TV on a Rolling Cart

Needs and Wants

From Learn Bright

Needs and Wants
5 minK1st2nd3rdSocial Studies
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Summary

This short financial-literacy video explains the difference between needs and wants and introduces opportunity cost — what you give up when you choose one thing over another. A friendly intro to money and decision-making.

Viewer safety

All ages
Common Sense Media — not yet ratedIMDb Parents Guide — not yet rated

Our rating is a quick teacher-to-teacher guide — preview before showing.

Teaching resources

Discussion questions

Discussion

Needs are things we must have; wants are things we'd like to have.

  1. What is the difference between a need and a want?
  2. Name two needs and two wants from your own life.
  3. When you can't buy everything, how do you decide?
  4. What is an “opportunity cost” — what do you give up when you choose?

Quick work-a-long

Vocabulary: need, want, choice, opportunity cost, scarcity.

Try it: Sort six items into “need” and “want.” Then pick two wants and decide which one you'd choose — and what you'd give up.