3.1.2 It’s A Fair Swap! SUMMARY This nonfiction book describes bartering in early America and how, as the country grew, bartering gave way to the use of paper money. LESSON VOCABULARY carpenter knowledge merchant straying carpetmaker marketplace plenty thread INTRODUCE THE BOOK INTRODUCE THE TITLE AND AUTHOR Introduce students to the title and the author of the book It’s A Fair Swap! Based on the title, ask students what kind of information they think this book will provide. Ask students what they think the people in the cover illustration are doing and why they are doing it. BUILD BACKGROUND Invite students to consider SEQUENCE SUMMARIZE READ THE BOOK SET PURPOSE Have students set a purpose for reading It’s A Fair Swap! Students’ curiosity about swapping and bartering should guide this purpose. Suggest that students think about the necessity for bartering as they read the book. STRATEGY SUPPORT: SUMMARIZE As students read the book, suggest that they write down and number the major ideas and milestones. After reading, have students write summary paragraphs using their notes as guides. COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS PAGE 4 What is the sequence of events in a barter? (People decide what they want to trade, approach another person and determine if the goods have equal value, and either make the trade or not.) how they would get the things they wanted or needed if there was no money in the world. Ask students if they have ever traded or swapped something for something else. Tell students that this is called bartering, an act they will read and learn about in the book. PAGE 4 In bartering, what must both people PREVIEW/USE TEXT FEATURES Invite students to PAGE 9 Why did the farmers need to grow take a picture walk through the illustrations. Ask students how the illustrations give clues to what the book might be about. Direct students’ attention to page 12 and the thought balloon drawn over the girl’s head. Ask: What do you think is happening in this particular