Fourth grade students at St. Agnes School partook in a unique classroom activity on Friday as part of their ‘Learning About Money’ unit. 

The students held their ‘Market Day’ over the lunch hour on May 24, filling the classroom with booths that they ran; piled high with handmade goods and treats ranging from bracelets and rings to papercrafts and cupcakes. 

“We first started learning about supply and demand, and service and goods,” explained their teacher, Lori Newberry. “They were asked to come up with a plan on how they could create a store where they could sell a service or a good.”  

Students from all ages at St. Agnes rushed to the sale, and the students manning their booths eagerly put what they had learned to practice, as the room quickly filled with the sounds of haggling and peddling their wares. 

The Market Day event does more than just foster an entrepreneurial spirit in the students, they are also taking it as an opportunity to give back to those in need. With the class brainstorming ideas on who would be helped the most by the funds they raised. 

“The Grade Fours are a really kind bunch of students and they have been learning how to help other people,” said Newberry. “They decided they wanted to help the homeless in Moose Jaw.” 

Newberry explained that the decision to help the homeless came about after two of her students spotted someone who appeared to need help at a local bank. From that point on the decision was final – they were going to donate the funds raised to the John Howard Society of Saskatchewan. 

“This is actually our first year of doing the market,” said Newberry. “They’ve been very engaged in it, and they’ve been learning a lot about money in the process.”