What?
Students need to understand the causes and effects of the shifting of economic activities in the
United States to get the “big picture” of industries in the U.S. over time.
When?
How?
Four Quadrants is a multiple investigation into the 4 Sectors of economic activity and how the
United States has shifted from a Primary/Secondary nation to a Tertiary/Quaternary nation.
Why?
How To Four Quadrants
Before class, run off sufficient copies of:
Economic Activities Chart (Class Set for 10-15 teams)
Economic Activities Folder Game (Class Set for 10-15 teams)
Industry 4-Square GO (1 per student)
Tables 6.4a - 6.4d placards (Class Set for 10-15 Teams)
We noticed _____ and the reason for this pattern is… GO (1 per student)
Divide students into teams of 2-3 depending on the size of the class.
Distribute to each team 1 copy of the Economic Activities Chart:
Explain to students that the United States Since 1877 has transitioned between each of
the Economic Activities.
Review with students (since they received this information from World Geography) the
different sectors.
Distribute one Economic Activities Folder Game to each team. (The color-coded key is
included keeping in mind that some examples may fit into more than one category)
Explain to students that they are to place each definition/example underneath each
activity.
Explain to students that some activities may have more examples than others.
Allocate sufficient time for students to complete their shuffle.
Once time has expired, have each team report out an example for each sector.
Distribute one copy of the Industry 4-Square GO to each student.
Have students write in examples in the correct quadrants. Encourage students to provide
examples that were not mentioned in the folder game.
Once students have completed their graphic organizers, distribute Tables 6.4a-6.4d to each
team and the Patterns/Reasons GO to each student.
Explain to students that if they place the placards in order and side-by-side, they will have an
economic timeline of the United States.
Explain to students that they are looking at the number of people that were employed in
different industries.
Explain to students that they are to examine the timeline and establish patterns in the growth/
decline of different industries over time.
Have student examine the manufacturing line on Table 6.4a.
Explain that there was a huge jump in manufacturing after 1938. Ask students to explain the
reason for the jump. (World War II)
Have students complete their examination of the economic timeline and complete the
Patterns/Reasons GO.
This strategy is most effective during the review phase at the end of the year/semester.
Adapted from
®SAISD Social Studies Department
Reproduction rights granted only if copyright information remains intact.
How To - Four Quadrants
Page K-3
Transitioning the U.S. Economy
Economic Activities
Activity
What is it?
Primary
Activity
(Sector)
The primary sector of the economy extracts or harvests
products from the earth. The primary sector includes the
production of raw material and basic foods. Activities
associated with the primary sector include agriculture (both
subsistence and commercial), mining, forestry, farming,
grazing, hunting and gathering, fishing, and quarrying. The
packaging and processing of the raw material associated with
this sector is also considered to be part of this sector.
Secondary
Activity
(Sector)
The secondary sector of the economy manufactures finished
goods. All of manufacturing, processing, and construction lies
within the secondary sector. Activities associated with the
secondary sector include metal working and smelting,
automobile production, textile production, chemical and
engineering industries, aerospace manufacturing, energy
utilities, engineering, breweries and bottlers, construction,
and shipbuilding.
Tertiary
Activity
(Sector)
The tertiary sector of the economy is the service industry. This
sector provides services to the general population and to
businesses. Activities associated with this sector include retail
and wholesale sales, transportation and distribution,
entertainment (movies, television, radio, music, theater,
etc.), restaurants, clerical services, media, tourism,
insurance, banking, healthcare, and law.
Quaternary
Activity
(Sector)
The quaternary sector of the economy consists of intellectual
activities. Activities associated with this sector include
government, culture, libraries, scientific research, education,
and information technology.
®SAISD Social Studies Department
Definitions from http://geography.about.com/od/urbaneconomicgeography/a/sectorseconomy.htm
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How To - Four Quadrants
Page K-4
Transitioning the U.S. Economy
Primary
Activity
(Sector)
Production of
raw material
and basic
foods
Secondary
Activity
(Sector)
Manufacturing,
processing, and
construction
Tertiary
Activity
(Sector)
Provides
services to the
general
population
Quaternary
Activity
(Sector)
Intellectual
activities
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Page K-5
Transitioning the U.S. Economy
Commercial
Agriculture
Subsistence
Agriculture
Mining
Hunting and
Gathering
Fishing
More Common
in Less
Developed
Nations
Metal Working
Automobile
Production
Textiles
Construction
More Common
Computer
in Developing
Manufacturing
and Newly
Industrialized
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Page K-6
Transitioning the U.S. Economy
Television
Broadcasting
Tourism
Restaurants
Transportation
More Common
in Newly
Industrialized
and More
Developed
Government
Teaching
Information
Technology
Libraries
More Common
in More
Developed
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Page K-7
Transitioning the U.S. Economy
Television Broadcasting
Tourism
Restaurants
Transportation
More Common in Newly
Industrialized and More
Developed
Government
Libraries
Teaching
Information Technology
More Common in More
Developed
Subsistence Agriculture
Mining
Commercial Agriculture
Fishing
More Common in Less
Developed Nations
Hunting and Gathering
Automobile Production
Textiles
Metal Working
Computer Manufacturing
More Common in
Developing and Newly
Industrialized
Construction
Production of raw
material and basic foods
Primary Activity
(Sector)
Manufacturing,
processing, and
construction
Secondary Activity
(Sector)
Provides services to the
general population
Tertiary Activity
(Sector)
Intellectual activities
Quaternary Activity
(Sector)
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Page K-8
Transitioning the U.S. Economy
Primary Industry
Secondary Industry
4
Industries
Tertiary Industry
Quaternary Industry
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Page K-9
Transitioning the U.S. Economy
A
Full-Time and Part-Time Employees by Industry (In Thousands)
Farms
Manufacturing
Retail
Services
Information
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948
Data Aggregated from: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
Information Adapted from the Bureau of Economic Analysis
®SAISD Social Studies Department
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How To - Four Quadrants
Page K-10
Transitioning the U.S. Economy
Full-Time and Part-Time Employees by Industry (In Thousands)
B
Farms
Manufacturing
Retail
Services
Information
50000
37500
25000
12500
0
1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968
Data Aggregated from: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
Information Adapted from the Bureau of Economic Analysis
®SAISD Social Studies Department
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Page K-11
Transitioning the U.S. Economy
Full-Time and Part-Time Employees by Industry (In Thousands)
C
Farms
Manufacturing
Retail
Services
Information
60000
45000
30000
15000
0
1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988
Data Aggregated from: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
Information Adapted from the Bureau of Economic Analysis
®SAISD Social Studies Department
Reproduction rights granted only if copyright information remains intact.
How To - Four Quadrants
Page K-12
Transitioning the U.S. Economy
Full-Time and Part-Time Employees by Industry (In Thousands)
D
Farms
Manufacturing
Retail
Services
Information
120000
90000
60000
30000
0
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
Data Aggregated from: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
Information Adapted from the Bureau of Economic Analysis
®SAISD Social Studies Department
Reproduction rights granted only if copyright information remains intact.
How To - Four Quadrants
Page K-13
Transitioning the U.S. Economy
Pattern
We noticed _____________________ and the reason for this pattern is…
1
2
3
4
Adapted from
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How To - Four Quadrants
Page K-14