3rd grade “sets up shop”
There are approximately 28 million small businesses in the United States, and Meyersdale Elementary third grade students joined the ranks of these daring entrepreneurs.
Under the guidance of Mrs. Danyelle Burkholder, third grade students have created three new businesses. These new businesses, Epic Class Store Super School Shopper and Best Class Store, were designed by and for third grade students, and are true examples of entrepreneurial spirit and innovation. With boundless enthusiasm, endless energy and a lot of great new ideas, Burkholder’s students have embraced this challenge and “opened” their stores last month!
Using Class Dojo, a classroom management app, Burkholder began this pilot program at the beginning of this school year. Through Class Dojo, students earn points for positive behavior and participation. Points are then transferred into Dojo bucks for each individual student based on their performance. These “Dojo Bucks” are the basis or currency of the three “stores.”
“I believe third grade math is pivotal and we learn so many great concepts used in life, like rounding, multiplying, dividing, adding, subtracting and multi-step problems. I wanted to show students how we can use math in the real world and give them hands-on experiences and foster an entrepreneurial spirit,” she explained.
To provide students with guidance and inspiration, Burkholder had several area business owners visit the school to share their own personal success stories and advice on how to succeed in business.
“I teach three blocks and each block was responsible for creating a class store name, a logo, a slogan, open/closed sign with store hours, setting up, helping customers, wearing their uniforms and coming to ‘work’ on time, handling the money and learning all about expenses and income,” Burkholder explained.
Items offered included different toys, fidget spinners, kinetic sand, Legos, pop-its, candy, slap bracelets and so much more!
Burkholder said the pride the students felt in their creations has been clear, as they have worked hard for weeks to see their visions become reality.
“They were probably more excited about running the store than they were about shopping the store. They really took pride in their work, which was so cool for me to see as their teacher,” she explained. “They were able to use so many skills that I taught them in math class. I had the ‘it was worth it’ moment when my one group immediately started counting the cash box after the store closed, subtracted our expenses, and said ‘We made a PROFIT!!’ I recounted and they were completely accurate!”
Based on the success of these enterprising students, these students truly epitomize the American dream.