See more of the Virtual Museum of Canada
image image
Mail Box Before E-commerce: A History of Canadian 
Mail-order Catalogues image
Mail box
Mail box
image
image Main Menu Sources Contributors Travelling Exhibition Feedback image Table of Contents
image
image For Teachers For Collectors - For Teachers - For Students
image
image For Teachers
image
Topics
Fashion to Furnishings
Capturing Customers
Company Histories
From 
Order to Delivery
image
Timeline
Catalogues (1880-1975)
Games and Activities
image
  

Shop 'Til You Drop

Subjects
Social Studies, Math, Information Technology

Themes
Needs and wants, Decision-making

Resources
Mail-order catalogues on this site

Description

  1. On small pieces of paper, write dollar figures from $30 to $100, the names of rooms in a house (bathroom, kitchen, living room/parlour, bedroom), and a specific year between 1940 and 1975.
     
  2. Have students pick pieces of paper with a dollar figure, room, and year.
     
  3. They must then shop from the most appropriate catalogue and compile an order that is appropriate and within budget.

The task could be to furnish a living room for $100 in 1950, or a bathroom for $30 in 1960. Students will practice computation and budgeting skills while developing critical thinking.

 

   
top of page
image
image image