Youngsters learn the meaning of saving and how to reach savings goals by first reading a story of a young Ugandan girl who is gifted a goat, and then discovering the opportunity costs of savings decisions made by her and her family.

This is an incredible resource for teaching your young economists about the loanable funds market and the concept of crowding out. It includes a hands-on, physical activity that serves as a metaphor to help explain the economic...

What do you think sheep might be able to barter when they don't have quite enough to buy a gift? Your pupils can find out this and much more during this instructional activity about Sheep in a Shop, spending, saving, and bartering.

Making decisions can be very difficult. Show your class one way to evaluate choices with this lesson, which is inspired by the book Glo Goes Shopping. Learners practicing using a decision-making grid with the content of the story and a...

What are the major economic implications, both good and bad, of natural disasters? Discover the effect that natural disasters can have on labor market conditions, capital, household incomes, and opportunities for reconstruction in local...

Explain the four categories of financial indicators (commodity prices, stock indexes, interest rates, and yield spreads), and help your class members understand how changes in this data can affect decisions regarding consumer spending,...

Why do we choose instant gratification over maximizing lifetime satisfaction? How is this reflected in government and macroeconomics? Learn how one research analyst proposes individuals and governments can accomplish greater lifetime...

As part of a study of saving choices and opportunity costs, class members listen to a reading of Lois Lenski's Cotton in My Sack, and then evaluate the spending choices made by the Hutley family.  

What do your pupils want to save up their money for? Based around the book The Pickle Patch Bathtub, this lesson covers opportunity cost, saving, and spending. Learners participate in a discussion and practice making their own...

Budgeting, net vs. gross pay, savings, and fees are all key elements of personal financing and essential for your class members to learn about as young adults.

Arm your learners with the information they will need to make smart decisions regarding credit cards and personal savings.

By studying Benjamin Franklin's work as a printer, your class will have a fantastic opportunity to learn about the economic concepts of entrepreneurship, human capital, and investment. 

How did South African apartheid affect the ability of people of color to increase their human capital? Here is a rich instructional activity in which learners come to understand the relationship between investment in human capital and...

What types of government programs are designed to improve economic inequity in the United States? Introduce your learners to government programs, such as low-income housing, Social Security, and Medicaid, how they work to improve...

What is the difference between a flat tax, progressive tax, tax deduction and transfer payments? Pupils examine the ability-to-pay principle of taxation through discussion, problem solving, and a variety of worksheets on topics from US...

People often save money, but what are the benefits and drawbacks of that action? Youngsters learn about saving, savings, and opportunity cost through the lens of a short book, called Something Special for Me.

Why can't we have everything we want? Youngsters are introduced to the concept of scarcity through a game of musical chairs and by discussing what it takes to satisfy our wants.

Your young economists will explore the roots of fears about high inflation by learning the effects of rising prices during the world wars and in particular the Great Inflation of the 1970s.

Buying a car is no easy task, and can have major long-term consequences if done without proper financial knowledge. Ensure your learners are prepared with the information and criteria for comparing different car deals and signing...

Make a study of producers and consumers with an updated version of the classic story The Little Red Hen (this one is called The Little Red Hen Makes a Pizza). After reading and discussing the story and terms, learners practice being...

Delve into the concept of economic growth with your class members, including why economic growth is important, what causes it, and how can countries encourage it.

Do the economic benefits of major sporting events such as the Olympics or the World Cup outweigh the expected costs? Using fundamental economic terms, discover the explicit and implicit costs and benefits for countries that host these...

What are the consequences and costs of inflation? What is CPI, and how do we calculate it? This resource answers these questions in an organized and in-depth manner, and also includes a worksheet of follow-up questions designed for...

Gasoline prices garner a lot of attention in the United States. What can explain a temporary decline in gasoline consumption, and how do gasoline prices spur innovation in the energy and automotive industries?