Why people specialize and trade, and how coins replaced barter
Grade 6 Social Studies Worksheet

Circle the best answer.
What does the salt maker want, by Bo's first chain?
- Grain
- A coil of rope
- Salt
- A basket
What does the basket maker want, by Esme's first chain?
Use the picture in question 1.
- Baskets
- Salt
- A rope
- Grain
Why does no swap happen between the salt maker and the basket maker, by Jun's chain?
Use the picture in question 1.
- The salt maker has no salt
- Each side must want what the other has
- The basket maker has no baskets
- Salt and baskets weigh the same
Why are swaps months away hard to plan, Luz asks?
Cause and effect chain "Goods that spoil (an example)": [1] a farmer's fresh fruit spoils if it waits; [2] the farmer cannot keep the fruit for a trade months away; [3] future swaps are hard to plan; [4] people want something that keeps its value and that others accept. Arrows: 1 → 2, 2 → 3, 3 → 4. Example, made up for practice: fresh fruit stands for any good that spoils. Cause and effect chain "Goods that spoil (an example)": [1] a farmer's fresh fruit spoils if it waits; [2] the farmer cannot keep the fruit for a trade months away; [3] future swaps are hard to plan; [4] people want something that keeps its value and that others accept. Arrows: 1 → 2, 2 → 3, 3 → 4. Example, made up for practice: fresh fruit stands for any good that spoils. Goods that spoil (an example) [1] a farmer's fresh fruit spoils if it waits [2] the farmer cannot keep the fruit for a trade months away [3] future swaps are hard to plan [4] people want something that keeps its value and that others accept Example, made up for practice: fresh fruit stands for any good that spoils. - Fruit grows more valuable as it waits
- The farmer cannot keep fruit for later
- Potters refuse to swap
- No one wants fruit in any season
What does time spent bartering cost, by Milo's third chain?
Cause and effect chain "Time lost to swapping": [1] finding the right person to swap with takes a long time; [2] workers spend that time bartering instead of making goods; [3] less is made, and the economy grows slowly; [4] money, which sellers accept for any good, solves these problems. Arrows: 1 → 2, 2 → 3, 3 → 4. Cause and effect chain "Time lost to swapping": [1] finding the right person to swap with takes a long time; [2] workers spend that time bartering instead of making goods; [3] less is made, and the economy grows slowly; [4] money, which sellers accept for any good, solves these problems. Arrows: 1 → 2, 2 → 3, 3 → 4. Time lost to swapping [1] finding the right person to swap with takes a long time [2] workers spend that time bartering instead of making goods [3] less is made, and the economy grows slowly [4] money, which sellers accept for any good, solves these problems - Money disappears
- More is made
- Less is made
- Prices fall to zero
A bowl maker wants a coat, but the coat maker wants a rug. Which box of Noah's first chain does this match?
Cause and effect chain "A swap that fails (an example)": [1] a salt maker has extra salt and wants a basket; [2] the basket maker has baskets but wants a rope, not salt; [3] no swap happens, because each side must want what the other has; [4] the salt maker must first find a rope maker who wants salt, then trade the rope for the basket. Arrows: 1 → 3, 2 → 3, 3 → 4. Example, made up for practice: the salt maker, basket maker and rope maker are imaginary. Cause and effect chain "A swap that fails (an example)": [1] a salt maker has extra salt and wants a basket; [2] the basket maker has baskets but wants a rope, not salt; [3] no swap happens, because each side must want what the other has; [4] the salt maker must first find a rope maker who wants salt, then trade the rope for the basket. Arrows: 1 → 3, 2 → 3, 3 → 4. Example, made up for practice: the salt maker, basket maker and rope maker are imaginary. A swap that fails (an example) [1] a salt maker has extra salt and wants a basket [2] the basket maker has baskets but wants a rope, not salt [3] no swap happens, because each side must want what the other has [4] the salt maker must first find a rope maker who wants salt, then trade the rope for the basket Example, made up for practice: the salt maker, basket maker and rope maker are imaginary. - The basket maker has baskets but wants a rope, not salt
- A salt maker has extra salt and wants a basket
- The salt maker must first find a rope maker who wants salt
- No swap happens, because each side must want what the other has
A baker's fresh loaves go stale before the next trading day. Which box of Pia's second chain does this match?
Cause and effect chain "Goods that spoil (an example)": [1] a farmer's fresh fruit spoils if it waits; [2] the farmer cannot keep the fruit for a trade months away; [3] future swaps are hard to plan; [4] people want something that keeps its value and that others accept. Arrows: 1 → 2, 2 → 3, 3 → 4. Example, made up for practice: fresh fruit stands for any good that spoils. Cause and effect chain "Goods that spoil (an example)": [1] a farmer's fresh fruit spoils if it waits; [2] the farmer cannot keep the fruit for a trade months away; [3] future swaps are hard to plan; [4] people want something that keeps its value and that others accept. Arrows: 1 → 2, 2 → 3, 3 → 4. Example, made up for practice: fresh fruit stands for any good that spoils. Goods that spoil (an example) [1] a farmer's fresh fruit spoils if it waits [2] the farmer cannot keep the fruit for a trade months away [3] future swaps are hard to plan [4] people want something that keeps its value and that others accept Example, made up for practice: fresh fruit stands for any good that spoils. - The farmer cannot keep the fruit for a trade months away
- People want something that keeps its value and that others accept
- Future swaps are hard to plan
- A farmer's fresh fruit spoils if it waits
A tailor spends the whole week looking for someone to swap with and sews nothing. Which box of Ren's third chain does this match?
Cause and effect chain "Time lost to swapping": [1] finding the right person to swap with takes a long time; [2] workers spend that time bartering instead of making goods; [3] less is made, and the economy grows slowly; [4] money, which sellers accept for any good, solves these problems. Arrows: 1 → 2, 2 → 3, 3 → 4. Cause and effect chain "Time lost to swapping": [1] finding the right person to swap with takes a long time; [2] workers spend that time bartering instead of making goods; [3] less is made, and the economy grows slowly; [4] money, which sellers accept for any good, solves these problems. Arrows: 1 → 2, 2 → 3, 3 → 4. Time lost to swapping [1] finding the right person to swap with takes a long time [2] workers spend that time bartering instead of making goods [3] less is made, and the economy grows slowly [4] money, which sellers accept for any good, solves these problems - Finding the right person to swap with takes a long time
- Money, which sellers accept for any good, solves these problems
- Less is made, and the economy grows slowly
- Workers spend that time bartering instead of making goods
Zee's note says, "Fresh fruit keeps its value for months." Which fix is right?
Cause and effect chain "Goods that spoil (an example)": [1] a farmer's fresh fruit spoils if it waits; [2] the farmer cannot keep the fruit for a trade months away; [3] future swaps are hard to plan; [4] people want something that keeps its value and that others accept. Arrows: 1 → 2, 2 → 3, 3 → 4. Example, made up for practice: fresh fruit stands for any good that spoils. Cause and effect chain "Goods that spoil (an example)": [1] a farmer's fresh fruit spoils if it waits; [2] the farmer cannot keep the fruit for a trade months away; [3] future swaps are hard to plan; [4] people want something that keeps its value and that others accept. Arrows: 1 → 2, 2 → 3, 3 → 4. Example, made up for practice: fresh fruit stands for any good that spoils. Goods that spoil (an example) [1] a farmer's fresh fruit spoils if it waits [2] the farmer cannot keep the fruit for a trade months away [3] future swaps are hard to plan [4] people want something that keeps its value and that others accept Example, made up for practice: fresh fruit stands for any good that spoils. - Change "months" to "years"
- Leave it: fruit keeps well for months
- Change "fruit" to "baskets"
- Change it: fresh fruit spoils if it waits
Ari's note says, "Bartering makes an economy grow faster." Which fix is right?
Cause and effect chain "Time lost to swapping": [1] finding the right person to swap with takes a long time; [2] workers spend that time bartering instead of making goods; [3] less is made, and the economy grows slowly; [4] money, which sellers accept for any good, solves these problems. Arrows: 1 → 2, 2 → 3, 3 → 4. Cause and effect chain "Time lost to swapping": [1] finding the right person to swap with takes a long time; [2] workers spend that time bartering instead of making goods; [3] less is made, and the economy grows slowly; [4] money, which sellers accept for any good, solves these problems. Arrows: 1 → 2, 2 → 3, 3 → 4. Time lost to swapping [1] finding the right person to swap with takes a long time [2] workers spend that time bartering instead of making goods [3] less is made, and the economy grows slowly [4] money, which sellers accept for any good, solves these problems - Change "grow" to "spoil"
- Change "economy" to "fruit"
- Change "faster" to "slowly"
- Leave it: more swaps make more goods