Show
Me the Money: Economics in American History
Aim
The module, Show Me the Money: Economics in American
History will guide fourth- and fifth-grade Chicago Public School students
through American History while focusing on topics related to Economics.
Rationale
Economics, the analysis of the
production, distribution, and consumption of goods is central to
understanding how we make choices as individual consumers. Economics
is significant in understanding the origins of the United States,
and how this country became a world power. Finally, Economics is
important to understanding our relationship to other nations, both
as consumers of imported products and as a country that makes decisions
about trade agreements.
Audience
This module is designed for fourth- and fifth-grade
students in the Chicago Public Schools. It could also be used by
private school students or any other young people (or adults) interested
in the early history of Chicago.
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Pre-Requisites
Reading at a 4th grade level
Use of Internet browsers
Use of a mouse
Subject Matter
The subject matter of this module will include:
- Producers and consumers.
- Important people, inventions, and events
in American history related to Economics.
- Labor history, including slave labor, child
labor, labor unions, and reforms.
- The role economics has played in the development
of the United States as a world power.
- The effect of war on the economy.
Materials
Internet-linked computer with browser (version
4.0 recommended) for each student or group of students.
Journal (optional)
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Instructional Plan
Teachers typically seat two students together
at a computer. Students take turns reading the tour to each other
and work together to answer online journal questions. Often teachers
pair a strong reader with a student who needs help reading to foster
peer guidance.
Teachers may wish to use a projector to help students get started.
The teacher (or technical coordinator) can show students how to
navigate, enlarge pictures, and use the encyclopedia. After reading
a few pages together, teachers then allow students (paired or single)
to read independently.
Goals and Objectives
The foci of this module are State Goals 1,
2, 3, 5 (Language Arts) and 15, 16, 17 (Social Science). Some tours
in this module include standards in Math and Science. Refer to each
tour's teaching guide for a standards chart that includes specific
Chicago Academic Statements and Curriculum Framework statements.
For detailed information on the standards, visit
the Chicago
Public Schools website.
Assessment
and Evaluation
Each tour has an online journalling function
which is the primary form of assessment in the tours. The journal
is printable.
Refer to teaching guides for individual tours for quiz and essay
questions.
Refer to the Additional Activities section in individual tours for
project ideas that could be used for assessment.
Additional Information
Resources
for children's literature
At-a-glance
History of Money
Evidence
of student learning in Economics, based on A Framework for
Teaching Basic Concepts, National Council on Economic Education,
1995.
Colonial
Economic Growth - in-depth outline of the economic history of
this period.
The Federal Reserve Bank
- good resource to get acquainted with banking history.
The
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago - Economic education resources,
including lesson plans.
Inflation calculator
U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational
Outlook Handbook. Excellent resource for researching jobs.
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