Social Studies 2018 Unit Plan
Spring 2018
Professional Role & Teaching Practice II
Integrated Unit Assignment
Building Pedagogical Content Knowledge (5 points)
APA
Example:
Fertig, G., & Silverman, R. (2007). Walking and talking
geography: A small-world approach. Social Studies and the
Young Learner, 20, 15-18.
Economics Books. http://www.kidseconbooks.com
First Ford Assembly Line 1913 Photograph.
http://www.aeragon.com/02/02-04.html
Henry Ford Changes the World. Eyewitness to History
Website. http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/ford.htm
Important Content/Information
4 important stages to scaffold 1st-3rd grade instruction that builds
on students’ prior knowledge to teach geographic “sense of place”
1) engagement: drawing and interacting with imaginary
neighborhood
2) investigation: exploring local environment
3) reflecting: using multiple senses to describe, label, draw
local environment
4) explanation: creating group diorama maps
Who is involved in economics/where we find them
- consumers: in market places, department stores, malls,
shops, and parks. In other words, they are found
everywhere
- producers/manufacturers; continually find and make a way
to produce valuable needs that fits the taste of a consumer
or buyer.
- budget seekers: always make sure that the product he or
she buys is of good quality and it is of good price which is
right for his budget.
Henry Ford did not invent the assembly line, but did create one of
the first ‘automated’ assembly lines. The assembly line has been
used throughout history, as early as 1435 BC
By utilizing the assembly line, Henry Ford was able to make
affordable cars that most of the population could afford. Since he
1
Social Studies 2018 Unit Plan
Information about Unemployment and Employment. U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics.
http://www.bls.gov/cps/cps_htgm.htm
U.S./China Trade Data. U.S. Census
Bureau.http://www.census.gov/foreign-
trade/statistics/country/index.html
Unemployment Map for January, 2009. U.S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics.
http://www.creativeclass.com/creative_class/_wordpress/w
p-content/uploads/2009/03/unemployment-map.gif
Social Education 78(4), pp 157–159, Potter (2014)
Encouraging Student Interest in the Economic Contest of the
Context of the Constitution with Continental Currency (also
good for civics)
https://www.socialstudies.org/publications/socialeducation/
september2014/encouraging_student_interest_in_the_eco
nomic_context_of_the_constitution_with_continental_curre
ncy
was one of the first to produce an affordable car, he controlled
48% of the automobile industry.
● People with jobs are employed.
● People who are jobless, looking for a job, and available
for work are unemployed.
● The labor force is made up of the employed and the
unemployed.
● People who are not employed or unemployed are not in
the labor force.
The value of imports and exports in USD from 1989-2017. How
trade has changed over the last 28 years. The US has increased
their imports, and decreased the exports.
Each state’s unemployment rate in a map for January 2009. Able
to compare each state. By being able to compare each state, you
can make inferences on why certain state have higher/lower
employment rates. Michigan has a higher unemployment because
of the factory jobs that are located there. When factories started
laying off workers and sending jobs overseas, where it was
cheaper, this caused the unemployment rate to skyrocket.
One of the Founding Fathers was worried about the economic
state of the US. He was worried the economy would crash without
continental currency.
2
Social Studies 2018 Unit Plan

Social Studies and the Young Learner 22(3), pp. 14–16 What the difference between a want and need is. A want is
Gallagher & Hodges (2010) something that is not necessary to survive. A need is something
Let’s Teach Students to Prioritize: Reconsidering “Wants” and that you need in order to survive. An example of a want is an
“Needs” iPhone. An example of a need is food and shelter.
https://www.socialstudies.org/publications/ssyl/january-
february2010/lets_teach_students_to_prioritize_reconsidering_w
ants_and_needs

Stage 1: Desired Results

1. Unit Title
Exploring Our Way Through The Economy!

2. Grade Level Content Expectations (GLCEs) and Content Standards, and Anti-Bias Standards (1 point):

History
H3 History of Michigan (Beyond Statehood)
Use historical thinking to understand the past.
4 – H3.0.5 Use visual data and informational text or primary accounts to compare a major Michigan economic activity today with that
same or a related activity in the past. (E)

Civics & Government

C3 Structure and Functions of Government
Describe the structure of government in the United States and how it functions to serve citizens.
4 – C3.0.7 Explain how the federal government uses taxing and spending to serve the purposes of government.

Economics
E1 Market Economy
Use fundamental principles and concepts of economics to understand economic activity in a market economy.
3
Social Studies 2018 Unit Plan

4 – E1.0.1 Identify questions economists ask in examining the United States (e.g., What is produced? How is it produced? How much
is produced? Who gets what is produced? What role does the government play in the economy?).
4 – E1.0.3 Describe how positive and negative incentives influence behavior in a market economy.
4 – E1.0.4 Explain how price affects decisions about purchasing goods and services (substitute goods).
4 – E1.0.5 Explain how specialization and division of labor increase productivity (e.g., assembly line). (H)
4 – E1.0.6 Explain how competition among buyers results in higher prices and competition among sellers results in lower prices (e.g.,
supply, demand).
4 – E1.0.7 Demonstrate the circular flow model by engaging in a market simulation, which includes households and businesses and
depicts the interactions among them.
4 – E1.0.8 Explain why public goods (e.g., libraries, roads, parks, the Mackinac Bridge) are not privately owned. (H)

E2 National Economy
Use fundamental principles and concepts of economics to understand economic activity in the United States.
4 – E2.0.1 Explain how changes in the United States economy impact levels of employment and unemployment (e.g., changing
demand for natural resources, changes in technology, changes in competition). (H)

E3 International Economy
Use fundamental principles and concepts of economics to understand economic activity in the global economy.)
4 – E3.0.1 Describe how global competition affects the national economy (e.g., outsourcing of jobs, increased supply of goods,
opening new markets, quality controls).

3. Big Powerful Ideas (5 points):

1. The way humans produce and buy goods determines the economy.
2. Economics is the choices people make and the consequences or outcomes of those choices, including how they affect other
people’s lives.

4. Essential Questions (4 points):

1. What role do humans play in the economy?

5. Unit Objectives (9 points):

4
Social Studies 2018 Unit Plan

1. Students will be able participate in a trade simulation and write a reflection discussing their experiences.
2. Students will be able connection their participation from the trade simulation to economic terms.
3. Students will be able to use visual data and informational text or primary accounts to compare a major Michigan economic
activity today with that same or a related activity in the past.
4. Students will be able to apply economic concepts to see the impact of global competition on the national economy.
5. Students will be able to identify public issues relating to global competition using a graphic organizer.
6. Students will be able to distinguish between taxing and spending.
7. Students will be able to describe the role of government in influencing decisions to tax and spend.
8. Students will be able to discuss the pros and cons of job outsourcing.
9. Students will be able to discuss how natural goods are used and how overuse of natural resources lead to scarcity.
10. Students will be able to describe the government role for paying for public goods.

6. Rationale (5 points):
In this unit students deepen their understanding of an economy. The unit begins by having students participate in a trade
simulation and implicitly begin understanding economic concepts. Next students will make connections between their experiences in
the simulation and important economic terms that will be addressed in over the unit. After students have a basic understanding of
economic terms we will introduce Michigan made goods and businesses. We will explore these companies in depth and how they
expand nationally and internationally. We will then focus in depth heavily on Henry Ford and the expansion and revisions of the
company over decades. We will then explore international trade and the pros and cons of job outsourcing, with the framework of how
that affects our economy in the back of our minds. We will then in depth explore how why the U.S. wants to do international trade for
natural resources and why our economy depends on these natural resources and international trade. Finally, we will bring our unit
back to our community and talk about how taxes are paid and what services taxes provide us. We will end talking about taxes by
participating in a market simulation where students receive a job, salary, home, bills and taxes that must be paid and the remainder of
the money will be used to shop at a market. Overall, we are hoping students achieve an understanding of their role as a citizen in the
economy and how important it is that we work together to create a more balanced community, where everyone receives their needs.
Unit: Explain what or how you are teaching Explain: Why you are teaching this?
Students will connect the economics topics to their own personal lives Meaningful (think content connected to real life):
and the way that economics affects our community and how we live our Students can realize that they’re choices influence the
lives. economy.

This unit will be integrated with guided reading time and the novel The Integrative (think other disciplines):

5
Social Studies 2018 Unit Plan

Lemonade War. Students will connect the economic terms that are
focused on in the novel to activities that we are engaged in during the
social studies unit.
The unit assessment will be integrated with writing. They will be
required to research a good, investigating with technology, and then
writing an informational paper about the effects that good has on our
community.
The Lemonade War will be used during Guided Reading,
this will expose students to more economic terms
throughout the day, making connections to what we are
learning in Social Studies to what we reading.
Students will use terms learned in Social Studies in their
writing.

Students will be required to address, form opinions and verbally discuss
in a whole group or small group setting their ideas about the wage gap
and how that affects the economy of our community.
Value-based (think of the lens/perspective and getting
students to challenge the status quo and/or address real life
problems):
Students will be looking at the economy and see the
inequalities within it in order to see their roles within the
economy.

Students will be challenged to make choices about what goods they will
keep or exchange during the trade simulation.
They will also be required to discuss the wage gap based on gender,
race, location.
Challenging (think critical thinking, conversations
inquiry):
Students will have the content knowledge required to
make informed decisions based on pros and cons of the
economy.

Through the use of simulations students will develop a deeper Active (think about minds on and hands on-age
understand of economic terms and how they relate to their own personal appropriate):
lives and the community we live in. Allowing students to talk with one another will give them
the opportunity to learn from one another.

6
Social Studies 2018 Unit Plan

Stage 2: Assessment/Evidence:
1. Prior Knowledge (2 points):
- Students have learned about branches of the government and the goods and services each branch provides.
- Students have learned about natural resources, scarcity and transportation of goods.
- Students have been learning about special purpose maps and how to tell where people, goods and natural resources are. As
well as how to read maps that tell about land formations and weather patterns.
- Students have also learned about the 5 different regions in the United States; including the North East, South East, Midwest,
West, South West.

2. Pre-Assessment: Seeing Student Thinking (3 points):

- So students understand that you need a job to make money.
- They also understand that in order to get things that you want you need to spend that money.
- They have a small idea that the economy is a circle and people have to buy and sell things to gain what they desire but they
don’t understand the magnitude of the economy and how it influences the success of businesses.
- Students have no concept of the stock market at all and did even attempt to guess what a stock market is, which did not
surprise me at all.
- I also thought it was interesting that even my immigrant students didn’t voice concerns about currency exchange. That is also
possible that students here had voiced their opinions and did not want to express a disagreement!
*These above ideas have changed my unit plan. I am going to start the unit with a simulation that involves no economic vocabulary
but will implicitly teach it through their actions. The simulation is supporting student by scaffolding from experiences they have with
trade and then associating big economic terms to those experiences. After students have knowledge of basic economic terms I will
begin my unit by talking about the economy right in Michigan. After learning about Michigan economy we will talk about job
outsourcing and then how it’s imported back in. Showing the full circle of local, national and international economics.

3. End-of-Unit Performance Task (5 points):

Describe the performance task. Create a rubric to specify the evidence that will help you determine if students met the end of unit
goals and objectives. The task should provide students an opportunity to interact with the essential questions and evidence of that they
understand the big powerful ideas.

7
Social Studies 2018 Unit Plan

Students will choose a product from a provided list with which to demonstrate their knowledge of the Big Ideas and
Essential Questions of the Unit. Once students have selected their product they will need to write about the resources used for
production, and where that product comes from originally. They will need to support their information with:
● How do the resources used and location affect the cost of their product?
● Why are certain resources chosen to use over others?
● What choices were made in the production of your product?

Once they have laid the foundation of information for their product they will finish their writing by talking about how their product
affects their local (Grand Rapids) economy. For example, they might answer some of the following questions:

● Why do people in the area choose that product over other similar products?
● When you buy that product how does that affect your local economy? …the national economy?

Full Credit (1-2) Partial Credit (3) No Credit (4)

Introduction Paragraph (3 sentences): What is your Introduction Paragraph (3 sentences): What is your Introduction Paragraph (3 sentences): does not describe
product? Describe your product. product? Describe your product. product.

Paragraph 1 (5 sentences): What resources are used in
the production of your product? Where do those
resources come from? Why are those resources used
instead of others?
Paragraph 1 (1-3 sentences): includes some, but now all
of the following information. What resources are used in
the production of your product? Where do those
resources come from? Why are those resources used
instead of others?
Paragraph 1 (1-3 sentences): includes little, to none of
the following information.. What resources are used in
the production of your product? Where do those
resources come from? Why are those resources used
instead of others?

Paragraph 2 (4 sentences): Why do consumers (you) Paragraph 2 (1-3 sentences): includes some, but now all Paragraph 2 (1-3 sentences): includes little, to none of
choose this product over other similar products? of the following information. Why do consumers (you) the following information. Why do consumers (you)
choose this product over other similar products? choose this product over other similar products?

Paragraph 3 (4 sentences): When you buy this product Paragraph 3 (1-3 sentences): includes some, but now all Paragraph 3 (1-3 sentences): includes little, to none of
how does that affect your local (Grand Rapids) of the following information. When you buy this product the following information. When you buy this product
economy? …the national economy? how does that affect your local (Grand Rapids) how does that affect your local (Grand Rapids)
economy? …the national economy? economy? …the national economy?

8
Social Studies 2018 Unit Plan

Conclusion Paragraph (4 sentences): What were the Conclusion Paragraph (1-3 sentences): includes some, Conclusion Paragraph (1-3 sentences): includes little, to
major choices that were made in the production of your but now all of the following information. What were the none of the following information. What were the major
product and why? major choices that were made in the production of your choices that were made in the production of your
product and why? product and why?

Stage 3: Learning Plan:

Student Description of their Linguistic, Accommodations/Modifications/Scaffolds to

Social, or Academic Needs Address Student’s Needs
Sunip, Jaziel To access content students will best be supported
with differentiated text levels.
Elijah, Sean, Leland, Joshua To keep student engaged on tasks in the class
students will be placed at seats in the back of the
classroom so they have an opportunity to stand up
and move around to release energy in a space that is
least disruptive to the classroom.
Robert, Landen, Brooke To engage and stay focused on lesson objectives and
activities students will best be supported with shorter
assignments.

2. Overview (10 points):

Fill in the chart on the next page to create a “big picture” of your unit. The first should be an introductory lesson and the last should be
a closing/wrap-up lesson. There should be a logical flow between lessons.

9
Social Studies 2018 Unit Plan

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5

GLCE(s): GLCE(s): GLCE(s): GLCE(s): GLCE(s):
4 – E1.0.7 Demonstrate 4 – E1.0.7 Demonstrate 4 – E1.0.1 Identify 4 – H3.0.5 Use visual 4 – H3.0.5 Use visual
the circular flow model the circular flow model questions economists data and informational data and informational
by engaging in a market by engaging in a market ask in examining the text or primary accounts text or primary accounts
simulation, which simulation, which United States (e.g., to compare a major to compare a major
includes households and includes households and What is produced? How Michigan economic Michigan economic
businesses and depicts businesses and depicts is it produced? How activity today with that activity today with that
the interactions among the interactions among much is produced? Who same or a related activity same or a related activity
them. them. gets what is produced? in the past. in the past.
What role does the
government play in the
economy?)
Daily Objective(s): Daily Objective(s): Daily Objective(s): Daily Objective(s): Daily Objective(s):
Students will be able to Students will connection Students will explore the Students will compare, Car production-
participate in an trade their participation from way economist think by using visual data, a primary/informative
simulation. the trade simulation to examining the United major Michigan texts.
economic terms. State production and economic activity in the Address assembly line-
trading of goods. past to today’s activity. productivity.
-What’s made? -Car production (Henry
-How much? Ford)
-For who?
Assessment: Assessment: Students Assessment: Students Assessment: Students Assessment: Students
Anecdotal notes about match economic will complete graphic will compare and will use text evidence to
students participation. vocabulary terms with organizer with contrast photographs compare and contrast
Writing reflection on student produced tablemates, presenting a from 1913 to present on primary sources from the
student experiences vocabulary terms used good that is made in the handout. early 1900s to present
during simulation. during trade simulation United States. day in Social Studies.
on handout.
Student Adaption(s): Student Adaption(s): Student Adaption(s): Student Adaption(s): Student Adaption(s):
10
Social Studies 2018 Unit Plan

Students who need Students who require Students who need Students will be looking Students will be reading
additional emotional additional support will additional help reading at pictures, allowing the texts with partners,
support will receive two be given a handout that and writing will be students who require allowing students who
high interest trade items. have the vocabulary paired with a partner in support reading will be require support reading
words printed on it. order to complete able to participate. will be able to
graphic organizer. comprehend the text.
Lesson Alignment: Lesson Alignment: By Lesson Alignment: Lesson Alignment: Lesson Alignment:
By engaging students in matching economic Students investigating Students comparing how Students comparing how
trade simulation will terms in a graphic different goods that are Michigan’s economy Michigan’s economy
scaffold the learning of organizer from the day produced in the United was in the early 1900s to was in the early 1900s to
economic terms. before, students will see States will see how the present will allow them present will allow them
how there choices demand for these goods to see how human to see how human
influenced the trade. are influenced by human choice, regarding cars, choice, regarding cars,
choice. has influenced has influenced
Michigan's economy. Michigan's economy.

Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Day 10

GLCE(s): GLCE(s): GLCE(s): GLCE(s): GLCE(s):
4 – E3.0.1 Describe how 4 – E3.0.1 Describe how 4 – E2.0.1 Explain how 4 – C3.0.7 Explain how 4 – C3.0.7 Explain how
global competition global competition changes in the United the federal government the federal government
affects the national affects the national States economy impact uses taxing and spending uses taxing and spending
economy (e.g., economy (e.g., levels of employment to serve the purposes of to serve the purposes of
outsourcing of jobs, outsourcing of jobs, and unemployment (e.g., government. government.
increased supply of increased supply of changing demand for
goods, opening new goods, opening new natural resources, 4 – E1.0.8 Explain why
markets, quality markets, quality changes in technology, public goods (e.g.,
controls). controls). changes in competition). libraries, roads, parks,
(H) the Mackinac Bridge)
11
Social Studies 2018 Unit Plan

are not privately owned.

(H)

4 – E1.0.1 Identify
questions economists
ask in examining the
United States (e.g., What
is produced? How is it
produced? How much is
produced? Who gets
what is produced? What
role does the
government play in the
economy?).

Daily Objective(s): Daily Objective(s): Daily Objective(s): Daily Objective(s): Daily Objective(s): -
Students will be able to Students will be able to Students will be able to Students will be able to Student will be able to
use a michigan made verbally describe how write a sequence of explain how taxes and explain the public
product to describe and job outsourcing affects events that leads to tariffs keep the services that are
create a map to show people in our economy. scarcity of a natural government running. provided to citizens
where the product is resources, i.e. gasoline based on the taxes we
exported to. for cars. pay.

Assessment: The map Assessment: Assessment: Students Assessment: Students Assessment: Exit
students will be drawing Anecdotal notes on will draw a diagram that will be able to give an Ticket: Explain based on
showing where the group discussion. shows how cars being example of a tax on an evidence from yesterday
products go. produced at a much exit ticket. where the taxes on
faster pace has lead to goods go to and how
12
Social Studies 2018 Unit Plan

scarcity of gasoline. that affects the people in

our economy.

Student Adaption(s): Student Adaption(s): Student Adaption(s): Student Adaption(s): Student Adaption(s):
Students who need to be Giving students sentence Provide students with a Lesson notes printed out Lesson notes printed out
moving will be given the starters to move the diagram template to for students to reflect for students to reflect
choice to stand while discussion along. record information. back to important back to important
they work. information. information.

Lesson Alignment: Lesson Alignment: - Lesson Alignment: - Lesson Alignment: - Lesson Alignment: -
International- job Now our jobs are all With technology cars are Goods, no matter where The taxes we pay on
outsourcing. over seas, we have a lot produced faster, more in the world are goods go towards
-Cars aren’t the only of people who lost their cars are on the road, we produced and taxes have building, repairing and
goods, even some food. jobs and so many people need more gas, we could to be paid. maintaining public
(fruits from mexico, are needing jobs that run out of gas which goods such as parks,
clothes from Japan, employers can pay less. would lead to scarcity. libraries, roads, bridges.
Taiwan, etc.) -WW2 airplanes-
gasoline consumption
led to today’s
importation of that
natural resource.

Day 11 Day 12 Day 13 Day 14 Day 15

Daily Objective(s): Daily Objective(s): Daily Objective(s): Daily Objective(s): Daily Objective(s): -
-The government -2 types of markets -Price determines -sellers competition -How do the pros and
collects money based off (resources & goods and whether we buy the -low buying rate cause cons of a market

13
Social Studies 2018 Unit Plan

the goods sold in a services) goods or not. incentives like clearance economy affect the
market economy. -some producers sell sales to drive in more community?
-Market economy cheaper versions to business. -Teachers work, they
simulation. make money off those -You are going to make buy goods, the business
who can’t buy name money, break even or pays taxes to the
brand (Yeezys-Kayne lose money. government and the
West). government pays
-Demand for cheaper teachers.
-It’s a circle.

3. Individual Lesson Plans:

Lesson 1
Trade Simulation

CCSS (or NGSS or GLCEs if sci or ss):

4 – E1.0.7 Demonstrate the circular flow model by engaging in a market simulation, which
includes households and businesses and depicts the interactions among them.

I can participate in a trade simulation and write a reflection discussing my experiences.

Big Ideas:
-The way humans produce and buy goods determines the economy.
-Economics is the choices people make and the consequences or outcomes of those choices,
including how they affect other people’s lives.

Essential Question:
-What role do humans play in the economy?

14
Social Studies 2018 Unit Plan

How this lesson relates to previous lessons and/or DATA (why are you teaching this?): This
is the first lesson in the unit. The simulation is serving the purpose of implicitly teaching
students economic terms by scaffolding from their personal experiences to connect to big
economic terms.

Materials Needed:
-Chart Paper-4 columns, labeled with students names.
-Markers
-Brown Paper Bags
-60 small items (half desirable, half not desirable)
-Timer

Steps/Procedure: (Please make it evident where you are (1)building prerequisite skills,
(2)supporting steady progress, and/or (3)extending learning)

Time (in Minutes): Steps:

Explain and Demonstrate the Simulation:

“Today, we are going to participate in an activity that requires us to
Focus Lesson trade items in our bag! Before we start this activity we need to set rules
10 minutes. so that we can have fun but also be safe!”
-Set rules. “We are going to get bags and in our bags we will have
some items. Should we yell or throw our bag if we don’t like what we
got? Nope! Can we be unsatisfied? Yes! And you will have a chance to
record the way you feel.”
-Address more rules including: Stopping when the timer goes off and
returning to their seat, it’s not required for someone to trade with you, if
someone says no respond kindly and continue trying to swap items
that you want to with other people.
-

15
Social Studies 2018 Unit Plan

Productive Group Perform Simulation:

Work -
20 minutes. -Students will be give 2 minutes to open their bag, place their items on
their desk so their neighbor can see them. Students then decide
whether they want to trade with their neighbor. During this part of the
simulation it is mocking local trade and students are not allowed to
trade with other individuals in the classroom.
-After the trade time has ended students will record on a scale from 1-
10 how satisfied they are with their new or same items.
-Students are asked to sit down when they are done trading.

Independent Write about your experience during the activity. What emotions did you
Practice feel? What questions did you ask before you switched items in your
10 minutes. bag?

Assessment Read students responses during assessment.

-Did students internalize their experiences while participating in the
trade simulation?
-Did students name any economic terms in their response?

Andrus-Academic/Social/Linguistic Supports for individual students. Part of this MUST

include your plan for SPECIFIC ELL students (you can name them here or put an initial):

-Bags starred on the bottom for students who might need extra support acquiring desirable
items.

Lesson 2
16
Social Studies 2018 Unit Plan

Intro to Economics

CCSS (or NGSS or GLCEs if sci or ss):

4 – E1.0.7 Demonstrate the circular flow model by engaging in a market simulation, which
includes households and businesses and depicts the interactions among them.

I can identify how my participation in the trade simulation is connected to economic terms by
using a graphic organizer.

Big Ideas:
-The way humans produce and buy goods determines the economy.
-Economics is the choices people make and the consequences or outcomes of those choices,
including how they affect other people’s lives.

Essential Questions:
-What role do humans play in the economy?

How this lesson relates to previous lessons and/or DATA (why are you teaching this?):
Students will now explicitly be taught how their participation in the trade simulation is
connected to big economic terms. They will apply their experiences to the definitions,
providing them with a way to meaningfully understand the economic words. Students will see
how their choices influenced the trade simulation.

Materials Needed:
Anchor chart-economics in the center and economic words branching from the center.
Chart markers
Powerpoint

17
Social Studies 2018 Unit Plan

Student graphic organizer

Steps/Procedure: (Please make it evident where you are (1)building prerequisite skills,
(2)supporting steady progress, and/or (3)extending learning)

Time (in Minutes): Steps:

Recap the experiences of yesterday’s trade simulation. By having

students raise their hand and share the terms we recorded yesterday.
Focus Lesson
10 minutes. Present anchor chart with the economic terms they need to explicitly
be taught. The words on the anchor chart are economics, demand,
supply, consumer, producer, scarcity, trade, goods, want, and need.

Productive Group Have students discuss at table groups which terms match the words
Work we used yesterday!
20 minutes. - Record their answers on their table whiteboards what terms
match each other by connecting both words with an arrow.
*whole class share ideas. Each table must contribute at least one
example. Another member at the table must explain their thinking
behind their given response.

18
Social Studies 2018 Unit Plan

Independent On an exit ticket students will respond to the following question and
Practice add any other questions about today’s lesson underneath:
10 minutes What term do you want to learn the most about in economics this year
and why?

*Teacher reads off some of the things students want to learn about in
economics this year to get us inspired and engaged in economics.

Assessment Students will match on a handout the economic vocabulary terms

explicitly taught today with student produced vocabulary terms they
used during trade simulation the previous day.

Andrus-Academic/Social/Linguistic Supports for individual students. Part of this MUST

include your plan for SPECIFIC ELL students (you can name them here or put an initial):

Students who require additional support will be given a handout that have the vocabulary
words printed on it.

Lesson 3
How does an Economist think?!

CCSS (or NGSS or GLCEs if sci or ss):

4 – E1.0.1 Identify questions economists ask in examining the United States (e.g., What is
produced? How is it produced? How much is produced? Who gets what is produced? What
role does the government play in the economy?)

19
Social Studies 2018 Unit Plan

I can identify questions that economist ask by verbally discussing with my table group.

Big Ideas:
-The way humans produce and buy goods determines the economy.
-Economics is the choices people make and the consequences or outcomes of those choices,
including how they affect other people’s lives.

Essential Questions:
-What role do humans play in the economy?

How this lesson relates to previous lessons and/or DATA (why are you teaching this?):

Materials Needed:
-Powerpoint with different goods made in michigan
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/18LauhYJbQiZMjSLx8pS9Kn3BSQ9YN_ulFnh6yXWp
GPg/edit?usp=sharing

Steps/Procedure: (Please make it evident where you are (1)building prerequisite skills,
(2)supporting steady progress, and/or (3)extending learning)

Time (in Minutes): Steps:

Focus Lesson The US produces a lot of different types of goods. Some goods that
10 minutes. are made in the United States are cars. The US produces cars here,
and then exports them to different countries. When someone produces
something, they are making and assembling materials to make a
product/good. Ford is an example of a producer that makes cars.
Some of those cars stay in the United States, but some of them are
exported, or shipped to a different country.

20
Social Studies 2018 Unit Plan

Productive Group Today, you are going to work with your tablemates to find the top
Work selling product from a state.
25 minutes. Table 1: North Carolina: Aircrafts + aircraft parts
Table 2: Idaho: Memory Chips
Table 3: Michigan: Automobile Parts
Table 4: New Hampshire: Cell phones.
Table 5: Alabama: Cars and passenger vehicles.
Table 6: Tennessee: Cars and passenger vehicles
S get Chromebooks

You are going to answer the following questions: What is made? For
who? Where is it exported to?
https://www.census.gov/foreign-
trade/statistics/state/data/mi.html#comm Have kids google “State top
exports census.gov”

https://247wallst.com/special-report/2015/09/01/top-selling-products-
from-each-state/2/ Have kids find their state to answer questions.

Independent Each student is responsible to complete their worksheet and present

Practice their state with their group.
5 minutes.

21
Social Studies 2018 Unit Plan

Assessment Exit Ticket: What is one thing you learned about the top selling product
from the state you researched?

Andrus-Academic/Social/Linguistic Supports for individual students. Part of this MUST

include your plan for SPECIFIC ELL students (you can name them here or put an initial):

Students who need additional help reading and writing will be paired with a partner in order to
complete graphic organizer.

Stage 4: Post-Teaching Reflection

2. Reflection on Student Learning:
Students met the content goals and objectives by participation in simulations, illustrations/group projects, formative assessments and
summative assessment.
a. Students will be able participate in a trade simulation and write a reflection discussing their experiences.
b. Students will be able connection their participation from the trade simulation to economic terms.

22
Social Studies 2018 Unit Plan

c. Students will be able to use visual data

and informational text or primary
accounts to compare a major Michigan
economic activity today with that same
or a related activity in the past.
d. Students will be able to apply
economic concepts to see the impact of
global competition on the national
economy.
e. Students will be able to identify public
issues relating to global competition
using a graphic organizer.
f. Students will be able to distinguish
between taxing and spending.
g. Students will be able to describe the
role of government in influencing
decisions to tax and spend.
h. Students will be able to discuss the
pros and cons of job outsourcing.
i. Students will be able to discuss how
natural goods are used and how
overuse of natural resources lead to
scarcity.
j. Students will be able to describe the
government role for paying for public
goods.
My students really exceeded my expectations of this unit. I spent 6 and a half weeks on this unit with my students and they
would share for good news conversation they had with their parents at home about the economy and how the government
works. Through their written, illustrated and interactive work students provided me with evidence that they were meeting
content standards. Below are pictures of student work that shows their understandings of our economy.
Assessment after Final Market Simulation:

23
Social Studies 2018 Unit Plan

My students met the skill goals and objectives in my unit by doing a trade simulation that went extremely poorly the first time.
I decided to redo the simulation again the next day so that my students could really understand what trade is and how it affects our
economy. The second day was extremely successful and students carried out the ideas from the trade simulation through the rest of the
unit. When we began exploring Michigan produced goods and businesses many students connected it back to the goods we traded
during the simulation. They also connected international trading when we discussed how Michigan businesses expanded across the
world such as Henry Ford Automotive.

24
Social Studies 2018 Unit Plan

The values that students learned as a result of my unit were about citizenship, respect towards others and the community, and
responsibility. My students learned that citizenship mean being part of or belonging to a community in which all members work
together to create a positive and safe environment to live in. My students understand that their roles in our community involve
respecting each other, being safe, paying your bills, working at a job and helping others. They understand that in order for our
community to be repaired and maintained we must work jobs and pay taxes to the government. We must also be respectful towards
others properties and businesses because it’s their stake in our community. Overall, students learned that it’s their responsibility to
make a positive impact on our community because their choices affect the economy.

3. Reflection on the Unit and Refining (6 points):

I expected my students in this unit to have lots of questions and not much information of their own on the topic. I think mostly
because when I talked to them about money and currency at the beginning of the unit students seemed to understand only that money
was made from a job and parents used money to pay a bill or to buy the things they want. Once my unit began students started to
connect ideas to their own lives and really showed me that they understand how the economy works, they just didn’t know it was part
of our economy.
Something that went as I predicted it would was that students asked me a plethora of questions that I had to research answers
too. I did tons of research on economy and how to teach it but students always seemed to ask questions that I had no answers for. We
created a wonderwall so that I could research and address all of their questions outside of the lessons and we would go over them the
next day before beginning a new lesson!
Another thing that went as expected was during our market simulation, students were picking items that were “fun” or “very
cool” instead of picking the items that were important or essential for their survival. Students were instructed that they must buy
clothing and shoes. After that they could decide what to spend their money on.
What surprised me during my unit was that students were wondering about how to do more for our economy and suggesting
that we do a community project. I never expected that students would, on their own, suggest to make a change in our economy based
on the lessons that I was teaching but I was pleasantly surprised!
My students also surprised me during the market simulation at the end of the unit when some students chose to spend the very
bare minimum and then save the rest of their jelly beans (which was the currency we used). In fact, one student said at the end of the
simulation during discussion that they “saved their jelly beans because you never know what life will give you. Your car can break
down but if you spend all your money on things you don’t need you won’t be able to go to work and pay your taxes so we will have
bad roads.”
The strengths of the unit were that students were SO excited for social studies everyday. I made my lessons very hands on and
engaging and allow TONS of student impact and interaction which was different from their past experiences in social studies. I

25
Social Studies 2018 Unit Plan

allowed them and held them to the expectations of participating like “adults” or “their parents” during activities and we talked about
how our choices in the world big and small effect our economy. Students really brought these ideas to life and called each other out
during activities when they weren’t responding appropriately in group work and asked each other “Are we being adults in the
economy now?”. I think allowing my students to take the ownership and holding them to high expectations motivated them to
continue growing and learning about the economy.
A weakness in this unit would have been really focusing on connecting my social studies lessons to my guided reading novel,
The Lemonade War, because although some days if fit perfectly and I did incorporate the lessons heavily some days it did not. On
those days I felt lost about how to connect the two subjects and tended to not try and tackle that task. I think my students could have
definitely learned more by incorporating the two and next time I should make sure I address specific social studies terms when it
correlates with the book better. This was challenging because you can’t change the chapters of the book but you can change the order
of the social studies lessons.
I learned so incredibly much this unit. It was my absolute favorite thing to teach all year and my students learned the most
from me during this subject. The outlook they have on our economy changed drastically and can be shown in the below student work.
Some students started to see their impact on this world is powerful and that they have the control to make our economy a better place.
They also understood that the economy isn’t fair. With unfairness comes injustice and sometimes we must just work hard together to
overcome those injustices.

26