Economics with Financial Literacy

Description

Economic decisions affect us every day of our lives. Understanding economics means thinking about how scarcity, or limited resources, requires us to make choices and evaluate one option against others. In this course, students will recognize examples of economics in your daily life. Students will see how the economic choices of larger groups, like businesses and governments, affect students and others. As students progress through the course, students will recognize that the costs and benefits of choices connect individuals and groups around the world. The purpose of this course is to help students become a smart consumer who understands the flow of an economy between individuals, businesses, governments, and the rest of the world. 

Major Topics and Concepts

In Module 1, students will answer the following essential questions:

What is economics and how does it affect me?
How does scarcity force us to make choices?
How might we measure the "cost" of our choices?
How does supply and demand inform the choices of consumers and business owners?
Why is studying supply and demand useful?
What factors affect supply and demand?
How are prices determined?
What is "money"?
What gives money its value?
How does printing more currency impact the economy?

In Module 2, students will answer the following essential questions:

How can I tell wants from needs?
How do my choices today affect my life tomorrow?
Why do we pay taxes?
Why save money?
How do I invest money?
Why use credit?
How can a budget help me meet my goals?

In Module 3, students will answer the following essential questions:

How has entrepreneurship helped shape American society?
What do you need to start a successful business?
How can the method of business organization impact success?
How can the product market for a good or service influence business decisions?
How can a business owner determine the selling price and production level that will maximize profits?
How might a business grow to increase profitability?

In Module 4, students will answer the following essential questions:

How does the government take an active role in controlling the economy?
How can the government influence the economy through fiscal policy?
How can the Federal Reserve affect the economy through monetary policy?

In Module 5, students will answer the following essential questions:

How do economists of the past influence us today?
How do countries measure the health of their economy?
How can we best organize an economy to meet economic goals?
Why do countries trade?
Why do countries create barriers to trade or free trade areas?
How does inflation affect our lives and society?
How does the economy of the United States compare to other countries?

In Module 6, students will answer the following essential questions:

How can we use a circular flow diagram to show economic relationships?
How do externalities affect our communities?
How do externalities affect our country and the world?
How can we use a decision-making model to determine a plan of action for a specific issue?