Prices on the Board
A 40-minute Grade 1 lesson on reading prices, comparing them and working out what a basket costs.
Prices on the Board is a free 40-minute Kindergarten to Grade 2 social studies lesson plan for Common Core standard D2.Eco.5.K-2 — find out what things cost in a local shop or market. 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.5.K-2
Kindergarten to Grade 2 · Economics
D2.Eco.5.K-2
Identify prices of products in a local market.
Objective
Students will be able to add two prices and say whether they can afford the pair.
Students are successful when they can
- Reads two prices.
- Adds them.
- Says whether the money is enough.
What you need
- A pretend greengrocer with priced items
- Coins
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — cheapest and dearest
5 min- Read four prices off the board. Name the cheapest and the dearest.
- Ask how they know.
Teach — two things, one purse
13 min- Buy one item with a fixed purse. Easy.
- Buy two. Add the prices before handing anything over.
- Do one where the total is exactly the purse.
- Do one where it is one coin over, and decide what to put back.
- Say the shopper's question: what does the whole basket cost?
“Add them first. Then you know before you get to the till.”
Guided practice — run the shop
12 min- Pairs take turns shopping with a fixed purse and a two-item list.
- They add before paying.
- They record one basket they could not afford and what they changed.
Independent practice
8 min- Students complete the prices page.
- Read each question aloud.
Close
2 min- Give two prices and a purse. Take yes or no.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Compares one price to the purse and forgets the second item.
Why: One comparison feels complete.
Fix: Add first. The total is what the purse meets, not either price.
Thinks the dearer item is better.
Why: Bigger numbers are usually better in maths.
Fix: Ask which leaves more coins. When buying, cheaper is better.
Assumes the shopkeeper can change the price.
Why: They say the number.
Fix: Point at the chalked board. It was written before the shopper arrived.
If they are not there yet
- One item at a time.
- Totals under ten.
If they finish early
- Work out the change.
- Buy three items.
- Say which of two baskets is better value.
Exit ticket
Apples 3, potatoes 2. You have 4 coins. Can you buy both?
What to look for: No, with the total of 5. A yes means the add-first step needs enforcing.
Printable practice for D2.Eco.5.K-2
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Prices on the BoardCircle the best answer.
Questions about Prices on the Board
How long does the Prices on the Board 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 Prices on the Board teach?
D2.Eco.5.K-2 — D2.Eco.5.K-2, Economics for Kindergarten to Grade 2: “Identify prices of products in a local market.” In plain terms, find out what things cost in a local shop or market.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
A pretend greengrocer with priced items, 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: compares one price to the purse and forgets the second item; thinks the dearer item is better and assumes the shopkeeper can change the price. 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: “Apples 3, potatoes 2. You have 4 coins. Can you buy both?.” No, with the total of 5. A yes means the add-first step needs enforcing. 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 Prices on the Board?
Yes — 1 printable D2.Eco.5.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 Prices on the Board 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.5.K-2 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.