Pages 1 and 2: Item cards (teacher cuts one set per pair)
Cut on the lines. One set is 30 cards. Cards marked with a star (*) are the ten to remove for the grade 6 set of 20. Each card has the item, a picture cue in words, and a price so the sort and the $100 task use the same numbers. Prices are Long Island prices for 2026 and are to be refreshed before teaching.
| Card | Item | Picture cue | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Winter coat | a puffy coat on a hook | $60 |
| 2 | Second winter coat in a different color * | two coats on hooks | $60 |
| 3 | Monthly bus pass to get to school | a bus with a fare card | $60 |
| 4 | Smartphone | a phone with a cracked corner | $25 a month |
| 5 | Name brand sneakers | sneakers with a logo | $90 |
| 6 | Plain sneakers that fit | white sneakers, no logo | $40 |
| 7 | School lunch | a tray with a sandwich and fruit | $3.50 a day |
| 8 | Bubble tea after school * | a cup with a wide straw | $7 |
| 9 | Streaming subscription | a TV screen with a play button | $12 a month |
| 10 | Notebook and pens for school | a notebook and two pens | $8 |
| 11 | Glasses (you need them to read the board) | a pair of glasses | $150 |
| 12 | Video game, new release | a game case | $70 |
| 13 | Birthday gift for a sibling | a wrapped box | $20 |
| 14 | Haircut | scissors and a comb | $25 |
| 15 | Concert ticket * | a ticket stub | $120 |
| 16 | Toothpaste and a toothbrush | a toothbrush in a cup | $6 |
| 17 | Gym or sports club membership | a basketball | $30 a month |
| 18 | A snack from the deli every day * | a bag of chips | $3 a day |
| 19 | Umbrella | an open umbrella | $12 |
| 20 | Wireless earbuds * | two earbuds in a case | $50 |
| 21 | Doctor visit copay | a clipboard with a heart | $30 |
| 22 | Ride share to a friend's house * | a car with a phone icon | $15 |
| 23 | Laptop for schoolwork | an open laptop | $350 |
| 24 | Gaming laptop upgrade * | a laptop with glowing keys | $1,200 |
| 25 | Backpack | a backpack with straps | $35 |
| 26 | Backpack in this year's style * | a backpack with a logo | $80 |
| 27 | Water bottle | a reusable bottle | $10 |
| 28 | Pizza slice with friends on Friday * | a slice on a paper plate | $4 |
| 29 | Savings for a goal | a jar with coins | any amount |
| 30 | Phone case with a design * | a phone case with a picture | $20 |
Page 3: The 100 Dollar Sheet
Name: ______________________ Date: __________ Partner: ______________________
The test sentence (copy it from the board): _____________________________________________________________________________
Part A: Our three hardest gray zone cards
Write the card and what would move it to NEED or to WANT.
| Card | It becomes a NEED if... | It becomes a WANT if... |
|---|---|---|
Part B: You have $100. What do you do?
Rules: cover at least one need before any want. Do not go over $100. Anything you do not spend goes to savings. Prices are for one month where the card says "a month."
| Item | Price | Buy, skip, or save? | N (need), W (want), or G (gray zone)? | Running total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly bus pass to school | $60 | |||
| Notebook and pens | $8 | |||
| Toothpaste and toothbrush | $6 | |||
| School lunch for one week (5 days) | $17.50 | |||
| Streaming subscription (one month) | $12 | |||
| Bubble tea after school (one time) | $7 | |||
| Birthday gift for a sibling | $20 | |||
| Video game, new release | $70 | |||
| Haircut | $25 | |||
| Umbrella | $12 | |||
| Phone case with a design | $20 | |||
| Pizza slice with friends (one time) | $4 | |||
| Plain sneakers that fit | $40 | |||
| Water bottle | $10 |
Total spent: $__________ Total saved: $__________ (spent plus saved must equal $100)
Grade 6 short list: use only the first eight rows.
Part C: Explain it (three sentences)
- One need I covered and why: ______________________________________________________
- One want I skipped and why: ______________________________________________________
- The value (from Lesson 2.1) that decided my hardest choice: __________________________
3, continued: _____________________________________________________________________________
Exit line (3-2-1)
3 items I called needs: ________________, ________________, ________________
2 wants I skipped today: ________________, ________________
1 value that decided a hard card: ________________
The teacher key for this handout is behind the teacher sign in. Teacher key