THE OVERHAUL OF:
FOCUS / HIGH SCHOOL ECONOMICS
THIRD EDITION
The CEE gratefully acknowledges the funding of this publication by 3Mgives.
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CREATED IN 1996, 2ND EDITION 2001
SECOND PRINTING IN 2003
THE BENCHMARK FOR HIGH
SCHOOL LESSON AND ACTIVITY
RESOURCES WRITTEN BY:
MICHAEL WATTS (CHAIR)
SARAPAGE McCORKLE
BONNIE MESZAROS
MARK C. SCHUG
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THE LATEST EDITION
RELEASED IN JUNE 2014
AUTHORS:
BILL BOSSHARDT (CHAIR)
CURT ANDERSON
BONNIE MESZAROS
PHILLIP VANFOSSEN
MARTHA RUSH
MICHAEL RAYMER
BRETT BURKEY
& TWO LESSONS CONTRIBUTED BY
OUR FEDERAL RESERVE PARTNERS
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SOME IDEAS FOR THE COVER
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MORE COVER IDEAS
SCARCITY? YEAH, RIGHT…
I’M AN AMERICAN!!
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ECON… HUUH, GOOD GOD Y’ALL,
WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR?
CHANGES FOUND IN
THE LATEST EDITION
THE WORLD HAS CHANGED
DRAMATICALLY IN THE SHORT
PERIOD SINCE THE LAST EDITION
AND THE VOLUME NEEDED TO
REFLECT THAT.
• NOW 28 LESSONS INSTEAD OF 21
• INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES,
PRESENTATION SLIDES,
SIMULATIONS AND COLLABORATIVE
ACTIVITY ROOMS
• COMMON CORE STANDARDS AND
COMPELLING QUESTIONS
• TARGETED ASSESSMENTS AND
CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE
QUESTIONS
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THE ESSENCE OF THE PAST REMAINS
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NEW LESSONS, REVISED LESSONS, AND KEPT LESSONS
11 BRAND NEW LESSONS
PERSONAL FINANCE THEMES REMOVED
10 REVISED LESSONS, MAJOR UPGRADES
7 KEPT LESSONS, BRUSH UP ON A TIMELESS CLASSIC
RE-SEQUENCING OF CHAPTERS
BROADER COVERAGE OF MACRO CONCEPTS
LESSONS AND
COMPELLING QUESTIONS
• LESSON 2/ALLOCATION: HOW CAN WE EFFECTIVELY ALLOCATE
SCARCE GOODS AND SERVICES IN TIMES OF AN EMERGENCY?
• LESSON 11/PRIVATE AND PUBLIC GOODS: WHY DON’T PEOPLE JUST
BUY THE AMOUNT OF NATIONAL DEFENSE THAT EACH OF THEM
WANTS AT WALMART?
• LESSON 18/UNEMPLOYMENT: DOES THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DO
A GOOD JOB OF DESCRIBING THE STATE OF A COUNTRY’S LABOR
MARKET?
• LESSON 23/INTEREST RATES: HOW ARE INTEREST RATES
DETERMINED, AND WHY ARE THERE SO MANY DIFFERENT ONES?
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ALIGNED WITH COMMON CORE STANDARDS
• INTEGRATION OF BOTH ELA AND MATH STANDARDS
• MANY LESSONS INCLUDE READINGS THAT OFFER DIVERSE
POINTS OF VIEW
• CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE QUESTIONS CHALLENGE
STUDENTS WITH HIGHER ORDER THINKING
• IN ADDITION, STUDENTS ARE ASSESSED BY A MINIMUM OF
THREE MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
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NEW LESSONS DELIVERED
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PPC AND OPPORTUNITY COST
ALLOCATION
COMPETITION/MONOPOLY
PUBLIC GOODS
LABOR MARKETS
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INCOME DISTRIBUTION
INFLATION
UNEMPLOYMENT
ECONOMIC GROWTH
INTEREST RATES
MONETARY POLICY
CLASSICS UPDATED
• MARKET FOR WHEAT
• PRICE CONTROLS, TOO HIGH
• BROAD SOCIAL GOALS OF AN
• TRADE: WHY DO PEOPLE
• THE MARKET NEVER
• WHERE TO BUILD A
(COCOA)
ECONOMY
STANDS STILL
• THE CIRCULAR FLOWS OF
ECONOLAND
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TOO LOW
TRADE?
FACTORY?
A 21ST CENTURY CLASSROOM
RESOURCE
• SUPPLEMENTAL TECHNOLOGY
TOOLS HOUSED ON-LINE TO
ENGAGE STUDENT IMAGINATION
AND COMPREHENSION
• LESSONS FLEXIBLE FOR ALL
TEACHING STYLES
• FORMATTED TO SPEAK TO BOTH
NOVICE AND VETERAN TEACHER
Companion site: http://hseconomics.councilforeconed.org
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SOME LESSONS THAT REPRESENT WELL
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SEVEN: HOW MARKETS INTERACT
THIRTEEN: WHO DECIDES WAGE RATES?
FOURTEEN: INCOME DISTRIBUTION
EIGHTEEN: UNEMPLOYMENT SURVEY
TWENTY TWO: THE CASE OF THE GIGANTIC $100,000 BILL
TWENTY SIX: COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE
TWENTY SEVEN: WHERE TO BUILD A FACTORY?
LESSONS CURRENTLY SUPPORTED BY
INTERACTIVE SUPPLEMENTS
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MARKET FOR COCOA
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PROUCTIVITY
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COMPETITION VS. MONOPOLY •
LABOR MARKETS
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MARGINALISM
INCOME DISTRIBUTION
UNEMPLOYMENT SURVEY
GIGANTIC $100,000 BILL
INTEREST RATES
COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE
HIGH LEVEL GOALS FOR
THE INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES
• Saving instructional time whenever possible by
streamlining tasks.
• Manipulating and visualizing data.
• Collaboration. Students are encouraged to get up and
interact with each other while using technology.
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COLLABORATIVE ACTIVITIES
• ALLOWS FOR FACE TO FACE INTERACTION TO OCCUR IN TANDEM
WITH PORTABLE TECHNOLOGY (TABLET, SMART PHONE, LAP TOP)
• CREATE ONE OR MULTIPLE ACTIVITY ROOMS WITH PRE-SET URLs
• DATA FROM THE ACTIVITY IS COMPILED AND PRESENTED IN A
VERY CONSUMABLE FORMAT FOR THE TEACHER
• CURRENTLY AN OPTION FOR THE “MARKET IN COCOA” AND
“PRODUCTIVITY” LESSONS
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT VIDEOS
• VIDEOS OF MASTER TEACHERS MODELING INDIVIDUAL
LESSONS
• CURRENTLY TWO HAVE BEEN PRODUCED (LESSONS 13 AND 18)
AND A THIRD ON THE WAY (LESSON 8)
• LESSONS 13 AND 18 WILL BE OBSERVABLE ON THE BOOK’S
COMPANION WEBSITE STARTING MONDAY 8/4
• COMPANION SITE: http://hseconomics.councilforeconed.org
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FOCUS: HIGH SCHOOL ECONOMICS
• Updated to include more contemporary references that
highlight new challenges in a world that has changed
significantly since the 2nd edition 11 years ago
• Redesigned to meet the needs of today’s students and
reflects current economic thinking
• Integrates more macroeconomics and international
economics lessons including materials on topics such as
GDP, unemployment, inflation, and trade
• Field-tested and aligned with Voluntary National Content
Standards in Economics and Common Core State
Standards (ELA and Math)
• Select lessons feature interactive online activities that
connect to and extend the lessons both in class and as
self-guided homework activities
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