John Deere, That's Who! : simplebooklet.com

Reading Makes Cents 2019-2020John Deere, That’s Who!John Deere, That’s Who!Book Synopsis: In the 1830s a young blacksmith living in Vermont is having a run of badluck. Deciding to get a new start he moves to Illinois and uses his skills to invent a steelplow that helped farmers cultivate the rich, thick soil.LessonJohn Deere Makes a DecisionIntroduction: After John Deere’s forge burns down for the second time, he has adecision to make. Should he rebuild or move on and try his luck in another location.Time: 25-30 minutesGrade Level: 3-5Materials:● Book – John Deere, That’s Who by Tracy Nelson Maurer● Visual- Economic Concepts● Visual- Decision-Making Grid● Activity Sheet- Decision-Making Grid● Writing ToolsObjectives● Students will review the definitions for the economic concepts: benefit, cost,consumer, producer, goods, services, choice, and opportunity cost.● Students will use a decision-making model to reach a decision by weighing thecosts and benefits of their options.● Students will develop skills using the decision-making model in order to improvetheir ability to make reasoned decisions.1Lynne Farrell StoverJames Madison University Center for Economic Education

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Reading Makes Cents 2019-2020John Deere, That’s Who!Virginia Standards of Learning – History and Social ScienceK-3.1hThe student will demonstrate skills for historical thinking, geographical analysis,economic decision making, and responsible citizenship by using a decision-making model tomake informed decisions.K.9The student willa) recognize that people make choices because they cannot have everything they want; andb) explain that people work to earn money to buy the things they want.1.7The student will explain the difference between goods and services and describe howpeople are consumers and producers of goods and services.1.8The student will explain that people make choices because they cannot have everythingthey want.2.8The student will describe natural resources (water, soil, wood, and coal), human resources(people at work), and capital resources (machines, tools, and buildings).2.10The student will explain that scarcity (limited resources) requires people to make choicesabout producing and consuming goods and services.3.10The student will identify examples of making an economic choice and will explain the ideaof opportunity cost (what is given up when making a choice).Procedure:1. Prepare and collect materials prior to class.2. Introduce the lesson asking the students if they have ever heard of John Deere.Explain that the story they are about to hear takes place in the 1830s and isabout a decision John Deere make when he was a young blacksmith working inVermont.3. Read the book John Deere, That’s Who to the class. This takes between 4-5minutes. Read along YouTube link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Pzg0dFHyYE4. Review the listed economic concepts on Visual 1 with the students. These termshave connections to the story.5. Explain that all decisions have costs and benefits and that John Deereexperienced some positive and some negative things when he moved to Illinois.Did he make the right choice? If he and his family had created a cost-benefitdecision grid before spending moving his business, would he still have leftVermont?6. Display Visual 2. Solicit suggestions from the students concerning the costs andbenefits of making and selling lemonade and record them on the Cost-BenefitDecision Grid visual. Accept all reasonable suggestions.2Lynne Farrell StoverJames Madison University Center for Economic Education

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Reading Makes Cents 2019-2020John Deere, That’s Who!Possible Student SuggestionsBenefits of moving to IllionisCosts of moving to Illionis☺ It might be a good thing to get newcostomers.☺ There would be fewer blacksmiths thereand less competition☺ You are a good blacksmith so starting at anew location might be good for business☺ You have to pay off a debt so you have towork☺ It will be interesting to solve newproblems in a creative way☹ You will miss your family☹ Your success depends on other peoplebeing able to be successful☹ The weather could be terrible.☹ Many other blacksmiths might have thesame idea and there would be too muchcompetition.☹ There may be no customers☹ You may not make enough money to payoff your dept7. Ask the students to use the information they have suggested on the Cost-BenefitDecision Grid to help them decide, if they were John Deere, if they would moveto Illinois. Take a class vote and record the most popular choice in the Decisionbox.8. Distribute the activity sheet and writing tools. Instruct students to complete aCost-Benefit Decision Grid based on another situation from the story. (Studentsmay work in pairs or small groups.) Decision Examples: Should John Deere builda new forge after the first one burns down? Should John Deere bring his familywith him to Illinois as he is starting his business? Should John Deere continuebeing a blacksmith?9. Allow students to share their completed Cost-Benefit Decision Grids includingtheir final decision with the class.10. Conclude the lesson by reminding the students that all choices have costs andbenefits. Often we will make better decisions if we stop and think about ourcosts and benefits before we choose what to do.Extension Activity:“Dig into More Facts about John Deere and his Company” is found in the back of thebook. This bulleted list of interesting facts contains details about the subject that thestudents will find fascinating. Encourage students to research an entrepreneur of theirown and create a list of five or more facts about this person. Some early Americanentrepreneurs include: P.T. Barnum, Andrew Carnegie, George Eastman, Thomas Edison,Henry Ford, Benjamin Franklin, Madam C.J. Walker, and George Westinghouse.3Lynne Farrell StoverJames Madison University Center for Economic Education

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Reading Makes Cents 2019-2020John Deere, That’s Who!Visual 1John Deere, That’s WhoEconomic ConceptsBenefit- A benefit is what satisfies your wants.A benefit is the positive effect of a decision. ☺Cost- A cost is what you give up when you decide to dosomething. A cost is the negative effect of a decision. ☹Consumer- A person who uses or buys goods and servicesis a consumer.Producer - A person who makes goods or provides servicesis a producer.Goods - Things people make or use to satisfy wants aregoods.Services - Activities that satisfy people’s wants areservices.Choice (or Economic Choice) - You cannot have all thegoods and services you want, so you must choose somethings and give up others. A choice is the decision youmake among alternatives or possibilities.Opportunity Cost - The next best choice that is given upwhen you make a decision is your opportunity cost.Visual 24Lynne Farrell StoverJames Madison University Center for Economic Education

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Reading Makes Cents 2019-2020John Deere, That’s Who!John Deere Makes a DecisionCost-Benefit Decision GridProblem: Should John Deere leave Vermont and move to Illinois to start anew business☺Benefits of moving to IllinoisA benefit is what satifies your wants☹Costs of moving to IllinoisA cost is what you give up when youdecide to do something☺☺☺☺☹☹☹☹Decision:5Lynne Farrell StoverJames Madison University Center for Economic Education

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Reading Makes Cents 2019 2020 John Deere That s Who John Deere That s Who Book Synopsis In the 1830s a young blacksmith living in Vermont is having a run of bad luck Deciding to get a new start he moves to Illinois and uses his skills to invent a steel plow that helped farmers cultivate the rich thick soil Lesson John Deere Makes a Decision Introduction After John Deere s forge burns down for the second time he has a decision to make Should he rebuild or move on and try his luck in another location Time 25 30 minutes Grade Level 3 5 Materials Book John Deere That s Who by Tracy Nelson Maurer Visual Economic Concepts Visual Decision Making Grid Activity Sheet Decision Making Grid Writing Tools Objectives Students will review the definitions for the economic concepts benefit cost consumer producer goods services choice and opportunity cost Students will use a decision making model to reach a decision by weighing the costs and benefits of their options Students will develop skills using the decision making model in order to improve their ability to make reasoned decisions 1 Lynne Farrell Stover James Madison University Center for Economic Education

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Reading Makes Cents 2019 2020 John Deere That s Who Virginia Standards of Learning History and Social Science K 3 1h K 9 1 7 1 8 2 8 2 10 3 10 The student will demonstrate skills for historical thinking geographical analysis economic decision making and responsible citizenship by using a decision making model to make informed decisions The student will a recognize that people make choices because they cannot have everything they want and b explain that people work to earn money to buy the things they want The student will explain the difference between goods and services and describe how people are consumers and producers of goods and services The student will explain that people make choices because they cannot have everything they want The student will describe natural resources water soil wood and coal human resources people at work and capital resources machines tools and buildings The student will explain that scarcity limited resources requires people to make choices about producing and consuming goods and services The student will identify examples of making an economic choice and will explain the idea of opportunity cost what is given up when making a choice Procedure 1 Prepare and collect materials prior to class 2 Introduce the lesson asking the students if they have ever heard of John Deere Explain that the story they are about to hear takes place in the 1830s and is about a decision John Deere make when he was a young blacksmith working in Vermont 3 Read the book John Deere That s Who to the class This takes between 4 5 minutes Read along YouTube link https www youtube com watch v _Pzg0dFHyYE 4 Review the listed economic concepts on Visual 1 with the students These terms have connections to the story 5 Explain that all decisions have costs and benefits and that John Deere experienced some positive and some negative things when he moved to Illinois Did he make the right choice If he and his family had created a cost benefit decision grid before spending moving his business would he still have left Vermont 6 Display Visual 2 Solicit suggestions from the students concerning the costs and benefits of making and selling lemonade and record them on the Cost Benefit Decision Grid visual Accept all reasonable suggestions 2 Lynne Farrell Stover James Madison University Center for Economic Education

John Deere, That's Who!

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