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Economic Connections |
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Educational
services promoting economic and personal finance literacy |
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Web Links Sample Workshops Grades K-5
And . . .
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sample Workshops: Grades K-5 Econ and Me. Preview the popular “Econ and Me”
video series and the teacher guide that accompanies it. Real-life learning
activities reinforce student skills in language arts, math and problem
solving while teaching basic economic concepts. Economic concepts emphasized
include scarcity, resources, opportunity cost, consumption, production, and
interdependence as they relate to students, families and the local community.
(Grade 2-5 teachers) Time: 2-8 hours. Elementary Economics: From A to Z. If the word “economics” conjures
up images of dry textbooks and boring lectures, this session will ease your
mind. Discover how to draw upon the everyday lives of elementary students to
make economics relevant and fun. Learn how to integrate
economics with other subjects including language arts, math, geography,
history and civics. Each participant will be given lessons plans, student
worksheets, a dictionary of economic terms, a bibliography of children’s
literature and a list of additional resources to help teach economics as
outlined in the Michigan Curriculum Framework. You will leave this session with a new attitude
towards economics. A minimum of one day is required for
this program. With a two day program, time can be scheduled for participants
to spend a few hours explore the many Internet web sites offering economics
lessons and learning activities for students. (Grade K-5 teachers) Time: 12-16 hours ü
Scarcity Forces Us to Make Choices ü
Starting a Business ü Other Solutions to the Scarcity Problem ü In the Marketplace ü Public Goods and Public Choices ü Why and How People
Trade Teaching Economics
Using Children’s Literature. Not sure how you can squeeze economics into the already
crowded K-6 curriculum? Try using popular children’s books and “kill two
birds with one stone.” Experience sample lessons and activities that
accomplish this goal. Participants will also receive a bibliography of books
and lessons that integrate language art and economics. This program is most
successful when teachers have already had an introduction to basic economic
concepts with a program such as Econ and Me. Full-day workshops include
planning time for teachers to develop a reading list of grade-appropriate
books that address the state economic education standards. (Grade K-6
teachers) Time: 2-8 hours. Getting Tech Smart. A workshop designed to take the
mystery out of using cyberspace as a learning tool. In a computer laboratory, teachers move through a series of
activities integrating social studies content with the development of
computer skills. Tailored to the participants needs and interests, sample
topics covered include: ü
Conducting web searches. ü
Using Microsoft Word to create web pages—no need to
learn html ü
Designing Web Quests and other online activities for
students ü
Using clip
art in handouts and web page design Back to School
Economics. Open
your eyes to the many economic principles at work in your school. Strategies
for teaching elementary students about production, consumption, market
systems, taxes and public goods using examples from in and around the
classroom. Why are students willing to pay higher prices at the school store?
Where do pencils come form? And is education really “free”? (Grade K-6
teachers) Time: 2-4 hours Early America: An Economic Perspective. Designed for American History teachers, this workshop
connects economics with the early history of the United States. Activities focus on Native Americans and
the early settlers, the revolution, birth of the new nation and westward
expansion. (Grade 4-12 teachers) Time:
2-6 hours. Economics On-line. A look at favorite web
sites offering lesson plans, research data, student activities and
information that address the K-12 economics components of the Michigan Curriculum
Framework. Participants will be given time to go online and find sites that
support their specific subject area. (Grades 3-12 teachers) Time: 2-4
hours. Fast Food Economics. Every kid knows about fast foods
-- build on their interest and teach economics! With this theme approach,
learn how to increase productivity by making play dough hamburgers. Use the
“Big Mac index” to illustrate the value of international currency. Research
via the internet the entrepreneurs who built fast food franchises such as
McDonald’s and Subway. (Grade 2-12 teachers) Time: 2-4 hours. The Gingerbread Man. Educators have been asking for a workshop that specifically
addresses economic education in the K-2 classroom. Using the familiar Grimm
brother’s folk tale about the runaway gingerbread man, this workshop combines
economics with language arts, geography, math, and science. Students produce
gingerbread men. When the men
disappear, students conduct a search, learn about workers in their community,
and map sightings of the runaways. (Grade K-2 teachers) Time: 2-4
hours. Let’s Celebrate a
Holiday: What’s Economics Got to Do With It? Squeeze
more learning out of classroom holiday activities. Many children’s books with
a holiday theme can be used to teach economics. Participants will be provided a bibliography of books and
suggestions for connecting them with the state economic standards. Marco Polo: Internet Content for Classroom. In this hands-on workshop,
participants are introduced to Marco Polo, an Internet resource for grades
K-12 created by the MCI Worldcom Foundation in partnership with the nation’s
leading educational organizations. This free web site offers links and lesson
ideas for economics, geography, history, art, science, mathematics among
other disciplines. Materials on the site have been screened for objectivity
and appropriateness. Educators will also be given tips and strategies for
integrating Internet content into their classroom. (Grades 3-12 teachers) Time: 2-4 hours. Michigan History: An Economic Perspective. The
history of Michigan is rich with events that can support the teaching of the
state economic standards. Explore these connections and learning activities
for the classroom. Participants are provided resource materials that will
support this endeavor. (Grade 4-5 teachers) Time: 2-4 hours |
