Unit Overview

April 8

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.8 Recall information from experiences or gather information from

provided sources to answer a question.

Teachers will administer the pre-assessment to gauge student knowledge.

April 9

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.8 Recall information from experiences or gather information from

provided sources to answer a question.

Introduce Economics Unit. What is Economics? Introduce Vocabulary: goods, services,

economic want, scarcity, and choice. Talk moves and questioning will direct students
through the vocabulary and students will use teacher-created gestures with vocabulary
words to help remember definitions. Students will read Choice and Scarcity with a partner
and complete the questions as an exit ticket to recess.

April 10

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.8 Recall information from experiences or gather information from

provided sources to answer a question.

Review vocabulary: economic want, scarcity, and choice (with gestures). Focus Economic
Want: Show Youtube video on Goods & Services. Teacher will introduce the Economic
Wants worksheet but only fill out the left-hand column asking for student support and
reasoning for right-hand column (formative assessment). Teacher will introduce the
Scarcity Comic Strip, model and brainstorm ideas, and then have students work
independently. Comic Strip is the exit slip to recess.

April 11

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.8 Recall information from experiences or gather information from

provided sources to answer a question.

Review vocabulary: economic want, scarcity, and choice (with gestures). Introduce Katie
Scarcity Problem. Read Aloud whole group, setting math up on the whiteboard. Students
will do the math along with the teacher on white boards and we will discuss what we would
do given the circumstance. Teacher will then hand out exit slips, which will be teacher
guided. We will read through the vocabulary words together and then students will
complete the Scarcity Fill in the Blank.
April 12

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.8 Recall information from experiences or gather information from

provided sources to answer a question.

E1.0.1 Identify the opportunity cost involved in a consumer decision.

Introduce Opportunity Cost: Review vocabulary: economic want, scarcity, and choice (with
gestures). Display the Economics Decision Poster (explain). Present the word Opportunity
Cost and explain definition (with gesture). Model opportunity cost with objects around the
room. Distribute the Opportunity Cost Choice Page after modeling a few examples.
Opportunity Cost Faceoff as exit slip.

April 15

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.8 Recall information from experiences or gather information from

provided sources to answer a question.

E1.0.1 Identify the opportunity cost involved in a consumer decision.

Review vocabulary: economic want, scarcity, choice, and opportunity cost (with gestures).
Motivate with Choice #1 and Choice #2 Worksheet but change the objects whole group.
Have students verbalize reasoning of opportunity costs (good and bad things about each
choice, compare choices, and decide) and pull sticks for student suggestions/engagement.
Students will then work with a partner to read the Opportunity Cost Worksheet and
answer the questions as an exit slip to recess.

April 16

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.8 Recall information from experiences or gather information from

provided sources to answer a question.

E1.0.4 Describe the natural, human, and capital resources needed for production of a good
or service in the community.

Review vocabulary: economic want, scarcity, choice, and opportunity cost (with gestures).
Introduce Natural Resources: what are natural characteristics? If natural characteristics
are things not made by people, what could natural resources mean? Share responses and
regroup. Present vocabulary card and poster. Use chart paper and create a chart of
natural resources based on student involvement. Display “produce” and explain that we use
natural resources to produce goods for citizens. Distribute What Do Our Trees Produce
and complete as a class. For an exit slip, I will give name three classroom objects and have
students write what natural resources were used to make the object.
April 17

E1.0.4 Describe the natural, human, and capital resources needed for production of a good
or service in the community.

Review vocabulary: economic want, scarcity, choice, opportunity cost, natural resources,
and produce (with gestures). Whole Group Natural Resource Factory, student involvement
for options. Repeat. Why are natural resources important? Natural Resources are
important because . . . exit slip out the door.

April 18

E1.0.4 Describe the natural, human, and capital resources needed for production of a good
or service in the community.

Introduce Natural, Human & Capital Resources. Review vocabulary (using gestures). Remind
students that anything we buy has to be produced somewhere. Present word for “human
resource.” Explain. Present Capital Resource. Explain. Bakery example on Chart Paper.
Distribute Human, Natural, & Capital Resources Worksheet to read and complete with a
partner as an exit slip.

April 19

E1.0.4 Describe the natural, human, and capital resources needed for production of a good
or service in the community.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.8 Recall information from experiences or gather information from

provided sources to answer a question.

Review Vocabulary (with gestures). Review Bakery Anchor Chart. Distribute and complete
the Human/Natural/Capital Resources list together as a class. Human, Natural, and Capital
Resources Sort in small groups as exit slip out the door (need six sets of the sorting
game).

April 22

E1.0.2 Identify businesses in the local community.

E1.0.3 Describe how businesses in the local community meet economic wants of consumers.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.8 Recall information from experiences or gather information from

provided sources to answer a question.
Focus: Businesses In My Community. Present and Review Word Card for “business”. Remind
students of economic wants and that we need businesses to provide those wants. Present
the word “specialization.” Certain businesses provide certain goods and services. Create a
T-Chart with Economic Wants and Business Provider in each column. Brainstorm a list of
businesses and the economic wants that those businesses provide. Distribute Businesses &
Specialization Worksheet and have students complete them in small groups as an exit slip.

April 23

E1.0.2 Identify businesses in the local community.

E1.0.3 Describe how businesses in the local community meet economic wants of consumers.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.8 Recall information from experiences or gather information from

provided sources to answer a question.

Review Appropriate vocabulary. Check student understanding with the Business &
Specialization Worksheet. Provide 4 Grand Rapids Businesses for students. Discuss the
specialization of each, then the good or service produced, and finally, the capital resources
used. Introduce Research Product. Give students a list of 10 Grand Rapids businesses to
choose as their Business in My Community topic. Have students identify their business of
choice (technology integration).

April 24

E1.0.2 Identify businesses in the local community.

E1.0.3 Describe how businesses in the local community meet economic wants of consumers.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.8 Recall information from experiences or gather information from

provided sources to answer a question.

Recap Business in My Community Research and have students work either independently, in
groups (of the same business), or with teacher support to complete the research
(technology integration). Factors investigated include: where the business is and where its
located, what kinds of goods and services it produces, what economic wants it provides,
what capital resources they have or use, and if any of its goods or services experience
scarcity.

April 25

E1.0.4 Describe the natural, human, and capital resources needed for production of a good
or service in the community.
Present and Review word card for “natural resource.” Is there are enough natural
resources to go on forever and ever? Why or why not? Share answers and discuss as a
class. Present word card for “limited resources” and explain that nothing goes on forever
and ever (we need to conserve and reduce the use of natural resources: give examples).
Distribute Limited Resources vs. Natural Resources Q&A and complete together as a class.
Follow with Limited Resources comprehension page.

April 26

E1.0.1 Identify the opportunity cost involved in a consumer decision.

E1.0.4 Describe the natural, human, and capital resources needed for production of a good
or service in the community.

Focus: Limited Resources and Unlimited Wants. Whole group Trade In example (Zachary).
Review Needs versus Wants. Complete as a class. Distribute Trading Money for Goods &
Services comprehension sheet, students answer the questions independently as an exit slip
out the door,

April 29

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.8 Recall information from experiences or gather information from

provided sources to answer a question.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.3
Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of
events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to
signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.

E1.0.1 Identify the opportunity cost involved in a consumer decision.

E1.0.5 Use examples to show that people cannot produce everything they want
(specialization) and depend on trade with others to meet their needs.

Introduce Create a Business Project. Students will create their own pretend business and
define the area it specializes in. Does it provide a good or a service? Students must list
what human, capital, natural/limited resources are used at their business. How do students
plan to produce their good or service? Teacher will go over the requirements of the
project and will brainstorm some “pretend” businesses whole class before having students
write three ideas for a business down as an exit slip out the door.

April 30

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.8 Recall information from experiences or gather information from

provided sources to answer a question.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.3
Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of
events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to
signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.

E1.0.1 Identify the opportunity cost involved in a consumer decision.

E1.0.5 Use examples to show that people cannot produce everything they want
(specialization) and depend on trade with others to meet their needs.

Business Project. Teacher will model Page 1 of the business project and have students
work on it independently with teacher support. High Flyers may begin work on Page 2 of
the business project. Teachers will circulate to help students throughout their work time.

May 1

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.8 Recall information from experiences or gather information from

provided sources to answer a question.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.3
Write narratives in which they recount a well-elaborated event or short sequence of
events, include details to describe actions, thoughts, and feelings, use temporal words to
signal event order, and provide a sense of closure.

E1.0.1 Identify the opportunity cost involved in a consumer decision.

E1.0.5 Use examples to show that people cannot produce everything they want
(specialization) and depend on trade with others to meet their needs.

Teacher will model Pages 2 and 3 of “pretend” business. Students will work independently
on their Business Project with the goal of completion.

May 2

At the end of the unit, students will complete vocabulary pages for students to complete
definitions and illustrations. This acts as a review guide for the test. Students will go
around the room in stations and complete definitions, once all the definitions are complete
students will independently draw illustrations for each. This allows them to think about
what the word means and to come up with an illustration for them.

May 3

Students will complete the end of the unit Assessment.