Find a Shiny Nickel

Kindergarten studied economics at our school this semester. You may be wondering if a five-year-old's investigation into economic principles covers such hot topics as AIG. Well--this is at least what my third grade student Devon wondered when he heard about their subject matter. So, Devon is clearly up on the current economic crisis, but nobody else in the third grade seemed to have any idea what he was talking about.

A couple of weeks ago, the kindergarten classes shared at our all-school meeting about what they've learned. Sub-prime mortgages did not make it into their song lyrics--very hard to find a rhyme. No, the kindergarteners stuck with singing about finding a shiny nickel and putting in a pocket. The other kindergarten class then launched into a lovely ballad about the economy--"Some things cost money and some things are free." The rhyme there writes itself.

During the song, Devon leaned over with a disbelieving smile on his face, half-laughing as he said, "I thought the economy was serious!" As anyone who's even so much as glanced at the evening news in the last year knows, the economy these days is no laughing matter. "Certainly not an appropriate topic for a CHILDREN'S song!" I imagine Devon thinking to himself. "What are they thinking??"