Today, Marc's dad Pedro visited us to help grade 5 learn more about budgets and costs. This was perfect timing, as companies involved in the Trading Game are now required to pay many of their own costs including: rent, materials and salaries. Employees, what did you learn today during our session with Pedro? What were your reactions to this new requirement? What was your company's balance after you paid out your costs? How did this change affect pricing of your items? What questions do you still have?

Employees involved in the Trading Game experienced the link between supply & demand and pricing yesterday.
Due to factors outside the producers' control, some companies were unable to produce certain products. This meant that only one company had fruit to sell. There was also only one company that was selling cotton.

At the beginning of our current unit, Grade 5 students brainstormed ways that we could investigate our lines of inquiry. One of the resources they suggested were people who work in the business world. Luckily, several parents offered to come and talk to the classes about their experiences, and to answer questions.

There are often external factors in the economy that affect production and trade. 'Companies' in the Trading Game experienced this yesterday. Some companies were not able to produce many pots because clay had become expensive. Another company had lost farm lands and was not able to grow certain fruits. The outside influences meant that companies needed to be flexible in their systems of production. The effect these factors will have on trade is yet to be established.

Hi Grade 5,
Tonight you need to write a 'letter of application' for the job that you would like at Big Buy. Please keep reading to see an example of what your letter might look like. Remember to include your experience, your education and profiles, skills and attitudes that you can bring to the job!

Central Idea:
People have developed organized systems for exchanging goods and services. The students have been exploring systems and inquiring into trading processes. This week they have enthusiastically taken up the challenge of "The Trading Game."
The students have been grouped into countries and the first thing they had to do was devise a system for production of their food. The second stage is for each member of their community to adopt a role and the responsibilities that the role entails. ind out more from the student responses and reflections.