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• Chocolate Peas or Chocolate Chicken?
• crayons
• pens or pencils
• paper

Lesson Plan

• Read aloud the poem "Charlie's Chocolate Choices" at Chocolate Peas or Chocolate Chicken?. (Scroll down the page to find the poem.)
• Have students name the nine items that Charlie had to choose from. List the possible choices on the chalkboard. Explain to students that they will help Charlie choose by deciding which of the nine items they would make.
• Ask each student to draw a picture of his or her first choice and list the reasons for choosing it. Then have each student draw a picture of his or her second choice and list the reasons for choosing it.
• Have each student present his or her drawings to the class. Ask each student the following:
  What is your first choice?
  What would you choose if you couldn't have your first choice?
  What would you give up if you could have your first choice?
  
• After all the students have presented their drawings, explain that the choice they give up to get what they want is called opportunity cost. Ask each child to hold up the picture that shows the opportunity cost if Charlie makes the student's first choice.
• Ask students to write and illustrate a poem or story about making choices. Have each student write a definition of opportunity cost.

Assessment

Evaluate students based on their definition of opportunity cost.

Lesson Plan Source

This lesson is based on Chocolate Peas or Chocolate Chicken? from the LessonPlansPage.com.

Submitted By

Linda Starr

National Standards

Social Sciences:
  NSS-EC.K-4.1
  NSS-EC.5-8.1

Language Arts:
  NL-ENG.K-12.5
  NL-ENG.K-12.6