Free Resources for Social Studies Teachers
Welcome, social studies educators! The St. Louis Fed Economic Education team has compiled eight exciting resources for grades K-12.
Teaching virtually? No problem. These free modules, videos and readings with Q&A, and lesson plans can enhance remote learning. All resources are created by Federal Reserve education experts with real teaching experience.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please reach us at economiceducation@stls.frb.org. We’re glad you’re here.
For Elementary School
Econ and personal finance lessons, compatible with Google Classroom™
We’ve converted our popular lessons into Google Docs and Slides for use in a virtual environment. These lessons use children’s books, such as A Chair for My Mother and Four Feet, Two Sandals.
How to access: Available on Google Drive. See the Elementary folder; you’ll find a lesson pdf for instructions and answer keys, plus links for visuals and worksheets.
Ella’s Adventures online modules
Students will learn financial concepts such as decision-making, investment in education, saving and using credit. They’ll follow along with young Ella as she encounters important life lessons.
How to access: Available in econlowdown.org in the Resource Gallery under grade, K-2.
For Middle School
No-Frills Money Skills video series
These videos with Q&A feature personal finance topics—from compound interest, to stocks, bonds and mutual funds, to different kinds of insurance. They use clear language appropriate for middle-schoolers.
How to access: Available in econlowdown.org in the Resource Gallery under grade, middle school.
Seas, Trees, and Economies curriculum unit
These 10 lessons help students understand the relationship between our natural environment and the economy, as well as to describe how the environment and the economy jointly provide us with goods and services.
How to access: Get Seas, Trees, and Economies lessons on our website.
For High School
Page One Economics reading Q&As
Keep students in the know! Each issue covers a current economic event, giving students a chance to use close reading strategies. Topics include minimum wage, COVID-19’s effect on the economy and the national debt. Students answer questions after each reading.
How to access: See Page One Economics on our website. To assign online and collect student scores, create your free econlowdown.org account, then locate your desired issue in the Resource Gallery under type, Reading Q&A.
Economic Lowdown video series with Q&A
These videos let students dive into all things economics and monetary policy. Teach supply, demand and market equilibrium … then tackle GDP, inflation and opportunity cost.
How to access: Available in econlowdown.org, the St. Louis Fed’s free teacher portal. Create your account and find them in the Resource Gallery under type, Video Q&A.
For AP U.S. History
AP Comparative Government online dashboard
This dashboard provides direct access to data integrating updated development markers, such as literacy and GDP, across the six nations central to the AP curriculum: China, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, United Kingdom and United States. You can save, embed, share or export graphs as PowerPoint slides. Use FRED’s tools to create custom graphs and download data!
How to access: Visit the free dashboard and instructions in FRED.
Everything Including the Kitchen Sink—Progressive Reforms and Economic Wealth in the 1920s
In this lesson for grades 10-12, students learn that economic forces have an impact beyond the financial world. They use data and primary source documents and respond to AP U.S. History-style short answer questions.
How to access: Get Everything Including the Kitchen Sink on our website.
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If you have difficulty accessing this content due to a disability, please contact us at 314-444-4662 or economiceducation@stls.frb.org.
