Economics Education Resources for Students & Teachers
It is never too early to teach children the value of a dollar. Many young students today have cell phones and iPods, but many of them don't understand what it takes to to obtain such luxuries. These resources will help you decide how to best teach your students or children everything they need to know about economics.
Lesson Plans - Macroeconomics - Microeconomics - Personal Finance
Lesson Plans
- EconEdlink - This resource, provided by the Council for Economic Education, is stocked with complete lessons ready for your classroom. With these lessons, your students will learn about supply, demand, price, competition, trading, and many other economic-related activities to equip them with knowledge.
- Economic Education Web - This resource provides economics lesson plans that users may conveniently organize by concept, grade level, or standards. If you're not sure which lesson to start your students out with, this site has it all figured out!
- Federal Reserve Education - This website features lesson plans from the Federal Reserve. Teach your students about the flow of money in and out of banks, how they can invest their own money, and more. The website is conveniently organized by grade level so that you can choose the appropriate lesson for your students.
- Foundation for Teaching Economics - This organization provides teachers with content outlines, classroom activities, demonstration videos, and lecture presentations. You'll be sure to find what you need by visiting this website.
- James Madison University - These lesson plans have been compiled by a former teacher at James Madison University. Find lesson plans for elementary school, middle school, or high school students.
- Teacher Planet - This economics resource provides grade-specific lesson plans. Learn how to teach the principles of supply and demand or for older students, the fluctuations in the stock market.
Macroeconomics
- Bright Hub - This study guide provides a thorough introduction of macroeconomics. It also highlights the components of macroeconomics that students should focus on to perform better in school.
- Denise Hazlett's Classroom Experiments - If you want to challenge your students or prepare them for college, we suggest using the noncomputerized classroom experiments found on this website. All of the experiments are enjoyable and informative -- for example, they teach about the Consumer Price Index or how unemployment compensation operates.
- Library of Economics and Liberty - The National Council on Economic Education has compiled this list of macroeconomics key concepts that should be taught in U.S. high schools. For every concept listed, there are resources teachers can use to compare their own curricula and see if there's a need for change.
- PowerPoint Presentations - This resource provides PowerPoint presentations submitted by real teachers. These presentations will help students view macroeconomics in a whole new way and maybe even perform better on AP exams.
- Questia Online Library - This resource allows you to read full-length journal articles about teaching macroeconomics. Here you'll be able to find which methods work for students and which could use some improvement.
Microeconomics
- Achieve - This resource teaches students how to apply their understanding of microeconomic principles to interpret graphical representations. It provides six different tasks that students should be able to perform.
- Basic Microeconomics - With this website, you'll be able to download an online microeconomics textbook, spreadsheets, and PowerPoint presentations. Why spend hours making your own visuals if they are already covered?!
- Library of Economics and Liberty - Have you ever wondered if you're teaching your students all they need to know about microeconomics? If so, you should check with the National Council on Economic Education's list for economic concepts required of every high school economics classroom around the nation.
- Marginal Revolution - This website offers a few helpful links to tips on how to successfully teach microeconomics. If you're at all flexible in your ways of teaching, it wouldn't hurt to adopt some of these into your normal routine.
- Quiz Maker - This resource has compiled quizzes testing an understanding of microeconomics. Browse the questions to see if you're students are learning all they need to know.
Personal Finance
- California Department of Education - This resource provides links to financial literacy programs kids can use in the classroom or at home. Teach kids "The ABCs of Financial Literacy" or how they can build their own personal wealth. Before you know it, your students will be wanting to start a 401(k)!
- Education World - The National Endowment for Financial Education has reported that as little as 10 hours of classroom instruction can be enough to improve the spending and saving habits of students. Find how best to fill those 10 hours by visiting this valuable resource.
- Finance In the Classroom - This website was made specifically for Utah's youth but is beneficial for all. Here you'll find high-quality personal finance materials that will teach children how money is used in the world.
- Financial Literacy for Everyone - Use this resource to give your students a deeper understanding of money management. Find lessons ranging from "What is money?" to "How to be financially independent."
- University of Minnesota - This website provides educators of preschool and elementary school students links for how to effectively teach financial literacy. Young students often get bored learning about money because they don't have to worry about it yet, but this website will teach you how to make personal finance interesting!