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Lesson Plan
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Council for Economic Education

FRED and the Federal Budget Interactive Lesson

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
How can a federal debt accumulate over time? The Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) dashboard allows scholars to actively research each aspect of the federal budget. In pairs, they analyze economic data to determine the best way to...
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Activity
Federal Reserve Bank

FRED in the Classroom: Debt and Deficit

For Teachers 10th - 12th Standards
Here is a hands-on activity where your class members will discover different ways to measure the government's financial situation and work to add data and redraw graphs in order to calculate the ratio of gross federal debt held by the...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Cartoons for the Classroom: Dems and dat dang debt

For Students 10th - 12th
Warm up the class with this political cartoon analysis. They use the provided guiding questions to analyze a cartoon depicting issues of debate regarding Federal debt. Critical thinking is a must with this instructional activity.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Understanding the Debt Ceiling Debate and the Budget Control Act of 2011

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Upper graders listen to a podcast on the EconTalk website featuring economist Keith Hennessey. The podcast focuses on the Budget Control Act of 2011, the national debt, and government spending. They read specifics about the BCA, then...
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Lesson Plan
Heritage Foundation

The Constitution, Federalism, and the States

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The divide between federal and state government is responsible for much of tension that continues to this day, partly because of the US Constitution. The activities in the 14th lesson plan in a series of 20 are designed to help learners...
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Lesson Plan
Council for Economic Education

Federal Budget Lesson Plan and Fiscal Ship Student Game

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The federal budget has never been so fun! Using an interactive game, high schoolers choose from a variety of policy options after identifying goals and try to balance these changes in policy with a federal budget. 
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Handout
ProCon

Student Loan Debt

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Should college loan debt be easier to discharge in bankruptcy? Scholars sort through the top three pros and cons to decide for themselves in preparation for a class debate or discussion. Learners may also participate in an online poll to...
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PPT
Curated OER

Chapter 18: Deficits, Surpluses, and the Public Debt

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Sobering, informative, and relevant for today, this presentation is sure to fill in some of the gaps between the current financial crisis and the theories of economics. With explanatory graphs and strong discussion points, these slides...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Piecewise Modeling with Multiple Functions: Federal Debt

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students analyze data on debt and write an equation. In this statistics lesson plan, students are given data from different time periods, and are asked to graph and analyze the data. They work in groups, and are assigned different parts...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Debt and Deficits

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students identify, research and interpret the national debt and deficits of the past through today and why it has risen significantly in the last 20 years. They analyze the size and impacts and discuss the various policy measures for...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduction to the National Debt

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students relate the national debt to the economy. In this algebra lesson, students discuss what the national debt is, create a national budget based on priority and what the government should spend money on. They analyze their findings...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Should America Balance the Federal Budget?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students analyze the federal budget of the United States. In this national debt lesson, students listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding the details of the balancing the federal budget. Students respond to discussion...
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Interactive
Woodrow Wilson International Center For Scholars

The Fiscal Ship

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Can young economists right the fiscal ship of the United States before it sinks? Learners use an interactive simulation to navigate the waters of the federal deficit in an effort to curb the federal deficit. They make active decisions of...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Cartoons for the Classroom: Between the Lines, National Debt

For Students 8th - 12th
In this current events worksheet, students analyze a political cartoon about national debt and respond to 3 talking point questions.
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Worksheet
Federal Reserve Bank

Choices Are Everywhere: Why Can’t We Just Have It All?

For Students 11th - 12th Standards
Here is a resource covering a range of terms and concepts regarding scarcity, opportunity cost, and government debt in economics. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Extra Credit: It’s No Fairy Tale

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners discuss their knowledge of payday loans and credit cards. In this Economics lesson, students complete a read an article and Q&A activity in groups, and play a vocabulary bingo game and a quiz game on payday loans. Learners...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

State Government Debt in Utah: Rapid Growth in Recent Years

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Young scholars examine growth of debt in Utah state government from 1991 to present, compare general obligation debt and revenue debt incurred by state, identify four primary methods used by governments to finance projects, and complete...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Powers of Congress

For Students 11th - 12th
Have your class fill out this comprehension sheet while reading about the powers of Congress. There are ten multiple choice questions focused on the rights, powers, and limitations of Congressional law.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Interest Rates

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Use a KWL chart and discussion to explore the concept behind loans with interest based on percentage rates. Learners examine different types of interest, the history of interest loans and calculate the costs of a loan over a ten-year...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Balance of Payments (BOP)

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Learners work through ten transactions that will help them understand credits and debts on a global scale. They then discuss each transaction in terms of the global economy. An extension activity and discussion questions are included.
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PPT
Curated OER

Understanding Tax: Your Role as a Tax Payer

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Every adult should know that it is their responsibility to help fund public goods and services by paying taxes. Help young people get a handle on the history, evolution, purposes for, and reasons why they should pay taxes too. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Economics: Actions of Government

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Young scholars examine the susceptibility of legislators to agricultural lobbyists to support subsidy programs. In small groups, they role-play as members of interest groups that might be affected by inflation.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Balancing the Budget

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students identify the different components that make up the federal budget. They discuss the relationship between government revenues and spending and between budget deficits and the national debt. Students predict how changes in...
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Lesson Plan1:21
Federal Reserve Bank

The Fed's Role in Making and Setting Monetary Policy: Part 2

For Teachers 11th - 12th Standards
How does the Federal Open Market Committee work to formulate the nation's monetary policy in the United States? As the second segment of a lesson on the role of the Fed in setting monetary policy, class members will learn about open...