Standards (complete) that emphasize economics, with recommended lessons:

8.1.1 Students will describe life in America before the 17th century by:

• identifying and describing culture and economic systems of the first Americans, such as the Inuits (Eskimos), the Anasazi (cliff dwellers), the Northwest Indians (Kwakiutl), the Plains Indians, the Mound builders, the Indians of the Eastern forest (Iroquois), the Incas, and the Mayans.
  
• explaining how geography and climate influenced the way Native Americans lived.
  

Lessons for This Standard:

Arts Mart

United States History: Eyes on the Economy, Volume 1
Unit 2: Lesson 1: The New World Was an Old World
Unit 2: Lesson 2: Did Native Americans Act Economically?

8.1.2 Students will trace the routes and evaluate early explorations of the Americas by:

• explaining the motivations, obstacles, and accomplishments of sponsors and leaders of key expeditions from Spain, France, Portugal, and England.
  
• identifying the political, economic, and social impact of the encounter between European and Native Americans.
  
• identifying the economic, ideological, religious, and nationalist forces that led to competition among European powers for control of North America.
  

United States History: Eyes on the Economy, Volume 1

Unit 3: Lesson 1: Why do Economies Grow?
Unit 3: Lesson 2: Be a Planet Planner

8.1.3 Students will describe colonial America, such as:

• the factors that led to the founding of the colonies, such as the escape from religious persecution, economic opportunity, release from prison, and military adventure.
  
• geographic, political, economic, and social contrasts in the three regions of New England, the mid-Atlantic, and the South.
  
• life in the colonies in the 18th century from the perspectives of Native Americans, large landowners, farmers, artisans, women, and slaves.
  
• the principal economic and political connections between the colonies and England.
  
• sources of dissatisfaction that led to the American Revolution.
  
• key individuals and events in the American Revolution, such as King George, Lord North, Lord Cornwallis, John Adams, Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and Thomas Paine.
  
• major military campaigns of the Revolutionary War and reasons why the colonies were able to defeat the British.

United States History: Eyes on the Economy, Volume 1

Unit 4: Lesson 1: Understanding the Colonial Economy
Unit 4: Lesson 2: The Costs and Benefits of Independence
Unit 4: Lesson 3: Entrepreneurship Case Study: Eliza Lucas Pinckney

8.1.6 Students will describe growth and change in America from 1801 to 1872, such as:

• territorial exploration, expansion, and settlement, such as the Louisiana Purchase, the Lewis and Clark expedition, the acquisition of Florida, Texas, Oregon, and California.
  
• how the effects of geography, climate, canals and river systems, economic incentives, and frontier spirit influenced the distribution and movement of people, goods, and services.
  
• the influence on the principle relationships between the United States, Mexico, Canada, and the European powers (Monroe Doctrine).
  
• the impact of inventions, such as the cotton gin, McCormick reaper, steamboat, and steam locomotive.
  
• the development of money, savings, and credit.
  

United States History: Eyes on the Economy, Volume 1

Unit 6: Lesson 1: The Tale of the Corset and the Necktie
Unit 6: Lesson 2: Productivity Raises Output
Unit 6: Lesson 3: Lowell Workers and Producers Respond to Incentives
Unit 6: Lesson 4: Cost Cutting is Fashionable
Unit 6: Lesson 5: Improving Transportation
Unit 6: Lesson 6: What is Investments?
Unit 6: Lesson 7: Entrepreneurship Cast Study: Samuel Slater
Unit 7: Lesson 1: Saving and Investing in Razorback
Unit 7: Lesson 2: What Role Does Money Play?
Unit 7: Lesson 3: Boom and Bust in the 1830s

8.1.10 Students will develop skills in discussion, debate, and persuasive writing by analyzing historical situations and events, such as:

• different historical perspectives of people, such as Native Americans; Hispanic Americans; African Americans; European Americans; Asian Americans; settlers, slaves, and slave holders; Patriots and Tories; Federalists and Anti-Federalists; Confederates and Yankees; Republicans and Democrats; rural and urban.
  
• different evaluations of the causes, costs, and benefits of major events in American history up to 1877, such as the American Revolution, the Constitutional Convention, the Civil War, and Reconstruction.

United States History: Eyes on the Economy, Volume 1

8.2.4 Students will explain the Great Depression and its effects, such as:

• weaknesses in the economy and the collapse of financial markets in the late 1920's.
  
• the extent and depth of business failures, unemployment, and poverty.
  
• the New Deal and its impact on the Depression and the future role of government in the economy.
  
• personalities and leaders of the period, such as Will Rogers, Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt, and Charles Lindbergh.

United States History: Eyes on the Economy, Volume 2

Unit 7: Lesson 1: Whatdunit? The Great Depression Mystery
Unit 7: Lesson 2: Where Did All the Income Go?
Unit 7: Lesson 3: When Greeting Cards Were Too Expensive...
Unit 7: Lesson 4: The New Deal
Unit 7: Lesson 5: Can Higher Prices for Agricultural Products Help the Economy?
Unit 7: Lesson 6: We Shall Not Be Moved

8.2.5 Students will describe the economic, social, and political transformation of the United States since World War II, such as:

• segregation, desegregation, and the Civil Rights Movement.
  
• the changing role of women in America.
  
• the technology revolution and its impact on communication, transportation, and new industries.
  
• the consumer economy and increasing global markets.
  
• increases in violent crime and illegal drugs.
  
• effects of increased immigration.
  
• political leaders of the period; trends in national elections; and, differences between the two major political parties.

Creative Activities for Teaching American History - Industrial Era

United States History: Eyes on the Economy, Volume 2

Unit 8: Lesson 1: Growth After World War II
Unit 8: Lesson 2: Why Live in "Sin City" If You Are Not a Sinner?
Unit 8: Lesson 3: Entrepreneurship Case Study: Chuck Berry
Unit 9: Lesson 1: Women in the U.S. Work Force

United States History: Eyes on the Economy, Volume 2

8.3.5 Students will explain the structure and operation of the United States economy by:

• explaining the concepts of scarcity, choice, trade-offs, specialization, productivity, inflation, profits, markets, and incentives.
  
• discussing what markets are explaining supply and demand; and, analyzing the effect of producer and consumer behavior on markets.
  
• explaining the role of individuals and businesses as consumers, savers, investors, and borrowers.
  
• explaining how institutions, such as banks, unions, legal systems, and non-profits evolve in market economies to help individuals and groups accomplish economic goals.
• explaining entrepreneurship, productivity, and standards of living, describing their relationship.

Online: The Real McCoy*

Elijah McCoy was an African-American inventor who successfully designed an automatic oil cup that may have inspired the popular phrase, "the real McCoy." Learn about increasing productivity and patents; ; ©SPEC Publishing.

Online: The Basics of Interest Rates

Online: The New Global Realities (conference proceedings)

Online: Once Upon a Dime

Online: Who We Are and What We Do (Federal Reserve)

Arts Mart

Choices & Changes: Choice Making, Productivity, and Planning

Choices & Changes: Choices, the Economy, and You

Creative Activities For Teaching U.S. History- Industrial Era

Economics of Energy, The : A Teaching Kit

Energy and Economics: An Activities Book

Energy, Economics and the Environment: Middle School

Focus: Middle School Economics

In the News!

International News Journal, The: Activities and Teacher's Manual

Learning from the Market: Integrating the Stock Market Across the Curriculum

Master Curriculum Guide in Economics:Teaching Strategies: 5-6

Money in the Middle

Stock Market Game Guide Activities, The

Stock Market Game Tutorial

Trading Around the World

United States History: Eyes On The Economy Vol. 1

United States History: Eyes On The Economy Vol. II

What Economics Is About

You Are the Banker

Zooconomy II: Zoo Business

8.3.6 Students will describe the government's role in the United States economy, such as:

• provision of public goods and services.
  
• protection of consumer rights, contracts, property rights, and the promotion of competition.
  
• impact of government policies, taxation, and government borrowing on individuals and businesses.
  
• dealing with third party costs and benefits, such as pollution and medical research.

Online: What are the economic functions of government?**

Class discussion and small group task identifying six economics functions of government and examples of these functions using current events. From Focus on Economics: Civics and Government, ©National Council on Economic Education.

10. Where Does the Money Go?
11. Where Does the Money Come From?
12. What Does the Nation Consume?
13. An Island Economy
14. No Free Lunch

14. If This, Then That
15. Regulation Rigmarole

United States History: Eyes On The Economy Vol. 1

UNIT THREE: ONE. Why Do Economies Grow?
UNIT THREE: TWO. Be A Planet Planner
UNIT FOUR: TWO. The Costs and Benefits of Independence
UNIT FIVE: ONE. Problems Under the Articles of Confederation
UNIT FIVE: TWO. The Constitution: Ground Rules for the Economy
UNIT FIVE: THREE. Entrepreneurship Case Study: George Mason

United States History: Eyes On The Economy Vol. II

UNIT TWO: THREE. Why Give Away Land?
UNIT FOUR: THREE. Regulation of Business.
UNIT FIVE: ONE. What Does A Freed Slave Do?
UNIT FIVE: TWO- THREE. Jim Crow, Boycotts, and Consumer Power
UNIT SEVEN: FOUR. The New Deal
UNIT EIGHT: ONE. Growth After World War II
UNIT NINE: TWO. Why Does the Federal Government Overspend Its Budget?
UNIT NINE: FIVE. Why Does the U.S. Government Discourage World Trade?

8.3.7 Students will compare the United States economic system to systems such as, China, Japan, Canada, South America, and other Western European nations, such as:

• the differences between traditional, command and market economies.
  
• compare the degree of market, command, and traditional characteristics in various mixed economies and analyze costs and benefits of these economic systems.

Online: Places and production**

Students calculate the US GDP and various examples from South America. Using this information, they make inferences about per-capita income. From Focus on Economics: Geography, ©National Council on Economic Education

PART ONE: The Economy and My Place In It

Master Curriculum Guide in Economics:Teaching Strategies: 5-6

2. What? How? For Whom?

Trading Around the World

Unit 5: Economic Systems: How Nations Organize Their Economies

United States History: Eyes On The Economy Vol. 1

ONE. Solving Economic Mysteries in US History: A User's Guide
UNIT ONE: TWO. The United States' Past and the Global Economy
UNIT TWO: ONE. The New World Was An Old World
UNIT TWO: TWO. Did Native Americans Act Economically?
UNIT THREE: TWO. Be A Planet Planner
UNIT FIVE: FOUR. Entrepreneurship Case Study: Adam Smith

United States History: Eyes On The Economy Vol. II

UNIT ONE: ONE. Solving Economic Mysteries in U.S. History: A User's Guide
UNIT ONE: TWO. The United States and the Global Economy

8.3.8 Students will demonstrate an understanding of the rights and responsibilities of citizens in America by:

• describing ways individuals participate in the political process, such as registering and voting; communicating with government officials; participating in political campaigns; and, serving on juries and in voluntary appointed positions.
  
• describing and evaluating common forms of credit, savings, investments, purchases, contractual agreements, warranties, and guarantees.
  
• analyzing career opportunities, such as individual abilities, skills, and education, and the changing supply and demand for those skills in the economy.

Online lesson: M & M Interesting

For Sixth-Eighth Grades: Lesson 4, Personal Finance, Economics 608: Money in the Middle. Copyright ©1996, National Council on Economic Education, New York, NY 10036. Used with permission.

PART ONE: The Economy and My Place In It
PART TWO: Making Choices

Focus: Middle School Economics

7. The T-riffic T's Company: Production Decisions

Personal Finance Economics: Money in the Middle

Master Curriculum Guide in Economics:Teaching Strategies: 5-6

7. Widget Production

Stock Market Game Guide Activities, The

LESSON 16: Deciding How To Save

Trading Around the World

Unit 4: Productivity: The Key To Increasing the Wealth of Nations

United States History: Eyes On The Economy Vol. 1

UNIT THREE: ONE. Why Do Economies Grow?

United States History: Eyes On The Economy Vol. II

UNIT THREE: ONE. The Changing US Economy

8.3.10 Students will know how to interpret economic and political issues as expressed in maps, tables, diagrams, charts, political cartoons, and economic graphs.

Arts Mart

Energy and Economics Activity Book

5. Window Treatments for Energy Efficiency

Focus: Middle School Economics

Unit 1: Lesson 2: Give and Take
Unit 2: Lesson 4: How Many Will You Buy?
Unit 2: Lesson 5: Demand Shifters
Unit 3: Lesson 8: How Many Should We Sell?
Unit 4: Lesson 10: Where Does the Money Go?
Unit 4: Lesson 11: Where Does the Money Come From?

Learning From the Market: Integrating the Stock Market Across the Curriculum

Lesson 2: What is a Corporation
Lesson 6: How are Stock Prices Determined?

8.4.8 Students will describe and compare selected civiliations in Asia, Africa, and the Americas, focusing on chronology, location, geography, social structures, form of government, economy, religion, and contribution to later civilizations, such as:

• India: the caste system; the traditons, customs, beliefs, and significance of Hinduism.
• China: the T'ang dynasty; the traditions, customs, beliefs,and significance of Buddhism;
• Japan: the development and significance of Shinto; Buddhist religious traditions; and the influence of Chinese culture.
• The kingdoms of Kush in eastern Africa and Ghana in western Africa.
• The Mayan, Aztec, Incas, and Toltecs civilizations.