Free Enterprise
Kyrgyzstans Transition from A Centrally-Planned Economy to a Market-Driven Economy
http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws/guides/kyrgyzstan/econ.html
Students will analyze economic issues in Kyrgyzstan from a spatial point of view. The shift to a market-driven economy has been difficult for Kyrgyzstan, as it has for other former Soviet republics. Soon after independence, the Kyrgyz government launched an economic reform program. The goal was to move away from a centrally planned economy to one in which economic decisions are determined primarily by market forces and consumer preferences.
Explorations in Economic Demand
http://www.mcrel.org/resources/plus/supdem.asp
This lesson allows for personal involvement in the concept of supply and demand which helps the students see how it relates to their everyday life." Students will discuss how each of the price and non-price determinants will affect the decision of a soon to be university student and will develop the most important graphical tool in all of economic analysis: the demand and supply diagram. Then they will put it all together to see how non-price determinants affect--cause a shift in--demand curves. There is also an online activity to and practice their understanding of demand concepts.
Teaching Basic Banking Principles
http://www.col-ed.org/cur/sst/sst136.txt
This is a lesson that is intended to be used as a method of teaching basic banking principles. Rather than a dry textbook lesson, this lesson (which is probably best done orally, but can be utilized as a take- home or in-class reading assignment) provides an interesting approach to showing how banks "create" money, what reserves are, and what a "run" on a bank is. The lesson is adaptable to whatever the needs are in your particular situation.
The National Budget Simulation
http://garnet.berkeley.edu:3333/budget/budget.html
This simple simulation should give you a better feel of the trade-offs which citizens and policy makers will need to make to balance the budget.
Consumer Borrowing and Saving
http://www.col-ed.org/cur/sst/sst149.txt
To give students the needed background in the positive and negative aspects of credit, its impact upon individuals and the nation, and practical knowledge and understanding of the wise use of credit.
InvestSmart
http://www.mcrel.org/resources/plus/market.asp
Find investment basics and lessons, a market simulation, and real-life examples here. "InvestSmart demonstrates the awesome rewards of saving and investing. Its Market Simulation allows educators, groups, and individuals to trade stocks and funds in a collaborative environment."
The Stock Market
http://www.col-ed.org/cur/sst/sst156.txt
Many students here and read about the stock market, investing and other related areas that they know little about, and certainly do not know how these things work. Most students think these things are heard only in the news and are only important in far off places like New York City. The purpose of this activity is to help students to have at least a simple understanding of the stock market, and also see how many factors can influence the market. They begin to understand how many things are inter-related -the stock market and politics for example. And they gain responsibility and enhance their ability to think and make decisions.
The Stock Market Game
The Stock Market Game (SMG2000) is an electronic simulation of Wall Street trading, designed to help students and adults understand the stock market, the costs and benefits involved in decision-making, the sources and uses of capital and other related economic concepts.
Micro Economics - Personal Budgeting
http://ericir.syr.edu/Virtual/Lessons/Social_St/Economics/ECO0007.html
The purpose of the lesson is to show students that life in the "real world" away from the secure confines of home is drastically different. Decisions must be made with your spouse or, if you're single, by yourself. The outlook changes when the money comes out of your pocket and not someone else's. Students will be able to make their own "real world" decisions based on expert lecturers from the insurance, banking, law, real estate, and tax professions.
How Has the Constitution Shaped the Economic System in the United States?
http://ecedweb.unomaha.edu/lessons/fecg1.htm
Class discussion and small group task identifying the six characteristics of a market economy and the provisions in the constitution that support a market economy.
What Are the Economic Functions of Government?
http://ecedweb.unomaha.edu/lessons/fecga.htm
Class discussion and small group task identifying six economics functions of government and examples of these functions using current events.
Why Nations Trade
http://ecedweb.unomaha.edu/lessons/FEOG1.htm
After discussing the concept of comparative advantage, students in small groups engage in a simulation on the economic costs and benefits of trade.
Limiting Trade
http://ecedweb.unomaha.edu/lessons/feoga.htm
Students learn about various types of trade restrictions and their effects by applying a model to determine who will benefit and who will be hurt by a tariff.
Invest Smart
http://library.advanced.org/10326/
Developed by students for the ThinkQuest competition, this site includes basics, lessons, a simulation, and examples. In the interactive stock market simulation, each "player" is given $100,000 to invest in over 5,000 companies. Other features include easy setup for classes or investment clubs, a "Group Directory" view of each student portfolio, research capability of stocks, benchmark of each portfolio, and helpful set up tips for classes from 20 to100 students.