Economics, Business Lesson Plans

Business & Economics Subject Matter

1. Baa, Baa, Black Sheep, Have You Any Goods?- Students will relate to their consternation and enjoy making predictions about the solution they find to their dilemma.
2. Barter, Interdependence, and Specialization- Students will understand and be able to describe the economic specialization and interdependence involved in the production and consumption of goods and services.
3. Canadian Currency- In this lesson, students will learn about Canadian currency and the ways in which it differs from American currency.
4. Check Balancing- To give students the opportunity to get familiar with balancing a check book.
5. Chocolate Peas or Chocolate Chicken?- The students will define opportunity cost of a decision as what has been given up.
6. Citizen Carter As President- Presidents often outline their goals in their inaugural addresses.
7. Conceptual Analysis in Economics- The purpose of this activity is to involve students in making decisions and pursuing their own interests within a social and economic environment.
8. Consumer Borrowing and Saving- : To give students the needed background in the positive and negative aspects of credit, its impact upon individuals and the nation, and practical knowledge and understanding of the wise use of credit.
9. Consumption Lesson Plans- Students will identify consumers as people who decide what goods and services to use to satisfy wants.
10. Crude Awakenings- In this lesson, students first discover the tensions that have recently caused the price of crude oil to skyrocket.
11. Data Processing- In this lesson, students explore the application of Geographic Information Systems, or G.I.S., in a variety of businesses and organizations.
12. Diamonds Are Forever Fueling Civil Wars- In this lesson, students first explore the failures of the United Nations embargo on "conflict diamonds" from Sierra Leone. Students then participate in a trading game in which they explore the international trading system and the ways in which it rewards and punishes countries.
13. Division of Labor- When studying about the Industrial Revolution and its effects on workers and productivity a short simulation will help students understand why the concept of division of labor was utilized in the fledgling industries.
14. Dot-Commerce- In this lesson, students analyze the impact that e-commerce has in their community, as well as in small traditional communities that one might not expect to be part of the dot-com marketplace.
15. Eisenhower and the Cold War- Reporters may skew the news by playing up certain parts of a news conference and playing down other parts.
16. Eisenhower and the Politics of Change- The United States faced several significant domestic and international problems in the 1950s.
17. Entrepreneur- This activity involves students with economic factors at a local level.
18. Europe's petroleum problems- Determine the best solution for the petroleum problem in Europe.
19. For Rent- Describe the relationship between available resources and the production of goods and services.
20. Free Enterprise: Business Magazine Project- The project is a group assignment that utilizes some aspects of cooperative learning. It has the capability to allow students to include computer graphics and, if the technology is available, hypermedia.
21. Goods and Services- Students will discuss the differences between goods and services.
22. Government and Economics: The Ties that Bind- The purpose of this activity is to expand the understanding of students in the areas of both economics and government. It is to also show the relationship between these two subjects and how, over the course of time, our views regarding these two subjects has changed.
23. Hack Attack- In this lesson, students explore the recent hacker attacks on e-commerce sites by comparing and contrasting security issues in traditional commerce and e-commerce companies, determining solutions for security issues that face both types of companies, and assessing which type of company is more secure.
24. Interpreting Economic Indicators- Students will access US Census Bureau by locating its internet site, and interpret individually five random listed indicators. Students will then develop hypotheses as to the potential impact these indicators had on the business cycle as compared to the GDP statistics.
25. Introduction to Business- The purpose of this activity is to reinforce their knowledge of the current material we covered in class. As an example lets say we covered material concerning wants/needs. An activity as the one described below will allow me to check their understanding of wants vs need.
26. Investing 101- Students will identify and define key concepts in the Stock Market. Play the Stock Market Game on the Harcourt Website.
27. Island Simulation- Students are required to prepare a concept map to check their understanding of the topic - how it will relate to their lives - significance of the activity.
28. Manifestations of the Manifesto- In this lesson, students explore the workings of the FARC, a Marxist guerilla group in Colombia, as well as learn the basics of Marxism.
29. Micro Economics: Personal budgeting- The purpose of the class is to show students that life in the "real world" away from the secure confines of home is drastically different.
30. Opportunity Costs- Students will be able to interpret the meaning of choices, in particular opportunity cost, to develop their decision-making skills.
31. Running of the Bulls- In this lesson, students examine what might be in store for Wall Street following the Nasdaq's 547.57 point plunge on Tuesday, April 4, 2000. Students then evaluate how they might manage a heavily laden high-tech portfolio before deciding how to invest an imaginary $10,000 in the market.
32. Savings Account Online Guide- a site for anyone considering placing any money in an Savings Account Online, regardless of the sum of money.
33. Scarcity- Students will understand that we all have more wants than we can satisfy; scarcity requires us to make choices regarding our wants; our choices are influenced by our tastes, values and habits; that choice-making also involves understanding what the alternatives are, accepting consequences and understanding that we can not have everything we desire.
34. Summer Wood- Students will demonstrate the process of bartering by exchanging with another child an item that is more valuable to them.
35. Supply and Demand- This lesson allows for personal involvement in the concept of supply and demand which helps the students see how it relates to their everyday life.
36. Supply and Demand Lesson Plans- Students will understand that in a market economy, the forces of supply and demand set the prices at which exchanges take place. They will learn that people's wants stimulate production, and that people benefit from trade.
37. Taking stock of the market- Determine the overall performance of the stock market during their lifetime and make predictions about future performance.
38. Teaching Basic Banking Principles- An understanding of banking is important for our students as we face the monetary situation of the coming years. This lesson is a good tool for getting them started.
39. The Big Green Pocketbook- Students will demonstrate an understanding of the historical development and current status of economic principles, institutions and processes needed to be effective citizens, consumers, and workers in American society.
40. The Color of Money- In this lesson, students explore the success of members of racial and ethnic minorities in the business world through discussing a related New York Times article.
41. The School Store- To understand the need to define categories of store items as a fundamental part of the organization of the store.
42. U.S. debt reduced- Students will explain what is meant by national surplus and national debt. Students will discuss the ways in which the national surplus can be used, and how those choices can impact different groups of people.
43. U.S. debt reduced- Students will explain what is meant by national surplus and national debt. Students will discuss the ways in which the national surplus can be used, and how those choices can impact different groups of people.
44. Uncle Jed's Barbershop- Students will demonstrate an understanding of the historical development and current status of economic principles, institutions, and processes needed to be effective citizens, consumers, and workers in American society.
45. Understanding: Cities- Looking at a 50-year span of census figures helps us see trends within a city and across cities.
46. Ups and Downs of the Stock Market- To introduce students to the ups and downs of the stock market.
47. What Is Currency? Lessons from Historic Africa- A great tie-in with history.
48. Working It Out- In this lesson, students participate in a simulation in which they are arbitrarily assigned different work roles (cleaners, line workers and supervisors) and compare their experiences to those discussed in a New York Times article about the racial divisions that exist among work tasks in a pork production plant.
49. You Can Bank on It- In this lesson, students learn about the impact of the recent J.P. Morgan/Chase Manhattan merger.
50. You have to give up something!- The students will write down which items were opportunity costs and why they chose those particular items.