Trying hard to not repeat anything already said, Eliza though about trading and bartering. Well, there was one thing she knew of, but it wasn't very common for an entire country or anything...but she still raised her hand. "Professor, there are some witches or wizards...that will do things for you, like make you really specific spells or potions, but only if you give them something very dear to you." She paused. Not that she would be visiting those sorts of people any time soon, or hopefully ever, but she knew they were out there. Luring, waiting for someone who was desperate enough to trade such a high price for a chance to have their fortunes changed. "But I don't think they're very common. Just in...questionable places and I don't think many people go to them if they can help it." As in they really should just never go to them. There was always a catch with those sorts of people and it was almost never a good one.

Gemma hurriedly wrote down each of the examples shared by the students on the board. "Yes these are all great examples!" she said as she stepped back and turned to the classroom. " In the beginning, things were not very consistent. For example....The Aztecs used small doll figures made of solid gold to buy things and The ancient Egyptians used ring money. Ring money was an actual ring made of bronze, copper, or gold. In ancient Egypt, people like to wear their wealth. When it came time to pay their bills, they simply pulled off a ring or two to use as payment. The Celts in ancient Ireland also used ring money, plus bracelet money. The Celts also liked to wear their wealth. The ancient Africans invented knife money. As you can see there was a wide variety of things being bartered for services and goods, so you can see the importance of having a more solid way of paying for things. Thus caused the creation of money, but there is still a major issue with money...." she paused as she motioned to the wall of money made by the kids, "Just like on our wall of money, there are lots of different types of money and they don't all work together. This is true across the world. Pesos from Mexico can't be used in England they must be converted to the local form of money. It would be a lot easier to just have a universal form of money across the world. " she said with a little nod up and down.

"By not having a universal form of money, it makes it hard for us to understand how much each different form of money costs." she smiled and a poem appeared above her head on the screen. "This is a poem by one of my most favorite Muggle poets...It's called Smart."

"It's talking about USA currency in the poem, but it says something funny about money...what do you think it's trying to say? she said with a little giggle as she read the poem again to herself.

Jory read the poem multiple times. He just wasn't understanding what it was all about. He just wasn't good at these kind of things. Finally he raised his hand. "The boy keeps swapping his money based on the amount of coins he is receiving and is not aware of the actual amounts?'' he asked, frowning. "He does not know the value he now has after he started exchanging the dollar and then the coins.'' If that was it, that kid needed to know his money. Fast.

Ella eyed the poem curiously, stopping at the name of the author. She knew Shel Silverstein! She had a book of his poems when she was little! The blonde didn't remember this particular poem, though. Anywhoo...considering the question for a minute, the blonde picked apart the poem and smiled.

"This is about the value of money and how it's important to understand about values so...well...you don't get ripped off, yeah?"

Well the question sounded easy enough. But Nigel did not even have to listen to the poem to know the answer. Though the history of money is fascinating to Nigel.

"People have a hard time remembering the value of money and if you are smart enough it is easy to con people out of money."

Nigel started to right down that idea. It was up here with bro bibs as an awesome idea.

Lex just kinda blinked at the poem. It was about American money and she didn't understand what might have been so funny except that it seemed the boy might have ripped off people because he ended up with 5 coins. Or was he the one that got ripped off? Were pennies more than nickels? How much was a dime worth in the first place? Wasn't he technically making a profit at the expense of others? No?

"Might have something to do with the perception of money Professor." She said, finally raising her hand. "I mean, he was pretty smug after all the trading he did because he figured that what he was left with was more valuable than the amount he started with but like...for his father...I bet he wasn't red because he was proud, more probably annoyed." She was willing to guess because Ella mentioned something about the value of money and someone being ripped off. American money was confusing but she was willing to bet the boy was the one who got ripped off.

"So it'd be something along the lines of what one thinks is valuable probably isn't as valuable to someone else which would go back to the whole value of money then? Wouldn't it?" Or was she getting this all wrong? "Not all forms of money being of the same value and all that."

She didn't know, she didn't get it so she'd just go back to munching on her cupcake.

Minerva listened to all the answers, wow this was kind of interesting about the different ways people would trade things and what they traded. Even in the muggle world, she didn't know these things. So excited to actually learning something new about muggles Min sat up.

When the poem was being read, Min smiled. She knew this author. She actually has some of.. well had, she wasn't exactly sure where they were anymore, but she remembered having some of his books. Remembering her mom reading some of the silly poems, Minerva pushed herself back into the discussion.

Putting her hand up, "Well it's talking about how if you do not understand the value of money people could really take advantage of you. Plus in a comical way it is giving a lesson on how money value is an important thing to learn."

Natalie couldn't help but thinking that the boy in the poem is a really stupid one. Even though she isn't American, she knew that 'quarters' must mean a quarter of a dollar, and the boy traded a dollar with half a dollar. The amount kept decreasing and decreasing until there are only 5 pennies that remain. And the boy thought that his father was proud at him. It is either the boy is very young, or he's just that ignorant.

She raised her hand and answered. "I think this shows how ignorant some people are of money, and for not knowing what a quarter or a penny is. I'm pretty sure that people would know, or at least ask if they don't. The boy is acting as if he know everything, he assumes everything and he thinks that he's right about everything. It's either that or he's just really young and he is very, very gullible."

Nat is starting to hope that her answer wasn't too long, because all of the other's seem to be very short. Then again, she has the tendency to talk too much, so she just sat there, trying to be as silent as possible.

Sarah raised her hand, "as different money has different values, its like having one galleon exchanged for three sickles. It is just not equal. Yet I don't like the people that he swapped the money with, they were fooling an innocent boy. It is lying, cheating and stealing. Just because one is not caught does not make the behaviour less abhorant, in fact it only makes it worse. It is putting a stumbling block int front of the blind..." Sarah could go on for ever. Her moral indicaters were always on the alert after all.

Eliza chuckled at the poem as well. It was an easy mistake to make though if you didn't understand the value system. She raised her hand to contribute, "Professor, I think that it's not only telling us to be aware and informed with what we are dealing with...I think it's also telling us that money has perceived value. Somehow we've decided along the way that one metal is worth more than another, based on its rarity I suppose, but if you're not privy to that information - about money or any other idea really - you could be forming very different beliefs from those around you." That could be applied to anything really, not just money. Like people who valued monkey brains as a delicacy in one area, but around here that wouldn't have any value at all. She did think the idea of wearing your wealth was sort of a neat concept, but she'd be worried about dropping her rings by accident or someone attacking her for them. Best to leave the valuables locked up tight in her opinion.

Dylan was giving Professor Cerulean looks like whoa.

Shel Silverstein was one of her favorite authors? He just happened to be one of his, too...and it was because he was a favorite that the Slytherin got his general way of thinking. He'd read many of that guys stories. In fact, The Giving Tree was STILL his ultimate favorite. He'd brought him up in her lessons before...

Ahem.

"I think it's more to do with the simplicity of a child's mind." Yep...like when he said some people still acted like children...This is what he meant. "...in relation to something that usually has so many people at war with each other. 'Money is evil' type thing...but to kids, they don't understand it's value."

More political themes? Merlin, it seemed that way...

Quickly she wrote all the things the professor had told the class on her parchment, knowing that if she wouldn’t do it that she would forget ALL the things she had heard in this lesson. This subject was interesting, but not something she was good at. And then… A poem about money? She shook her head surprised, they were really strange… But, she listened to the poem and when she knew why the professor had read the poem for them she read it again and tried to find the hidden messenger. She needed even to read it a THIRD time before she had a idea what it could be.

She raised her hand, even now that she wasn’t sure if she would give the right answer, she spoke. “I think that this poem goes about the value of money… And… that not anybody knew the value of a product maybe?” She guessed this last part, but hopefully she was right…

"I think it's trying to teach us how to con American children out of money," Alice decided, nodding seriously at the professor. "I mean, it teaches everyone the value of money and that children's minds are simple and all, but also that this one U.S. kid was easy to snag dough from." That made sense, didn't it?

She thought it did. Loads of sense.

Listening to what the professor said, West put his hand up.

"Professor I disagree about it being easier to have a universal form of money, because that doesn't take into account the different economies and stuff. Like there's more to it than just having to exchange galleons for pounds based on a certain rate." See West knew some stuff about business okay? His dad sorta insisted on it.

"Having different economies and different forms of money allows for different interest rates and adjustments to combat economic depressions and inflation and stuff like that. It'd be impossible to regulate exactly who would be in charge of any sort of central monetary governing body, and exchange rates, as well as it interfering with political or cultural sovereignty in one country or another. That's what I think anyways."

As for what the poem was saying...

"The poem is telling us the kid's dad didn't teach him enough about money. I don't think its saying anything about exchanging money between countries," Which was what she'd been going on about just before right? "Its just about how there are different denominations representing smaller and smaller values."

Clearly not an issue that West had.

Laura raised her hand and smiled. "Professor what that is trying to say, is that the father is angry with the boy because he thought that having more coins was great when in fact he's been ripped off by everyone, because if you have a 1 pound coin and traded it for 50 one pence pieces you would have loads of one pence pieces but you would have lost half your money because the 1 coin is greater than the 50 1 pence pieces coins." Laura hoped the Professor was understanding what she was trying to say.

Kahlan couldn't help but let out a small giggle at the poem, in her opinion the boy was adorably, though he was extremely naive. So what was the poem about? The blonde bit her lip slightly for a moment as she looked it over again trying to get her thoughts into words.

"I think that the poem's showing us how amount doesn't always mean value, which is why it's important to know what is worth what so that we won't lose money or be ripped off" she finally finished with a smile, feeling quite proud of that answer.

Kace knew the poet the teacher was referring to. He actually read some poems by Shel Silverstien. Being from a muggle family had its advantages in this class. He smiled and then he heard the professor ask the question. What was so funny about this poem?

He head to reread a couple times to get the main idea of the poem. Once he came up with the idea, he raised his hand. "Professor i think what the poem is trying to say to children is always know the worth of how much the money you have in your pocket, in the end if you do not know it, you could be scammed or have your money stolen. The use of knowledge of money can be an important tool in life kids need to learn."

He think he summed it up to the best of his knowledge.

So what did that poem mean?

Aquila has NO CLUE what that poem meant.

Nickels dimes pennies whut? Although she may have heard of a dollar—those green paper things that they said had images of dead leaders from long ago. And none of them were pretty ugh.

And she does think that boy is a smart son. Five is more than one duh.

No idea.

After all, she had never heard the poem before. And she had never been great at figuring out what poems meant. She had heard of the author before, but hadn't read his writings. Plus, she knew what the money denominations were, since she usually lived as a muggle when she went home. Knowing that, though, Sky thought that the child who was the subject was a complete idiot. Who would trade a dollar for fifty cents?! His father wasn't blushing with pride, he blushing with embarrassment over his child getting swindled! But, she kept all that to herself.

"You can't trust little, little kids with money." Or anyone who was stupid because stupid people were irritating. Honestly, that poem just accentuated how his gender was the weaker of the two, minus him of course 'cause, ahem, LOOK at this face. Smirk. But yeah, that was what he had derived from the poem.

Wasn't that what they were all SUPPOSED to think? 'Course it was. He was right. Duh.

Gemma smiled at all of the answers, "Some of you are correct...the poem is about Muggle USA money. The young child starts with one coin that is of a high value, but he trades the coins each time for a higher quantity of coins and in the end he has less money than he started with." she paused to let that sink in.

"The moral of the story is the importance of understanding what value an item has because the value of the item is worth more than a quantity of that item...which is so true in money." She smiled and then walked to the board and started writing as she spoke, "Okey dokey, our lesson was a short but sweet introduction to money. Next time we are going to look into conversion of the different types of money from around the world both Muggle and Wizard."

When she was done writing, she announced, "Your homework is on the board and I look forward to seeing your creations!" she finalized the lesson with a nod up and down. "And feel free to take a soda with you!"

Quote:

Muggle Studies Lesson #1 Homework

Using a graphics program of your choice or your own real life creativity, create a set of money. You get to decide the layout of the money, the price of each item, and the country to which it belongs. Make sure each piece of money has a price, location, and name. You will need to create five different bills and atleast three coins. You get to decide the size and shape of each item. Be creative and have fun with this! The more creative the more points you will receive!

Due Date: Saturday, June 15 @ 11:59 pm EST

Well she had been sort of right about the poem. Maybe she'd read into it too much, but that wouldn't have been the first time. She listened to the homework assignment, surprised that it was already time to leave, but she supposed making their money in class had taken longer than she'd realized.

She stood to leave and grabbed another Dr. Pepper. "Thanks for the lesson, Professor. And the snacks were great as always!" That was a big part of the fun in Muggle Studies. It almost didn't even feel like she was in a lesson anymore when she was in this room. To her it just felt like a bunch of them were hanging out, comfortably, and happened to be learning things as well - which now that she thought about it, was probably by design. Clever Cerulean, clever indeed. And this homework sounded kind of fun. Not really useful per se other than increasing some art skills, but it would be a break from all of the more difficult homework. She hadn't sketched much in a while either, so being told to create something was a treat.

Done already? Hm. Ella shrugged and eyed the board before scribbling down the homework assignment. Homework that let you be creative? The blonde approved. Two thumbs up for this one.

After putting her things into her bag, the sixteen year old headed for the door. "Thanks for the lesson, Professor!" Beam.

So that was the morl lesson. Surely there must be more lessons to learn from there, or at least HOGWARTS needed to learn. Like they should stop cheating th estudents out of things. That waas stealing, and its worse to steal from something that cannot retaliate or defend itself.

She looked at the homework and took a mental note of it. Then she got a cup of soda. It would be like padkos. Food for the way. "thank you professor for the lesson" she said. She then walked out the classroom sipping her drink and thinking about her homework