needs and wants activity
TRANSCRIPT
8/9/2019 Needs and Wants Activity
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Materials
1 set “What do you need?
What do you want?” cards or
each pair o players
1 used envelope or each set o
cards
Preparation
• Print one set of cards for
each pair o people
• Cut the cards on the dotted
lines and put one set o
cards into each envelope
What do you need?
What do you want?Purpose: To help participants distinguish between personal needs and wants, and
consider how things are used or wasted.
This activity is designed or working in pairs.
What to do
1 Get a partner. I working with a larger group, divide into pairs.
2 In your pair, open your envelope o cards. Divide the cards into two groups:• things you need to live a healthy life
• things you don’t necessarily need, but that might be nice to have.
Take about ve minutes to complete this part of the activity.
3 As a group, discuss your “needs” and “wants.” Did you notice any basic needs that you elt
the cards did not represent (for example, things like “friends,” “clean air,” or “respect”)?
4 Again, in pairs, shufe your cards. Now divide the cards into these groups:
• things that end up being thrown away or wasted, at least in part• things that are not usually thrown way or wasted.
Take about ve minutes to complete this part of the activity.
5 As a group, discuss how you sorted the cards. Consider together how different people dene
their “needs” or “wants.” Discuss how ullling the needs or wants o one person can create
trash or garbage or another person. Consider ways that “trash” from one person might be
usable by another.
© 2010. Center for Ecoliteracy. All rights reserved. www.ecoliteracy.org Adapted from The Family Ecology Guide, Alameda County Ofce of Education, 1998.
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cell
phone
soil
clothes
shoes
bread
computer
bicycle
health care
candy
table
water
cars
soap
el e c t r i ci t y
ruit
dishes
W h a t d o y o u
n e e d ? W h a t d o y o u w a n t ?
©
2 0 1 0 . C e n t e r
f o r E c o l i t e r a c y . A l l r i g h t s r e s e r v e d . w w w
. e c o l i t e r a c y . o r g
A d a p t e d f r o m
T h e F a m i l y E c o l o g y G u i d e , A l a m e d a C o u n t y O f c e o f E d u c a t i o n , 1 9 9 8 .
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bed
milk
love
h om e
insects
watch
birds
vegetables
sun
heat
tv
p a p er
money
family
rain
W h a t d o y o u
n e e d ? W h a t d o y o u w a n t ?
fowers
©
2 0 1 0 . C e n t e r
f o r E c o l i t e r a c y . A l l r i g h t s r e s e r v e d . w w w . e c o l i t e r a c y . o r g
A d a p t e d f r o m
T h e F a m i l y E c o l o g y G u i d e , A l a m e d a C o u n t y O f c e o f E d u c a t i o n , 1 9 9 8 .
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The Center for Ecoliteracy is a Berkeley, California-based nonprofit that supports and
advances education for sustainable living. Through its initiative Smart by Nature: Schooling
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publications; professional development seminars; and consulting, including academic
program audits, in-depth curriculum development, and coaching to improve teaching and
learning for sustainability. The Center’s 2009 book,Smart by Nature: Schooling for
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across the United States. Environmental educator David W. Orr calls Smart by Nature “must
reading for teachers, school administrators, parents, and the concerned public.” Learn more at:
WWW.ecoliteracy.org
© 2010. Center for Ecoliteracy. All rights reserved. www.ecoliteracy.org