How Much Do I Get Paid?

Scripture: Genesis 29-30

Learning Objectives:

  • Students will learn Laban paid Jacob in animals instead of money.
  • Students will learn that today people are paid a certain amount of money for each hour they work.
  • Students will review how to use multiplication to find out how much money a worker will be paid.
  • Students will participate in an activity to help them practice using multiplication to find out how much a worker will be paid.

Guiding Question: How can we use multiplication to find out how much money a worker will be paid?

Materials: paper, pencils (optional: fake money)

Procedure: Review the story of Jacob, focusing especially on how Laban was paying Jacob with animals instead of cash. Remind students that today most workers are paid a certain amount of money for each hour they work. Teach or review with students how to use multiplication to find out how much money a worker will be paid. (Example: If a worker is paid $3 per hour and works 8 hours, she will be paid $3×8=$24.)

Divide students into pairs. Have them take turns being the worker or the employer. The employer tells the worker how much she will pay him each hour and how many hours of work she has for him. They both should do the math and compare answers. (Example: In the example above they would make 8 piles, each containing $3. They would then count all the money to see if it equalled their answers.)

Additional Questions:

  • How can we use division to find out how many hours a worker worked or how much they are to be paid each hour

Supplemental Activity: Teach or review with students how to use division to find out how many hours a worker worked or how much he was paid each hour. (Example: If a worked is paid $24 and worked 8 hours, how much is he paid per hour? $24/8=$3)

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