Submitted by K. D'Anne Ibarra, Michigan
Idea posted November 15, 2002
I don't have any great ideas about getting off all those mailing lists, but I do have an idea on how to put all those catalogs to use. It's a music, math, and economics activity I do with 4th and 5th graders.
I "give" the students a dollar amount to spend, a few required purchases, and an order form (download available below). Then I turn them loose with the catalogs, and they get to decide how to spend their "money" as if they were the music teacher. I always tell them that music teachers don't generally have lots of money to spend, but it's fun to dream. I ask them to purchase music equipment that will best help their students to learn. I usually require the purchase of an alto xylophone, 2 kinds of drums, and enough of 1 instrument for an entire class. This generates lots of great discussions and students have such fun making their own choices. I borrow calculators from a classroom teacher and that speeds up the math process.
I kept getting duplicates of catalogs at home and at school, so this seemed like a meaningful way to put them to use. Students have a better appreciation of the equipment we have in our classroom when they see the costs involved.