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

Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: What quality of life can workers earning nation's highest minimum wage afford?

Washington state has the highest minimum wage in the nation at $9.32. Can the stateâ€™s low-wage workers can meet their...

Key Concepts: Budgeting, Business Costs and Revenues, Demand…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Why do the rich get richer? French economist Piketty takes on inequality in 'Capital'

On a recent U.S. press tour for his bestselling book "Capital," French economist Thomas Piketty spoke to standing-room-only crowds about...

Key Concepts: Balance of Trade and Balance of Payments, Distribution of Income, Income Distribution…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Hefty child care costs present catch-22 for working parents

In most of the country, child care is the most expensive part of the family budget. Infant care now costs...

Key Concepts: Division of Labor/Specialization, Economic Development, Market Structures…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Good news in jobs report bolstered by shrinking workforce

The jobs report released Friday finds that employers added 288,000 jobs in April and the unemployment rate fell to 6.3...

Key Concepts: Division of Labor/Specialization, Employment and Unemployment, Income Distribution

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Seattle restaurant industry caught in the middle of $15 minimum wage debate

Seattleâ€™s push to raise the minimum wage to $15 has left owners and workers in the cityâ€™s restaurant industry conflicted....

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

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Idea of paying citizens a yearly stipend is gaining support in Switzerland

In Switzerland, an idea to guarantee every citizen a yearly income of 30,000 Swiss francs, regardless of other wealth or...

Key Concepts: Budgeting, Income Distribution, Roles of Government

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: March jobs report offers bright spot, but long-term unemployment continues stubborn streak

The Labor Departmentâ€™s reported boost of 192,000 jobs in March marks a milestone in the economic recovery: all of the...

Key Concepts: Employment and Unemployment, Income Distribution

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Why obsessing over economic indicators may hinder economic improvement

The monthly jobs report is big news on the first Friday of every month, swaying the financial markets and prompting...

Key Concepts: Business Cycles, Coincident Indicators, Division of Labor/Specialization…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: In 'second machine age' of robots, it's time for humans to get creative

Robotic technology is increasingly infiltrating our everyday world, and as robots become more capable of human labor, people will likely...

Key Concepts: Division of Labor/Specialization, Economic Development, Entrepreneurs…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Economist warns against overacting to January's lower-than-expected jobs numbers

Just 113,000 new jobs were added in January, according to the Labor Department's monthly employment report. The numbers failed to...

Key Concepts: Balance of Trade and Balance of Payments, Employment and Unemployment

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Is academia suffering from adjunctivitis? Low-paid adjunct professors struggle to make ends meet

Juggling multiple part-time jobs, earning little-to-no benefits, depending on public assistance: This is the financial reality for many adjunct professors...

Key Concepts: Division of Labor/Specialization, Economic Development, Goods and Services

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Sounding an alarm on economic dysfunction by practicing sustainable living

Economics correspondent Paul Solman profiles Chris Martenson, a former science professional who gave up his large home and high-status job...

Key Concepts: Decision Making/Cost-Benefit Analysis, Economic Development, Goods and Services…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Weak job growth, unemployment drop signal 'unwinding' of labor participation

The December jobs report showed a gain of just 74,000 jobs, while the drop in unemployment was due largely to...

Key Concepts: Division of Labor/Specialization, Employment and Unemployment

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Tricking the brain with transformative virtual reality

Want to have a just-like-real-life fantasy experience without leaving your living room? Virtual reality technology is already employed by certain...

Key Concepts: Balance of Trade and Balance of Payments, Entrepreneurs

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: To taper stimulus efforts? Examining the Fed's role in the economic recovery

Since the financial crisis of 2008, the Federal Reserve has created trillions of dollars to buy Treasury and mortgage-backed bonds....

Key Concepts: Business Cycles, Economic Institutions

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Nobel economist Robert Shiller on how the stock market reflects psychology

Yale University professor Robert Shiller was one of three Americans honored with the Nobel Prize for Economics for research on...

Key Concepts: Budgeting, Financial Markets, Investing

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Rosier-than-expected jobs report doesn't improve outlook for long-term jobless

The November jobs report boasted positive momentum, including gains in manufacturing and construction sectors. But economics correspondent Paul Solman reports...

Key Concepts: Business Cycles, Division of Labor/Specialization, Employment and Unemployment…

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Grades 9-12

Making Sen$e with Paul Solman: Exploring the economics of the first Thanksgiving

The first Thanksgiving in Plymouth, Mass., probably didn't resemble the modern holiday we celebrate today. Economics correspondent Paul Solman steps...

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

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