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Coming In and Going Out

A 40-minute Kindergarten lesson on goods that arrive from abroad and goods that are made here and sent away.

Coming In and Going Out is a free 40-minute Kindergarten to Grade 2 social studies lesson plan for Common Core standard D2.Eco.15.K-2 — name things made abroad and sold here, and things made here and sold abroad. It is timed across 5 sections, gives the exact wording to use where the wording carries the mathematics, names 3 misconceptions with the teaching move that addresses each, and ends with an exit ticket and a printable worksheet with its answer key.

Grade:
Kindergarten to Grade 2
Length:
40 minutes
Standard:
D2.Eco.15.K-2

Kindergarten to Grade 2 · Economics

D2.Eco.15.K-2

Describe products that are produced abroad and sold domestically and products that are produced domestically and sold abroad.

Objective

Students will be able to say which way a good travels: in from abroad or out to abroad.

Students are successful when they can

  • Sorts goods by direction of travel.
  • Names something made here and sold abroad.
  • Says why the direction is that way.

What you need

  • Goods cards
  • Two arrows: coming in, going out
  • The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan

The lesson

Warm-up — two arrows

5 min
  1. Put the two arrows on the board. Explain each in one line.
  2. Place one obvious card under each.

Teach — which way does it travel?

13 min
  1. Take a banana. It grew abroad and is sold here. Coming in.
  2. Take local cheese sold abroad. Going out.
  3. Ask for the reason each time: it grows there, or we make plenty of it.
  4. Show a good that travels both ways and say why that happens.
  5. Say the point: a country is not only a buyer or only a seller.
“It grew there and it is eaten here. So which arrow?”

Guided practice — sort under the arrows

12 min
  1. Pairs place eight cards under the two arrows.
  2. For each they give a one-line reason.
  3. They find the one that could go either way.

Independent practice

8 min
  1. Students complete the coming-in-going-out page.
  2. Read each item aloud.

Close

2 min
  1. Hold up a card. Take the arrow and the reason.

What goes wrong, and why

Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.

Thinks everything comes in and nothing goes out.

Why: Arrivals are what a shopper sees.

Fix: Name three local things sold abroad. The going-out arrow needs real cards under it.

Sorts by whether it is familiar.

Why: Familiar feels local.

Fix: Ask where it grows or is made. Familiarity is about your kitchen, not about origin.

Thinks a good can only travel one way ever.

Why: One arrow per card implies it.

Fix: Show one that goes both ways. Countries buy and sell the same kind of thing.

If they are not there yet

  • Four cards rather than eight.
  • Give the arrow and collect the reason.

If they finish early

  • Name something our area sends away.
  • Say what a country with no trade would go without.
  • Say what a port is for.

Exit ticket

Cocoa beans: coming in or going out? Why?

What to look for: Coming in, because cocoa grows in warm countries. No reason means the where-does-it-grow question needs asking.

Printable practice for D2.Eco.15.K-2

Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.

Questions about Coming In and Going Out

How long does the Coming In and Going Out lesson take?

40 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 13 min, guided practice 12 min, independent practice 8 min, close 2 min. The minutes are stated per section and add up to the stated length, so the plan can be cut or extended at a section boundary rather than abandoned halfway.

Which standard does Coming In and Going Out teach?

D2.Eco.15.K-2 — D2.Eco.15.K-2, Economics for Kindergarten to Grade 2: “Describe products that are produced abroad and sold domestically and products that are produced domestically and sold abroad.” In plain terms, name things made abroad and sold here, and things made here and sold abroad.

What do I need to teach this lesson?

Goods cards, two arrows: coming in, going out and the printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan. Everything listed is either ordinary classroom equipment or a free printable from this site — there is nothing to buy and nothing to prepare beyond photocopying.

What mistakes should I expect in this lesson?

Three, each a reasoning error rather than carelessness: thinks everything comes in and nothing goes out; sorts by whether it is familiar and thinks a good can only travel one way ever. The plan gives the thinking behind each one and the teaching move that addresses the thinking rather than the symptom.

How do I know whether the lesson worked?

The exit ticket asks: “Cocoa beans: coming in or going out? Why?.” Coming in, because cocoa grows in warm countries. No reason means the where-does-it-grow question needs asking. That tells you whether the class needs a reteach or a thirty-second conversation before you plan tomorrow.

Is there a worksheet to go with Coming In and Going Out?

Yes — 1 printable D2.Eco.15.K-2 worksheet, linked at the end of the plan and free like the rest of the site. Each one comes with an answer key and 25 versions, so the practice after the lesson can be a different paper on every desk.

Is Coming In and Going Out free to use?

Yes. The plan, its printables and their answer keys are free to read, print and photocopy for your own class, with no account and no email capture. It was last reviewed on 7 September 2026. Please do not resell it or republish it as your own.

Last reviewed 2026-09-07. Aligned to D2.Eco.15.K-2 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.