Collection
Election Economics

It’s that time again! Time to focus on economic policy to help determine how economics and elections intersect. By playing The Fiscal Ship students make decisions to avoid crippling national debt. In “Public Choice Economics” they consider how self-interest affects voting. In “Economic Misery and Presidential Elections,” students analyze data to predict the presidential election. These lessons and others help students become more informed citizens about the politics of economics.

Lesson

Grades 9-12

Federal Budget: The Fiscal Ship Game

In this lesson, updated with 2023 statistics, students learn about the challenges of the federal debt and play the Fiscal...
Key Concepts: Budget Deficits and Public Debt, Fiscal Policy, Roles of Government
120 mins
Lesson

Grades 9-12

Fiscal Ship Through the Lens of the Elections

Where does each party stand when it comes to fiscal management? In this lesson, students will analyze each major political...
Key Concepts: Budget Deficit, Budget Deficits and Public Debt, GDP…
Lesson

Grades 9-12

Campaign Finance

Compelling Question: In addressing the compelling question "Does money matter in political campaigns?" students work through a series of supporting...
Key Concepts: Public-Choice Analysis
Lesson

Grades 9-12

Free Trade

Compelling Question: In addressing the compelling question “Is free trade worth the price?” students will work through a series of...
Key Concepts: Trade, Exchange and Interdependence
Lesson

Grades 9-12

Income Inequality

Students will utilize the Structured Academic Controversy method to explore the issue of income inequality in America. Through reading and...
Key Concepts: Budgeting, Distribution of Income, Roles of Government
Lesson

Grades 9-12

Minimum Wage / The Challenge of Living on it

COMPELLING QUESTION Should the federal government increase the federal minimum wage? Increasing the minimum wage is a controversial issue in...
Key Concepts: Decision Making/Cost-Benefit Analysis
Lesson

Grades 9-12

Party Platforms and Economic Issues

According to Gallup, Americans have considered the state of the economy "among the most important U.S. problems" since 2008. The...
Key Concepts: Budget Deficits and Public Debt, Employment and Unemployment, Roles of Government…
Lesson

Grades 9-12

Immigration

This lesson helps students better understand immigration, a major issue in the 2016 presidential election. Students learn how to evaluate...
Key Concepts: Division of Labor/Specialization
Lesson

Grades 9-12

Economic Misery and Presidential Elections

Updated with new statistics! The students examine economic data in order to predict the results of presidential elections.
Key Concepts: Employment and Unemployment, Fiscal Policy, GDP
45 mins.
Lesson

Grades 9-12

Broad Social Goals of an Economy

COMPELLING QUESTION Why do politicians disagree on economic issues -- isn't there one right answer? Students work in small groups...
Key Concepts: Balance of Trade and Balance of Payments, Decision Making/Cost-Benefit Analysis, Economic Systems…
Lesson

Grades 6-8, 9-12

Voters and Elections

Updated with new data! Students identify costs associated with voting. Then they make predictions about who might be more likely...
Key Concepts: Decision Making/Cost-Benefit Analysis
45 mins.
Lesson

Grades 9-12

Money and Elections

Students will be introduced to the sources of campaign war chests, learning about the recent court decisions that have allowed...
Key Concepts: Decision Making/Cost-Benefit Analysis
Lesson

Grades 9-12

Public Choice Economics

Students participate in a series of classroom elections to analyze special-interest effects and see how the costs of voting and...
Key Concepts: Decision Making/Cost-Benefit Analysis, Public-Choice Analysis
Lesson

Grades 9-12

Margin Of Error

The lesson begins with an introduction to the use of polls in political campaigns. The students are introduced to the...
Key Concepts: Choice
Lesson

Grades 9-12

Political Beliefs and the Federal Budget

In this economics lesson, students will examine political forces influencing the federal budget.
Key Concepts: Budget Deficits and Public Debt, Fiscal Policy, Roles of Government
90 mins
Lesson

Activity

Grades 6-8, 9-12

Interactive National Budget Simulator

Adjust the numbers in this interactive to see if you can balance the budget. This interactive is intended for use...
Key Concepts: Budgeting, Decision Making/Cost-Benefit Analysis, GDP
Activity

Video

Grades 6-8, 9-12

Barriers to Trade Video and Quiz

This video teaches the concept of Barriers to Trade. Barriers to trade are government rules that block or inhibit international...
Key Concepts: Balance of Trade and Balance of Payments, Benefits of Trade, Credit…
Video