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Topics
Fashion to Furnishings
Capturing Customers
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Catalogues (1880-1975)
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Shop 'Til You Drop

Grades
 7-8

Subjects
 Language (reasoning and critical thinking, listening, and oral communication), Social Studies, Math, Information Technology/Technology Studies

Themes
 Needs and wants, Decision-making

Resources
 Historic catalogues on this site

Description

  1. On small pieces of paper, write dollar figures from $30 to $100, write the names of rooms in a house (bathroom, kitchen, living room/parlour, bedroom), and a specific year between 1940 and 1975.
     
  2. Students must select a dollar figure, a room, and a year.
     
  3. They must then shop from the most appropriate catalogue and compile an order that is appropriate and within budget.

The task could be to furnish a living room for $100 in 1950, or a bathroom for $30 in 1960. Students will practice computation and budgeting skills while developing critical thinking.

 
   
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