How the whole economy works: High school people & places
The whole economy: inflation, trade between countries and the Federal Reserve. A free High school lesson plan with a hook, practice that links to free activities, and an exit ticket. Copy it and make it yours.
Lesson plan
Goal
- Students work toward: the whole economy: inflation, trade between countries and the Federal Reserve.
Hook (5 min)
- Ask the class: Why does the same dollar buy less over time?
- Take two or three answers and write them where everyone can see them.
Teach (15 min)
- Say the big idea in one plain sentence: how the whole economy works.
- Show one example, then one that is not an example, and ask how the two differ.
- Have students tell a partner or a small group the idea in their own words.
Practise (20 min)
- Choose one for the whole class or let groups pick:
- Learn: Inflation and What Money Buys (https://peabody.kids/world/money/money-inflation-purchasing-power)
- Learn: Why Countries Trade (https://peabody.kids/world/money/money-comparative-advantage)
- Learn: How the Federal Reserve Works (https://peabody.kids/world/money/money-federal-reserve)
Exit ticket (5 min)
- On a slip or aloud: one thing I learned about how the whole economy works, and one question I still have.
- Sort the slips into: got it, nearly, not yet. Start tomorrow with the last pile.
Written by Peabody from its own skill pages. Free, no ads, no sign-in. Children can practise this on Peabody. More from teachers: teacher-shared resources.