Needs and Wants
Glossary
Needs - things we cannot live without.
Wants - things that we can live without, but like to have.
Continuum
Use an imaginary line in the class and label one end Strongly Agree and the other end Strongly Disagree. Students respond to each statement below by positioning themselves along the agree/disagree line. Give students an opportunity to justify their decision.
"Chocolate is a need." "Clothes are a want."
"A new computer is a need." "Clean water is a want."
"Friendship is a need." "A holiday to Fiji is a need."
"Sleep is a need."
Is it a need or a want?
Students work in groups to play IS IT A NEED OR A WANT. They write down as many goods and services as they can think of on small cards in a 10 minute time frame. They swap their cards with another group and as a group match the product/service under the appropriate heading NEED or WANT. Students in groups reflect on what defines a need or a want. Write a class definition to be displayed.
Students could record these under headings using whiteboard markers on their desks (these wash off with water and a cloth).
Wall Walk
On a piece of butchers paper record each of the people listed below. Give each group a piece of paper with a person written a the top. Students must work in groups of 2 or 3 to record as many needs and wants as they can for the person that they are given. Once finished, each group should hang their paper on a wall. They will then participate in the 'Wall Walk' where each group will visit each page for one minute and remove two needs or wants from each person in a rotational motion. Students repeat this process until they have visited each 'Wall'. Teachers should then facilitate a discussion with the reflective questions provided below.
1. A rock star
2. A baby
3. A person in a wheelchair
4. A computer salesperson
5. A non-English-speaking family arriving in Australia
6. An athlete preparing for the Olympics
7. A parent of an 11 year old
8. A family whose house has been destroyed by fire
9. A computer game designer
10. A person climbing Mount Everest
11. An astronaut
12. A dairy farmer
REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS
"Which items were most commonly eliminated in the first round? Why?"
"Which items were most commonly eliminated in the second round? Why?"
"Did the members of your group have any disagreements over the items to eliminate?"
"Which ones and why?"
"What do you think is the difference between “needs” and “wants”?"
"Which items on the list were needs? Which were wants?"
"Do needs and wants differ for different people?"
"Are some people’s opinions and decisions right or wrong?"
Good Service or Bad Service?
What can a consumer do if there is a problem with goods or services?
Explain to students that consumers can return, exchange or repair if goods are faulty or unsuitable.
Glossary
Consumer affairs are a community resource that can help resolve problems.
As a class discussion, students share stories about poor experiences they have had as a consumer.
- Reason for writing
- When you bought the product
- What happened
- How much you paid
- What you want to happen
- Your rights and responsibilities
- If this is not resolved, contact Consumer Affairs in your state
Discuss the power of letter writing and the structures and features of writing a letter of complaint.
Needs - things we cannot live without.
Wants - things that we can live without, but like to have.
Continuum
Use an imaginary line in the class and label one end Strongly Agree and the other end Strongly Disagree. Students respond to each statement below by positioning themselves along the agree/disagree line. Give students an opportunity to justify their decision.
"Chocolate is a need." "Clothes are a want."
"A new computer is a need." "Clean water is a want."
"Friendship is a need." "A holiday to Fiji is a need."
"Sleep is a need."
Is it a need or a want?
Students work in groups to play IS IT A NEED OR A WANT. They write down as many goods and services as they can think of on small cards in a 10 minute time frame. They swap their cards with another group and as a group match the product/service under the appropriate heading NEED or WANT. Students in groups reflect on what defines a need or a want. Write a class definition to be displayed.
Students could record these under headings using whiteboard markers on their desks (these wash off with water and a cloth).
Wall Walk
On a piece of butchers paper record each of the people listed below. Give each group a piece of paper with a person written a the top. Students must work in groups of 2 or 3 to record as many needs and wants as they can for the person that they are given. Once finished, each group should hang their paper on a wall. They will then participate in the 'Wall Walk' where each group will visit each page for one minute and remove two needs or wants from each person in a rotational motion. Students repeat this process until they have visited each 'Wall'. Teachers should then facilitate a discussion with the reflective questions provided below.
1. A rock star
2. A baby
3. A person in a wheelchair
4. A computer salesperson
5. A non-English-speaking family arriving in Australia
6. An athlete preparing for the Olympics
7. A parent of an 11 year old
8. A family whose house has been destroyed by fire
9. A computer game designer
10. A person climbing Mount Everest
11. An astronaut
12. A dairy farmer
REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS
"Which items were most commonly eliminated in the first round? Why?"
"Which items were most commonly eliminated in the second round? Why?"
"Did the members of your group have any disagreements over the items to eliminate?"
"Which ones and why?"
"What do you think is the difference between “needs” and “wants”?"
"Which items on the list were needs? Which were wants?"
"Do needs and wants differ for different people?"
"Are some people’s opinions and decisions right or wrong?"
Good Service or Bad Service?
What can a consumer do if there is a problem with goods or services?
Explain to students that consumers can return, exchange or repair if goods are faulty or unsuitable.
Glossary
Consumer affairs are a community resource that can help resolve problems.
As a class discussion, students share stories about poor experiences they have had as a consumer.
- Reason for writing
- When you bought the product
- What happened
- How much you paid
- What you want to happen
- Your rights and responsibilities
- If this is not resolved, contact Consumer Affairs in your state
Discuss the power of letter writing and the structures and features of writing a letter of complaint.