ASE SS 3:
Civics and
Economics
Steve Schmidt
Adult Basic Skills Professional Development
Appalachian State University
Website: http://abspd.appstate.edu | Email: schmidtsj@appstate.edu
How Good Will this Workshop Be?
It all depends on you! Your attitude and willingness to contribute will make this workshop a positive
experience for you!
Agenda
We’ll take a look at some of the civics and economics content necessary for student success in GED 2014,
Adult High School, and US Citizenship while having fun along the way!
8:30 – 10:00 Welcome and Introductions
Student Created Data: Mean Median Mode Range
Most Missed GED 2014 Questions
10:00 – 10:15 Break
10:15 – 11:45 Citizenship Test
Activity Groups
11:45 – 12:45 Lunch
12:45 – 2:00 Power Grab
Economics Skits
2:00 – 2:15
Break
2:15 – 4:00
Productivity and Specialization
Credit Card Disclosure
Economics Skits
Where Can I Find this Packet?
It’s OK to write in this packet! You can find everything from this workshop at:
http://abspd.appstate.edu
Look under teaching resources and then scroll down.
Where Can We Ask Questions About GED 2014?
Email questions to:
help@gedtestingservice.com
Page 2 | Civics and Economics, Steve Schmidt (schmidtsj@appstate.edu)
2014 GED Social Studies Overview
TIME
QUESTIONS
1 Hour
35
30 Minutes
CONTENT

Civics and Government – 50%

US History – 20%

Economics – 15%

Geography – 15%
FORMAT

65 minute objective (see test
items below)

25 minute extended
response (separately timed,
cannot go back to the first
section)
Let’s Talk About the Extended Response:
 Students will be given 25 minutes to analyze two source documents and write a response
 The extended response is 18% of the total test score. For more information, please attend the ASE
workshop US History where writing the social studies extended response is covered in depth.
Future US History workshops:
- Friday, February 20, 2015 – Haywood Community College
- Wednesday, April 8, 2015 – Western Piedmont Community College
 See a YouTube video by Googling: How to write the GED 2014 social studies extended response or visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7U3-ECYAOHU
Teaching Webb’s DOK
80% of GED 2014 questions are at Webb’s DOK 2 and 3!
DOK 1 Level 1 Recall of Information Asks students to recall facts, terms, concepts, trends, generalizations and
theories or to recognize or identify specific information contained in graphics.
DOK 2 Level 2 Basic Reasoning Includes the engagement of some mental processing beyond recalling or
reproducing a response.
DOK 3 Level 3 Complex Reasoning Requires reasoning, using evidence, and a higher level of thinking than the
previous two levels.
Page 3 | Civics and Economics, Steve Schmidt (schmidtsj@appstate.edu)
Depth of Knowledge Samples
AH1.H.3 Understand the factors that led to exploration, settlement, movement, and expansion
and their impact on United States development over time.
DOK 1
Describe each of the following:


American colonists’
beliefs about land
ownership
Native American beliefs
about land ownership
DOK 2
Compare and contrast American
Colonists’ beliefs about land
with those of the Native
Americans focusing on:



Who owns the land?
How are conflicts about
land resolved?
How should land be
used?
DOK 3
After examining documents from
a Colonial settler and a
description of Native American
beliefs about land ownership,
write a short paper discussing
why their different views of land
use led to conflict. Use
evidence from each source text
to back your conclusions.
DOK Question Stems for Social Studies
DOK 1
Who was ______?
What is ______ ?
When did ______ happen?
Where is ______ ?
What are the main features of ______ ?
What does this (map/chart/graph) tell us about ___ ?
How can you recognize ______ ?
What would you include on a list about ______ ?
Can you identify ______ ?
How would you describe ______ ?
DOK 2
What caused ________ to happen?
Can you explain how ______ affected ______?
How would you apply what you learned about ______
to develop ______?
What pattern do you notice in ______ ?
What category could we put ______ in ?
How would you summarize ______ ?
How would you compare ______ to ______ ?
How would contrast ______ with ______ ?
What is an example or non-example of ______ ?
DOK 3
What conclusions can you draw about ______ ?
What different conclusion can you draw about ______ ?
Can you predict the outcome if ______ ?
What is your interpretation of this text/these texts? Support your answer with evidence from the text.
How does text A connect with text B? Support your answer with evidence from the text.
What would happen if ______ ? Why?
How is _____ similar to ______ ?
How is _____ different from ______ ?
How can you apply what you learned about ________ in ______ ?
How did the change in ______ affect ______ ?
Did ______ really cause ______ ? Why or why not?
Did ______ really affect ______ ? Why or why not?
How could you solve ______ ?
How else could you solve ______ ?
How is ______ a misconception about ______ ?
Adapted from Collins
Page 4 | Civics and Economics, Steve Schmidt (schmidtsj@appstate.edu)
Top Social Studies Skills GED 2014 Test-takers Miss
 Determine the clearly stated details in primary and secondary sources, and use this information to make
logical inferences or valid claims.
 Describe people, places, environments, processes, and events, and the connections between and among
them.
 Analyze cause-and-effect relationships, including those with multiple factors.
Helping Students with the Most Missed Questions
1. Model Your Thought Process
Show students the thought process you use to tackle Webb’s DOK 2 and 3 thinking:
I do (instructor models using a think aloud)
We do (instructor/student work together)
You do (student practice)
2. Conduct Interviews
Have students get familiar with the content and then interview them about what information is presented
3. Teach Content
- Students must know content well enough to apply it!
- Use the assessment target cards available at abspd.appstate.edu (Google: abspd). Click on teaching
resources, scroll down to Social Studies Safari, and the cards are the last four resources listed
- These cards help teach both definitions and application
- Cards may have 1, 2, or 3 matches
- They can be used in matching activities, as flash cards, or ____________________
Page 5 | Civics and Economics, Steve Schmidt (schmidtsj@appstate.edu)
Let’s Practice!
Directions: Questions 35-37 refer to the following excerpt.
Our first priority is making America a magnet for new jobs and manufacturing. . . .
So tonight, I’m announcing the launch of three more of these manufacturing hubs, where
businesses will partner with the Departments of Defense and Energy to turn regions left
behind by globalization into global centers of high-tech jobs. And I ask this Congress to help
create a network of fifteen of these hubs and guarantee that the next revolution in
manufacturing is Made in America.
– President Barack Obama,
State of the Union Address, 2013
35. In these remarks, what was President Obama proposing?
A.
B.
C.
D.
party platform
public policy
congressional reform
executive appointments
36. Which statement best summarizes President Obama’s proposal?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Government should partner with industry to develop high-tech centers in regions experiencing decline.
Congress should pass laws requiring industry to keep their manufacturing in the United States.
The secretaries of the Departments of Defense and Energy should create 15 high-tech hubs.
Congress should begin working on a plan to convince high-tech global industries to move to the United
States.
37. President Obama’s proposal reflects an important role of the government. What is that role?
A.
B.
C.
D.
making a profit
establishing trusts
setting monetary policy
creating fiscal policy
Page 6 | Civics and Economics, Steve Schmidt (schmidtsj@appstate.edu)
Directions: Questions 38-40 refer to the following chart.
POLITICAL SYSTEMS
Absolute monarchy: a government where the king or queen’s word is law
Constitutional monarchy: a monarchy that has elected representatives and a constitution
Direct democracy: a government where the people have a direct voice and vote in the
government
Representative democracy: a democracy where people select delegates to represent them
Oligarchy: a government in which a small group of people rule
Totalitarianism: an extreme type of dictatorship in which a leader controls the political,
economic, and social life of a country
38. During World War II, Benito Mussolini ruled Italy and had total control over the country. What was the
political system in Italy during this period?
A.
B.
C.
D.
absolute monarchy
direct democracy
oligarchy
totalitarianism
39. Which political system does the US have?
A.
B.
C.
D.
constitutional monarchy
direct democracy
representative democracy
oligarchy
40. How are a constitutional monarchy and a representative democracy similar forms of government?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Both pass laws without the people knowing about the laws.
Both include an elected legislature.
Both have a ceremonial leader with no real power.
Both are governments of the few.
Page 7 | Civics and Economics, Steve Schmidt (schmidtsj@appstate.edu)
Directions: Questions 45 and 46 refer to the following passage.
On June 12, 1987, President Ronald Reagan
gave a speech at the Brandenburg Gate in
West Berlin. The gate was near the Berlin
Wall, and people in East Berlin could hear his
speech. Below is an excerpt.
“In the West today, we see a free world that
has achieved a level of prosperity [success]
and well-being unprecedented [never seen
before] in all human history. In the
Communist world, we see failure,
technological backwardness, declining
standards of health, even want of the most
basic kind—too little food. . . .
“There is one sign the Soviets can make that
would be unmistakable, that would advance
dramatically the cause of freedom and
peace. General Secretary Gorbachev, if you
seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the
Soviet Union and Easter Europe, if you seek
liberalization: Come here to this gate!. . . Mr.
Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”
- President Ronald Reagan
45. Why did President Reagan ask
Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall?
46. Why did Reagan choose the
Brandenburg Gate as the site for his speech?
A. He wanted people in the communist
part of the city to hear the speech.
B. The gate was a symbol of freedom.
C. Gorbachev would be at the gate.
D. He hoped it would end communism
by swaying Gorbachev.
47. Among the global challenges of the
twenty-first century are the issues of global
warming and the overuse of nonrenewable
resources. How are these issues related?
A. Global warming and overuse of
nonrenewable resources are both
problems that can easily be solved.
B. Overuse of nonrenewable resources
and global warming are not real
problems.
C. Global warming is the cause, and
overuse of nonrenewable resources
is the effect.
D. Overuse of nonrenewable resources
is he cause, and global warming is
the effect.
A. He wanted Germany to be reunited.
B. He thought that would end the arms
race with the Soviet Union.
C. He wanted the Soviet Union to show
its commitment to reform.
D. He believed the Soviet Union did not
respect the power of the United
States.
Source: Common Core Basics Social Studies, McGraw Hill
Page 8 | Civics and Economics, Steve Schmidt (schmidtsj@appstate.edu)
Teaching content: How much of a 50 minute lecture
do students remember?
 My guess is _____________ %
 Students remember the most from the ______________________ and the ____________________ .
How can we get these points closer together? Remember the A, D, C’s !
A = ___________________
D = ___________________
C = ___________________
It’s Not All about the Content . . .
"If you’re going to ask students to show up, you’ve got to make it worth their while to be there. "What
happens in the classroom has to matter, it can’t just be information.”
So Goodman creates events and situations in the classroom so students will have a shared, memorable
experience that can be used as a springboard into more abstract concepts. "I think of myself as an enthusiasm
engineer," he said, "and my job is to connect students with content. The content is already out there, and I
have to help them care about it."
“More importantly,” he said, “the activities strengthen the class community so that when we talk about (what
we’ve learned) and share personal experiences, we are more open to one another and more likely to make
meaning from the discussion. And,” he added, “we laugh a lot.” The former Harvard University undergraduate
believes laughter builds classroom community. “I don’t mind looking silly,” Goodman said, “to set the tone for
the class and to connect students to one another.”
- Jeff Goodman, Appalachian State University
Page 9 | Civics and Economics, Steve Schmidt (schmidtsj@appstate.edu)
Naturalization Civics Test Overview

There are 100 possible civics questions
o Applicants age 65 or older and who have been permanent residents for at least 20 years are
only required to study the 20 questions marked with an asterisk (*)

During the naturalization interview, an applicant could be asked up to 10 questions

To pass, the applicant must answer 6 of 10 questions correctly.

Applicants can say, “just give me a minute” to collect their thoughts during the test

The testing officer will not say “right” or “wrong” after each question but will just write down the
response

Unsuccessful applicants may re-take the test within 60 – 90 days and should ask for a results sheet
Naturalization Civics Test Resources

Learn About the United States – Quick Civics Lessons
o Google this title for downloadable pdf that has the USCIS booklet with extensive narrative on all
100 Citizenship Test questions.

Uncle Sam Activity Book by Bohlman and Porter
o This book is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and ABE books

Civics Flash Cards

Google: Citizenship Test Pronunciation Practice or go to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ubuPMeRsFg

USCIS lesson plans and activities are available at:
http://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/teachers/lesson-plans-and-activities
Page 10 | Civics and Economics, Steve Schmidt (schmidtsj@appstate.edu)
Civics and Economics Group Activities
Group 1 – Creating a Class Constitution
Group 2 – Teaching Content: The A, D, Cs
Group 3 – You are Paid to Come to Class!
Group 4 – The Costs of Raising Kids
Power Grab Activity Directions
1. Divide your class into three groups: Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches of government. Each
student should have a copy of the Constitution. (We used the Constitution in Plain English.)
2. In each round the teacher will give each branch of government an opportunity for an unconstitutional
"power grab". The remaining two groups have two minutes to find proof from the Constitution
(amendments included) by article and section, why the power grab is unconstitutional.
3. When a person thinks he finds the appropriate check, he yells "check". He must be prepared to
respond with the answer immediately. If wrong, others may try to block the grab for power with the
two minutes, alternating between branches until the two minutes are gone or the answer is correct.
4. When checked correctly, the branch receives 10 points. If no one gets the correct answer, the branch
grabbing power gets 5 points. No penalty for wrong answers.
5. A round is a question for each branch.
Adapted from http://score.rims.k12.ca.us/score_lessons/power_grab_game
Page 11 | Civics and Economics, Steve Schmidt (schmidtsj@appstate.edu)
Economics
America: The Story of US

12 hours of video to supply historical background along with civics and economics content

Episode guides and lesson plans are available on the History Channel site

Google: America the story of us
Productivity and Specialization Activity
Credit Card Disclosure/Minimum Payments Activity
Google: Credit card debt a student’s story youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7U6pmkTC8i0
Google: Credit card debt explained with a glass of water youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vz05A6cP6Iw
Google: Federal reserve credit card repayment calculator
http://www.federalreserve.gov/creditcardcalculator/Default.aspx
Page 12 | Civics and Economics, Steve Schmidt (schmidtsj@appstate.edu)
Economics Skits
Rules of the Road:
1. All group members must participate and speak at least one line
2. Your group must use a sound effect
3. Ham it up! Pretend there is a Hollywood producer waiting to discover you!
Skit # 1 - Supply and Demand Determine Price
Create a skit where you show what happens to the price of ice over several days during a very hot summer
when the power has gone out because of a lightning storm. There is a limited supply of ice which decreases
each day. As the hot days go by and people want to cool off or keep their food cold, the demand for ice
continues to increase. At the end, be sure to summarize what happens to prices when there is a large
demand and low supply of a product.
Skit # 2 – Supply and Demand Determine Price, the Sequel!
A local entrepreneur has created a product called “The Thing.” She claims the thing can do most anything and
that everybody needs one. However, no one seems convinced. The entrepreneur has created a large supply
of “The Thing.” In order to get rid of her product, what happens to the price she is willing to take for it? At
the end, be sure to summarize what happens to the price when there is a large supply and low demand for a
product.
Skit # 3 – Opportunity Cost
Create a skit that shows how opportunity cost works. One person must make a choice and give up something
they want in order to get something else. Be sure to explain that opportunity cost is what is given up when we
make choices. In order to make sure your audience really understands, show more than one example!
Skit # 4 – Monopoly and Competition
Create a skit where you show what happens to the price of a product when there is first a monopoly and then
competition moves in and several people or businesses are selling something. At the end, be sure to
summarize what happens to price as a market moves from monopoly to competition.
Skit # 5 – Supply and Demand Determine Labor Market Prices
Create a skit where you show how the supply of workers for certain jobs determines how much they earn. For
example, since there is a large supply of workers available to be cashiers at Wal-Mart, they are only paid
minimum wage. Since there are few people with the skills to be professional basketball players, they are able
to earn multi-million dollar salaries. At the end, be sure to summarize how the supply of workers determines
how much they are paid in the labor market.
Skit # 6 – Consumer Credit Laws
Create a skit where you show someone applying to get a loan and they are denied credit. While the loan
officer says it is because they do not have a credit history, make it clear that they are denied because of a
discriminatory reason like their race, religion, age, or sex. Please make it clear in your skit that this is against
the law and that the person who is denied credit has the right to appeal and/or file a complaint with the state
attorney general’s office.
Page 13 | Civics and Economics, Steve Schmidt (schmidtsj@appstate.edu)
Quick Writes
A Quick Write helps students think about a topic before, during, and after reading. Students are asked to
respond to a question or prompt related to a text and should write down whatever comes to their mind
without worrying about grammar or organization.
The writing topics are related to a text and may be:



Summaries of learning
An explanation of a concept or vocabulary
A prediction, inference, or hypothesis
Give students from 2 to 10 minutes to write and be sure you as the instructor write too. Quick Writes can be
used as part of instruction, assessment, or discussion. They help bring out the writer in students, build their
writing confidence, and help their reading skills too!
Prompt
What information did you learn about interdependence from this passage?
Did you know the microprocessor that lives in a laptop computer is a
world traveler? It begins life as a pile of quartz chips and charcoal at a factory in
Brazil. After being heated and processed, it is sent for more refining to a German
factory. After being formed into blocks of polysilicon, it goes to Japan where it is
made into tiny circular wafers. These thin disks are then shipped to the United
States where Intel Corporation turns them into microprocessors by adding
hundreds of tiny chips. They then journey for testing to the Philippines where
more circuitry is added and testing takes place.
(continued on next page)
Page 14 | Civics and Economics, Steve Schmidt (schmidtsj@appstate.edu)
Continuing its journey, the chips move to a factory in China where they
are placed on the laptop’s motherboard along with many other components
made in Southeast Asia. The motherboard, along with the other parts of the
computer including the battery, hard drive and keyboard, are assembled at
another Chinese factory. Finally, the completed laptop is shipped to the United
States for distribution. The other parts that make up this computer come from
as many as 50 countries on six continents including steel from Russia, copper
from Chile, glass from Korea and lithium from Zimbabwe.
So what’s the point of knowing how well traveled a laptop is? The global
makeup of the laptop computer is a great example of an economic concept
called interdependence. Interdependence means we rely on others to make or
do things we do not make or do ourselves. No one country has all the raw
materials it needs to produce the products it wants to sell. So, it must trade with
other countries to get the materials it needs. Most all the other manufactured
goods we buy have similar stories of raw material mining and finished product
processing taking place around the globe. The next time you see a laptop;
remember the amazing global journey it had just to reach you!
My Quick Write
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Page 15 | Civics and Economics, Steve Schmidt (schmidtsj@appstate.edu)
Economics – Return to The Kingdom of Mocha
 Google: Return to the Kingdom of Mocha
Schoolhouse Rock - Youtube
America Rock – Civics and History
No More Kings – US History from the Pilgrims to Boston Tea Party
The Shot Heard Round the World – American Revolution
The Preamble – Preamble to US Constitution
Sufferin’ Till Suffrage – Woman’s Suffrage Movement
I’m Just a Bill – How a Bill Becomes a Law
The Great American Melting Pot - Immigration
Elbow Room – Westward Expansion
Mother Necessity – Inventions and Inventors
Three Ring Government – Three Branches of US Government
I’m Gonna Send Your Vote to College – Electoral College
Presidential Minute – Presidential Elections
Money Rock - Economics
Dollars and Sense – How Interest Works
Tax Man Max - Taxation
$7.50 Once a Week - Budgeting
Where the Money Goes – Household Expenses
Tyrannosaurus Debt – US National Debt
Walkin’ on Wall Street – Stock Market and Investing
This for That – Bartering
Page 16 | Civics and Economics, Steve Schmidt (schmidtsj@appstate.edu)
Resources for ESOL Citizenship/Civics Study
Online:
Study materials for naturalization civics test
http://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/learners/study-test/study-materials-civics-test
Naturalization civics online self-test
www.uscis.gov/citizenship/quiz/learners/study-test/study-materials-civics-test/naturalization-self-test-1
“Preparing for the Oath” study guide – Smithsonian Institution and USCIS. Excellent study and practice test
website. Narrated videos w/captions (read and listen). Study by category.
http://americanhistory.si.edu/citizenship/
Excellent online learning tool: includes general knowledge reading, flashcards, reading test practice and
writing test practice
http://www.citizenshipstudyguide.com/
Short lessons on civics, holidays, famous Americans, geography, etc. Downloadable activities at the end of
every topic.
http://www.elcivics.com/
Several free online practice tests
http://www.test-guide.com/Citizenship/?gclid=CPX33Y2ss7wCFZPm7Aodkz0AKA
Hangman-type word game with government words
http://www.quia.com/hm/207376.html
Quick graphical activity on symbols contained in the Presidential Seal
http://americanhistory.si.edu/presidency/5a2a.html
History Channel citizenship quizzes
http://www.history.com/interactives/citizenship-quiz
Word scramble on history of U.S. flag
http://www.tolearnenglish.com/exercises/exercise-english-2/exercise-english-1478.php
All about electing a president – Powerpoint type instructional activity w/games, word search and other
activities
http://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/election/election.htm
Page 17 | Civics and Economics, Steve Schmidt (schmidtsj@appstate.edu)
Books – In Print:
Citizenship: Passing the Test
New Readers Press
ISBN 9781564208880
Lynne Weintraub
Literacy/beginning level. Lots of good graphics. Includes listening/speaking and writing tests in every
chapter. Based on USCIS 100 question test.
U.S. Citizen Yes!
ISBN 0838467148
Ronna Magy
Thorough reading and activity book covers all elements in citizenship exam and a chapter on
naturalization process. Readings include brief narratives on ESOL learners called “Real Stories,” role
play activities, and a board game summary of each chapter.
Books – Out of Print:
The following are available from online and used book sellers:
Celebrate with Us
ISBN 9780809234134
James H. Kennedy
Readings and activities on U.S. civic and cultural holidays through the year
Planning for Citizenship
ISBN 0809204908
Winifred Ho Roderman, Susan Echaore-McDavid
Workbook for naturalization process
Page 18 | Civics and Economics, Steve Schmidt (schmidtsj@appstate.edu)
Other Resources:
 Gilder Lehrman www.gilderlehrman.org A great source for teaching primary sources. Also includes
many free Common Core based lesson plans.
 iCivics www.icivics.org Founded by former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, iCivics has a
wealth of free lesson plans and games that teach civics.
 Minnesota Literacy Council Social Studies Curriculum http://www.mnliteracy.org/learningcenters/classes/ged-social-studies A social studies curriculum geared toward student success with GED
2014.
Other Resources from Your Colleagues:
Page 19 | Civics and Economics, Steve Schmidt (schmidtsj@appstate.edu)