Fourth Grade Social Studies: United States Studies. Unit 4: Exploring Economics

Transcription

1 Fourth Grade Social Studies: United States Studies Unit 4: Big Picture Graphic Overarching Question: How are geographers, economists, and political scientists similar and different in how they study places and people? Previous Unit: This Unit: Next Unit: Human Geography in the United States Our Federal Government Questions To Focus Assessment and Instruction: 1. What questions do economists ask and how do their answers describe the United States? 2. How do the characteristics of a market economy influence economic decision making? 3. How does competition affect the economy in the United States? Types of Thinking Cause and Effect Classification Description Using nonlinguistic representations Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum Page 1 of 14

2 Graphic Organizer Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum Page 2 of 14

3 Unit Abstract: In this unit students deepen their understanding of economic principles and examine how an economic system works using the United States as an example. They begin the unit by engaging in a scarcity simulation designed to review economic concepts from previous grades. Students then explore the characteristics of market economies and the types of questions economists ask. Using a circular flow model, students examine how households and businesses interact in a market economy. They expand their understanding of economic decision making by applying the concepts of price, competition, and incentives. Using the automobile industry as a context, students consider how businesses become interdependent through the use of specialization and division of labor. They then explore how these factors influence productivity. In addition, the role of government in the economy is introduced as students distinguish between taxing and spending, and consider how the purposes of government influence decisions to tax and spend. Finally, students investigate the role of global competition on the economy and employment in the United States. In doing so, they apply economic concepts in assessing the impact of global competition on the national economy and identify public issues relating to global competition. Focus Questions 1. What questions do economists ask and how do their answers describe the United States? 2. How do the characteristics of a market economy influence economic decision making? 3. How does competition affect the economy in the United States? Content Expectations 4 - E1.0.1: Identify questions economists ask in examining the United States (e.g., What is produced? How is it produced? How much is produced? Who gets what is produced? What role does the government play in the economy?). 4 - E1.0.2: Describe some characteristics of a market economy (e.g., private property rights, voluntary exchange, competition, consumer sovereignty, incentives, specialization). 4 - E1.0.3: Describe how positive (e.g., responding to a sale, saving money, earning money) and negative (e.g., library fines, overdue video rental fees) incentives influence behavior in a market economy. 4 - E1.0.4: Explain how price affects decisions about purchasing goods and services (substitute goods). 4 - E1.0.5: Explain how specialization and division of labor increase productivity (e.g., assembly line). 4 - E1.0.6: Explain how competition among buyers results in higher prices and competition among sellers results in lower prices (e.g., supply, demand). 4 - E1.0.7: Demonstrate the circular flow model by engaging in a market simulation, which includes households and businesses and depicts the interactions among them. 4 - E1.0.8: Explain why public goods (e.g., libraries, roads, parks) are not privately owned. Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum Page 3 of 14

4 4 - E2.0.1: Explain how changes in the United States economy impacts levels of employment and unemployment (e.g., changing demand for natural resources, changes in technology, changes in competition). 4 - E3.0.1: Describe how global competition affects the national economy (e.g., outsourcing of jobs, increased supply of goods, opening new markets, quality controls). 4 - C3.0.7: Explain how the federal government uses taxing and spending to serve the purposes of government. 4 - H3.0.5: Use visual data and informational text or primary accounts to compare a major Michigan economic activity today with that same or a related activity in the past. Integrated GLCEs R.CM.04.03: Explain relationships among themes, ideas, and characters within and across texts to create a deeper understanding by categorizing and classifying, comparing and contrasting, or drawing parallels across time and culture. (English Language Arts) R.IT.04.01: Identify and describe the structure, elements, features, and purpose of a variety of informational genre including autobiography/biography, personal essay, almanac, and newspaper. (English Language Arts) R.NT.04.02: Identify and describe the structure, elements, and purpose of a variety of narrative genre including poetry, myths, legends, fantasy, and adventure. (English Language Arts). W.GN.04.01: Write a cohesive narrative piece such as a myth, legend, fantasy, or adventure creating relationships among setting, characters, theme, and plot. (English Language Arts). D.RE.04.03: Solve problems using data presented in tables and bar graphs, e.g., compare data represented in two bar graphs and read bar graphs showing two data sets. (Mathematics). Key Concepts circular flow competition division of labor economic decision making economics employment/ unemployment incentives market economy price productivity public goods and services role of government specialization supply/demand Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum Page 4 of 14

5 Duration 6 weeks Lesson Sequence Lesson 1: What is Economics? Lesson 2: Characteristics of a Market Economy Lesson 3: Circular Flow Lesson 4: Economic Decision Making: The Role of Price and Competition Lesson 5: The Role of Incentives Lesson 6: Specialization and Division of Labor Lesson 7: How Global Competition Affects the U.S. Economy Lesson 8: Effects of Changes in the U.S. Economy Lesson 9: The Role of Government in the U.S. Economy Assessment Selected Response Items Constructed Response Items Extended Response Items Performance Assessments Resources Equipment/Manipulative Butcher or oversized construction paper Markers or colored pencils Overhead Projector or Document Camera and Projector Student Resource Adams, Barbara Johnston. The Go-Around Dollar. NY: Four Winds Press, Agee, Jon. Nothing. New York: Hyperion Books, Assembly Line. Discovery Education Discovery Education. 23 April 2009 < Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum Page 5 of 14

6 Country Import and Export Trade Data. U.S. Census Bureau. 24 April 2009 < Crayon Assembly Line. 23 April 2009 < Disalvo-Ryan. Grandpa s Corner Store. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, Economics Songs. 22 April 2009 < Hall, Donald. The Ox Cart Man. New York: Viking Junior Books, History in Motion: Assembling the First Model T video clip. 23 April 2009 < How A Car is Built DVD. Big Kids Productions, I Love Lucy Chocolate Assembly Line video clip. 23 April 2009 < Index of U.S. Government Department and Agencies. 24 April 2009 < L Hommedieu, Arthur. From Plant to Blue Jeans. New York: Children s Press, The Model-T. The Mitten. February April 2009 < The Official Kids Portal for the U.S. Government. 24 April 2009 < Photographs of Rhyolite. 24 April 2009 < Siebert, Diane. Rhyolite. New York, Clarion Books, Virtual Tour of Rhyolite, Nevada. 24 April 2009 < Teacher Resource 1950s Kellogg s Ad. Growing Up in Maine. 23 April 2009 < Brzaklik, Krystyna. What, How and For Whom to Produce? Economics International. 19 May 2008 < Characteristics of a Market Economy. 22 April 2009 < Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum Page 6 of 14

7 Economic Education Web. 19 May 2008 < Economics Books. 19 May 2008 < Economics in Action: Circular Flow. Producing Ohio: Creating Our Economy. 19 May 2008 < Economics Lessons. 19 May 2008 < Economics Posters. 19 May 2008 < Employment and Unemployment. United States Department of Labor. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 19 May 2008 < First Ford Assembly Line 1913 Photograph. 23 April 2009 < Ford Assembly Line. 23 April 2009 < Ford Assembly Line Photograph. 23 April 2009 < Ford Assembly Line Photograph. 23 April 2009 < Foundations for Teaching Economics. Lesson Plans and Curriculum Materials. 19 May 2008 < Gas Wars Erupt in Houston. KHOU.com. 13 August April 2009 < l>. Henry Ford Changes the World. Eyewitness to History Website. 23 April 2009 < Information about Unemployment and Employment. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 24 April 2009 < Job Data. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 24 April 2009 < Michigan Council on Economic Education. 19 May 2008 < Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum Page 7 of 14

8 Michigan Trade Data. U.S. Census Bureau. 24 April 2009 < Michigan Unemployment Statistics. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 24 April 2009 < d=lasst >. Moneyville: Online Activities. 19 May 2008 < National Council on Economic Education. 19 May 2008 < Nintendo Vs. Sony. ABC News.com. 20 Nov April 2009 < Online Lessons for each National Standard. 19 May 2008 < Outsourcing Cartoon. WorldPress.com. 24 April 2009 < Outsourcing Figures and Feelings. Seattle Post-Intelligencer. 24 April 2009 < Peanuts, Pecans, and Peas, Please. EconEdLink. Online Lesson. 22 April 2009 < Radio Ad. Digital Collection, Duke University Library. 23 April 2009 < Soap Ad. Digital Collection, Duke University Library. 23 April 2009 < Teaching Economics as If People Mattered. 19 May 2008 < Tomorrow s Jobs. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 24 April 2009 < U.S. Export Map. Trade Stats Express. 24 April 2009 < drnbd02nvradbk55bqazxs >. U.S. Imports Map. Trade Stats Express. 24 April 2009 < drnbd02nvradbk55bqazxs >. Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum Page 8 of 14

9 U.S./China Trade Data. U.S. Census Bureau. 24 April 2009 < Unemployment Map for January, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 24 April 2009 < Walstad, William B. Teacher Background Reading on Public vs. Private Goods. EconEdLink.com 24 April 2009 < What Economics is About: Understanding the Basics of Our Economic System. National Council for Economic Education, April Available for purchase at: < Who is Working? EconEdLink. Online Lesson. National Council on Economic Education. 19 May 2008 < Resources for Further Professional Knowledge Voluntary National Content Standards in Economics. 19 May 2008 < Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum Page 9 of 14

10 Instructional Organization Lesson 1: What is Economics? Content Expectation: 4 - E1.0.1: Identify questions economists ask in examining the United States (e.g., What is produced? How is it produced? How much is produced? Who gets what is produced? What role does the government play in the economy?). Key Concept: economics Abstract: This lesson begins with a short simulation of scarcity and an activity in which students analyze simple economic problems. Both are designed to review previously learned concepts including scarcity, choice, and opportunity cost. Students are then introduced to a flow chart which summarizes significant concepts relating to economics. The questions economists ask are reviewed by having students apply the questions to the flow chart. This lesson serves as the foundation for the rest of the unit. Lesson 2: Characteristics of a Market Economy Content Expectations: 4 - E1.0.2: Describe some characteristics of a market economy (e.g., private property rights, voluntary exchange, competition, consumer sovereignty, incentives, specialization). Integrated GLCEs R.CM.04.03: Explain relationships among themes, ideas, and characters within and across texts to create a deeper understanding by categorizing and classifying, comparing and contrasting, or drawing parallels across time and culture. (English Language Arts) R.IT.04.01: Identify and describe the structure, elements, features, and purpose of a variety of informational genre including autobiography/biography, personal essay, almanac, and newspaper. (English Language Arts) R.NT.04.02: Identify and describe the structure, elements, and purpose of a variety of narrative genre including poetry, myths, legends, fantasy, and adventure. (English Language Arts). Key Concept: market economy Abstract: In this lesson students first explore the characteristics of a market economy with narrative text. They then read informational text and work with a partner to complete a graphic organizer about the reading. After students share their graphic organizers in small groups, the teacher leads a discussion comparing narrative to informational text and discussing the attributes Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum Page 10 of 14

11 of each. The lesson concludes with students using oversized paper to illustrate each characteristic of a market economy addressed in the lesson. Lesson 3: Circular Flow Content Expectations 4 - E1.0.7: Demonstrate the circular flow model by engaging in a market simulation, which includes households and businesses and depicts the interactions among them. Integrated GLCEs W.GN.04.01: Write a cohesive narrative piece such as a myth, legend, fantasy, or adventure creating relationships among setting, characters, theme, and plot. (English Language Arts). Key Concept: circular flow Abstract: In this lesson students are introduced to the concept of circular flow through literature such as The Go-Around Dollar. Then, using a small group market simulation, students are introduced to the circular flow model. As an assessment, students create a diagram illustrating the circular flow model. Lesson 4: Economic Decision Making: The Role of Price and Competition Content Expectations: 4 - E1.0.4: Explain how price affects decisions about purchasing goods and services (substitute goods). 4 - E1.0.6: Explain how competition among buyers results in higher prices and competition among sellers results in lower prices (e.g., supply, demand). Key Concepts: competition, economic decision making, price, supply/demand Abstract: After reviewing the role of scarcity, choice, and opportunity cost in economic decision making, students explore the interaction of price, competition, and substitute goods. Through examples, students learn that when prices decrease, demand for that good or service increases. They also examine how an increase in price lessens the demand for a good or service and can result in consumer s choosing substitute goods or services. Emphasis is placed on specific examples of consumer goods such as gas, computers, and video game equipment. In addition, students investigate an example of competition in their local community and how it influences price. Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum Page 11 of 14

12 Lesson 5: The Role of Incentives Content Expectation: 4 - E1.0.3: Describe how positive (e.g., responding to a sale, saving money, earning money) and negative (e.g., library fines, overdue video rental fees) incentives influence behavior in a market economy. Key Concept: incentives Abstract: Students build on their knowledge of the factors that influence economic decision making by deepening their understanding of incentives. Using ads and written scenarios, students identify positive and negative incentives and explain how they influence behavior. They then work in small groups and use local and regional newspapers, observations in the local community, and other resources to identify instances of positive and negative incentives. The groups report the results of their investigation to the class in the form of a newscast report. Lesson 6: Specialization and Division of Labor Content Expectations: 4 - E1.0.5: Explain how specialization and division of labor increase productivity (e.g., assembly line). 4 - H3.0.5: Use visual data and informational text or primary accounts to compare a major Michigan economic activity today with that same or a related activity in the past. Key Concepts: division of labor, productivity, specialization Abstract: This lesson begins with a review of the development of the automobile industry in Michigan with an emphasis on the impact of the assembly line. Using the automobile industry as a case study, students explore how the assembly line reflects the principles of specialization and division of labor and how these principles can increase productivity. Students then engage in a simulation in which they build a product individually (e.g., play dough animals, necklaces, paper airplanes) and then again using an assembly line. As a class, they discuss the differences in productivity as they debrief the activity. Lesson 7: How Global Competition Affects the U.S. Economy Content Expectations: 4 - E3.0.1: Describe how global competition affects the national economy (e.g., outsourcing of jobs, increased supply of goods, opening new markets, quality controls). Key Concepts: competition, employment/unemployment Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum Page 12 of 14

13 Abstract: This lesson begins with a look at interdependence, global trade, and the role of the U.S. in the global economy. Students explore the effects of global competition on the national economy by first looking at Michigan examples. They examine the effects of global competition on the labor force (outsourcing of jobs), quality of goods, and prices. Lesson 8: Effects of Changes in the U.S. Economy Content Expectations 4 - E2.0.1: Explain how changes in the United States economy impacts levels of employment and unemployment (e.g., changing demand for natural resources, changes in technology, changes in competition). 4 - E3.0.1: Describe how global competition affects the national economy (e.g., outsourcing of jobs, increased supply of goods, opening new markets, quality controls). Integrated GLCEs R.CM.04.03: Explain relationships among themes, ideas, and characters within and across texts to create a deeper understanding by categorizing and classifying, comparing and contrasting, or drawing parallels across time and culture. (English Language Arts). R.NT.04.02: Identify and describe the structure, elements, and purpose of a variety of narrative genre including poetry, myths, legends, fantasy, and adventure. (English Language Arts). D.RE.04.03: Solve problems using data presented in tables and bar graphs, e.g., compare data represented in two bar graphs and read bar graphs showing two data sets. (Mathematics) Key Concepts: competition, employment/unemployment Abstract: In this lesson students examine how changes in the United States economy can affect employment in the United States. In doing so, students explore the economic consequences of changes in technology, changing demands for natural resources, and changes in competition. Students begin the lesson exploring a historical example of a boom town in Nevada. They then examine examples of changing levels of employment in Michigan. As they broaden their perspective to the national level, students read informational text to understand concepts relating to employment. They use a variety of scenarios to distinguish among people that are employed, unemployed, or not in the labor force. They then examine how the global competition for employment has affected levels of employment and types of jobs available in the United States. Finally, they briefly explore the issue of outsourcing. Lesson 9: The Role of Government in the U.S. Economy Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum Page 13 of 14

14 Content Expectations 4 - E1.0.8: Explain why public goods (e.g., libraries, roads, parks) are not privately owned. 4 - C3.0.7: Explain how the federal government uses taxing and spending to serve the purposes of government. Key Concepts: public goods and services, role of government Abstract: This lesson begins with a review of public and private goods using Michigan examples. Students then work in small groups to identify several examples of public goods and services provided by the federal government such as interstate highways, armed forces, national parks, federal aid to the elderly, and federal law enforcement. They consider what would happen if individuals were responsible for funding these goods and services. After reviewing the purposes of government students learned in previous grade levels, they complete a graphic organizer that ties public goods and services to the purposes of government. As a class, students discuss the ways that the federal government participates in the economy through pubic goods and services identified previously in the lesson. They use these examples to explore how taxing and spending by the federal government affects the economy. This lesson demonstrates the interconnectedness of civics and economics. Michigan Citizenship Collaborative Curriculum Page 14 of 14