[momof2cuties]

Does anyone implement or know of someone who utilizes a student run class economy. I tried the economy system last year and it just became too costly to provide prizes for the store and the paper work was too much! I thought I had seen on this board a post where someone described a classroom economy system that is completely run by the students. Thanks for your help!

[Jen72386]

Beth Newingham's economy may give you some ideas:

http://hill.troy.k12.mi.us/staff/bnewingham/myweb3/
http://content.scholastic.com/browse...lan.jsp?id=139

[MissTrace]

We have a classroom economy, and while I do have a class store I don't open it very often. I also don't do a lot of paperwork for it. My kids each have a "wallet" made from a plain envelope. They decorate it and put their name on it to keep their money in. Once a month or so I let them deposit classroom money into the bank.

Every month or two my grade level holds a business day. The kids bring in a list signed by parents of what they plan to sell prior to business day. They must also purchase a business license for $10 prior to that day. This keeps the kids who owe money from making money on business day. On business day my kids withdraw their money from the bank, create signs for their business listing what they will sell and their prices, and set up to sell at their desks. Then, we let the third graders loose for about 45 minutes to buy and sell. If a student leaves their "store" they must close until they return. The kids love this, it's free for the teachers, the kids make money, and the parents like cleaning out rooms and selling off old toys, books, etc.

We also occasionally do a movie day and sell tickets for a Friday movie. Students who attend the movie also have the opportunity to buy snacks. I purchase bags of popcorn and cotton candy at Smart and Final - there's usually plenty and I don't spend too much.

[twin2]

Our third graders break up into groups to sell goods or services that they come up with on their own. In the past, I know a child brought in a karoke machine and sold turns with that. Usually the goods are homemade, such as artwork or an inexpensive craft. Sometimes they bring in candy or some other snack to sell. They make up their own currency grade wide and visit each others classrooms to buy and sell. I don't work with third grade so I don't know all the details.

[Tessa]

We have a program here which many elementary schools use called Earn and Learn. It might be something you're interested in!

Tessa