What It Costs to Sell
A 40-minute Grade 1 lesson on what a shopkeeper spends before anything is sold.
What It Costs to Sell is a free 40-minute Kindergarten to Grade 2 social studies lesson plan for Common Core standard D2.Eco.7.K-2 — give examples of what it costs to make something. 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.7.K-2
Kindergarten to Grade 2 · Economics
D2.Eco.7.K-2
Describe examples of costs of production.
Objective
Students will be able to name what a seller had to pay for before a sale could happen.
Students are successful when they can
- Names what was bought first.
- Names a cost that is not stock.
- Says why the price is more than the cost.
What you need
- The greengrocer's board
- Cost cards: stock, rent, light, wages
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up — before the shop opened
5 min- Ask what had to happen before the greengrocer could sell an apple.
- Collect two or three things.
Teach — stock is not the only cost
13 min- Name the obvious cost: buying the apples from Hill Farm.
- Then name the less obvious: the shop itself, the light, the person serving.
- Say why the selling price is higher than the buying price.
- Ask what happens if the price is lower than the cost. The shop closes.
- Keep it simple — the point is that a price covers more than the thing.
“The apple cost him something before you paid anything.”
Guided practice — list the costs
12 min- Pairs match four local sellers to what it takes to sell.
- They add one cost that is not the goods themselves.
- They name the biggest cost on one list.
Independent practice
8 min- Students complete the what-it-costs page.
- Read each item aloud.
Close
2 min- Name a seller and two of their costs.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Thinks the whole price is profit.
Why: The shopkeeper receives all of it.
Fix: Ask what they paid Hill Farm. Most of the price was already spent.
Names only the stock.
Why: It is the visible cost.
Fix: Ask what else the shop pays for even on a day with no customers.
Thinks a higher price means greed.
Why: It is the simplest explanation.
Fix: Add up the costs. A price below them closes the shop.
If they are not there yet
- Two sellers rather than four.
- Give the stock cost and add one more.
If they finish early
- Say what happens if Hill Farm raises its price.
- Find a cost that stays the same however much is sold.
- Say why two shops might charge differently.
Exit ticket
Name two things the greengrocer pays for before selling an apple.
What to look for: The stock and one other cost. Stock alone means the what-else question needs asking.
Printable practice for D2.Eco.7.K-2
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- What It Costs to SellDraw a line from each one to what it takes.
Questions about What It Costs to Sell
How long does the What It Costs to Sell 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 What It Costs to Sell teach?
D2.Eco.7.K-2 — D2.Eco.7.K-2, Economics for Kindergarten to Grade 2: “Describe examples of costs of production.” In plain terms, give examples of what it costs to make something.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
The greengrocer's board, cost cards: stock, rent, light, wages 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: thinks the whole price is profit; names only the stock and thinks a higher price means greed. 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: “Name two things the greengrocer pays for before selling an apple.” The stock and one other cost. Stock alone means the what-else 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 What It Costs to Sell?
Yes — 1 printable D2.Eco.7.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 What It Costs to Sell 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.7.K-2 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.