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2nd grade · Social Studies · Unit 8 of 10

Work and Prices

How work and prices change

What your child practices

Introduces why prices go up or down when something is hard to find or easy to find, and how jobs and work have changed over time.

Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards benchmark: 2.2.8.1 · opportunity cost: the next best choice you give up

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Something rare or scarce usually costs more.
  2. People may buy the cheaper one to save money.
  3. Work changes: machines help do jobs once done by hand or by horses.

Example: Why does a rare card cost more than a common card? Rare means hard to find. When fewer are available, people pay more. Answer: Fewer of them are available

Work and Prices in Minnesota

In the Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards, this is unit 8 of 10 in 2nd grade Social Studies, after Our Community Changes and before Work, Saving & Resources.

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: Minnesota Department of Education (MDE)

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

    Long ago, bakers kneaded dough by hand. Today bakers can also use…

    • a drum
    • a hammer
    • a rake
    • a mixing machine

  2. Question 2

    Which job is newer?

    • a lamplighter
    • a website maker
    • a blacksmith
    • a town crier

  3. Question 3

    What does it mean when something is scarce?

    • There is only a little of it
    • There is a lot of it
    • It is free
    • It is round

  4. Question 4

    Which job no longer exists in most places?

    • baking
    • lighting street lamps by hand
    • teaching
    • farming

  5. Question 5

    Why do people work?

    • to stop eating
    • to have no money
    • to be bored
    • to earn money for what they need

  6. Question 6

    Long ago, someone had to deliver ice for icebox fridges. Why do most people not need that job now?

    • We stopped eating
    • Ice is gone
    • We have electric fridges
    • People like warm food

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