Early Elementary teacher Angie Bertrand is helping her 5th grade homeroom students learn the value of money and helping out others. For the fourth year, her class is launching a project where they will sell ornaments for $1 each to raise money to buy toys for the local Toys for Kids program. After all of their ornaments are sold, they divide the profit by the number of students in the classroom, load up on the school bus, and take a field trip to Wal-mart.
Students know exactly how much they are allowed to spend, and they shop for toys until they have spent every last dime. From Wal-mart, they again load up on the bus, this time with many sacks of toys, and deliver them to the Toys for Kids warehouse.
In 2008, the class raised and spent over $1,700 on toys. This year their goal is $1,900 so each student in the class will have $100 to spend.
“While this is a fantastic math lesson, it is an even better life lesson,” Bertrand said. “My students learn that even something as small as a Christmas ornament can be turned into something huge to help others.”
Bertrand said that all of the students get very excited when they are selling the ornaments and even more so when it is time to go shopping. They are expected to take their Wal-mart shopping trip on December 17th.
Bertrand said, “I am extremely proud of each one of them for showing their true Christmas spirit and for being so willing to help others.”