FRED Interactives
FRED Interactives are online modules that teach data literacy and economic content at the same time. Students learn how to build and customize FRED® graphs and then interpret the data–all within the Econ Lowdown Teacher Portal.
Teachers: Visit the FRED Interactives in our Econ Lowdown Teacher Portal. Once you are logged in, go to the Resource Gallery and filter by “Resource Type: Interactive Lesson” to easily find and preview the FRED Interactive lessons.
7 Activities in 7 Minutes
The FRED database includes hundreds of thousands of data series from dozens of national, international, public, and private sources. The FRED website allows users to combine and display data with an easy-to-master mix of tools. In this interactive lesson, students learn to use several FRED features that are key for understanding and visualizing data: formatting data units and frequency and customizing the graph.
Learn more about the FRED Interactive: 7 Activities in 7 Minutes
Adjusting for Inflation
Students learn about the difference between nominal and real data.
Learn more about the FRED Interactive: Adjusting for Inflation
Comparative Advantage
Students compare manufacturing unit labor costs across countries. These costs help us quantify the comparative advantage of the United States relative to other countries.
Learn more about the FRED Interactive: Comparative Advantage
Data Citations
Students learn to use the metadata in FRED to create good data citations.
Learn more about the FRED Interactive: Data Citations
Doing Basic Math
Students learn to use a key FRED feature for understanding and visualizing data: applying basic mathematical formulas to the data.
Learn more about the FRED Interactive: Doing Basic Math
Index Numbers
Students learn to use several FRED features to discover how to use index numbers to measure growth in prices: changing the data units and applying a formula to the data.
Learn more about the FRED Interactive: Index Numbers
Information Literacy
Students practice information literacy skills related to three threshold concepts: Searching as strategic exploration, information has value, and research as inquiry.
Learn more about the FRED Interactive: Information Literacy
Interpreting Units
Students learn about the different data units available in FRED, which they can use to create customized data transformations.
Learn more about the FRED Interactive: Interpreting Units
Mind the Units
Students learn to use several FRED features that are key for understanding and visualizing data: formatting graphs and customizing the data units.
Learn more about the FRED Interactive: Mind the Units
Nominal and Real Wages
Students compare the nominal value of the federally mandated minimum wage with its inflation-adjusted real value.
Learn more about the FRED Interactive: Nominal and Real Wages
Real GDP per capita
The average standard of living in a country is measured by dividing the value of its gross domestic product by the size of its population. In this interactive lesson, students learn to calculate the gross domestic product per person in the United States. This helps us see how the average standard of living has changed over time.
Learn more about the FRED Interactive: Real GDP per capita
Seasonality
Students learn about seasonally adjusted and not seasonally adjusted data.
Learn more about the FRED Interactive: Seasonality
The COVID-19 Recession
Students learn to use several FRED features, such as formatting data units and customizing graphs, which are key for understanding and visualizing data like those for the COVID recession
Learn more about the FRED Interactive: The COVID-19 Recession
The Great Recession
The economic recession that started in December 2007 and ended in June 2009 is sometimes called the “Great Recession.” In this interactive lesson, students learn to use several FRED features that are key for understanding and visualizing data: formatting data units and customizing the graph. This helps us see why the 2007-2009 recession received that moniker.
Learn more about the FRED Interactive: The Great Recession
Related:
10 FRED Activities in 10 Minutes
Take a 10-minute guided tour of FRED with step-by-step activities.
Learn 10 FRED Activities in 10 Minutes
Keeping It Real: Teach ACRL Information Literacy Frames with FRED Data
This lesson plan is designed to supplement the “FRED Interactive: Information Literacy” online course.
Learn more about the Keeping It Real lesson plan
Tools for Teaching with FRED
Tools for Teaching with FRED incorporates tutorials, instructional guides, lesson plans and activities with FRED.
Learn Innovative Tools for Teaching with FRED
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