Class members begin this engaging economics activity by listing all the resources used in the production of a car, and use that example to draw parallels to the four primary factors of production: capital goods, labor, natural resources,...

Working in groups, middle and high schoolers describe and discuss photographs depicting working conditions experienced by child laborers in the 19th century. They then write a persuasive paragraph supporting an amendment to regulate the...

Students investigate child labor during the Great Depression. In this US policy activity, students evaluate multiple layers of the social, economic, and political affects of policy during the Great Depression. Students will engage in 5...

New ReviewBefore the Civil Rights Movement was in full swing, FDR's executive order helped promote fair employment. The activity uses primary documents to explore FDR's executive order to help minorities gain equal employment and pay during the...

Decode primary sources in a fast-paced activity. A quick guessing game helps pupils use visual clues to understand primary sources. Academics look at a picture of the cotton gin and must guess what it is without other knowledge or clues....

An engaging lesson delves into the effects of slavery on society. Young historians read text excerpts, complete handouts, and participate in group discussion to understand how slavery was a means to control society and establish a racial...

A thought-provoking resource examines the future of automation and the effects on employment. Academics read informational text, complete written prompts, and participate in activities to understand automation and the possibilities for...

Unemployment: The job of the future. The resource, designed for high school scholars, explains unemployment rates, recessions, and job trends that are impacting employment in the United States. Academics explore potential careers of the...

How did the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire change modern working conditions? The engaging resource explains conditions that contributed to the tragic fire, the workers affected by it, and how it changed labor laws and working...

Was what happened in 1886 at the Haymarket riot a crime or a case of xenophobia? Using political cartoons from the time, young historians consider the role the media played in anti-labor sentiment during the time and how that influenced...

History is ironic, isn't it? In the Pullman strike, federal power thought to protect citizens was used to break the union. What started as a quest for better wages and benefits during an economic crisis was crushed through violence and...

The reform movements—such as abolition, the push for women's suffrage, and the labor movement—shaped modern America. A document analysis activity and essay prompt help learners consider why. Other items in the high-level exam include an...

What was life like during the Industrial Revolution? Using a variety of activities, including writing out the dreams of laborers, industrialists, and urban dwellers, learners consider the positive and negative impacts of the Age of...

Cesar Chavez believed so much in the cause of farmworkers that he put his money where his mouth was. Chavez quit his well-paying job to organize them into labor unions. Using a speech, photograph, and short biographical video, pupils...

Imports often affect the production of domestic goods. Scholars consider the variables in this situation with a scaffolded prompt from College Board. Other items examine factors in production and compare the production advantage between...

The government catches a firm in the act of polluting. What will happen to the company's profits? Learners consider the question and others using authentic College Board materials. Other problem sets examine wages and labor and price...

Inventors with patents have a distinct advantage in the market. But what happens when the patent expires? A series of questions from College Board asks learners to consider the effects of a patent expiration. Other practice prompts...

How are monopolies and competitive firms similar and different? Scholars consider the question using authentic College Board materials. Other prompts consider supply and demand curves and the relationship between wages and output.

A company producing smoke alarms has a monopoly. However, what factors influence its profit and production? A series of prompts from College Board asks learners to consider the impact. Other practice problems include examining what...

A monopoly gives a company exclusive rights to a market. What is the impact of that decision on the economy? Problem sets from College Board explore this question, as well as variables in labor markets and government regulations on profit.

What effect do dynamics, monopolies, and the balance of skilled and unskilled labor have on a market place? How does supply affect the price of gasoline? Learners consider these questions and more using College Board materials as they...