Looking for online courses for your students? Our award-winning collection of resources will help bring economics and personal finance
lessons to life for your students with interactive activities, online courses, podcasts and more.
Learn
more about the Online Courses.
To register your students for these courses,
visit the Instructor
Management Panel.
If you have an account, you can login now!
Economic Education
E-mail Alert for High School Lesson Plans, Activities and Resources
"Dewey Defeats Truman": Be Aware of Data Revisions (Page One Economics Classroom Edition)
Classroom Edition (.pdf)
The famous"Dewey Defeats Truman" headline illustrates the importance of timely and accurate data. Agencies that compute economic indicators for the $14 trillion U.S. economy face a tough challenge: providing up-to-the minute results and ensuring the reliability of the data. This month's Page One newsletter, "Dewey Defeats Truman": Be Aware of Data Revisions, explains why there is often a trade-off between these two factors and discusses the importance of data revision.
Cards, Cars, and Currency Curriculum Unit
Cards, Cars and Currency is a curriculum unit that challenges students to become involved in three specific areas of personal finance: credit cards, debit cards and purchasing a car.
Choices Are Everywhere: Why Can't We Just Have It All? (Page One Economics Classroom Edition)
Classroom Edition (.pdf)
As the Rolling Stones song says, "You can't always get what you want." So we make choices. Every day, governments and individuals choose how much money to spend and what to purchase. The January 2013 Page One Economics Newsletter, "Choices Are Everywhere: Why Can't We Just Have It All?" discusses opportunity costs and scarcity and how they effect our spending decisions.
whiteboard (SMART/.notebook)
This series of slides presents the production possibilities frontiers for Alphatown and Omegaville and illustrates their comparative advantage in the production of apples and potatoes, leading to specialization and trade.
Constitutionality of a Central Bank
lesson (.pdf)
Students learn about McCulloch v. Maryland, a case decided in 1819 over (1) whether the state of Maryland had the right to tax the Second Bank of the United States and (2) whether Congress had violated the Constitution in establishing the Bank. Students also review the expressed powers of Congress identified in the Constitution and analyze how Congress implements the necessary and proper (elastic) clause to enact its expressed powers. Finally, students use their knowledge of McCulloch v. Maryland and the necessary and proper clause to consider the constitutionality of the Federal Reserve System.
Crossing Borders: The Globalization Debate
lesson (.pdf)
Students will consider both sides of the globalization debate—the benefits and the costs—by reading and discussing the article "Crossing Borders: The Globalization Debate" from the Spring 2008 issue of Inside the Vault.
lesson (.pdf)
whiteboard (SMART/.notebook)
Students learn that the loanable funds market is a virtual clearing house matching borrowers and savers. They participate in an activity to demonstrate crowding out in the loanable funds market. They use demand and supply analysis to graphically represent the results of crowding out.
lesson (.pdf)
Students consider who is pictured on the different denominations of U.S. currency and why. They participate in an activity to identify functions of basic, everyday items and then identify and explain the functions of another basic, everyday item - money. Students learn some basic facts about money as well as some basics about the Federal Reserve System. In addition, they describe the Federal Reserve's role in the distribution of money by identifying features of the $5 note.
lesson (.pdf)
whiteboard (SMART/.notebook)
PowerPoint
Students are given a portfolio of investments, and they assess the relative risk associated with the products in their portfolios. They later determine which savings and investment instruments might be most suitable for clients of different ages and economic status.
Economic Lowdown Podcast Series
The Economic Lowdown is a podcast series produced by the Economic Education department of the St. Louis Fed for high school students. The series covers topics in economics, banking and monetary policy. The brief videos use clear, simple language and graphic elements so that students can better visualize the economic concepts being presented. In the end, they will see how economic principles affect the choices they make in their everyday lives.
lesson (.pdf)
Students will examine three Supreme Court rulings and analyze possible positive and negative impacts of the Court's decision on eminent domain. From the Inside the Vault article, "Eminent Domain: Should Private Property Be Taken for Public Use?"
Financial Regulation: A Primer on the Dodd-Frank Act (Page One Economics Classroom Edition)
Classroom Edition (.pdf)
Last July, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 brought the most sweeping financial regulatory reform since the Great Depression. The May 2011 Liber8 newsletter outlines key provisions of the Act intended to prevent or lessen future financial crises and enhance consumer protection.
lesson (.pdf)
Students work with data that represent the ages of 24 people to learn the difference between categorizing data in fractile intervals and equal intervals. Students discuss dividing bonus points among class members to understand what per capita means. Then students look at per capita personal income by state using the GeoFRED mapping tool. They compare per capita personal income displayed with data in equal intervals and with data in fractile intervals.
FRED in the Classroom: Debt and Deficit
lesson (pdf)
A lesson on the U.S. deficit, debt and debt to GDP ratio to be used in conjunction with FRED® (Federal Reserve Economic Data), a database of 45,000 U.S. economic time series.
FRED in the Classroom: Employment and the Labor Force
lesson (pdf)
A lesson on Employment and the Labor Force to be used in conjunction with FRED® (Federal Reserve Economic Data), a database of 45,000 U.S. economic time series.
FRED in the Classroom: Measures of Inflation
lesson (pdf)
A lesson on measures of inflation to be used in conjunction with FRED® (Federal Reserve Economic Data), a database of 45,000 U.S. economic time series.
GDP: Does It Measure Up? (Page One Economics Classroom Edition)
Classroom Edition (.pdf)
How is the total value of all the goods and services produced in a country's economy measured? Gross domestic product (GDP) is one common and fairly comprehensive measure. The May 2013 newsletter explains GDP components and how it is calculated. It also describes what GDP does—and does not—measure.
Gini in a Bottle: Some Facts on Income Inequality (Page One Economics Classroom Edition)
Classroom Edition (.pdf)
Income inequality has been rising in the United States and other developed countries. The March 2012 Page One Economics Newsletter discusses income inequality, its causes, and some possible policy solutions.
lesson (.pdf)
whiteboard (SMART/.notebook)
whiteboard ActivInspire/.flipchart)
PowerPoint
Students engage in an activity that matches programs for low-income people with the type of economic inequity the program addresses and observe an activity simulating tax payments and transfers.
The Great Depression Curriculum Unit
History holds many economic lessons. The Great Depression, in particular, is an event that provides the opportunity to teach and learn a great deal about economics—whether you're studying the economic reasons that the Depression took place, the factors that helped it come to an end or the impact on Americans who lived through it. This curriculum is designed to provide teachers with economic lessons that they can share with their students to help them understand this significant experience in U.S. history.
Great Depression Online Course
History holds many economic lessons. The Great Depression, in particular, is an event that provides the opportunity to teach and learn a great deal about economics—whether you're studying the economic reasons that the Depression took place, the factors that helped it come to an end or the impact on Americans who lived through it. This curriculum is designed to provide teachers with economic lessons that they can share with their students to help them understand this significant experience in U.S. history.
Higher Gasoline Prices: Temporary or Time to Buy a Hybrid? (Page One Economics Classroom Edition)
Classroom Edition (.pdf)
Drivers may wonder whether the most recent spike in gasoline prices is temporary or will be longer lasting. Will prices eventually decline—maybe even to below $3 per gallon? Or is it time for drivers to alter their driving habits, maybe by buying a hybrid car? Be sure to read the September 2012 issue of Page One Economics Newsletter —“Higher Gasoline Prices: Temporary or Time to Buy a Hybrid?”—for a discussion of factors that might influence that decision.
Income Inequality: It's Not So Bad
lesson (.pdf)
The lead article in the Spring 2010 issue of Inside the Vault discusses redistributing wealth through taxation. In this lesson, students will examine the ability-to-pay principle of taxation. Students will compare a progressive tax system and a flat tax system by analyzing the same household scenarios using one system and then the other.
Classroom Edition (.pdf)
"Human capital" may not be the first thing that comes to mind when we think about investments, but investing in education and training is an important economic decision. Learn about human capital and the return on such an investment in the February 2013 Page One Economics Newsletter - "Investing in Yourself: An Economic Approach to Education Decisions."
Is a College Cap and Gown a Financial Ball and Chain? (Page One Economics Classroom Edition)
Classroom Edition (.pdf)
The cost of a college education continues to rise.The Project on Student Debt estimates that a typical 2009 college graduate accumulated $24,000 in student loan debt. Is a college degree worth the cost? Read the August 2011 Newsletter for the latest data on college versus high school graduates' earnings and employment prospects.
It's Your Paycheck Curriculum Unit
It's Your Paycheck! is designed for use in high school personal finance classes. The curriculum contains three sections—"Know Your Dough," "KaChing!" and "All About Credit." The lessons in each of these sections employ various teaching strategies to engage students so that they have opportunities to apply the concepts being taught. Each lesson includes black-line masters of the handouts and visuals needed to teach the lesson.
lesson to accompany SMART/ActivInspire (.pdf)
whiteboard (SMART/.notebook)
whiteboard (ActivInspire/.flipchart)
lesson to accompany PowerPoint (.pdf)
PowerPoint (.pptx)
Students will compare the price of goods from one time period to another and through discussion and role play interpret the effects of inflation on consumers. They will categorize goods and services according to the eight major groups of the consumer price index and be able to determine the difference between the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the core CPI.
Money and Inflation: A Functional Relationship (Page One Economics Classroom Edition)
Classroom Edition (.pdf)
They say that "money makes the world go round." Just imagine a world without money as our method of payment for everyday transactions. Without money, we would all need to barter for necessary goods and services. For example, suppose an accountant needs to have her car fixed. Under a barter system, she would have to find someone who needed some tax advice in exchange for car repairs. The search to find a barter partner is time consuming and wasteful. Money solves this problem and many others. Read more about the three main functions of money and the damaging effects of too much inflation on these functions.
whiteboard (SMART/.notebook)
PowerPoint
The Market Structures slides present graphs related to Monopoly, Monopolistic Competition and Perfect Competition. The slides illustrate firms' short-run decisions.
whiteboard (SMART/.notebook)
PowerPoint
pdf
The Market Structures slides present graphs related to Monopoly, Monopolistic Competition and Perfect Competition. The slides illustrate firms' short-run decisions.
Natural Disasters: From Destruction to Recovery (Page One Economics Classroom Edition)
Classroom Edition (.pdf)
Natural disasters often cause extensive loss and damage, yet post-disaster reconstruction may create opportunities that bring long-term economic benefits. Read the October 2011 Newsletter "Natural Disasters: From Destruction to Recovery" for details.
lesson (.pdf)
Upon completion of this lesson, students will be able to list the determinants of demand and supply, recognize which factors will cause demand curves or supply curves to shift, determine equilibrium using a demand/supply graph, and show the effects on price and quantity when equilibrium changes. From the Inside the Vault article, "What Is Driving Oil Prices?"
whiteboard (SMART/.notebook)
PowerPoint
The Market Structures slides present graphs related to Monopoly, Monopolistic Competition and Perfect Competition. The slides illustrate firms' short-run decisions.
Prices: The Marketplace's Communication System (Page One Economics Classroom Edition)
Classroom Edition (.pdf)
Remember when airlines started charging for checked bags? What happened to the number of checked bags after this added charge? And what happened to the availability of in-cabin storage space on planes? This month's newsletter answers these questions and discusses the pivotal role price plays in a market economy.
lesson (.pdf)
whiteboard (SMART/.notebook)
lesson (.pdf)
PowerPoint
Students develop the production possibilities frontier model while discussing the value of models in general in explaining complex ideas. They see what movement along the production possibilities curve entails—on both the constant-cost curve and a bowed curve indicating increasing costs. They discuss ways a society can consume beyond the limits of its production possibilities through specialization and trade, as well as through an increase in resources, capital investment, and technological advance.
Quantitative Easing Explained (Page One Economics Classroom Edition)
Classroom Edition (pdf)
"Quantitative easing" has been in the headlines a lot from 2009 to 2011. First there was QE and then QE2. What exactly is quantitative easing, who does it, and how does it affect the economy? This month's newsletter has the answers.
Shifting Curves: Demand and Supply Shifts in the Gasoline Market
lesson (.pdf)
Students create a graph of gasoline supply and demand and identify the market-clearing price, then graph a decrease in demand for gasoline and a decrease in supply of gasoline to understand how those factors affect prices. From the Inside the Vault article, "Why Do Gasoline Prices React to Things That Have Not Happened?"
whiteboard (SMART/.notebook)
This series of slides aids students in reviewing the determinants of supply and demand, provides an exercise for them to choose which of the curves shift and why, and allows them to determine which curve will shift given a market event.
whiteboard (SMART/.notebook)
Use these slides to demonstrate the shifting tax burden and changes in tax revenue and deadweight loss when taxes are applied. Students have the opportunity to identify tax burden, revenue, and deadweight loss when elasticity of supply and demand change.
The Free Silver Movement and Inflation
lesson (.pdf)
Students learn that money is a medium of exchange that facilitates economic activity. Next, students learn the relationship between the money supply and inflation by participating in an inflation auction using gold and silver notes to better understand the historic debate of the Free Silver Movement. Students then read William Jennings Bryan's "Cross of Gold" speech to relate the historical context. The students use historical data to calculate income, fixed expenses, and variable expenses of a farmer to further understand the historical argument presented by the Free Silver Movement. Finally, students analyze two political cartoons against the Free Silver Movement.
Classroom Edition (.pdf)
All inflation isn't bad—a moderate amount can signal a healthy economy. But high inflation, such as that during the Great Inflation, can lead to a vicious cycle where expectations of higher inflation lead to further increases in the price level. Read the October 2012 Page One Economics Newsletter to find out what caused the Great Inflation, how tough (and painful) policy brought it to an end, and two key lessons learned.
The Illustrated Consumer and Producer Surplus
whiteboard (SMART/.notebook)
This series of slides aids students in defining and calculating consumer surplus, producer surplus, and total economic surplus.
The Legacy of the Olympics: Economic Burden or Boom? (Page One Economics Classroom Edition)
Classroom Edition (.pdf)
Competition, sportsmanship, and national pride are the foundations of the Olympics, but how much do the Olympics cost the host city and country? What are some of the economic benefits and deficits? Is the investment in the Olympics worth it in the end? Read about previous host experiences with the economic side of the Olympics in this month's Page One Economics Newsletter.
Classroom Edition (.pdf)
The output gap is one (of many) economic indicators used by economists to measure the strength of the economy. What exactly is the output gap, and how accurately does it predict the state of the economy? Read the November 2012 Page One Economics Newsletter, "The Output Gap: A 'Potentially' Unreliable Measure of Economic Health," for an explanation of the output gap and answers to these questions.
Classroom Edition (.pdf)
Although the recent Great Recession was severe, its financial impact never paralleled that of the Great Depression. The November Newsletter compares these two economic downturns and shows how lessons learned in the Great Depression helped current Federal Reserve policymakers stabilize the economy during the recent economic crisis.
Time Inconsistency: Today's Actions, Tomorrow's Regrets (Page One Economics Classroom Edition)
Classroom Edition (.pdf)
Have you ever bought something you really couldn't afford? You simply swipe your credit card and leave the store with something shiny and new. That instant gratification overpowers any thought of the regret you'll have when you must start paying off your accumulated debt. Economists call this phenomenon time inconsistency. Read the September 2011 newsletter for some ideas on how to prevent time inconsistency for yourself and your government.
Traditional Versus Shadow Banking (Page One Economics Classroom Edition)
Classroom Edition (.pdf)
Modern economies rely heavily on financial intermediaries to channel funds between borrowers and lenders. In the first edition of the Page One Economics Newsletter, the role of traditional banking is outlined and a parallel system—shadow banking—is explored.
lesson (.pdf)
whiteboard (SMART/.notebook)
whiteboard ActivInspire/.flipchart)
PowerPoint
Students will determine the costs, benefits, and unintended consequences of policies, beginning with analysis of a policy that would allow them to take two years off of school between grades 10 and 11. They will then analyze the costs, benefits, and unintended consequences of various government policies.
Wait, Is Saving Good or Bad? The Paradox of Thrift (Page One Economics Classroom Edition)
Classroom Edition (.pdf)
The average saving rate for the typical American household before the recession started in 2007 was 2.9 percent; since then it has risen to 5 percent. Uncertainty about the future was the primary driver for the increase. More saving is a good thing, right? Well, some economists argue it might be detrimental to the overall economy. Given the benefits to individuals, how could this be? This month's Page One explores this "paradox of thrift."
What Do Financial Market Indicators Tell Us? (Page One Economics Classroom Edition)
Classroom Edition (.pdf)
To those unfamiliar with financial and economic lingo, the terms bandied about in the news can sometimes make no sense. The January 2012 Liber8 Newsletter, "What Do Financial Market Indicators Tell Us?" offers some help with explanations of common terms. The essay is accompanied by a table of terms, definitions, and the significance of each to the broader economy.
What is Unemployment, How is it Measured, and Why Does the Fed Care?
lesson (.pdf)
In this lesson, students read and interpret choropleth maps, which contain unemployment data. They compare verbal descriptions of the labor market from the Federal Reserve's Beige Book with the mapped data. In addition, students compare unemployment data for different years. Students access or observe how to access this data online.
Which Came First—Democracy or Growth?
lesson (.pdf)
Students will compute real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and GDP per capita for three fictional countries. The Index of Economic Freedom will be used to compare and contrast the relationship between the degree of a country's economic freedom and the total output of that country and its standard of living. From the Inside the Vault article, "Which Came First—Democracy or Growth?"
