A Case Study: The Unemployment Rate

http://www.econedlink.org/lessons/index.cfm?lesson=EM165

Description: Unemployment has been between 3.9 and 4.1 percent of the labor force for the last year. The number of individuals in the labor force and the number of employed have been increasing at a rate that many observers say cannot be sustained without considerable inflationary pressures. A news report last month claimed that the slight increase in the unemployment rate in September was "calming" to stock markets. Why is it "calming" news for participants in stock markets that the unemployment rate increased slightly? Is it not good if unemployment falls? Standard 12.5.2 economics

Author: Stephen Buckles and Erin Kiehna;, Vanderbilt University

Lesson ID: 4

Increasing Productivity

http://www.econedlink.org/lessons/index.cfm?lesson=EM171

Description: Read about some professional athletes at AOL Total Sports: Chinese Sport School Churns Out Champions or Jet Li. What does it take to become a professional athlete? Talent? Luck? Hard work? Do an experiment to see if training and practice make a difference in productivity. Standards 12.4.2, and 12.4.3 economics

Author: Cross-Curricular Connections

Lesson ID: 563

North Coast Landscapes: The Wealth of Our Community

http://www.humboldt.edu/~economic/landscapes/table_11.html

Description: What are the "indicators" of community wealth? Explain some traditional measures of wealth and what the strengths and weaknesses of the traditional measures are. Explore measurements of the wealth of the region where you live. Understand the role that the various levels of government play in their community and the importance of individual participation in the democratic process. This lesson is easily adapted to third grade. Standards 3.5.0, 12.1.1 Economics, 12.2.2 civics

Author: Deborah Keeth, CSU Humboldt

Lesson ID: 759

Powerful Consumers: Exploring Boycotts Past and Present

http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20000327monday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons

Description: Explore the concept of a consumer boycott andpotential results that boycotts may bring. Then work in small groups to examine boycotts from multiple perspectives and create posters illustrating your research. Useful resource to learn about the tools of labor and specifically the United Farm Workers union. Standards 11.6.5, 12.3.1 civics, 12.2.5 and 12.4.1 economics

Author: Elyse Fischer, The New York Times Learning Network, Sanda Balaban, The Bank Street College of Education in New York City

Lesson ID: 843

Sweating the Big Stuff: A Lesson About Labor Conditions Around the World

http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20010425wednesday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons

Description: Explore the responsibility of corporations in increasing global labor standards. Read case studies about sweatshops and create a list of human rights violations involved in a sweatshop. Learn about the role that corporations play in increasing labor standards at sweatshops by reading and discussing the article "Labor Standards Clash With Global Reality" Investigate the labor practices of specific companies and assess them. Standards 12.4.2 and 12.4.4 (economics)

Author: Rachel McClain, The New York Times Learning Network, Javaid Khan, The Bank Street College of Education in New York City

Lesson ID: 997

WebQuest in Careers

http://ecedweb.unomaha.edu/jobquest.htm

Description: When recruiting employees, a small firm competes with both large and small businesses. It cannot afford to let competitors take the cream of the crop. Aggressive recruitment is necessary because training new empoyees is expensive, and getting the right employee improves the firm's overall performance. More and more job seekers turn to the Internet to find new job possibilities. Today you do a WebQuest of online recruiting. You will look at how companies recruit new employees through the Internet, and search for information and jobs that you are interested in. Standard 12.4.1, 12.4.2, , and 12.4.3 economics

Author: Cynthis Jimes, Viktor Rydbergs Gymnasium

Lesson ID: 1210

Work Forced: Exploring Issues Facing Young Farm Workers

http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20000807monday.html?searchpv=learning_lessons

Description: Explore issues surrounding the use of itinerant child labor on farms around the United States. Explore issues facing child farm workers by reading and discussing "Farm Work By Children Tests Labor Laws." Identify and articulate the concerns and agendas of stakeholders in issues surrounding child farm workers. Standards 12.2.2 civics, and 12.4.1 economics. Useful resource to learn about the United Farm Workers union.

Author: Elyse Fischer, The New York Times Learning Network, Javaid Khan, The Bank Street College of Education in New York City

Lesson ID: 1283