Trade Fair class Activity

For the trade fair activity, everyone had to bring in an item to trade. We had to be willing to exchange for something else. Some people brought homemade items and some brought items that have meaning to it. Some people brought in multiple items while others only brought in one item. 

I only brought in one item, which is a pencil case. I trade it with cookies to get something else, which is cupcake. The story is that one classmate had brought a box of 6 red velvet cupcakes, they looked so delicious. I badly wanted just one cupcake but she didn’t want my pencil case that I brought to trade. Then she told me that if I could trade my item for some cookies that someone else brought in, she will be able to give me a cupcake for those cookies; she was dependent upon me to make this trade. I succeeded and hot the delicious cupcake.

This activity is a great method for teachers to help student imagine how people in the past traded goods and services. It was a fun activity that provided us how to actively teach economic concepts to young students. Teacher can use this activity to assist students learn about how economy works and then students can reflect on this trade fair activity after it is over.