Every day we hear alarming news about the economy, the stock market, and the financial crisis. Finding the age-appropriate language and providing context for discussing this topic with your students is a challenge many teachers face.
In this special collection, you'll find advice on how to talk to your students and ideas on how to incorporate this topic into your curriculum.
The lesson plans and activities offer ways to teach your students basic economic principles and money skills in real-world situations. Give your students a historical perspective on the current situation by studying the Great Depression in the 1930s.
The Scholastic News Economy for Kids Special Report helps your students make sense of the economy, how it works, and what makes it such a vital part of our lives. Stay tuned for more coverage about the economy and how it's affecting your world.
Included Here:
- Articles (1)
- Collateral (6)
- Lesson Plans (2)
- Unit Plans
Articles
Between Teacher & Parent: "My Daddy Has No More Job"
Brodkin offers suggestions for helping a child whose parent recently lost a job.
Collateral
Bud, Not Buddy Discussion Guide
Christopher Paul Curtis's Bud, Not Buddy tells the story of a young boy who lives in Michigan during the Great Depression.
Out of the Dust Discussion Guide
Writing prompts, cross-curricular activities, discussion points, and more round out this discussion guide for Out of the Dust, a poem cycle that reads as a novel and tells the story of a girl named Billie Jo, who struggles to help her family survive the Dust Bowl years of the Depression.
You're The President
Choose your cabinet and set your budget, but be prepared to explain your decisions to the press! Experience the job of President.
Great Depression | Dear America
Q&A: Economy In Crisis
The meltdown on Wall Street and Washington's rescue plan left many Americans worried -- and scratching their heads. This article from The New York Times Upfront magazine help you make sense of what's happened. For grades 9-12.
Write a Journal: A Flashlight Readers Activity
Watch the slide show to learn more about the Great Depression, the period when Esperanza of Esperanza Rising lived. Then, write a journal entry as if you were there.
Lesson Plans
Using the Class Store to Teach Economic Principles
Students will use the class store to learn about economic concepts like saving, opportunity cost, supply and demand, and inflation.
Journal of Time: A Historical Perspective
Allow students to take on the point of view of someone living during the Great Depression, which is the setting of the book Esperanza Rising, by providing photographs as inspiration for a journal entry.
Unit Plans
- Subjects:Great Depression, Money, Jobs, Careers, Work, Financial Literacy
