Incentive and choice Teacher Resources

Second graders explore financial decision making. In this introductory economics lesson, 2nd graders listen to the book Alexander, Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday by Judith Viorst, and discuss making financial choices based on wants and...

Students examine the visual aids of this lesson to study the costs and benefits of decisions about diet and exercise. They investigate human choice as it affects behavior and in turns effects economics and consequences.

How does the modern television show House of Cards and its dramatization of a power-hungry congressman in American government illustrate public choice theory—the concept that politicians retain personal interests after being elected...

Explore the role of government in the economy market. Young scholars analyze the economic decision-making process and how it takes into consideration additional cost, benefits, and public awareness of what they are trying to accomplish....

Young scholars analyze a scheduling dilemma. In this opportunity cost and trade-offs lesson, students must schedule the school gym for basketball games, but there are not enough hours for all the games. Groups determine how time will be...

Students write their definitions of economics on index cards and revise them as the lesson plan continues. They discuss the principles of economic reasoning and after completing a quiz, use economic reasoning to solve "real life" mysteries.

Students examine the voting behavior of people during a presidential election to determine costs and the benefits of voting and how this behavior is influenced by incentives.

Students use economic reasoning to analyze both the short-term and long-term benefits and opportunity costs of educational choices, identify incentives that may influence students' career decisions and solve an "economic mystery"

Young scholars explore profit and risk. In this economics lesson plan, students read about McDonald's and Nabisco stock and discuss the risks and rewards of stock ownership. Printable worksheets ask questions about rights of stock owners...

High schoolers discuss the definition of scarcity and tradeoffs, and the differences between choice and cost. They create budgets and must provide tradeoffs for some of their choices.

Students participate in a scenerio in which they are assessed on the material in previous lessons. In groups, they prepare a presentation based on their solutions to the given problem. They develop their critical thinking skills applying...

Twelfth graders develop economic literacy of basic economic problems confronting all societies. Economic decision making, scarcity to make choices, economic confronts, market system, prices, demand curves and supply curves are all covered.

How does the economy affect the environment—and vice versa? A video from Crash Course Economics discusses the ways supply and demand for products made with non-renewable resources can result in the Tragedy of the Commons, or even in the...

Fifth graders design a web page. They include features he or she would typically like to see when visiting web pages. They title the topic of the web page "Features That Make a Great Web Site." They explain that there are incentives...

Students identify what motive people. They will learn about both positive, and negative incentives. They will use this knowledge to make predictions about how people will behave. They will apply this knowledge to economics.

High schoolers explore the Gulf Coast disaster and what it took to rebuild the community surrounding it. In this economic development lesson, students watch a video from the Nightly Business Report and explore what all it takes to make...

Twelfth graders study micro- and macro-economies. They examine theories about fiscal policy and the relationships between consumption and output, tax policy and government spending changes. They also consider how economic perspectives...

Students focus on the role played by a nation's institutions in generating creativity, invention and innovation, and analyzes how innovation promotes the economic growth that raises standards of living and alleviates poverty.

Students identify and explain the variables effecting supply and demand in the marketing industry. Then they define the terms supply and demand and graph supply and demand curves on a standard grid. Students also formulate what happens...

Students assess both negative and positive incentives associated with credit card use. They identify profit as an economic incentive for banks to offer credit cards.

Young scholars analyze the costs of college education. In this economics lesson, students discuss the concept of opportunity cost as it relates to obtaining a college degree to secure a job.

Students review the basic ideas of exchange. In groups, they discover the incentives for trade and participate in a simulation. They are given a packet of stamps which are worth varying monetary amounts. They discover the concepts of...

Does the government really control the prices of consumer products? Scholars look into the concept of price signals and how they relate to the overall buying and selling power in a market economy. The 12th lesson of a 21-part Economic...

Students examine the susceptibility of legislators to agricultural lobbyists to support subsidy programs. In small groups, they role-play as members of interest groups that might be affected by inflation.