click here

Interest
This website includes a lesson plan and worksheet that teaches the concept of earning interest at a bank: Click here

Discuss the differences between earning interest on money saved versus paying interest on money borrowed.

Let the kids play around with different savings options on a website, such as the following, to see how much they could earn using compound interest to their advantage: Click here

They can also calculate difference scenarios of debt repayment by using an online debt calculator such as the one on the following link: Click here

Delaying Gratification
Watch the following video of The Marshmallow Test then discuss delayed gratification as it applies to money, saving, and debt: Click here
You can even do your own version of The Marshmallow Test in your classroom.

Another great website with a variety of financial lessons and activities for kids and teens: Click here

Child Labor

As a class, read The Limit then examine websites that feature information on child labor such as the following: Click here Click here Click here

Lead a discussion comparing and contrasting child labor in the past in the United States, in the present throughout the world and in The Limit.