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Theme Primer for Microschool (February 2026): MONEY TALKS

What’s in this primer

  1. Big picture Ideas and related concepts to touch on during various activities throughout the month.
  2. A monthly progression with weekly subthemes that build on previous learnings
  3. Weekly plans with activity suggestions for ITE, STEM, Literacy, and Art sessions
  4. A list of theme related projects
  5. Resources for Educators
  6. Resources (these resources have been organised into weekly plan)

Big Picture Ideas and Concepts

What something is "worth" depends on who's looking at it. Our preferences shape what we think things are worth.

Related Concepts:

  • Value is subjective — it depends on personal preferences and needs
  • We are influenced by what others think something is worth (social influence)
  • Our choices and preferences create demand
  • Wants and needs are different

Domains & Competencies:

  • Cognitive Development: Critical Thinking & Reasoning (Analytical thinking)
  • Language & Communication: Oral Communication (Persuasion and reasoning)
  • Social & Emotional Development: Social Skills (Empathy and perspective taking)

Money was invented to fix the problems of barter, giving everything a shared measure of value.

Related Concepts:

  • Barter relies on "coincidence of wants"
  • Money saves time by providing a common unit of account
  • Currency design features (watermarks, serial numbers) make money trustworthy

Domains & Competencies:

  • Cognitive Development: Executive Function (Systems thinking)
  • Language & Communication: Oral Communication (Vocabulary Development)
  • Practical Life Skills & Autonomy: Personal Responsibility (Currency recognition)

Scarcity forces us to choose. Every choice has a trade-off (opportunity cost).

Related Concepts:

  • Scarcity: Resources (time, money) are limited
  • Budgeting: Dividing resources into Spend, Save, Share, and Invest
  • Investing and Loans: Using money now for future returns

Domains & Competencies:

  • Cognitive Development: Executive Function (Planning & Organization; Decision Making)
  • Practical Life Skills & Autonomy: Personal Responsibility (Resource management; Budgeting)

Behind every product is a long chain of people, materials, skills, and time.

Related Concepts:

  • Production processes involve many steps and resources
  • Producers vs Consumers; Goods vs Services
  • Geography affects price due to travel and resource distribution

Domains & Competencies:

  • Cognitive Development: Scientific Thinking (Systems thinking)
  • Language & Communication: Oral Communication (Explanatory talk)
  • Cognitive Development: Global Awareness (Geography and resource distribution)

Material properties and shape determine structural strength and buoyancy.

Related Concepts:

  • Triangles are the strongest shape
  • Buoyancy depends on shape and density
  • Static electricity is an invisible force created by charge imbalance

Domains & Competencies:

  • Cognitive Development: Scientific Thinking (Engineering; Physics); Critical Thinking & Reasoning (Cause-and-effect)
  • Approaches to Learning: Learning Strategies (Trial and error; Persistence)

Monthly Progression

WEEK 1: Things Have Value, But Value Is in the Eye of the Beholder

Kids trade objects and discover that different people assign different values to the same thing. They explore how personal taste and social influence drive our decisions.

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WEEK 2: Money Was Invented Because Trading and Barter Wasn't Easy

Kids act out acquiring recipe ingredients first through barter, then with money. They discover why money makes transactions easier and faster, and explore currency design.

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WEEK 3: We Can't Have Everything, So We Have to Make Smart Choices

Through stories and budgeting activities, kids confront the scarcity of time and money. They explore trade-offs, opportunity costs, and how small investments grow.

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WEEK 4: Everything We Buy Has a Long Story Behind It

Kids trace the production journey of everyday items, learning about specialized roles, seasonal resources, and how geography affects the final price.

Weekly Plans

Projects

2. Budget Cooking Project

Kids take complete charge of making a shopping list, buying ingredients within a set budget, and cooking a simple recipe together.

Resources for Educators

Thematic Resource Bank