The North won the Civil War in large part due to its superior resources. In this lesson students will learn the difference between capital resources, human capital, and natural resources. They will investigate and compare the resources...

In reading and discussing Lyddie, by Katherine Paterson, students examine basic economic concepts and explore the growth of labor unions and the role of government in a market economy.

This lesson introduces the concept of monopoly. It calls upon students to consider how monopoly power might affect the quality and price of goods and services offered to consumers. In light of what they learn about the history of trusts...

Students will take a "Virtual Tour" of the Eiffel Tower in Paris France and locate the price of a bottle of water at each viewing platform. They will need to problem solve how to pay for admission, buy the water and be able to pay for...

In this lesson plan, middle schoolers investigate the variables that contribute to the cost of gasoline. They learn that while OPEC nations do influence the price of oil and thus the price of gasoline, other factors also influence the...

This lesson explores the differences between public and private goods.

This instructional activity focuses on collectibles and how they retain, lose, or gain value. In each round of a trading simulation, students will learn more about the value of their collectibles and discuss why items gain or lose value....

Agent Penn E. Pincher is again called out on a case. It seems that in 1979 the U.S. Bureau of Engraving launched a new one-dollar coin. However, most citizens haven't seen it in several years. This case may be from the cold case files....

This lesson will allow students to evaluate the costs/benefits of the Three Gorges Dam project on the Yangtze River in China. The purpose of this lesson is to encourage students to look at a complex issue from differing viewpoints and to...

Students explore meat consumption statistics, an indicator of a nation's relative prosperity and standard of living. They do a survey of a family's meat consumption and compare their results to statistics from Colonial and modern- day...

Using the study of the Lewis and Clark expedition students will define the term barter and give examples of bartering.

This instructional activity teaches middle schoolers what economists mean when they talk about people who are employed, unemployed, and not in the labor force. It discusses the Current Population Survey and asks students to pose as...

This lesson on entrepreneurship can be used to help students understand what innovations are, and what it takes to get an idea off the ground. This lesson will take students through the process of calculating risks associated with...

The lesson will help students to discover the importance of the Crusades to the expansion of many European countries. Students will also be introduced to new products and find out why explorers were willing to risk all to locate new...

This lesson examines some of the incentive programs being offered to keep students in school

Students learn about the successful Adopt-a- Highway program and how it can save governments and taxpayers money.

Students will research the cost of making the penny an the use of the penny and come up with reasons why the penny should or should not be continued to be made and used.

Through the use of a historical timeline of the capital investments made by the company the resulting benefits will be examined. The benefits from the capital investments of Herr Foods, Inc. will be related to their effect on the...

Through the use of a historical timeline of the capital investments made by the company the resulting benefits will be examined. The benefits from the capital investments of Herr Foods, Inc. will be related to their effect on the...

Through the use of a historical timeline of the capital investments made by the company the resulting benefits will be examined. The benefits from the capital investments of Herr Foods, Inc. will be related to their effect on the...

The U.S. Currency currently has two faces. The old bills are being replaced with new designs. The study of the look of the bills will lead into a discussion of their usefulness for a segment of our population: the visually impaired people.

Students gain an understanding about non-profit organizations and the role they play in our economy. Students then learn about a relatively new type of fundraising effort, known as CowParade, for non- profit organizations that has been...

Sacagawea returned to America last month. Actually, a new golden dollar coin bearing the image of Sacagawea, began circulating last month. It premiered to rave reviews! This new coin features the profile of Sacagawea, the Shoshone woman...

With very few exceptions, the U.S. federal government does not have an "income" to spend providing goods and services. The money used for federal spending programs must be collected as federal taxes, or it must be borrowed. This lesson...