Currency is a powerful cultural artifact; the imagery portrayed on bills and coins depict a nation's values and ideals. The process of selecting an American woman to appear on a U.S. Treasury bill began when a nine-year-old girl wrote to President Obama about her concern that no women were depicted on U.S. paper bills. The Treasury announcement to…

This economics education publication focuses on the U.S. stock market and the risk and uncertainty that an individual faces when investing in the market. The material explains that risk and uncertainty relate to the same underlying concept randomness. It defines and discusses both concepts and notes that although risk is quantifiable, uncertainty…

This teaching module explains how the U.S. banking system uses excess reserves to create money in the form of new deposits for borrowers. The module is part of a computer-animated series of four-to-five-minute modules illustrating standard concepts in high school economics. Although the module is designed to accompany the video program, it may be…

Foreign currency units, exchange rates, the international payments process, and spending money abroad are discussed briefly in this booklet to help teachers explain the international economy. Thirty-two countries are listed with their respective currency units, some of which are illustrated. A chart shows the average yearly exchange rates between…

This document contains two lesson plans. The first, "Fiscal and Monetary Policy via the Internet," seeks to expose high school students to Internet technology while introducing them to fiscal and monetary policy. Information gathering skills, economic understanding, policy application, and economic content retention should all be enhanced by this…

This "Inside the Vault" newsletter contains two issues. Issue 1 contains a lead article, "Reading the Fed's Playbook," a question-and-answer section, and a bulletin board. The Federal Reserve's primary mission is to ensure that enough money and credit are available to sustain economic growth without inflation. The article…

This curriculum guide introduces high school students to the basic principles of microeconomics. Chapter 1 provides a basic definition of economics, while chapter 2 introduces a number of important economic concepts and ideas and examines reasons for unintended or unexpected consequences of decision-making. Chapter 3 considers how individual…

From the earliest times when commodities such as tobacco and beaver pelts were used as money, to the present when credit and debit cards are commonplace, money has played a central role in the U.S. experience. This booklet provides an historical overview of the concept of money as it has evolved in the United States. The booklet is divided into…

Describes a classroom economics system for fifth graders based on real-life experience. Income earned in assigned "jobs" may be spent for future fixed expenses, unexpected opportunities and expenses, and immediate entertainment. Students learn social skills as well as how to bank, buy stock and insurance, cope with unemployment, manage a store,…

Discusses a money management unit helpful in explaining national and international economic systems to elementary social studies students. Individual, group, and class activities are described. For journal availability, see SO 505 448. (Author/DB)

Economic education is needed. Elementary school children should be taught the following concepts of economics: that economics is concerned with the problem of deciding how to make the best use of resources to satisfy human wants; that production and consumption are functions of any economic system; that in America competition in a market is the…

Economics can be the most relevant and stimulating class students take in high school. One way to make this happen is to actively involve students in lessons that demonstrate important economic concepts and economic reasoning. This book contains a compilation of 14 popular lessons (all-time favorites from earlier publications by the National…

This curriculum guide emphasizes that economics is a method of thought or analysis and highlights the teaching of macroeconomic concepts. Definitions of economics, economic actions and their results, individual and group relationships, and supply and demand principles are reviewed. Macroeconomic concepts that are introduced include: (1) economic…

This is one of a series of essays adapted from articles in "On Reserve," a newsletter for economic educators published by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. This pamphlet explains how public debt incurred by the federal government may not be necessarily bad from an economic perspective. The sections of the pamphlet include: (1)…

Many generalizations sound simple enough--for example, "strong is good, weak is bad"--but they can be confusing when talking about money. This booklet explores how the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies affect each other and how their interaction affects the individual and the economy. The booklet contains the following sections:…