Lesson Plans
Dictionary Term Focus: Want
Core Concept Across All Grades
A want is something a person would like to have but does not need to live or stay safe. When children learn to recognize wants, they build skills to pause, compare options, and make thoughtful money choices.
K–2 Lesson Plan
Grade Band: K–2 (Ages 5–7)
Big Ideas
A want is something I would like to have.
Wants are fun, but I can wait for them.
I can stop and think before spending money on a want.
Learning Objectives
Learners can:
Recognize and understand the word want
Explain that a want is something nice to have but not needed
Identify simple examples of wants
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 Want (kid-friendly version)
Picture cards showing wants and needs
Play money
Lesson Flow (15–20 minutes)
1. Word Introduction & Sound Familiarity (2 minutes)
Teacher says:
“Today’s word is want.”
Have students:
Listen to the word
Say the word together: “Want.”
Say it once more slowly: “Want.”
Teacher uses the word in simple sentences:
“I want a new toy.”
“Sometimes we want things we can wait for.”
Explain:
“Today we are going to learn what the word want means.”
2. Simple Definition & Meaning (3 minutes)
Teacher says and displays the definition:
“A want is something you would like to have, but do not need.”
Have students repeat the sentence together once.
Teacher gives a concrete example:
“A toy is a want.”
“Food is not a want—it is a need.”
3. Warm-Up Conversation: Everyday Wants (3 minutes)
Ask:
“What is something you want?”
“Is it something you need to live or stay safe?”
Reinforce:
“Wants are things we like, but we can wait for them.”
4. Bridge to Money Choices (3 minutes)
Teacher says:
“Sometimes we use money to buy things we want.”
Ask:
“Do we have to buy everything we want right away?”
“What happens if we wait?”
Offer examples if needed:
“We can save money”
“We can decide later”
“We can choose something else”
Reinforce:
“Thinking before spending on a want is a smart choice.”
5. Read & Discuss the Definition (4 minutes)
Read the kid-friendly dictionary definition of want again.
Ask:
“Can wants wait?”
“Do we need wants to live?”
Key idea to reinforce:
“Wants are optional.”
6. Guided Practice (3 minutes)
Show picture cards and ask:
“Is this a want or a need?”
“Could we wait for this?”
Students respond using the sentence frame:
“This is a want.”
7. Practice Activity: Want or Wait? (3–4 minutes)
Students act out:
Seeing something they want
Stopping
Thinking
Choosing to wait or not
Teacher reinforces:
“Waiting can be a smart money move.”
Assessment (Informal)
Students can:
Explain what a want is
Identify an example of a want
Take-Home Connection
“Talk with someone at home about one thing you want and whether it can wait.”
Grades 3–5 Lesson Plan
Grade Band: 3–5 (Ages 8–10)
Big Idea
Wants are choices, and deciding which wants matter most helps money last longer.
Learning Objectives
Students can:
Explain the meaning of the word want
Describe the difference between wants and needs
Explain why waiting before buying a want can be helpful
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 Want (kid and grown-up versions)
Scenario cards (want vs. need situations)
Chart paper or board
Lesson Flow (20–25 minutes)
1. Word Reintroduction & Meaning Check (4 minutes)
Teacher says:
“Today’s word is want.”
Ask:
“How would you explain a want in your own words?”
Read the kid-friendly definition.
Invite students to restate it.
Reinforce:
“A want is something you would like, but do not need.”
2. Warm-Up Question (4 minutes)
Ask:
“Can you think of a time you wanted something but waited?”
List responses.
3. Read & Analyze the Definition (5 minutes)
Read the grown-up definition.
Ask:
“Why do wants involve choices?”
“How do wants affect how we spend money?”
Write on the board:
Want → Choice → Result
4. Scenario Activity (8–10 minutes)
Present scenarios and ask:
“Is this a want or a need?”
“What happens if you buy it now?”
“What happens if you wait?”
Reinforce:
“Not every want needs to be bought right away.”
5. Reflection (4–5 minutes)
Students complete:
“One want I could wait for is…”
“Waiting helps my money because…”
Assessment (Informal)
Students can:
Define a want
Identify wants vs. needs
Explain why waiting can be helpful
Take-Home Extension
“Notice one want this week and think about whether it was worth spending money on.”
Grades 6–8 Lesson Plan
Grade Band: 6–8 (Ages 11–13)
Big Idea
Understanding wants helps me prioritize spending and align money with my goals.
Learning Objectives
Students can:
Clearly define the word want
Analyze how wants influence spending decisions
Explain how prioritizing wants supports long-term goals
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 Want
Scenario comparison worksheet
Optional priority-ranking worksheet
Lesson Flow (30 minutes)
1. Word Reintroduction & Precision Check (5 minutes)
Teacher says:
“Today’s focus word is want.”
Ask:
“How would you define a want?”
“Why are wants harder to manage than needs?”
Refine definitions together.
2. Opening Question (5 minutes)
Ask:
“How do wants influence everyday spending?”
Discuss impulse, advertising, and peer influence.
3. Definition Discussion & Framing (5 minutes)
Ask:
“What happens when wants are not prioritized?”
“How can wants conflict with goals?”
Connect to:
Saving
Budgeting
Goal setting
4. Scenario Comparison (10 minutes)
Compare:
Spending on immediate wants
Waiting and prioritizing
Ask:
“Which creates more future options?”
“Which supports long-term goals?”
5. Personal Application (5 minutes)
Students write:
One want they often think about
One strategy to manage that want
One goal that could benefit from waiting
Assessment
Students can:
Define wants clearly
Explain how wants affect spending
Connect managing wants to future outcomes
Real-World Extension
Connect to:
Advertising and marketing
Social pressure
Needs vs. wants decision-making
Teacher Notes
Avoid labeling wants as bad or wrong
Emphasize choice and priorities
Reinforce waiting as a strategy, not a rule
Pair with dictionary lessons for Need, Spend, Save, and Budget
Bottom Line
The word Want helps students understand that not everything they desire needs to be purchased right away. By learning to recognize wants and pause before spending, children build decision-making skills that help their money last longer and support what matters most.
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