Collection
Teaching the Fundamentals: Scarcity, Opportunity Cost, and Decision Making for Middle School

Lesson

Willy Wonka Allocates Golden Tickets

In this lesson,  students review scarcity and ways to allocate scarce resources (like golden tickets), taking the perspective of the...
Key Concepts: Allocation, Scarcity

"The Giver": Jonas Makes a Choice

Jonas, a twelve-year old, lives in a seemingly perfect futuristic world. His community protects him from all harm and in...
Key Concepts: Choice, Credit, Decision Making/Cost-Benefit Analysis…

Sand Art Brownies

In this lesson, you will learn about substitute goods. You will have choices to make in your role as a...
Key Concepts: Decision Making/Cost-Benefit Analysis, Scarcity

Activity

Content Partner

PBS-NOVA Financial Lab

Managing money is hard! Even when you know what you should do, it can be hard to actually do it....
Key Concepts: Budgeting, Opportunity Cost, Saving

You Decide - Money Allocation Game

Let your students allocate $20,000 money to these repair jobs based on how important they are in the area!
Key Concepts: Money Management, Opportunity Cost, Scarcity…

Video

Scarcity Video and Quiz

In this economics video, students will learn about scarcity and play a Kahoot! game.
Key Concepts: Economic Systems, Goods and Services, Scarcity

Opportunity Cost Video and Quiz

In this economics video, students will learn about opportunity cost and play a Kahoot! game.
Key Concepts: Choice, Decision Making/Cost-Benefit Analysis, Opportunity Cost