Social Studies Staff Development
Austin ISD
Austin, TX
February 12, 2010
Laura Ewing
President/CEO
Texas Council on Economic Education
www.economicstexas.org
Laura@economicstexas.org
713-655-1650
Interesting hands-on lessons that develop critical
thinking skills for students in Economics, Social
Studies, Math, and Career/Technical Education classes.
•
•
•
•
•
Economics
Personal Financial Literacy
Investor Education
Student Activities
www.economicstexas.org
•
•
•
•
•
Team Fees are covered by Fidelity Investments
10 week live simulation
Virtual $100,000
Trade stocks, bonds and mutual funds
Grades 4 – 12
•
•
•
•
Stock Market Game
Economic Challenge
Virtual Economics
All Events are listed at www.economicstexas.org
•
•
•
•
FREE through 2/28/10
79 publications, 1200
lessons
28 publications
500 economic terms
March 29-April 2
Online competition
April 13 State Finals Capitol
April 26 National Finals Online
David Ricardo Division
National Semi-finals Online
Adam Smith Division
National Finals NYC
Adam Smith Division
San Antonio
Third or fourth week in June




1(b) Analyze the consequences of an economic decision made by an
individual consumer
2(a) analyze the economic rights and responsibilities of businesses
2(b) Analyze the consequences of an economic decision made by a
business
23(a) analyze information by sequencing, categorizing, identifying causeand-effect relationships, comparing, contrasting, finding the main idea,
summarizing, making generalizations and predictions, and drawing
inferences and conclusions
Focus
What strategies peak student
interest in learning?
What are the steps?
1.Choose a high interest mystery for your students.
2.Have the entire class discuss the first story
3.Display the Handy Dandy Guide on a wall chart
4.Explain each of the principles first
1.
2.
3.
4.
Read the visual
Discuss the Handy Dandy Guide
Assign each person to be responsible for
arguing one or two clues.
The group decides on a solution and an
explanation
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Pp 55-56 Why Don’t All Students Study Hard at
School?
Pp 29-30 The Case of the Pampered Chickens
Pp 37-38 Having Many Children or Few
PP 31-32 The Credit Card Mystery
Pp 39-40 Scarce Health Care in the Inner Cities
Pp 43-44 Why Would Mexico Want To Trade
With the U. S. and Canada?
Process
Why did we do these
activities?
Summarize the point of the
lesson