Council for Economic Education
A Perfect Pet
Students read the story "The Perfect Pet". They examine how scarcity is a problem in society when people can not have everything they want which forces them to make (economic) choices.
University of Texas
Scarcity
How can having too little of something impact your life? Scholars investigate the concept of scarcity in their own lives and in the overall picture of the economy. Brainstorming activities as well as student-parent work bring to light...
Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Education
Popcorn Economics
Scarcity of resources is a fundamental economics concepts that kids need to understand. You'll use a large bag of popcorn to demonstrate this concept. Have the class come up row-by-row to fill their snack bags with popcorn. By the last...
Federal Reserve Bank
Monster Musical Chairs and Scarcity
Why can't we have everything we want? Youngsters are introduced to the concept of scarcity through a game of musical chairs and by discussing what it takes to satisfy our wants.
Curated OER
Popcorn Economics
Students examine the concept of scarcity. In this economics lesson, students define scarcity and take part in an activity that illustrates the concept as it relates to goods and services.
Curated OER
Food Insecurity
Explore food insecurity and resource scarcity with your class. They discuss the sharing of scarce resources, how to be good caretakers of these resources, and how choices impact the entire world.
Curated OER
Distribution of Goods
Students study the concept of scarcity and that it requires people to make choices when trying to satisfy their unlimited wants. Groups are given bags of items and must distribute the items in the bag in a way that is acceptable to...
Curated OER
Road To Roota
Did you know that there are comic books that can help learners discover economic concepts like supply and demand. The format of this instructional activity is highly engaging and enables them to discover how economics can be an exciting...
Curated OER
Poverty and Natural Disasters: Exploring the Connections
Students explore the connections between natural disasters and poverty. In this economic activity students examine worksheets and activities for each level.
Curated OER
Teaching Economics Using LUNCH MONEY
Students, after reading the book "Lunch Money" by Andrew Clements, explore money and different saving places. They research different ways in which productivity has increased over the years, they examine products to determine if the...
Curated OER
Basic Trading
Students review the basic ideas of exchange. In groups, they discover the incentives for trade and participate in a simulation. They are given a packet of stamps which are worth varying monetary amounts. They discover the concepts of...
Curated OER
The Great Kapok Tree - Economic Impact of Deforestation
Students read "The Great Kapok Tree" by Lynne Cherry. They, in groups, research the economic impacts of deforestation in areas with rain forest and identify resources that humans use from the rain forest.
Curated OER
Hey, Mom! What's for Breakfast?
Students examine how he world eats breakfast. In this food choices instructional activity, students work in groups to list breakfast foods and their ingredients and find goods and consumers on the list. The, students use the Internet...
Curated OER
A Share in America
Students examine map - reflect on why English colonist kept coming to America (scarcity of land in England / seemingly endless land in America)
Recite line from English poem. They discuss English attitude towards Indians and their lands.
Curated OER
Money Smart children
Students elementary financial vocabulary words: spend, save, invest and donate. In this finance lesson, students respond to the story "Sam and the Lucky Moon." Students describe the concepts of wants and needs, resources, scarcity,...
Curated OER
PRODUCTION, CONSUMPTION, AND INCENTIVES
Fifth graders design a web page. They include features he or she would typically like to see when visiting web pages. They title the topic of the web page "Features That Make a Great Web Site." They explain that there are incentives...
Curated OER
Economics Using SimCity 2000
Fifth graders build a city and balance a budget for the population.
Curated OER
The Great Kapok Tree
Young scholars read The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry. After reading the story, they center on the controversy of destroying the rain forest or conserving it. Students have to make an informed decision about rain forest destruction.
Curated OER
What's the Earth Worth?
Students are able to identify natural resources from a shared reading by highlighting, scoring at least a 3 on a 4 point rubic. They describe in journal entries, after reading the book Amelia Bedelia Goes Camping or Curious Geogre Goes...
Curated OER
Picture Your Future
Fifth graders use Career-O-Rom-A interactive software to investigate various careers in which they are interested. They examine the clothing associated with their career choices and workplaces. They list ten careers which still appeal...
Curated OER
Producers of Goods and Services
Students use newspapers to brainstorm a list of the producers of goods and services in their community. In groups, they organize coupons based on the good or service and create a chart to organize the information. They discuss the...
Curated OER
A Helping Hand: The Role of Guides During Western Expansion
Students research and examine the lives and culture of western mountain guides during the early to mid 1800s. Students write reports about a guide they research, do a simulation of the guide by keeping a journal, managing money and...
Curated OER
Exploration of North America
Fifth graders examine some famous explorers who have helped to discover our country. They discuss explorers from three countries today. They are: Spain, Portugal, and England.
Curated OER
Adventures in Exploration
Fifth graders research major explorers in history using their textbook and then create a timeline using Timeline Software. Students participate in class discussions and write an essay about the explorer they researched.