Unit Plan: Economics
Michael Douglass
Class: Civics, Economics, and Personal Finance
Grade Level: 8th grade
Unit length: 13 lessons, 5 weeks
Lesson length: 86 minutes (approx.)
Dates: February 24th-March 31st
Overview: This unit is designed for an 8th grade Civics course. This class is team-taught across
the entire eighth grade at Grafton Middle School in York County, Virginia. This unit plan is
designed to be taught over approximately the five-week period dictated by the York County
benchmark assessment pacing guide established by the school district. The unit is designed to
promote both the learning of the assigned SOL objectives and an increase in development of
particular targeted skills. This unit has a series of essential questions, the answering of which
will require implementation of the aforementioned skills. To successfully implement these ends,
the unit uses two social studies instructional models in particular to benefit student learning:
structured academic controversy and concept formation.
Rationale: This unit encompasses all of the overall economics learning for the entire Civics,
Economics, and Personal Finance curriculum in the 8th grade. This unit is structured to begin by
introducing the concepts and then, one by one, applying them to other situatoins so as to generate
greater learning and understanding. The material is assessed through a unit test and two projects
(one on international trade and one on the function of American banks). These different
assessments ensure that learning is successfully measured in differing ways throughout the unit,
thereby giving a good sense for the reliability of each individual assessment.
SOL Objectives:
CE.11
The student will demonstrate knowledge of how economic decisions are made in the
marketplace by
a)
applying the concepts of scarcity, resources, choice, opportunity cost, price, incentives, supply
and demand, production, and consumption
b)
c)
comparing the differences among traditional, free market, command, and mixed economies
describing the characteristics of the United States economy, including limited government,
private property, profit, and competition
CE.12
The student will demonstrate knowledge of the structure and operation of the United States
economy by
a)
describing the types of business organizations and the role of entrepreneurship
b)
explaining the circular flow that shows how consumers (households), businesses (producers),
and markets interact
c)
explaining how financial institutions channel funds from savers to borrowers
d)
examining the relationship of Virginia and the United States to the global economy,
with emphasis on the impact of technological innovations
NCSS Standards
NCSS II
NCSS IV
NCSS V
Unit Goals:
1. Students will understand and demonstrate the importance of economics in their daily
lives.
2. Students will understand how the United States economy functions and how this
influences them on a personal level.
3. Students will understand what differentiates types of economies from each other.
4. Students will experience and understand how the global economy functions.
Unit Objectives:
1. Students will use and develop interpersonal (particularly public speaking and negotiation)
skills.
2. Students will use and develop research skills
3. Students will use and develop technological abilities
4. Students will successfully analyze documents for their meaning and then use those
documents to make arguments.
5. Students will successfully identify the differences between the four types of economies—
namely: mixed, free market, command, and traditional.
Essential Questions:
1. Why does economics matter in our daily lives?
2. How do the state of Virginia and the United States function within the global economy?
3. How does economics tie into other social issues, i.e. inequality?
Content Outline:
This unit covers SOL CE 12. It is intended to align with these SOLs and with the NCSS
standards I mentioned above. It is intended to cover:
1. The differences between the four economic systems, and how each of them answer the
three basic questions of economics (who produces, for whom do they produce, and what
will be produced?)
2. The understanding and application of important, foundational economics terms like
choice, scarcity, incentives, supply, demand, resources, opportunity cost, and price.
3. The major characteristics of the United States and Virginia economies, and how these
affect the placement of these economies within the larger global economy.
4. How businesses function within the economy (both in terms of the circular flow of goods,
services, and money between houses, businesses, and the government; and in terms of the
major types of businesses and how they differ in structure and function).
5. A basic overview of the financial system (a more in-depth review occurs in the next unit,
involving the Federal Reserve).
Materials and Resources:
-One copy of “The Sneetches” by Dr. Seuss
-Laptop computers (for Day 7 and 8)
-Copies of all worksheets and handouts
-Computer with projecting capabilities (for notes)
-Use of a large room (such as the school Atrium at Grafton Middle School) for Day 9
International Trade Simulation
Unit Calendar:
I. Why economics matters, and an introduction of concepts
1. Economics video (notes)
2. Response selection and development
3. Worksheet on terms
4. Reading of The Star-Bellied Sneetches
5. Short class debrief
II. Why economics matters, continuation of concepts and application of circular flow
1. Videotaping of responses
2. Continuation of worksheet on terms
3. Activity/demonstration of incentives, choice, and opportunity cost
4. Short explanation of circular flow and practice.
III. Traditional economies
1. Concept formation lesson on traditional economies
2. Time permitting, further practice of circular flow.
IV. Free market/Command/Mixed economies
1. Concept formation lessons on free market and command economies
2. Notes on mixed economies
3. Introduction to out-of-class banks project
V. Application of concept of scarcity: social inequality.
1. Scarcity demonstration
2. Social inequality (wealth/income-based) notes
3. Introduction to and beginning of work on international trade project
VI. Is inequality necessary?
1. Structued Academic Controversy on the necessity of inequality for society
VII. The role of the American government in the economy
1. Class notes on role of American government in the economy
2. Class research project on government regulatory agencies (FTC, EPA, FCC)
3. Continuance of work on international trade project
VIII. Function of the United States economy on a country-wide scale and at the individual
level
1. Class notes on the attributes of the United States economy
2. Class notes on the types of businesses of the United States economy
3. “Design your business” class activity
4. Continuance of work on international trade project
IX. International trade and global economy
1. International trade and global economy simulation, school atrium
X. United States banking system and relationship with the global economy
1. Class notes on Virginia/United States place in global economy
2. Debrief on banks project with worksheet
XI. Government involvement in the United States economy
1. Structured Academic Controversy on healthcare reform
XII. Review
XIII. Unit Test
Lesson Plans:
Thursday, February 24th:
Topic: Why economics matters, and foundational concepts.
Objectives:
-Unit Goal 1
-Unit Goal 3
-SOL CE11a
Activities:
1. Daily Skill Builder: This is a short warm-up; it consists of a review question from the first
semester of Civics that students write on and answer in their notebooks; afterwards, we
go over it together as a class.
2. Unit Introductory Activity: Students will view a clip constructed by me on why a variety
of different people in different contexts value economics as important. Students will then
break into groups to begin brainstorming response questions. These will be filmed in the
next class.
3. Unit Concept Activity: Students will work on a worksheet defining economics concepts.
4. Concept Application Activity: The teacher will read The Star-Bellied Sneetches by Dr.
Seuss to the students, and they will pick out instances of production, consumption,
supply, and demand in the story.
Monday, February 28th:
Topic: Film response, concept application and circular flow.
Objectives:
-Unit Objective 3
-SOL CE11a
-SOL CE12b
Activities:
1.Daily Skill Builder: This is a short warm-up; it consists of a review question from the first
semester of Civics that students write on and answer in their notebooks; afterwards, we go over it
together as a class.
2. Film Response: Students will be using video recorders to record their response questions for
the people in the Unit Introductory Activity.
3. Unit Concept Activity: Students will continue work on a worksheet defining economics
concepts. This will be done during the film response, so that other students will have something
to do while each group is filming.
4. Concept Application Activity: The teacher will do a short presentation on incentives, choice,
and opportunity cost by offering the students candy and an extra credit point to learn an
economic fact as opposed to reading quietly for five minutes. These will then be explained so
students can remember.
5. Circular Flow Introduction: Class notes on the circular flow of business, with a written
example in their notebook. This will be the first of many such activities; typically, eighth graders
have tremendous difficulty with the application and use of this concept.
Wednesday, March 2nd:
Topic:Traditional Economies Concept Formation
Objectives:
Unit Goal 3
Unit Objective 1
SOL CE11b
Activities:
1. Daily Skill Builder: This is a short warm-up; it consists of a review question from the first
semester of Civics that students write on and answer in their notebooks; afterwards, we
go over it together as a class.
2. Concept formation lesson on traditional economies: The teacher will begin with a chart
of examples of this economy and their attributes that the class will fill out. Then the class
will distill out the concept by examining differences and similarities between the
examples. After this, the class will be given a mixed bag of examples and non-examples
of the concept. They will have to pick (and justify why they picked) the examples and
change the non-examples into examples, all based on the attributes distilled in the
beginning. This final worksheet will be taken up for a completion grade and to assess
student learning.
3. Circular Flow practice: Time permitting, a series of examples of circular flow where
students will do several circular flow problems and the teacher will informally assess
classroom learning.
Friday, March 4th:
Topic: Free Market, Command, and Mixed Economies
Objectives:
Unit Goal 3
Unit Objective 1
SOL CE11b
Activities:
1. Daily Skill Builder: This is a short warm-up; it consists of a review question from the first
semester of Civics that students write on and answer in their notebooks; afterwards, we
go over it together as a class.
2. Concept formation lessons on free market and command economies. This follows along
the same style as Wednesday's lesson. Since students will be more familiar with the
lesson form, I expect them to be much more efficient in finishing these lessons. The final
worksheet for the free market and command economies lessons will be taken up for a
homework grade.
3. Notes on mixed economies. After students have completed the concept formations on free
market and command economies, they will be asked to identify which of the types the
United States fits under. After some struggle, the teacher will identify what a mixed
economy is and help students (via examples) understand how mixed economies occupy a
middle ground between command and free market economies.
Tuesday, March 8th:
Topic: Scarcity and Inequality
Objectives:
SOL CE 11a
NCSS IV
NCSS V
Activities:
1. Daily Skill Builder: This is a short warm-up; it consists of a review question from the first
semester of Civics that students write on and answer in their notebooks; afterwards, we
go over it together as a class.
2. Application of scarcity concept activity: In this activity, there will be a single specific
correct way to respond to a teacher question (students who respond in this specific correct
way will receive a piece of candy). When the teacher asks, “are there any questions?”
The proper response will be to put one finger up and ask an economics-related question.
A handful of students will be told before class begins to respond in this way. The others
will have to learn how to properly respond to gain the candy. Afterwards, the teacher will
explain that this parrots societal inequality.
3. Notes on wealth and income inequality: These notes will cover the dispersion of wealth
and incomes both in the United States and worldwide. The notes will tie into what this
means for the average citizen in the United States, as well as the enduring debate over
whether inequality is necessary for the effective functioning of a society/economy. This
will serve as an introduction for the Structured Academic Controversy in the next lesson.
4. International trade project introduction: This is merely the beginning of a several day
project. Students will be divided into groups of four, assigned a country to represent in
the simulation on March 18th, and will pick their roles. The researcher will be someone
with an internet connection at home who will determine three major imports their country
needs and three major exports their country can legitimately market to the rest of the
world. The promoter will focus their research on what other countries will likely be
marketing in terms of exports and what they will need in terms of imports (to help them
tailor their country's message to ensure successful trade agreements). The promoter will
also need to have an internet connection. The negotiator will have their primary role on
the day of the simulation; their job will be to work closely with the promoter and the
researcher to prepare as they market their country's 'products' (exports) to foreign
countries. They will handle the actual negotiations. The manager will serve as the chief of
state for their country (and will research who that is and what their role is) and will work
closely with the negotiator on the day of the simulation. Groups will be informed that
they should only supply resources, goods, and services that they think other countries will
demand—this will make it easier for them to trade with other countries. A full
explanation of the simulation can be found on March 18th.
Thursday, March 10th: Inequality
Objectives:
SOL CE 11a
NCSS IV
NCSS V
Unit Goal 3
Unit Objective 1
Unit Objective 4
Activities:
1. Daily Skill Builder: This is a short warm-up; it consists of a review question from the first
semester of Civics that students write on and answer in their notebooks; afterwards, we
go over it together as a class.
2. Structured Academic Controversy: This is a lesson plan type that has students argue both
sides of a point before a consensus round. Students will be divided into groups of four
with two holding down each side of the discussion. Students on each side will be given
documents from which to argue which represent a particular viewpoint. After students
make their points, they will be issued documents arguing the opposite of what they
previously represented (so, for the side that argued inequality was necessary, they will
now have to argue that inequality is unnecessary and harmful, and vice versa for the other
side). The topic for this SAC is whether inequality is necessary or unnecessary for a
society's allocation of scarce resources (applying the application of Scarcity from Feb.
28th and March 8th).
3. Consensus Round: These two rounds will be followed by a “consensus” round whereby
students will discuss what they actually think instead of merely position-taking on the
issue. The results of this consensus round will be a short paragraph written by the group
on what they ended up thinking and why. This will be taken up as an exit ticket and
assessed for student learning (it will also be a participation grade). This will be related
back to the discussion on social inequality from the day before.
4. Banks Project: This will be an out-of-class project which will require students to call or
visit a bank or credit union in the area that they are assigned to. They will be working
with a worksheet and asking a series of questions of local tellers about the bank's lending
and account practices so as to better understand how financial institutions channel money
from savers to borrowers (alignment with SOL CE12c).
Monday, March 14th: The government's role in the economy
Objectives:
SOL CE 13a
Unit Objective 2
Unit Objective 3
Unit Objective 4
Activities:
1. Daily Skill Builder: This is a short warm-up; it consists of a review question from the first
semester of Civics that students write on and answer in their notebooks; afterwards, we
go over it together as a class.
2. Class notes on the role of the government in the economy: These notes will cover the
very basics of regulation (the interstate commerce clause and general government
regulation in the economy).
3. Research activity on specific government agencies: This online research activity will
involve school laptops. Students will be working in pairs to research online and fill out a
worksheet on the FCC, the FTC, and the EPA, in direct alignment with the breakdown of
SOL CE 13a.
4. Work on international trade project: Groups will be finalizing their work in preparation
for the simulation on the 18th.
Wednesday, March 16th: Function of the United States economy
Objectives:
SOL CE 12a
SOL CE 12b
Unit Goal 2
Activities:
1. Daily Skill Builder: This is a short warm-up; it consists of a review question from the first
semester of Civics that students write on and answer in their notebooks; afterwards, we
go over it together as a class.
2. Class notes: Notes on the attributes of the US economy, the factors of business, and
business types.
3. Make-your-own business activity: This activity will serve as an application of concepts
just learned. Students will be split into groups wherein they will decide what their
business will be (i.e. a proprietorship, a corporation, or a partnership) and then the
various specific examples of different types of capital they will need for it. For example,
for human capital they will obviously need workers, but perhaps if theirs is a chocolate
shop they will also want to hire a master chocolatier, some consultants, and a PR person.
This worksheet will be homework and will be taken up the next class.
4. International trade simulation preparation: Students will have the remainder of the class
period to prepare in their groups for the simulation.
Friday, March 18th: Functions of the global economy
Objectives:
SOL CE 11a
SOL CE 12d
Unit Objective 1
Unit Objective 2
Unit Goal 4
Activities:
1. Daily Skill Builder: This is a short warm-up; it consists of a review question from the first
semester of Civics that students write on and answer in their notebooks; afterwards, we
go over it together as a class.
2. International Trade Simulation prep: Groups will have roughly fifteen minutes before the
simulation to prepare and get their groups in order. I will pass out notecards for each
group to write on, as well as nametags for all group members.
3. Presentation: Groups will gather in the Atrium; each will do a short (thirty second-one
minute) presentation on what imports they're looking for and what exports they have, as
well as why other countries should trade with them.
4. International Trade Simulation: Students will be in groups of four, with each group of
four representing a country (or the Commonwealth of Virginia). The atrium will be
divided into three areas. One, designated the “waiting room” will be where the
researcher, manager, and negotiator sit together and wait to be called. The second,
designated the “free market” is where promoters will be rushing around promoting their
country's exports. Once two promoters meet and decide that their countries would find it
mutually advantageous to trade, each will get their country's negotiator and manager and
take them to the “treaty zone” where the two countries' negotiators and managers will
discuss the terms of trade. Once they've arrived at an agreement, they will give each other
the notecards (on which the resources of their country are written) in a trade. Groups will
be reminded that their job is to trade all of their goods away—the expectation is that they
will find ways to incentivize (applying from day 1) other groups trading for their
resources.
5. Trade simulation exit ticket: After the simulation, groups will have between five and ten
minutes to fill out a short exit ticket on what they learned.
Tuesday, March 22nd: American financial institutions and place in the global economy.
Objectives:
SOL CE12c
SOL CE12d
Unit Objective 1
Activities:
1. Daily Skill Builder: This is a short warm-up; it consists of a review question from the first
semester of Civics that students write on and answer in their notebooks; afterwards, we
go over it together as a class.
2. Financial institutions project due, class debrief with notes: Completion of this project
will include students participating in a class discussion about the various options for
savings and loans, and observing as a class which institutions may be the best to open an
account with later when they're older. There will also be class notes on this topic so as to
ensure that students are all cognizant of the full range of information (perhaps the
financial institution they individually researched was an outlier).
3. Class notes, American and Virginian niches in the global economy: Continuing off the
simulation from the 18th, these notes will cover the specific areas of the global economy
in which the US and Virginia are involved. This will link back to the simulation by
giving students a good idea of how the global economy works beyond the (scaled-down)
example they participated in in the simulation.
4. Circular Flow practice: Students will work in pairs to fill out a series of circular flow
examples. Afterwards, I will assign a circular flow worksheet as a formative assessment
(and due the next class).
Thursday, March 24th: Government role in the economy (valuing)
Objectives:
SOL CE13a
NCSS IV
NCSS V
Unit Goal 3
Unit Objective 1
Unit Objective 4
Activities:
1. Daily Skill Builder: This is a short warm-up; it consists of a review question from the first
semester of Civics that students write on and answer in their notebooks; afterwards, we
go over it together as a class.
2. Structured Academic Controversy: This is a lesson plan type that has students argue both
sides of a point before a consensus round. Students will be divided into groups of four
with two holding down each side of the discussion. Students on each side will be given
documents from which to argue which represent a particular viewpoint. After students
make their points, they will be issued documents arguing the opposite of what they
previously represented (so, for example, those previously arguing in favor of health care
reform will now be arguing against it as bad for the economy).
3. Consensus Round: These two rounds will be followed by a “consensus” round whereby
students will discuss what they actually think instead of merely position-taking on the
issue. The results of this consensus round will be a short paragraph written by the group
on what they ended up thinking and why. This will be taken up as an exit ticket and
assessed for student learning (it will also be a participation grade).
Monday, March 28th:
Objectives:
Final review of full unit. Covers all SOL objectives.
Activities:
1. Daily Skill Builder: This is a short warm-up; it consists of a review question from the first
semester of Civics that students write on and answer in their notebooks; afterwards, we
go over it together as a class.
2. Jeopardy game: To align with the lower levels in Bloom's taxonomy, students will play
jeopardy on teams for candy prizes.
3. Computer simulations: Games on the computer such as
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/youarehere/site.html#/the-food-court will be
played as a class.
4. Lecture on application of concepts: The teacher will recap the major hooks used to help
students apply the various concepts learned during the unit.
Wednesday, April 2nd:
Final unit test.
Culminating Activity:
International Trade Simulation and project.
Students will pick one of four roles in helping promote their country's successful international
trade. Each role will have written work attached to it. The manager will be writing a document
summarizing the difficulties and successes of managing people; the researcher will be writing a
document on the three exports and three imports the country will be seeking and trading; the
promoter will write a strategy memo on five countries the country will be targeting for trade and
why; the negotiator will be writing a document after the simulation on the difficulties of
negotiation and how their negotiations applied the economic concepts of supply and demand.
Students will be graded on a 1-4 point scale in each category as evidenced below.
CATEGORY
(Group) Work
demeanor
(Group)
Efficiency
(Individual)
Manager
(Individual)
Negotiator
(note: bonus
points if betterdressed than the
minimum
requirements)
Excellent
Good
Fair
The group works
strongly together.
They have a strong
rapport or at least an
excellent working
relationship. No
noticeable
disagreements.
Group works
efficiently. Time is
well-used, and the
group works quickly
and uses time well.
The group seems to
generally be “on the
same page.” Group
members generally
get along;
disagreements are
relatively
insignificant
There is some
distractability but
this doesn't detract
significantly from
the quality of work.
The group does not
work particularly
well together; there
are significant
disagreements that
detract significantly
from the work.
Shows good effort at
trying to ensure
group remains on
task. Supports
negotiator effectively
in simulation.
Makes some effort at
trying to ensure
group remains on
task. At least walks
with negotiator in
simulation, even if
they don't provide
much support.
Successfully obtains Makes a strong
at least one of the
effort at negotiating
imports needed by
with other countries,
their country as
with some success.
identified by the
Well-dressed in
researcher (this is a simulation (at least a
plus, not a
collared shirt).
requirement for an
“excellent”). Adept
at negotiating with
other countries.
Well-dressed in
simulation (at least a
Poor
The group does not
work together or
there is evidence of
one person doing all
of the group's work.
Disagreements
detract fatally from
the work.
Distractions and
Distractions and
possible misbehavior misbehavior detract a
detract significantly great deal from the
from the quality of quality of the work.
work.
Does not detract
from the group's
attention to the task
at hand. May walk
with negotiator in
simulation.
Detracts actively
from the group's
attention to the task at
hand. Does not
participate in
simulation, or acts
disinterested the
entire time.
Makes some effort to Makes little to no
negotiate with other effort, seems
countries, effort may disinterested. No
be spotty. Does not attempt to dress up.
wear a collared shirt
in simulation.
collared shirt).
Identifies three
exports and three
imports for their
country to work
(note: in groups of with. Justifies each
three, the
effectively.
researcher also
takes on the
manager's
workload)
Takes an active role
(Individual)
in strategizing which
Promoter
countries to trade
with, as evidenced
by accurate
completion of
strategy document
and work with other
groups. Very active
during simulation.
(Individual)
Researcher
Identifies three
exports and three
imports. Justification
seems insufficient.
Identifies at least two Identifies less than
exports and two
two exports and two
imports. Justification imports.
seems insufficient.
Accurately
completes strategy
document,
participates in
simulation.
At least partially
completes strategy
document,
participates in
simulation.
Does not complete
strategy document or
does not participate in
simulation.
Assessment
Formative assessments:
-Students will complete exit tickets for the Structured Academic controversies on March 10th and
24th. These assessments will, between them, assess SOL CE11a and CE13a, as well as a variety
of outside objectives (unit objectives 3 and 4, unit goal 1).
-Students will complete worksheets of examples/non-examples during the concept formation
lessons of March 2nd and March 4th. In both circumstances, these assessments will assess SOL
CE11b.
-Students will complete a “Make your own business” activity on March 16th, which will assess
student understanding of SOL CE12a and 12b).
Summative assessments:
-Students will participate in an international trade simulation (SOL CE11a and CE12d). This
simulation will assess their ability to apply concepts and simultaneously their knowledge of the
United States' and Virginia's roles in the global economy.
-Students will have a unit test with an essay on April 2nd. This will assess the entire unit for SOL
completion.
-Students will turn in a project on financial institutions. Their knowledge from this project
directly implicates SOL CE12c which requires students to know about the financial system and
how money shifts to those who borrow from those who save.
Differentiation
These lessons are differentiated to work well with students who have vision issues (several
students have noted this problem in the various classes). Each powerpoint will be accompanied
by a worksheet (with the exception of two small notes sections; for these, I will have a couple
paper copies of the powerpoint to pass around just in case there are any difficulties reading for
any of the students). Different learning is assessed; objectives are usually written out in notes and
worksheets and also assessed either in an interpersonal manner (example: the concept formation
lessons for days 2 and 3), in a “hands-on” manner (the banks project), or in a listening/engaging
way (i.e. the presentation on opportunity cost, or the Dr. Seuss book on day 1).
Accommodations
In terms of accommodations, I will be ensuring that students who need extra time will be given
opportunities to finish anything they need to in extra class time, after school, during lunch, or
whenever else practicable. I hope to ensure that these students are fully included in the
classroom. For those with IEPs, I will be providing extra copies of the notes to the para educator
or special education instructor working with them if those are needed. For those without IEPs, I
will email notes home if students or parents request. I will also be closely monitoring groupwork
for those students diagnosed on the autism spectrum or having emotional difficulties related to
outside conditions (for example, neurofibromatosis).
Unit Reflection
This unit design is surprisingly closely-aligned with what I ended up teaching during my
five-week economics unit. The “scarcity and inequality” lessons from March 8th and March 10th
(days five and six) were squeezed together into one lesson to allow for classes to catch up (I had
set a little too optimistic of a pace) and to allow for greater circular flow practice during the
March 8th class, due to the fact that students were having greater difficulty than expected in
mastering the concept. The banks project was not done, due to time constraints and the large
homework load I was already giving to students for purposes of assessment. The international
trade simulation was very much a work in progress; the first day I had difficulty maintaining
order, so on the second day I largely rewrote the simulation to provide greater structure and ease
of control for both me and the students. The “Sneetches” reading activity from February 24th was
moved to the 28th; we were unable to get that far in the lesson plan on the 24th.
I had difficulty timing my lessons at the beginning of the unit; classes seemed to almost
always move much faster or much slower than I was expecting through individual activites;
consequently, my first lesson plan (the 24th of February) was over-planned and my second lesson
plan (for the 28th of February) was under-planned. After that, things largely evened out and it
became significantly easier to ensure that class time was used efficiently. Another area of
tremendous growth for me was in learning how to plan in such a way that I covered all of the
major potential problem spots. Often, a lesson plan looks very good on paper but encounters
significant problems that the planner was unaware of until they crop up on the day of class. This
particularly occurred during the Internaional Trade Simulation, but to a lesser extent on other
days. I was able to quickly recover and change lessons over to be more productive and efficient
with my time. A third area of growth for me was in my transitions. The activites in this unit plan
may look like discrete, disconnected chunks of instruction. For the first few days, they largely
were. As I became more comfortable in the classroom and with the flow of teaching, however, I
learned how to transition with less effort and link lessons back to each other in such a way as to
promote student understanding and the interlinking of different ILOs.