Activity 01
Progettazione (Reggio Investigation): Where Did It Come From?
Students bring in 2-3 items from home (food packaging, toy, clothing item) and read the "Made in" label with a partner. Pairs locate their countries on a large classroom world map and place a small sticker or flag marker there. The class observes together how many different countries are represented.
What things in our classroom came from other countries?
Facilitation TipDuring Investigation: Where Did It Come From?, have students bring one labeled item from home to make the activity more personal and increase engagement.
What to look forGive each student a sticky note. Ask them to write the name of one item in the classroom that might come from another country and draw a small flag next to it if they know which country. Collect the notes to see what items students identified.
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Activity 02
Gallery Walk: One Meal, Many Countries
Display images of a simple American meal (hamburger, orange juice, chocolate milk) with labels showing which ingredient came from which country. Students walk to each food station, record the country on a simple map worksheet, and connect the dots back to home. Debrief asks: could we make this meal using only things from our state?
Why do communities trade with each other for things they need?
Facilitation TipDuring Gallery Walk: One Meal, Many Countries, arrange the classroom so students can move smoothly between stations without crowding.
What to look forHold a whole-class discussion. Ask: 'Imagine our classroom needed to make everything we use, like our pencils, books, and snacks. What would be hard to get if we could only use things made right here? Why is it helpful that people in other places make some of these things for us?'
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Activity 03
Think-Pair-Share: What If We Couldn't Trade?
Pose a scenario: "What if every country could only use things made inside its own borders?" Students think independently for 1 minute, then discuss with a partner what they would have to give up. Share whole-class to build a list of trade-dependent goods students actually use, reinforcing why countries need each other.
How does trading with other countries connect people around the world?
Facilitation TipDuring Think-Pair-Share: What If We Couldn't Trade?, limit pairs to 2 minutes per prompt to keep discussions focused and equitable.
What to look forAs a class, look at the labels on 3-4 common classroom items (e.g., a box of crayons, a backpack, a book). For each item, ask: 'Where was this made?' and 'Is this an import or an export for the United States?' Record answers on chart paper.
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Activity 04
Collaborative Mapping: Our Classroom's World Connections
In small groups, students use a large blank world map and a set of product picture cards. Each group places cards on the country where that product is commonly made and uses yarn to connect countries to the US. The finished map is displayed as a class artifact showing global interdependence.
What things in our classroom came from other countries?
Facilitation TipDuring Collaborative Mapping: Our Classroom's World Connections, provide clear tape and pre-cut world maps so students can focus on placements rather than cutting or measuring.
What to look forGive each student a sticky note. Ask them to write the name of one item in the classroom that might come from another country and draw a small flag next to it if they know which country. Collect the notes to see what items students identified.
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Generate Complete Lesson→A few notes on teaching this unit
Teachers approach this topic by starting small and building up. Begin with what students know—items in their own space—then expand to global patterns. Avoid overwhelming students with complex economic terms; instead, use their observations to introduce concepts like specialization and interdependence naturally. Research shows that hands-on activities and movement help young learners process abstract ideas, so prioritize tactile experiences and discussion over lectures. Keep the focus on benefits and simple trade-offs rather than political or ethical debates.
Successful learning looks like students identifying where classroom items come from, explaining why trade happens, and recognizing that countries depend on one another for everyday goods. Children should confidently discuss benefits like getting better products or lower prices and suggest challenges if trade stopped. Their curiosity should turn toward noticing global connections beyond the classroom.
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
During Investigation: Where Did It Come From?, some students may assume the US makes everything Americans need.
Use the "Made in" labels students find to directly challenge this idea. Point to a product like a backpack and ask, 'Could we really make all these zippers and fabric right here? What would happen if we tried?'
During Gallery Walk: One Meal, Many Countries, students often think trade is only about luxury or unusual items.
Highlight everyday foods like apples or bananas and ask, 'Do you eat apples every day? Where do we get them in winter?' Use their responses to reframe trade as essential for basics, not just special goods.
During Think-Pair-Share: What If We Couldn't Trade?, students may say countries trade because they are friends.
Guide students to look at the Gallery Walk posters showing what each country produces best. Ask, 'Why would Mexico trade avocados with us if we also grew avocados? What if we traded them our crayons instead?'
Methods used in this brief