The big ideaGold is rare, lasts and can be cut up. That made it money.
How it works
Gold is rare, which means there is not much of it, so a day of panning may find only a little.
Gold does not rust. Old gold in a museum still shines, but old iron goes brown and crumbly.
Gold is soft, so it can be cut into small pieces, and every piece is still gold.
Gold is not magic. Many people chose it as money because it is rare, it lasts, and it can be shared out.
A pretend day of digging: what was found.Gold and iron.
Example 1: Which is the rarest?
In the pretend day of digging, 6 stones, 5 pieces of iron, 3 of copper and 1 of gold were found.
Gold has the smallest number, 1.
So gold is the rarest.
Example 2: How many more?
There were 5 pieces of iron and 1 of gold.
5 − 1 = 4
So there were 4 more pieces of iron than gold.
Example 3: Putting two together
Iron was 5 pieces and copper was 3 pieces.
5 + 3 = 8
Together that is 8 pieces.
Example 4: Sharing a bar
Zuri's uncle cuts a bar of gold into small pieces.
Every piece is still gold, just a little smaller.
Small pieces pay for small things and big pieces pay for big things.
Each friend gets a pouch.
Words to know
rare
There is not much of it.
rust
The brown, crumbly crust that iron gets when it is damp.
nugget
A small lump of gold found in the ground.
pouch
A little bag for pieces of gold.
Watch out
Gold is not magic. People agreed it was worth a lot.
Gold does not rust like iron.
Gold is not found everywhere. It is rare.
A small piece cut from a bar is still gold.
Try it
Which was found the least in the pretend day of digging?
How many more stones than copper were found? Stones 6, copper 3.
Does gold rust?
Name two reasons people chose gold as money.
Answers: 1. Gold · 2. 3 · 3. No · 4. It is rare and it lasts (or it can be cut up)
Try at homeWith a grown-up, find something made of gold, like a ring, and talk about how long it can last.
For grown-upsAsk your child to find something gold at home, like a ring, and talk about how long it can last. Why might something rare and lasting be useful as money?
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