The OG Economy
The focus of our history lessons in the OG this year has been Ohio history, which has also included some general history of the United States. We made it to the American Revolution just after winter break. To help demonstrate the frustration the colonists must have experienced, I started “taxing” the OG with chocolate chip payments (or CCs). The taxes seemed reasonable at first, but soon grew rather outrageous. By the time of the big reveal – the lesson about taxes and colonists and revolution – most children were predictably outraged. They boycotted certain supplies, banded together to protest and plan a revolt, defaced the tax sign, and chanted anti-tax slogans! I thought that, after the lesson, the children would be relieved, eat their chocolate chips, and life in the OG would return to normal. What a surprise when the children eagerly discussed ways to continue paying taxes!
We now have, what we call, the OG Economy. As a class, we adjusted what is being taxed and how much each item costs. The children get paid for their daily jobs. Some children opened stores. One child has a bank and loans CCs to others who pay them back with interest. Someone else started an advertising agency and gets paid to promote other businesses. Businesses must be registered, and retail space rented or purchased.
Many children have adjusted their businesses based on demand. We have a small consumer group, so once everyone has purchased a special item, like a “guarder” snake to guard one’s CCs, the demand is gone. Baked goods are always a hit, and Elaina has been accepting payments for baking supplies, kitchen space, and advice. Children keep track of their income and expenditures on a simple form.
The taxes have bled into nearly every part of our school day. Our math naturally focuses on money, decimals, percent, and unit price. We’ve had countless observations and discussions about capitalism and economic privilege - one of our school microwaves is taxed and the other is free. Children who can afford to can skip the line! We are constantly discussing the benefits and draw backs, fairness and unfairness, of our system.
Hand and hand with an economy and the rules and regulations that are part of it, is enforcement of those rules. Thus, a legal system has also been born. We now have a judge and lawyers in the OG. Children file lawsuits and court is in session!
I’m not sure how much longer the children will run with this or where it will go, but, right now, they are fully immersed. They are in a boom of learning!
