Lesson Plans
Dictionary Term Focus: Need
Core Concept Across All Grades
A need is something essential for living, learning, or staying safe. When children learn to identify needs, they build skills to prioritize spending, make thoughtful choices, and take care of what matters most first.
K–2 Lesson Plan
Grade Band: K–2 (Ages 5–7)
Big Ideas
A need is something I must have to live or stay safe.
Needs come before wants.
I can use money to take care of my needs first.
Learning Objectives
Learners can:
Recognize and understand the word need
Explain that a need is something necessary for living, learning, or safety
Identify simple examples of needs
Standards Alignment
Council for Economic Education (CEE): Decision Making
Jump$tart Coalition: Financial Decision Making
National Financial Educators Council (NFEC): Responsibility and awareness
CASEL: Self-Management, Responsible Decision-Making
Materials
Dictionary definition of Need (kid-friendly version)
Picture cards showing needs and wants
Play money
Lesson Flow (15–20 minutes)
1. Word Introduction & Sound Familiarity (2 minutes)
Teacher says:
“Today’s word is need.”
Have students:
Listen to the word
Say the word together: “Need.”
Say it once more slowly: “Need.”
Teacher uses the word in simple sentences:
“I need food to eat.”
“I need a coat to stay warm.”
Explain:
“Today we are going to learn what the word need means.”
2. Simple Definition & Meaning (3 minutes)
Teacher says and displays the definition:
“A need is something you must have to live, learn, or stay safe.”
Have students repeat the sentence together once.
Teacher gives a concrete example:
“Food is a need.”
“A toy is not a need.”
3. Warm-Up Conversation: Everyday Needs (3 minutes)
Ask:
“What are some things you need every day?”
“What helps you stay safe or learn?”
Reinforce:
“Needs help take care of us.”
4. Bridge to Money Choices (3 minutes)
Teacher says:
“People use money to take care of their needs.”
Ask:
“What happens if we don’t pay for our needs first?”
“Why do needs come before wants?”
Offer examples if needed:
“Buying food”
“Paying for a place to live”
“Getting school supplies”
Reinforce:
“Taking care of needs first helps everything else work better.”
5. Read & Discuss the Definition (4 minutes)
Read the kid-friendly dictionary definition of need again.
Ask:
“Can needs wait?”
“Are needs more important than wants?”
Key idea to reinforce:
“Needs come first.”
6. Guided Practice (3 minutes)
Show picture cards and ask:
“Is this a need or a want?”
“Do we need this to live or stay safe?”
Students respond using the sentence frame:
“This is a need.”
7. Practice Activity: Need First (3–4 minutes)
Students act out:
Seeing two items (one need, one want)
Choosing the need first
Teacher reinforces:
“Needs come before wants.”
Assessment (Informal)
Students can:
Explain what a need is
Identify an example of a need
Take-Home Connection
“Talk with someone at home about one need your family takes care of every day.”
Grades 3–5 Lesson Plan
Grade Band: 3–5 (Ages 8–10)
Big Idea
Needs are essential, and meeting needs first helps guide smart money choices.
Learning Objectives
Students can:
Explain the meaning of the word need
Describe the difference between needs and wants
Explain why needs usually come before wants
Standards Alignment
Council for Economic Education (CEE): Decision Making
Jump$tart Coalition: Financial Decision Making
National Financial Educators Council (NFEC): Behavioral awareness
CASEL: Self-Control, Reflection
Materials
Dictionary definition of Need (kid and grown-up versions)
Scenario cards (need vs. want situations)
Chart paper or board
Lesson Flow (20–25 minutes)
1. Word Reintroduction & Meaning Check (4 minutes)
Teacher says:
“Today’s word is need.”
Ask:
“How would you explain a need in your own words?”
Read the kid-friendly definition.
Invite students to restate it.
Reinforce:
“A need is something important for living or learning.”
2. Warm-Up Question (4 minutes)
Ask:
“Why do people take care of needs before wants?”
List responses.
3. Read & Analyze the Definition (5 minutes)
Read the grown-up definition.
Ask:
“What problems happen when needs are ignored?”
“How do needs affect spending choices?”
Write on the board:
Need → Priority → Choice
4. Scenario Activity (8–10 minutes)
Present scenarios and ask:
“Which is the need?”
“What happens if the want is chosen first?”
Reinforce:
“Needs guide priorities.”
5. Reflection (4–5 minutes)
Students complete:
“One need I must take care of is…”
“Taking care of needs helps because…”
Assessment (Informal)
Students can:
Define a need
Identify needs vs. wants
Explain why needs come first
Take-Home Extension
“Notice one need your family pays for this week.”
Grades 6–8 Lesson Plan
Grade Band: 6–8 (Ages 11–13)
Big Idea
Identifying needs helps prioritize spending and supports responsible money management.
Learning Objectives
Students can:
Clearly define the word need
Analyze how needs influence spending decisions
Explain how prioritizing needs supports financial stability
Standards Alignment
Council for Economic Education (CEE): Decision Making
Jump$tart Coalition: Financial Decision Making
National Financial Educators Council (NFEC): Informed financial behavior
CASEL: Self-Management, Goal Setting
Materials
Dictionary definition of Need
Scenario comparison worksheet
Optional budget-priority worksheet
Lesson Flow (30 minutes)
1. Word Reintroduction & Precision Check (5 minutes)
Teacher says:
“Today’s focus word is need.”
Ask:
“How would you define a need?”
“Why do needs matter more than wants in budgeting?”
Refine definitions together.
2. Opening Question (5 minutes)
Ask:
“What happens when people spend on wants before needs?”
Discuss consequences and trade-offs.
3. Definition Discussion & Framing (5 minutes)
Ask:
“How do needs shape priorities?”
“Which needs change as we grow older?”
Connect to:
Housing
Food
Education
Health
4. Scenario Comparison (10 minutes)
Compare:
Paying for needs first
Spending on wants first
Ask:
“Which approach leads to more stability?”
“Which creates stress or problems?”
5. Personal Application (5 minutes)
Students write:
One need they are responsible for now or soon
One way prioritizing needs helps their future
One habit that supports meeting needs
Assessment
Students can:
Define needs clearly
Explain how needs guide spending
Connect needs to financial stability
Real-World Extension
Connect to:
Budgeting
Goal setting
Wants vs. needs decision-making
Teacher Notes
Keep examples age-appropriate and culturally sensitive
Avoid shame or comparison
Reinforce needs as priorities, not restrictions
Pair with dictionary lessons for Want, Spend, Save, and Budget
Bottom Line
The word Need helps children understand what is essential and why priorities matter. When students learn to identify needs and take care of them first, they build habits that support stability, confidence, and smarter money choices.
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