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Kindergarten · Social Studies · Unit 3 of 11

Needs & Wants

What do we really need?

What your child practices

Sorting needs (food, water, a home, warm clothes) from wants (toys and treats), and how families meet their needs.

Arizona Academic Standards learning standard: K.E2.1; K.E2.2 · needs, wants and making choices about what to give up

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. A need is something we must have to live.
  2. Food, water, a home and sleep are needs.
  3. A want is nice to have, like a toy. We can live without it.

Example: Which one is a need: water or a toy? Can we live without a toy? Yes. Can we live without water? No. Answer: water

Needs & Wants in Arizona

In the Arizona Academic Standards, this is unit 3 of 11 in Kindergarten Social Studies, after Families and before Places Near Me.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: Arizona Department of Education

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    Can we live without candy?

    • 🍭No, candy is a need
    • 🍬Yes, candy is a want

  2. Question 2

    Why do we need a home?

    • 🏠to be safe and warm
    • 📺to watch TV
    • 🧸to keep toys

  3. Question 3

    A family has a little money. What should they buy first?

    • 🍞food
    • 🧸a toy
    • 🍬candy

  4. Question 4

    You are thirsty. What do you need?

    • ⚽a ball
    • 🧸a teddy bear
    • 💧water

  5. Question 5

    Which one is a need?

    • 🍭a lollipop
    • 🪀a yo-yo
    • 💧water

  6. Question 6

    It is cold outside. What do you need?

    ❄️
    • 🧥a warm coat
    • 🍦ice cream
    • 🪁a kite

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