Not Enough for Everything
A 40-minute Kindergarten lesson on scarcity: because there is never enough of everything, people have to choose.
Not Enough for Everything is a free 40-minute Kindergarten to Grade 2 social studies lesson plan for Common Core standard D2.Eco.1.K-2 — explain that because there is never enough of everything, people have to choose. It is timed across 5 sections, gives the exact wording to use where the wording carries the mathematics, names 3 misconceptions with the teaching move that addresses each, and ends with an exit ticket and a printable worksheet with its answer key.
- Grade:
- Kindergarten to Grade 2
- Length:
- 40 minutes
- Standard:
- D2.Eco.1.K-2
Kindergarten to Grade 2 · Economics
D2.Eco.1.K-2
Explain how scarcity necessitates decision making.
Objective
Students will be able to tell a need from a want and say why they cannot have everything.
Students are successful when they can
- Sorts things into needs and wants.
- Says which they would choose first.
- Says why they cannot have both.
What you need
- Picture cards of needs and wants
- Six counters per child, as pretend coins
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — six coins
5 min- Give each child six counters and show four things, each costing four.
- Ask how many they can buy. One.
Teach — need first, want after
13 min- Sort the cards into two piles: things you must have, things you would like.
- Name them: needs and wants.
- Ask which pile you would spend on first if you only had a little.
- Say the reason plainly: a need keeps you well, a want makes you happy, and needs come first when there is not enough.
- Show a borderline card — a coat in summer — and put it where the class decides, with a reason.
“You cannot have both. So which one do you need?”
Guided practice — sort and choose
12 min- Pairs sort eight cards into needs and wants.
- They pick two to buy with six coins and say why.
- Take feedback on any card they disagreed about.
Independent practice
8 min- Students complete the need-or-want page.
- Read each item aloud.
Close
2 min- Give two things. Take which comes first and why.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Calls something a need because they want it badly.
Why: Wanting strongly feels exactly like needing.
Fix: Ask what happens if you do not get it. A need has a real answer to that; a want has disappointment.
Thinks everything can be bought with enough coins.
Why: In the game it can, if you wait.
Fix: Fix the coins at six. Scarcity only teaches when it bites.
Thinks needs and wants are the same for everybody.
Why: Their own list feels universal.
Fix: The coat in summer. A need depends on where and when you are.
If they are not there yet
- Four cards rather than eight.
- Give the pile and add one more.
If they finish early
- Find something that is a need for one person and a want for another.
- Say what you would give up to get something bigger.
- Sort a want into 'now' and 'could wait'.
Exit ticket
You have coins for one thing. A warm coat or a toy? Which, and why?
What to look for: The coat, with a need-based reason. A want chosen with no reasoning means the what-happens-if-not question needs asking.
Printable practice for D2.Eco.1.K-2
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Need It or Want It?Sort each one into need or want.
Questions about Not Enough for Everything
How long does the Not Enough for Everything lesson take?
40 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 13 min, guided practice 12 min, independent practice 8 min, close 2 min. The minutes are stated per section and add up to the stated length, so the plan can be cut or extended at a section boundary rather than abandoned halfway.
Which standard does Not Enough for Everything teach?
D2.Eco.1.K-2 — D2.Eco.1.K-2, Economics for Kindergarten to Grade 2: “Explain how scarcity necessitates decision making.” In plain terms, explain that because there is never enough of everything, people have to choose.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
Picture cards of needs and wants, six counters per child, as pretend coins and the printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan. Everything listed is either ordinary classroom equipment or a free printable from this site — there is nothing to buy and nothing to prepare beyond photocopying.
What mistakes should I expect in this lesson?
Three, each a reasoning error rather than carelessness: calls something a need because they want it badly; thinks everything can be bought with enough coins and thinks needs and wants are the same for everybody. The plan gives the thinking behind each one and the teaching move that addresses the thinking rather than the symptom.
How do I know whether the lesson worked?
The exit ticket asks: “You have coins for one thing. A warm coat or a toy? Which, and why?.” The coat, with a need-based reason. A want chosen with no reasoning means the what-happens-if-not question needs asking. That tells you whether the class needs a reteach or a thirty-second conversation before you plan tomorrow.
Is there a worksheet to go with Not Enough for Everything?
Yes — 1 printable D2.Eco.1.K-2 worksheet, linked at the end of the plan and free like the rest of the site. Each one comes with an answer key and 25 versions, so the practice after the lesson can be a different paper on every desk.
Is Not Enough for Everything free to use?
Yes. The plan, its printables and their answer keys are free to read, print and photocopy for your own class, with no account and no email capture. It was last reviewed on 7 September 2026. Please do not resell it or republish it as your own.
Last reviewed 2026-09-07. Aligned to D2.Eco.1.K-2 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.