General Store Activity
Introduction
This activity was developed for the Vermont History Museum's History for Homeschoolers class focused on agriculture, and in connection with the General Store within the Freedom & Unity exhibit. During this activity, students act as if they are Vermont farmers in the 1830s. They will barter their goods for others with the same value within their community.
All students will begin with three Farm Trading Cards. Then, they will total the value of their goods before beginning trading. Students will track the items they trade, their cost, and what they can use each item for own their farm. Students are allowed to trade multiple cards for a more expensive item. Once students have had a chance to trade their cards for a pre-determined period of time, they will total the value of the items (cards) they currently have in their possession.
Students can...
- share the items they bartered, describing why they made their choices
- compare the monetary value of their initial goods versus their final goods
- contemplate the question: "What is valuable?"