Judgement and Prudence
Core Story
The Lost Coin adapted for Floreat from Christianity (see Y2 Judgement and Prudence ). In this version of the story, the lady earns money by growing strawberries which she sells and makes into jam. She also makes money by teaching her neighbour’s children how to make jam. The lady cannot grow strawberries during the winter so she prudently saves her coins to get her through the cold seasons. When one of the coins is lost, the old lady searches diligently until it is found, knowing that she will need it for a rainy day.
Drawing out the virtue
Before you read the story give 6 children in the class a coin each and tell them to look after them carefully. This will be particularly effective with real rather than plastic coins. As you are reading the story and the lady earns coins, ask the appropriate number of children to put a coin in the jar. Use the story as a starting point for a discussion about where money comes from. It is important that children learn that there are different ways to earn money and that it is important to be careful with money and make good decisions about spending and saving. Tell them that this is called being prudent.
What were the different ways the lady earned money?
Use the story to demonstrate there are different ways to generate money/income. You can earn it by selling something or helping someone with something. Introduce the saying ‘money doesn’t grow on trees’.
The lady couldn’t earn money during the winter, how did she survive? She saved the money she earned in the summer.
Why do you think she keeps the coins in a jar? To keep them safe.
Why doesn’t she spend her coins? The lady is prudent, she knows there might be a time when she really needs them.
She still had 9 coins, does it matter about the missing one? The lady has worked hard for every coin, because she is prudent she looks after it properly and makes sensible decisions about it.
The story can also be used as a stimulus to talk about whether you need money to be happy.
Activity 1: Money mindmap
Make a mindmap as a class of the different ways children can think of to earn money. Encourage children to think about ways adults earn money, and about the ways that they can earn money for their school or a charity.
Examples include: Pocket money, going to work, being given money as a gift, cake sale, non-uniform day, car washing, sponsorship, selling old clothes and books, winning prizes, donations and collections.
Library books
Lost in the Snow by Claire Alexander
Chameleon’s Crazy Colours by Nicola Grant
Belling the Cat – Aesop’s Fable
The Ant and the Grasshopper – Aesop’s Fable
The Crow and the Pitcher – Aesop’s Fable
The Country Mouse and the City Mouse – Aesop’s Fable