The School Buzz: D11 teacher uses ‘mini society’ project to teach 4th-graders economics

Colorado requires fourth-grade students to learn economics. But the way one Stratton Elementary School teacher is leading her students is creating plenty of buzz.

Some parents are calling it a "mini-society."

“The kids had to make a lot of economic decisions, figure out where their money was going. They created a flag," said Lauri Griffin, a fourth-grade teacher at the D11 school.

She says she got the idea for her class' "mini-society" from the school's gifted magnet specialist coordinator. The project teaches students about money, and producing and consuming projects, through the creation of their own products.

Griffin’s class requires each student to start up their own company where they plan and produce their product. There’s a focus group to see if the product could work. Then they market it and try to sell it to classmates and parents. They have to be creative because there are parameters regarding how much they can spend on materials and how they’re used. They even get taxed.

Doug, one of Griffin's students, created a wallet out of Capri Sun packages.

“We made a wallet. This is a place where you can hold money, whatever sorts. And then this is a little coin purse," he said.

Do you know a remarkable teacher, student or event at your school? Email me! SchoolBuzz@KRDO.com.