I have selected an additional social studies SPI to teach to my third graders this year. It is:

3.2.spi.5. differentiate between money and barter economies.                             

Some sample questions about this SPI the children might be asked on TCAP are:

TCAP Coach Question 19:

Which of these is an example of someone using a money system?

A.    Hildy asks his parents for a goldfish.

B.    Travis trades one orange for two pickles.

C.    Farrah buys a shirt for seven dollars.

D.    Tracy and her family go on a trip.

TCAP Coach Question 48:

Which of these is an example of someone using a money system?

A.    Paula buys a dog from the pet store for fifty dollars.

B.    Amy borrows a jacket from her friend.

C.    Sandra gives her mother a gift.

D.    Tom and Randy trade books.

(These questions are from Tennessee Blueprint TCAP Coach: Social Studies: Grade 3, published by 

Triumph Learning, New York, 2008, authored by Gail Mack of Cypress Curriculum Services. Interesting that neither question has the word "barter" in it.)

Bartering, trading, buying...

What does the text book give me? The third grade social studies text book, which I use as a planning tool, is Social Studies Tennessee 3: Many Regions, One World, published by Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 2009. The book tells me that the word "barter" is from the Tennessee Academic Vocabulary, and the text book glossary defines it as "to exchange one good or service for another good or service." (p. R20) On page 99 of the text book there are two paragraphs sub-titled "Money or Barter?" whose main idea is "Using money is often easier than bartering."

Let's let these ideas simmer.