Grocery Store Adventure: Shopping Smart!

Overview

This play-based learning activity stimulates a grocery store experience designed for Grades 1-3 students. By assuming various roles within the grocery store set-up, students will explore skills such as numeracy and decision making to enhance their financial literacy.

NB Curricular Connections

Mathematics (Grades 1-3):

• Strand: Number – Big Idea: Operations

English Language Arts (1-3):

• Strand: Representations – Big Idea: Spelling
• Strand: Representations – Big Idea: Composition
• Strand: Representations – Big Idea: Exchanges

Personal Wellness (3):

• Strand: Mental Fitness – Big Idea: Decision Making

Explore Your World (1,2)

• Strand: Play and Playfulness – Big Idea: Imagination and Creativity

What you’ll need

• Book Suggestion: Pete the Cat Goes to the Grocery Store
• Pretend Food (plastic, play materials)
• Grocery List (Printable included)
• Double sided counters or money (printout included)
• Chart Paper
• Markers
• Inventory Checklists (Printable Included)
• Price tags (Printable Included)
• Receipt Paper (Printable Included)

Instructions

1. Read Aloud

• Read the Book “Pete the Cat Goes to the Grocery Store”

2. Introduction to Grocery Stores

• Discuss the concept of a grocery store and the types of items typically found there.

• Guiding questions: What is a grocery store, and what types of things are purchased at the grocery store? What have you seen in a grocery store? What does it mean to buy something? How do we earn money?

• Brainstorm and compile a list of common grocery store items for reference.

3. Creating the Class Grocery Store

• Gather materials resembling grocery items and allow students to identify additional items from around the classroom or bring in. These can also be created through art if desired.
• Display all items on a visible table or shelves for easy access.

4. Pricing Items

• Guiding Questions: Where do we see numbers at the grocery store? At the grocery store, all products have price tags on them. What is a price tag? What does it mean? Why are they different numbers?

• Explain the purpose of price tags and their role in determining the cost of items.
• Decide on prices for each item; attach price tags or labels accordingly.
• Tip: For 1 to 1 correspondence, all items can be $1, or for practicing addition and subtraction items can range from (1-10$), refine this to meet the needs of your class and the goal for your students throughout this activity.

5. Setting Up the Grocery Store

• Decide on departments (e.g., bakery, deli, fruits & veggies) and assign students to create signs (or posters) for each department.
• Arrange items in their designated departments to resemble a real grocery store with their price tags

6. Roles and Responsibilities

• Divide students into groups rotating through roles: department workers, cashiers, and customers.
• Ensure department workers manage and record inventory, cashiers handle and record transactions, and customers shop within their budget using provided tokens.

7. Grocery List

• As a class, choose 3-4 items you will purchase at the grocery store (this will be used as an example). Record those items, and their price tags.
  • Determine how much money you need for those items. Provide students with a scenario “If I had $15, bought those items, how much is left over?” and “If I had $4 how much more money do I need?” For addition and subtraction practice.
• Then each student will create a shopping list to write or draw the items they intend to purchase at the grocery store
• They can refer to the reference chart for ideas, or plan to make something and determine ingredients needed.
• Students also must think about how much money (tokens) they have, to purchase the items. They may have to make decisions on what to take and what to leave behind.
• Encourage students to calculate costs and budget their tokens accordingly.

8. Shopping

• Each student is given 10-20 counters, this is student’s budget for their shopping (1 item = 1 counter, or price of item = number of counters) or pretend money (printouts included)
• Student shoppers will navigate through the grocery store, interact with department workers to collect items, and proceed to the cashier for checkout.
• They manage their tokens to ensure they stay within budget while purchasing their desired items. If they have left over money, they can keep or give to a friend.
• Or if this is an ongoing learning, students can earn tokens as part of their reward system.

9. Class Reflection

• Using the below guiding questions and activities allow students to see how financial literacy, budgeting, and earning money is very important for everyday life. Buying groceries can be very expensive so within your budget (of how much money you earn) you have to make decisions of what to purchase.
• Financial Literacy: Discuss the concept of money, budgeting, and making financial decisions within the context of grocery shopping.
  • If you had: $15 is it better to buy one $15 item or five $3 items?
  • If you had: $10 but wanted something $13, what would you do to get the money to afford it?
  • What are ways to make money at your age?
• Math Extension: Utilize varied item prices for more complex addition and subtraction exercises. Each student using a whiteboard or paper independently determines the monetary value. This can be written, or auditory by the teacher.  These prices are examples, use the ones used in your classroom.
  • I want to buy three eggs ($3 total), two chocolate chip muffins ($4) and a loaf of bread ($5) how much money do I need? Answer: $12
  • I had $13, and I bought 2 carrots ($2), 4 yogurts ($4) and 1 donut ($1) how much money do I have left over? Answer: $6

10. From Farm to Table

• As a class brainstorm the many people that help get food from the farm to the table.
• By explaining the roles of these various people involved in the food supply chain, learners gain a better understanding of how food travels and helps them appreciate the efforts of those involved in providing food for their families.
  • Farmers – The initial producers who grow crops or raise animals on farms. They plant seeds, nurture plants, and care for animals until they are ready for harvest.
  • Truck Drivers: These professionals transport raw ingredients or harvested crops from farms to processing facilities or directly to food manufacturing plants.
  • Food Processors/Manufacturers: Food processing plants and factories take raw ingredients and transform them into food products. This can involve cooking, canning, freezing, drying, packaging, and other processes.
  • Chefs and Cooks: In restaurants, chefs and cooks create meals using ingredients sourced from farms, wholesalers, or distributors. They prepare food according to recipes and culinary techniques.
  • Wholesalers/Distributors: These are companies or individuals responsible for buying large quantities of food from producers or manufacturers and then distributing them to retailers like supermarkets and restaurants.
  • Supermarket Managers: Supermarket managers oversee the operations of supermarkets or grocery stores. They decide which products to stock, manage inventory, and ensure that the store meets health and safety regulations.
  • Cashiers and Store Clerks: These are the people you see at the checkout counter in supermarkets. They scan items, accept payments, and help customers with their purchases.
  • Delivery Drivers: Delivery drivers transport food products from distribution centers or supermarkets to customers’ homes through grocery delivery services or home delivery options offered by supermarkets.
  • Home Cooks: Finally, at home, parents or caregivers purchase food from supermarkets or farmers’ markets and then prepare meals for their families.
• After a discussion watch the below video of a “Milk’s journey from farm to table” LINK

Reflection Activity 

Please see the attached PDF for several choices on how you and your learners can reflect on today’s activity