A UNIT ABOUT SPECIALIZATION
FOR 4TH GRADE STUDENTS
NANCY HANEBERG
JULY 2, 1976
Project for Workshop on Consumer Education
University of Akron
Stan Mengel, Director
SPECIALIZATION
I.
Introduction
A.
This unit is to be used with a 4th grade class. It will
work best if students are of average or above
intelligence. If there are many children of low ability,
the lesson would have to be adjusted.
B.
This unit should last 5 5ays for 40-45 minutes.
C.
This unit will work well with our Social Studies book.
In 4th grade the students learn about the growth of
America and how specialization, in the form of the
assembly line, was very important to our country's
growth. Also, in 5th grade, the children study how
our country specializes, by areas, according to what
each area produces later in the book they learn
about other countries whose economic structure is
much weaker because they have not yet been able to
specialize enough.
II. Objectives
Behavior objectives
1. After the students have completed this unit they
will be able to write several sentences about
Specialization with 95% accuracy for top students
and 80% accuracy for middle and 70% for lower
students.
2. After completing this lesson all students will be able to
match terms with definitions with 90% accuracy.
3. At the end of this unit the students will be able
to list 3 advantages and 3 disadvantages of specialization
which will be evaluated by the instructor
B. Affective attitudes
Some students will be able to understand why their parents my
come home frustrated and up-tight after a day at work.
III. Economic content
A. Important words.
1. capita1 goods - things that are used in the production of a
product, such is machinery and buildings.
2. consumer - Anyone who uses goods and services.
3. cost per unit - amount charged for each product.
4. division of labor - dividing up the work of producing goods
and services. Each person usually does the kind of work he
is able to do best
5. goods - articles produced for sale, trade or other use.
6. materials - All things supplied by nature and any man-made
products that become part of a finished product.
7. output - amount of goods that are manufactured.
8. producer - person who combines material, equipment, and
labor to make goods and provide services.
9. production - process of combining labor, materials and
equipment to produce goods and services.
10. specialization - becoming especially efficient at one job
and usually doing this one job only in division of labor.
11. work - use of physical and mental energy for the
purpose of producing or helping to produce goods
and services.
B. specialization should Increase the total production.
C. Increased out-put should decrease cost per unit.
D. Specialization causes dependency.
IV. Activities for the Week
A. First Day (Specialization Activity)
1. Concept - Output should increase with specialization.
2. Plan - Divide the class into groups so that there are 4
students in each. If clasp number is not multiple of 4, use 5
in a few groups. Each group is a catering service, which is to
prepare cold cheese spread appetizers.
Place the following materials on each group's working table:
round crackers, cheese spread (tub), Spanish olives, plastic
knives for spreading cheese, several sharp knives for slicing
olives, serving tray. Explain that for 2 minutes each student
in the catering service will make as many appetizers as
possible.
Each cracker must have cheese spread and 4 olive slices. If
they are not neat, supervisor will not accept them. After 2
minute period have each catering service record on the board
the total number of appetizers made. Explain that for another
2 minute time period each group will make more appetizers.
This time each person will do a special job. On will take
crackers out of package. One will spread cheese on cracker.
One student will slice olives,
The fourth student will place 4 olive slices on cheese and
then place appetizers on tray. If there are 5 students, the
fifth child will arrange tray, minutes, each catering service
the total number of appetizer made.
Discussion of activity.
a. Was there a difference in production?
(Anticipated response) - Hopefully, yes.
b. If output was greater, why?
(Anticipated response) – Specialization increases
production or output because each person can concentrate on
one specific job. Thus production should increase while
quality is maintained.
c. What were some problems?
(Anticipated response) - Deciding which person was best for
each job. The success of each catering service depended upon
how well its people worked together.
B. Second Day
1. Review concepts derived from catering activity.
2. If available have class read Chapter 2, pages 20-29 of
Elementary School Economics I
3. Have class copy terms from board (See sec. III
Economics, Part A - 12 terms). Discuss terms, answer any
questions children might have.
4.
Pass out questionnaire about parents employment.
Explain that parents do not have to fill out questionnaire,
but we would appreciate their cooperation. Children should
take 2 If both parents are employed. These are to be the
following day for discussion. Have ask parents how
specialization is used particular line of work.
5. Choose 4 students to read the following books and report
to class on lat day of unit lesson.
a.
b.
c.
d.
The Lollipop Factory & Lots of Others, Doubleday, 1946.
Let's go to an Auto Factory, Putnam 1961.
Let's go to a Candy Factory, Putnam 1961.
At School Scott, Forsman, 1956.
Third Day
1.
Discuss questionnaire and have children relate any
details that involve specialization in their parents
occupations.
2.
Discuss advantages of specialization.
a. Production should increase.
b. Cost per unit should decrease (if cost of production
is not changed).
c. Quality might improve because each person does the
job for which he is best suited.
d. Children may add other ideas from books they have
read or from talking with their parents.
3. Discuss disadvantages of specialization.
a.
Specialization causes dependency,
b.
Specialization can cause workers to become bored with
their jobs. Thus, causing increased absenteeism and
accidents.
Quality could suffer due to lack of interest or pride
in job. Such as a person feeling that his contribution
to the finished product has little importance.
Children may be able to add more disadvantages from
books they have read or from talking with their
parents.
c.
d.
4. During these discussion periods, leading questions
should be used so that students can discover on their own
as much about specialization as possible.
D.
Fourth Day
1.
Film
a. The American Road - (This film is 40 minutes long so
class. will be a little longer because of follow-up
discussion). The film is about Henry Ford's idea to use
the assembly line to cut production costs and increase
production.
b. Discussion questions –
1. Why did Henry Ford hire men to do certain jobs in
his automobile factory? (He wanted to produce more cars
so that the price would come down). Why did he want to
lower the price of the cars? (So that more people could
afford to own one). At first Henry Ford had his workers
move from place to place doing their specific job; then
he found a more efficient way What was it? (The
assembly line – men pulled the frame of the car through
the center of the factory while other men put on the
parts).
4. Why did the assembly line work so well? (Each man was a
specialist at his job. This cut down the amount of training of
employee and cut down the time needed to produce each car).
E. Fifth Day (Evaluation)
1. Listen to book reports.
2. Have class take test. After the instructor has graded the
papers, another short class would be advisable to discuss any
misunderstandings.
Dear Parents,
We are studying the specialization of jobs.
We would like your help in learning as much as possible
about its effects on our lives and economy. You can
help by answering the following questions. If you
feel that these questions impose too much on your
personal life, please leave them blank. Thank you for
your help.
Sincerely,
Job title
Job description
Special training for job
Special Clothing
Special tools
Name
Date
1. Tell in your own words what specialization means, how it works and what
effects it has on our economy.
Answers will vary
(Accept any reasonable response.)
2. List 3 disadvantages of specialization.
1. Specialization causes dependency.
2. Workers can become bored
3. Quality of product may suffer
3. List 3 advantages of specialization.
1. Product and output should increase
2. Cost per unit should decrease
3. Quality of product might improve
4. Match the following words with their definitions
1.
2.
3.
k
b
a
goods
consumer
output
4.
c
capital
goods
a. amount of goods that are manufactured
b. everyone who uses goods and services
c. things that are used in the production of a
product, such as machinery and buildings
d. use of physical and mental energy for the purpose of
producing or helping to produce goods and services
e. person who combines materials, equipment and labor
to make goods and provide services
f. things supplied by nature and man-made products that
become part of a finished product
5.
d
work
6.
j
production
7.
I
8.
9.
10.
11.
h
e
g
f
division of
labor
g.
specialization
producer
h.
cost per unit
material
i.
j.
to
k.
amount charged for each product
especially efficient at on e job
Dividing up the work of producing goods or services
process of combining labor, materials and equipment
produce goods and services
articles produced for sale, trade or other use.
Specialization means having each employee do a certain job to help produce a product for sale. Ech person
does the job he can do the best. This helps to increase the efficiency of production and the amount of output.
Specialization has enlarged our economy. It has made it possible for producers to produce more goods and sale
them at a lower price.
Enrichment Idea - Interested students may want to explore further about specialization. For example, how our
country has special areas which produce certain goods for the whole counry. Another area would be, how
countries specialize and trade the products they produce for things they need.
Reference Materials
Brown, Gary Survey of Economic Principles, Richard D. Irwin,
Inc., Homewood, III, 1972
Ca1drwood, James D. "Trade”, The World Book Encyclopedia Field
Enterprises Educational Corporation, Chicago, 1970, XVIII pg.
284
Economics and Our Community Resource Unit, George S. Dawson,
Editor, Joint Council on Economics Education; New York, 1973.
Elementary School Economics I by Industrial Relations
Center, University of Chicago, 1964; Chapter 2 pp. .20-29.
(Very good)
Jones, Mary. Division of Labor, University of Ashland, May 14,
1975.
Spencer, Milton Contemporary Economics, Publishers, Inc. ; New
York, 1971.
Your
1969 Guide for Teaching Economics, compiled by Ashland
City Schools, 1969.
Children's Books
At school Scott, Foresman, 1956.
Let's go to an Auto Factory, Putnam, 1961.
Let's go to a Candy Factory, Putnam, 1961.
The Lollipop Factory and Lots of Others Doubleday, 1946 .
Film
The American Road - medina County Film Library.