International Monetary Fund: Where in the World and What in the World is Money?
(www.imf.org/external/np/exr/center/students/money/index.htm)
Grades 5-12, with parental supervision
Ride a time machine back several centuries to invest everything you have for a chance at phenomenal wealth!
All you have at the beginning of the game are chocolate candy, a gold pendant, a few coins, a paper monetary note, and some song lyrics scribbled onto a napkin. Invest them wisely, and you will learn about the history of money, what forms it took at various times in various countries, and how it developed into what we use today. Will your pocket full of miscellany really increase in value over time? Play this game to find out!
When you have finished this game, you might like to try all of the other games available from the main site. (Scroll down the page a little to find them under Student Interactives.)
One of these games is called “Trading Around the World” – Decide which country you are from and trade with people from different countries. Try your hand at bartering and negotiating prices. Try to achieve various goals such as becoming very rich or acquiring an assortment of goods. You should come away from this game with an understanding of the work of the IMF with regard to trade barriers.
Another game is “Monetary Mania” as well as an informative video. Each game or activity includes the recommended grade range and a description.
You’ll also find Lesson Plans and Online Exhibitions. Everything on this website also comes with a Teacher Guide!
