There are varying degrees of impact a lesson can have on a child. Some lessons are easily taught using a classroom textbook, while other lessons are taught using real-world examples. Instead of learning valuable life lessons in the classroom, the children in Toni Cade Bambara's “The Lesson” learn the harsh economic inequality of their society. Led by Miss Moore, the children are shown how they are personally affected by economic inequality. By using the "show don't tell" teaching method, the children's naivety decreases and the narrator explains the progress by illustrating how the children are influenced by the lesson. Miss Moore's lesson goes beyond simple economics. It is teaching children a valuable lesson about economic inequality that they are blind to. Instead of constantly telling the children that they are poor and that, as the narrator states, "[How] money isn't divided right in this country" (np), he shows them how by taking them to FAO Schwarz. Interestingly, instead of going into the toy store, the children and Miss Moore briefly window shop. This agreement suggests the socioeconomic gap between rich and poor. Children also crowd around the window and look at a device they are not familiar with. Again, this suggests the gap between rich and poor as children are not familiar with microscopes and have never been exposed to high-end products. Miss Moore asks the children about the prices of the microscope. He doesn't tell them the price, but guides them by having them look at the prices and ask them why the toys are expensive. Furthermore, Miss Moore asks the children if they will be able to afford the expensive microscope using their pocket money, to which of them responds that it would be... middle of paper... that changes. Instead of making jokes or playing pranks in the store, they are negatively fascinated by the prices of toys. Toward the end of the story, the children do not engage in jokes or games. Instead they speak very little. Once again, Miss Moore's lesson was so powerful that it had an impact on the children to the point where it was stated that it was a "tiring day". While most of the children are stunned by the events of the trip and do not offer their own interpretations, Sugar instead mentions economic inequality by comparing the little money the group's family has to the price of the expensive sailboat. He then adds that their society is "[N]ot very democratic... Equal opportunity to pursue happiness means equal commitment to the dough, doesn't it?" Sugar spoke for everyone and thus learned the general lesson that Miss Moore was trying to teach them.