At our school, we have some fun units that are hard to change much because everyone loves them so much. Kudos to our grade four team, who pulled off their annual Market Place today in the second-to-last week of school. Imagine if you will, 60ish fourth graders working independently, or in groups of up to four, coming up with a product, field testing it, creating advertisements, and then, today, selling their goods to second, third, and fifth graders and teachers. Parents were able to come for the last session.
Lots of the products were food- they know their audience well. Some clever marketers combined a game with food- you could pay a bit more or less depending on the stand’s rules. Some students made bookmarks, slime, and one student sold plants he had grown from seeds or cuttings. You could also plant your own seeds at his stand. This student worked with one of our grade 5 teaching assistants last week to prepare, and they were a great match- two nature lovers inspiring each other.
Students in grade 5 were told to bring no more than 20,000 riel (about $5), whereas the younger students brought only 8,000 riel (just under $2), and everyone left happy. Because the profits are being donated to charity, I left my change behind as a tip. I consulted with a friend who teaches grade 4 to get recommendations and ended up with a purple bookmark (my favorite color) that came with a snickerdoodle (my favorite cookie), a butterfly pea plant, and a bowl of macaroni and cheese. Ooops, I also had a mango popsicle (mango puree with lime and a touch of honey, so refreshing!
I love that the butterfly pea plant is potted in a coconut shell (and even paid 1000 riel extra for that eco-friendly choice. Now I have to learn more to take care of my plant and look forward to being able to drink butterfly pea tea one day from this baby.
5 1/2 school days left, and our fifth graders have their Moving On ceremony on Thursday. This was a fun way to spend 20 minutes. I know those grade 4 teachers will sleep well tonight!
Ms. Victor Reads 
Thanks for a glimpse at Market Day. Your school sounds so fun!! Good luck with the remaining days and I look forward to seeing you in D.C.!! Almost Summertime!!
so many lessons to be learned from Market Day! I love this project learning. And perfect for that end-of-year energy. Thanks for the photos, especially the coconut potPS Butterfly pea tea and mango-lime popsicle are great details to include; they speak to where you are, and give this relatable story that touch of the exotic to us here in the states 🙂
Erika,
This is a very cool, real world learning and community building experience. Love all the creativity this project provides students. And it gives teachers and students an opportunity to showcase their year. A truly special event.
This sounds like a wonderful ay to keep your grade 4s and their teachers busy and engaged in learning during these waning days of the the school year. Your school is doing an amazing job with student engagement from my perspective. Thank you for sharing.