Ethical spending
I can make decisions between products and consider the environmental and ethical way that they have been produced.
Ethical spending
I can make decisions between products and consider the environmental and ethical way that they have been produced.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- What you buy has been made by someone and they may not have been paid well for their work.
- There are schemes that make sure that what you buy is made in a sustainable or ethical way.
- Sustainable products may cost more but may be better for the planet.
Keywords
Ethical - When something is ethical it is in line with beliefs and principles about what is right or wrong or morally correct or acceptable.
Fairtrade - Fairtrade means that producers such as farmers are paid a fairer price for their work. There are also higher environmental standards and investment in local communities (e.g. building schools).
Recycling - Recycling is treating things that have already been used so that they can be used again.
Sustainable - Sustainable means causing little or no environmental damage e.g. if trees are cut down, more are replanted.
Common misconception
Children may confuse expensive with ethical.
Ethical products are often more expensive but some expensive products are not ethical! The most ethical way in terms of environmental responsibility is not buying anything at all!
To help you plan your year 6 financial education lesson on: Ethical spending, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 6 financial education lesson on: Ethical spending, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 financial education lessons from the Budgets and ethical spending unit, dive into the full secondary financial education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
sentimental value
monetary value
functional value
Exit quiz
6 Questions
breaks down naturally into harmless materials
causing little or no environmental damage
treating used products or materials so they can be used again
grown without using artificial chemicals