In our classroom economy, the class store consists of colored baskets filled with goodies for students to buy. Each basket is labeled with a price. Students use small shopping baskets to store the things they buy as they are shopping.

I only allow four students to shop at one time. The rest of the class is working quietly at their desks on a purposeful activity often related to a previous economics lesson. Read more about setting up a class store.

Students use a shopping log to keep track of the items they are planning to buy. They must find the total for the items they are purchasing and show it to the cashiers when they check out. Download a shopping log template.

Two students work as cashiers to check out student shoppers at the class store. The cashiers use oversized calculators to double-check each student's shopping log. This job gives students good practice making change, a math concept that can be tough for third graders.

Download the money spent log. Plus, read more about setting up a class bank.