Unit Plan 29 (Grade 2 Social Studies): Producers and Consumers

Focus: Help students identify producers and consumers, distinguish goods and services, and recognize natural, human, and capital resources used to make things in their community.

Grade Level: 2

Subject Area: Social Studies (Economics • Community Life)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 30–45 minutes per session

I. Introduction

In this unit, students learn that every item they use and every service they receive connects to producers (people who make or do things) and consumers (people who use or buy things). Through picture sorts, simple charts, and community examples, they identify goods and services and explore what resources are needed to produce them. Students will learn the terms natural resources, human resources, and capital resources and apply them to familiar products and jobs. By the end of the week, each student creates a Producer and Consumer Snapshot showing one local job, what it produces, and who uses it.

Essential Questions

• What is a producer? What is a consumer?
• What is the difference between goods and services?
• What resources do people need to make things (natural, human, capital)?
• How do producers and consumers in our community depend on each other?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Define and give examples of producers and consumers using classroom and community examples.
2. Sort picture cards into goods vs. services and explain why each belongs in that category.
3. Identify natural resources, human resources (workers/skills), and capital resources (tools/machines) used to make a simple product.
4. Match local jobs (e.g., baker, teacher, bus driver, farmer) to what they produce and who uses those goods or services.
5. Create a Producer and Consumer Snapshot for one community job, labeling resources and explaining how producers and consumers are connected.

Standards Alignment — 2nd Grade (C3-based custom)

• 2.C3.Econ.2 — Identify producers/consumers and examples of goods and services.
  • Example: Sort picture cards into “goods” and “services” with labels.
• 2.C3.Econ.5 — Identify natural resources, human resources (workers/skills), and capital resources (tools) used to make things.
  • Example: Paper (trees), builder (skill), hammer (tool).

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can tell who is a producer and who is a consumer in a picture or story.
• I can sort examples into goods and services and explain why.
• I can name natural resources, human resources, and capital resources for at least one product.
• I can describe one community job and explain what it makes or does and who uses it.
• I can make a drawing or chart that shows producers and consumers and the resources they use.