Economics HSC Topic 3 Economic Issues –
Unemployment: Trends in the labour force
Teacher notes.
Trends in the labour force
Rationale
In this ‘laptops for learning’ lesson, students will use ICT extensively as they learn how the
LFPR and unemployment rates are defined and calculated and how to draw accurate
conclusions from unemployment data in relation to trends and the causes of
unemployment.
Quality Teaching Target Areas
Engagement
Outcomes
H1
demonstrates understanding of economic terms, concepts and relationships
H9
selects and organises information from a variety of sources for relevance and reliability
H11
applies mathematical concepts in economic contexts
H10
communicates economic information, ideas and issues in appropriate forms
Information Communication Technologies (ICT)




Construct a spreadsheet from a given set of data
Create graphs and a word processed analysis
Email spreadsheet and word processor documents
Provide feedback using the “track changes” & “new comment” functions of MS Word
Background Information about the lesson
This lesson can be taught at the beginning of the series of lessons on unemployment in the
“Economic Issues” topic of the HSC course. This lesson will take 2 periods (1 long period).
Resources
-
Laptop
Economics Textbook
Table 1 (see below)
Tutorials: Excel tutorial Line graph tutorial
© Commonwealth of Australia 2009
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Lesson Plan: Unemployment
Learn abouts
Unemployment
- measurement
-labour force
-participation
rate
-unemployment
rate



calculate the
unemployme
nt rate and
the
participation
rate using
labour force
statistics
Teaching & Learning Strategies
ICT
Introduction (20 mins)
Read/discuss the definition of the labour force and
unemployment; students make notes
Define LFPR; define unemployment rate; discuss the
relationship between the two; students make notes
Deconstruct the formulae for the LFPR and
Unemployment Rate; students make notes
Calculation activity (15 mins)
Students:

Open a new MS Excel file to create a table,
completing Excel formulae for LFPR and
Unemployment Rate (make up a name for the
nation to use in the title)
identify and
analyse
problems
facing
contemporary
and
hypothetical
economies

Transfer the data from Table 1 into it

Using the chart wizard, complete 2 line graphs for
the LFPR and Unemployment Rate over the 4 years

Open a new MS Word document; add a title; paste
the graphs; save
assess the
key problems
and issues
facing the
Australian
economy
Students:
 Complete a 500 word analysis of the trends evident
in the graphs, suggesting some possible causes;
add to the MS document
Excel tutorial
Connectedness
Line graph
tutorial
Analysis (30 mins)

Email the document to a partner
Email

Partners read the document and make editions and
comment utilising the “track changes” & “new
comment” functions in MS Word
Track changes
Add comment

Partners email the document back to the author and
discuss feedback
Conclusion (10 mins)

Review formulae and definitions

Compare analyses

Discuss the effectiveness of Excel and Word in the
analysis and presentation of data
© Commonwealth of Australia 2009
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Student worksheet - Calculating LFPR and
Unemployment Rate using ICT
Resources: Laptop, Economics Text, Table 1 (below), Tutorials: Excel tutorial Line graph tutorial
You are going to create a report based on the figures in Table 1 below. Your report will be
an analysis of changes in the labour force statistics for a nation (you choose to name the
nation) using line graphs you have created in Microsoft Excel.
Calculation activity (10 mins)




Open a new MS Excel file to create a table, completing Excel formulae for LFPR and
Unemployment Rate (make up a name for the nation to use in the title)
Transfer the data from Table 1 into it
Using the graph wizard complete 2 line graphs for LFPR & Unemployment Rate over 4 years
Paste the graphs into a MS Word document (next activity)
Analysis (25 mins)

Create a word document with an appropriate title (eg. Trends in the labour force for A Land Years 1-4).

Complete a 500 word analysis of the trends evident in the graphs, suggesting some possible
causes
Once completed, email the document to a partner
Partners read the document and make editions and comment utilising the “track changes”
function in MS Word
Email the document back to the author and discuss feedback



Conclusion (5 mins)



Class reviews formulae and definitions of unemployment and LFPR
Class compares analyses
Class discusses the effectiveness of Excel and Word in the analysis and presentation of data
Table 1: Hypothetical employment figures for a nation
Yr
Employed
(million)
Unemployed
(million)
1
21
0.8
33
2
21.5
1.0
34.6
3
22.0
1.2
35.9
4
23.0
1.0
38
© Commonwealth of Australia 2009
Labour force
(million)
Working age
population
(million)
LFPR %
UE rate %
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