Browse lesson plans, videos, activities, and more by grade level

Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Colorism' in the Labor Market

Paul Solman investigates why darker skinned black men face greater discrimination and lower wages in the labor market than lighter...

Key Concepts: Budgeting, Distribution of Income, Division of Labor/Specialization…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: In East St. Louis, a Racial Divide in Unemployment

Economics correspondent Paul Solman reports on the racial disparity in unemployment in East St. Louis, where memories of the Great...

Key Concepts: Business Cycles, Distribution of Income, Division of Labor/Specialization…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: In St. Louis, Signs of New Deal Stimulus Projects

Paul Solman reports on plans for federal stimulus money in St. Louis and compares today's projects with ones constructed during...

Key Concepts: Business Cycles, Employment and Unemployment, Investing…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: In Slumping Economy, a Shift in Shopping Habits

Economics correspondent Paul Solman talks to author Paco Underhill about how consumer habits have changed in the recession.

Key Concepts: Aggregate Demand, Budgeting, Consumers…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Paul Solman Explores The 'Paradox of Thrift'

Paul Solman examines how the consumers who decide to save their money instead of spending it may exacerbate the effects...

Key Concepts: Aggregate Demand, Balance of Trade and Balance of Payments, Consumers…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Taxpayers Mull Options for CEO Bonus Payback

Paul Solman explores options for getting some of the money back to taxpayers from CEO bonuses at companies that received...

Key Concepts: Economic Institutions, Financial Investments, Fraud Risk…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Bailing Out the Boardroom

Graphic illustrating how much bailed-out CEO's take home in their paychecks.

Key Concepts: Budgeting, Business Cycles, Financial Markets…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Web Extra: 'Share' Economy at Beth Israel Hospital

At Boston's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, more than 400 positions have been saved thanks to executives taking lower salaries...

Key Concepts: Business Costs and Revenues, Business Cycles, Decision Making/Cost-Benefit Analysis…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Some Workers Willing to Sacrifice to Avoid Layoffs

Paul Solman reports on some workers who have made sacrifices to avoid more layoffs in their workplace.

Key Concepts: Business Cycles, Choice, Decision Making/Cost-Benefit Analysis…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Historian Finds Positive Side of Economic Downturn

Great Depression historian Robert McElvaine found that economic downturns can cut down on consumption and help people focus on what...

Key Concepts: Business Cycles, Character, Consumers…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Kenneth Rogoff Discusses U.S. Debt and China

Paul Solman interviews economist Kenneth Rogoff about record U.S. debt and China.

Key Concepts: Balance of Payments, Balance of Trade and Balance of Payments, Business Cycles…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: German Economic Minister Discusses Strategy

Germany's economic minister speaks with Paul Solman about how Europe's largest economy plans to navigate the global economic downturn.

Key Concepts: Balance of Trade and Balance of Payments, Economic Institutions, Fiscal Policy…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Where the Bailout Money Comes From

Paul Solman explains how the government will produce the money to fund its economic-rescue measures while trying to keep inflation...

Key Concepts: Economic Institutions, Fiscal Policy, Money

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Elkhart Among Hardest Hit by Rising Unemployment

Paul Solman reports on the view of the economy from Elkhart, Ind., where unemployment has topped 15 percent.

Key Concepts: Business Cycles, Consumption, Demand…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Some Find Silver Lining in Dark Economic Cloud

Paul Solman reports on the unexpected positive side effects the economic downturn has had for some Americans.

Key Concepts: Business Cycles, Distribution of Income, Income Distribution…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: The Amazing Adventures of 'Savings Man'

Paul Solman speaks to the founder of an organization funding creative public service ads on saving money.

Key Concepts: Balance of Trade and Balance of Payments, Budgeting, Business Cycles…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Crises Can Spawn Societal Opportunities

Author Jared Diamond discusses his new book "Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed"" with NewsHour business correspondent Paul...

Key Concepts: Decision Making/Cost-Benefit Analysis, Government Failures/Public-Choice Analysis, Incentive…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Paul Solman Explains Good Banks vs. Bad Banks

Business correspondent Paul Solman explores the problem of banks holding toxic assets and explains splitting banks into "good" and "bad"...

Key Concepts: Credit, Economic Institutions, Financial Investments…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Global Trade Freezes Amid Economic Downturn

Economics correspondent Paul Solman reports on how the global economic crisis has impacted trade.

Key Concepts: Balance of Trade and Balance of Payments, Demand, Division of Labor/Specialization…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Yoram Bauman, Standup Economist

Paul Solman plays straight man to "stand-up economist"" Yoram Bauman at the 2009 American Economic Association convention in San Francisco."

Key Concepts: Budgeting, Business Cycles, Consumers…

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