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Young school kids often struggle with the concept of money.
The variety of coins and paper money cause a lot of confusion.
The first grade hall at Cohutta Elementary is transformed into something different.
Moose Mall -- a combination of activities and incentives to inspire students to behave while they learn all about money.
First grade teacher Kristin Sullivan explains, "Oh my goodness, we have an arcade, a movie theater, food court, store inflatables all sorts of things they can do. The disco!"
Sullivan came up with the Moose Mall concept. She says it gives teachers a new approach to a standard unit.
Sullivan says, "When the kids came back from Christmas, they started earning pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, dollars and five dollars. The kids for good behavior, that's how they earned the money."
Students can lose your moose money, too. Kindergartener Coda Voyles explains,"By um, doing bad things and not doing good choices and pulling sticks."
But for the most part, students earned heaps of Moose Money -- all to be spent at the Moose Mall. Fourth and fifth graders act as cashiers -- taking admission to the different activities.
First grader Rachel Thurman spent her money, "Shopping and the food court."
First grader Grant Ogle bought: "A rubber alien!"
Coda Voyles was excited: "I got lots and lots!"
Sullivan says, "And if they get out of money, they're out of money, so they have to learn how to budget their money, too."
Teachers also had to budget their money -- with a grant from the Whitfield Education Foundation.
Mary Ellen Kinsey with the Whitfield Education Foundation was pleased with the Moose Mall: "As you can see, all the excitement around here is really worth thousands, isn't it?"
The excitement and the improvement in Georgia Performance Standards for the students.
"I could tell a marked difference in my kids because we've talked about it so much and we've been doing it all day long," Sullivan recalls.
When it comes to learning a life skill -- like money, that's exactly what students need.
Sullivan says the school plans to hold another Moose Mall next year.
They might include the older grades, teaching them to balance a checkbook.
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