Value and Trade Scenario Cards
Used in: Weeks 1–3 (Understanding Value, Trade and Barter, Why Money Exists)
Print these cards, cut along the lines, and use them for the Value Exchange Game (Week 1), Barter Market Simulation (Week 2), and Introducing Currency activity (Week 3). Adapt freely — change items, names, or values to match your group.
Item Cards
Cut out one set per student. Each student starts with 4–6 cards for trading activities.
| Card | Item | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 🍎 | Fresh fruit | Food |
| 🍞 | Loaf of bread | Food |
| 🍬 | Bag of candy | Treat |
| 🧸 | Small stuffed animal | Toy |
| 📖 | Storybook | Entertainment |
| 🎨 | Art supply kit (markers and paper) | Craft |
| ⏰ | Extra recess pass (15 minutes) | Privilege |
| ⭐ | Sheet of shiny stickers | Craft |
| 🎵 | Music playlist card | Entertainment |
| 🧹 | Chore coupon (someone does a chore for you) | Service |
| 🔦 | Small flashlight | Tool |
| 🧩 | Puzzle book | Entertainment |
Print on cardstock for durability. For younger learners, add color or let them decorate the cards before the activity.
Want Lists
Give one want list to each student for the Barter Market (Week 2) and Currency Market (Week 3). Each list tells the student which 2–3 items they should try to acquire through trading.
Want List Set A (for groups of 4–8)
| Student | Wants |
|---|---|
| Student 1 | 🍞 Bread, 🎨 Art supplies |
| Student 2 | 🧸 Stuffed animal, ⏰ Recess pass |
| Student 3 | 🍬 Candy, 📖 Storybook |
| Student 4 | ⭐ Stickers, 🧹 Chore coupon |
| Student 5 | 🍎 Fruit, 🎵 Music card |
| Student 6 | 🔦 Flashlight, 🧩 Puzzle book |
| Student 7 | 📖 Storybook, 🧸 Stuffed animal |
| Student 8 | 🍞 Bread, ⭐ Stickers |
Deliberately assign want lists so that no student already holds exactly what they need. This ensures everyone must trade — and some students will experience the friction of barter when no direct match is available.
Want List Set B (harder — for groups of 6+)
| Student | Wants |
|---|---|
| Student 1 | 🧸 Stuffed animal, 🍬 Candy, 🎵 Music card |
| Student 2 | 🍎 Fruit, 🔦 Flashlight, ⏰ Recess pass |
| Student 3 | 🎨 Art supplies, 📖 Storybook, ⭐ Stickers |
| Student 4 | 🍞 Bread, 🧹 Chore coupon, 🧩 Puzzle book |
| Student 5 | ⏰ Recess pass, 🍬 Candy, 🔦 Flashlight |
| Student 6 | ⭐ Stickers, 🧸 Stuffed animal, 🍎 Fruit |
Value Ranking Sheet
Use in Week 1, Session 3 (Value Exchange Game). Each student ranks items from most to least valuable — to them personally.
My Value Ranking
| Rank | Item | Why I value it |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (most valuable) | ||
| 2 | ||
| 3 | ||
| 4 | ||
| 5 | ||
| 6 (least valuable) |
After ranking, compare with a partner. Notice where you agree and disagree.
Currency Tokens
For Week 3 (Introducing Currency), give each student a set of tokens. You can use coins, buttons, poker chips, or print and cut these paper tokens.
| Token | Value |
|---|---|
| ⚪ Small token | 1 unit |
| 🔵 Medium token | 3 units |
| 🟡 Large token | 5 units |
Starting amount: Each student begins with 15 units (for example: one 🟡, two 🔵, and four ⚪).
Price List for Currency Market
Post this where all students can see it during the Week 3 Introducing Currency activity.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| 🍎 Fruit | 2 units |
| 🍞 Bread | 3 units |
| 🍬 Candy | 2 units |
| 🧸 Stuffed animal | 4 units |
| 📖 Storybook | 3 units |
| 🎨 Art supplies | 2 units |
| ⏰ Recess pass | 5 units |
| ⭐ Stickers | 1 unit |
| 🎵 Music card | 2 units |
| 🧹 Chore coupon | 3 units |
| 🔦 Flashlight | 3 units |
| 🧩 Puzzle book | 4 units |
Barter Puzzle Cards
Use in Week 2, Session 2 to illustrate the "coincidence of wants" problem. Read aloud or print and distribute.
Puzzle 1 (4 people)
| Person | Has | Wants |
|---|---|---|
| Alex | 🍎 Apples | 🍞 Bread |
| Blake | 🍞 Bread | 🥛 Milk |
| Casey | 🥛 Milk | 🖍️ Crayons |
| Dana | 🖍️ Crayons | 🍎 Apples |
Question: Can everyone get what they want? How many trades does it take?
Puzzle 2 (5 people — harder)
| Person | Has | Wants |
|---|---|---|
| Emery | 🎨 Paint set | 📖 Book |
| Frankie | 📖 Book | 🧸 Toy |
| Gale | 🧸 Toy | 🍬 Candy |
| Harper | 🍬 Candy | 🔦 Flashlight |
| Indigo | 🔦 Flashlight | 🎨 Paint set |
Question: Trace the chain. Can it work? What happens if Gale does not want to trade?
Puzzle 3 (Impossible)
| Person | Has | Wants |
|---|---|---|
| Jordan | 🍎 Apples | 🍞 Bread |
| Kai | 🧸 Toy | 🎨 Art supplies |
| Lee | 🍞 Bread | 🧸 Toy |
Question: Can Jordan get bread? Why or why not? (Hint: nobody wants what Jordan has.)