Teaching Resources
Economic Development
This curricula, for high school or college students, introduces them to economic development and social enterprise. Use this curriculum as a springboard into community involvement and service learning.
Creating Opportunity: Lessons on Development and Challenges of Economic Prosperity
Use the following materials to help students learn about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and consider ways they can act entrepreneurial to create change in their local communities or around the globe. Activities include simulations, deep discussions, and research using resources such as YouTube and TED Talks.
Global Economics
PowerPoints
- Globalization: An over view of the Debate Over Globalization to make it easy for teachers.South Africa
- Overview: presentation by South African economic educators at seminar in April 2010.
- End of Poverty: insight into South Africa’s socioeconomic situation
- Why People Trade
- US Economy and Globalization
- Arkansas Exports – AWTC
Lessons
- Economic Development Scarcity of Resources
- Focus Globalization: The Council for Economic Education published a curriculum for high schools on Globalization. This section includes an essay outlining the issues, a PowerPoint of that essay, the first lesson from the curriculum and how to order.
- Materials: how to order the curriculum from the Council for Economic Education.
- Introductory Essay: written by David Hummels from Purdue University outlines the issues associated with the globalization debate.
- Lesson 1: A skit on the costs and benefits of globalization. Great overview activity.
Entrepreneurship
A study by Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation on economic development in Arkansas recommended that we grow we our own businesses. For more than 20 years, the Moore Center has been planting seeds of entrepreneurial understandings that have resulted in many exciting programs and the development of curricula for Arkansas students.
Learn about entrepreneurship, cost of production, profit and loss through this creative business simulation.
Diamond in the Rough Lesson Entrepreneurship: Arkansas Style — Arkansas teachers wrote these lessons that feature Arkansas entrepreneurs and utilize Arkansas resources. This curriculum includes nine activities and sample business plans for students ages nine to twenty. Use the lesson on The Entrepreneur Next Door and Profile – Arkansas Entrepreneurs to teach your students to profile entrepreneurs from your region. Submit them to the Moore Center for inclusion on the Arkansas Entrepreneur Case Studies page.
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Arkansas Style
- Chapter 9: Finance Fun Lesson
- Chapter 8: Arkansas Diamond in the Rough Production
- Chapter 7: Lemonade for Sale - How Much to Supply
- Chapter 6: Lemonade Anyone - How Much Is Demanded?
- Chapter 5: Survey the Market - Do Consumers Want Your Product?
- Chapter 4: The Entrepreneur Next Door
- Chapter 3: The Entrepreneurs - Recognizing Market Opportunities
- Chapter 2: Hog Wild about Entrepreneurship - Join our Team
- Chapter 1: Profile - Arkansas Entrepreneurs
- Dog Party USA
- Mr Sam
- Puzzling Entrpreneurs
- Walton Museum
Financial Literacy
- Your Federal Student Loan
- What’s Up in Finance?
- Avoiding Charge Card Fraud
- Calculate YOUR Mortgage
- Credit Card Basics
- Financial Calculators provided by Ignitespot Outsourced Accounting
- Financial aid guide for minority students
- Financial aid guide for Hispanic students
- Scholarship Platforms: Check out these platforms to help you search for ways to reduce your college costs.
Children’s Literature
This page has lessons and links to lessons that use your favorite children’s books to teach economic concepts. Keep checking back as more will be added periodically.
Off the Shelf
Off the Shelf . . . with Economics features short clips sharing children’s books that teach economics. Descriptions are provided by Dr. Rita Littrell. Additionally, we invite you as a teacher to submit short videos sharing a new book and the economics content it includes.The Story Heifer International and their gift of livestock and sustainable farming. Video of Beatrice’s Goat
Career Education
Supply Chain Management: Lesson and PowerPoint to introduce students to the field of supply chain management.
Transportation: PowerPoint and activity based lessons to engage your students in learning the role of transportation in our economic system.
Arkansas History
Who would consider teaching Arkansas history without including economics? I don’t think it could be done! To assist you, the Moore Center has collected or developed lessons or curricula on economics as it is applied to Arkansas history. Be sure check them out. They are all hands-on and activity based. Some, such as Ballooning through Arkansas History and Arkansas Park Development make good use of Internet resources. Don’t miss the special page on Economic Dimensions of Arkansas history including a lesson and an Internet based Jeopardy formatted game. Students and teachers LOVE it!
- Parks and Tourism in the Natural State: An Economic Driver – Website and activities to teach Arkansas history using Arkansas State Parks. Students learn about park goals through research and the creation of a new park.
- Economic Dimensions of Arkansas History – this curriculum was developed by middle school education majors at the University of Arkansas and the University of Arkansas Women’s Giving Circle. This lesson uses an Arkansas map as a graphic organizer as students learn about industry, history, natural resources, transportation, and geography. After sharing their newly developed knowledge with classmates, they regroup and compete on an Internet based Jeopardy format game — great fun with maximum learning!
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- Pride in Arkansas PowerPoints
- Pride in Arkansas – PowerPoints that show the economic development of the state and highlights from each region are included.
- Arkansas Economic History Overview
- Economic Dimensions of Arkansas History Introductory Lesson – student work in groups of five or six and use an Arkansas road map as a graphic organizer as they research and learn about specialized topics such as industry, natural resources, history, geography and transportation. Once they have developed expertise in their category they prepare an entertaining presentation to share their information with the rest of the class. Once the presentations are complete, new groups are formed with one specialist per category per group. Now let the play begin!
- Geography
- History Part I
- History Part II
- Industry
- Natural Resources
- Transportation
- Economic Dimensions of Arkansas History Internet Game – students compete in groups to see who knows the most about the economic factors that have contributed to Arkansas history. What fun! Traditional hammer dulcimer music provides the buffer as students see who is the smartest about each category and then overall!
- Pride in Arkansas PowerPoints
- Ballooning through Arkansas History: Experiencing Scarcity: Students working in groups or individually use the Internet to determine where they will stop in each of Arkansas’ geographic regions. They have scarcity of time and space as they plan their trip.
- Arkansas Park Development: Scarcity of Land: Students research the six natural divisions of the state to determine the location for a new state park. Due to scarcity of resources, only one new park can be developed. The goals of the park and the opportunity cost are important criteria to be considered in this important decision.
- Arkansas Traveler: What Do You See?: A K-2 Arkansas history Common Core lesson written by Marsha Masters with Economics Arkansas. Great fun and educational too!
- The Wheels on the Truck Go Round and Round to Market: Another fun activity that capitalizes on young learners interest in transportation. Again written by Marsha Masters from Economics Arkansas. Enjoy this Common Core aligned activity.
- Arkansas: Specializing to Produce a Great State; Through active participation in assembling an Arkansas puzzle and playing a card game, the students will learn about specialization in early Arkansas. Interdependence and specialization come to life when students first produce Arkansas puzzles on their own and then in production groups. Students learn how division of labor can increase productivity. They then relate these economic concepts to their lives as they go out into the community and interview modern day specialists.
Arkansas History Song
Arkansas Stories – These songs use traditional music to tell stories of Arkansas pasts. A great way to introduce new history ideas to your student!
- Arkansas Stories – Charley Sandage, performed by: Harmony – Track 7 Sultana (2:44)
Resources:
Misc. Resources
- EconEdLink lessons written by Arkansas teachers Filled with great lessons that use the Internet to teach economics to learners of all ages. Direct links are provided to lessons written by Arkansas teachers. We are proud of our teachers!
- No Extra Room on the Mayflower – written by Brenda Love from T. G. Smith Elementary in Springdale, Arkansas.
- The Mitten – written by Stacey Pehosh from R. E. Baker Elementary School in Bentonville, Arkansas.
- The Color of Resources – written by Stacey Pehosh from R. E. Baker Elementary School.
- Trade to the Tailor – written by Stacey Pehosh from R.E. Baker Elementary School.
- Everyday Opportunities – Written by Stacey Pehosh from R.E. Baker Elementary School.
- Jobs: Who Needs ‘Em? – Written by Stacey Pehosh from R.E. Baker Elementary School.
- Field Trip Guides: Modify these if you are taking a field trip to teach economics.
- Stick Horse Rodeo: A unit for first graders in Springdale, Arkansas. Great way to teach economics using a local resource, The Rodeo of the Ozarks. Students ride stick horses as they participate in rodeo events.
- Who’s Out to Lunch: The Economics of the Food Service Industry : Fun and relevant curriculum for middle school and food science students. They analyze the food service industry as they learn economic concepts of scarcity, choice, supply, demand, cost of production, entrepreneurship and more. This curriculum was written by Missouri teachers and sponsored by the Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association.