Jodie Woodruff

School: The Metropolitan Regional Career and Technical Center (The Met)

Type of School: Public - District

Location: Providence, RI

School Population: 838

Demographic: 66% minority students

% Free/reduced lunch program: 71%

Learning Outcomes

This project integrates economics, free trade, and enterprise concepts, and meets learning standards in literacy. Students will be able to understand basic economic principles, understand motivations and reasons behind trade, discuss concepts of free enterprise, and understand different economic paradigms.
 
Download the open-source Project Plan Materials to view a complete list of standards and learning outcomes addressed in this project.

How Jodie Did It

Grade: 9^th – 12^th

Timing: 45 minutes – one hour depending on discussion

Subjects: Economics, free trade, and enterprise

Materials: brown paper bags, an assortment of dollar store items (2-4 for each bag), a large sheet of paper, or chalkboard, writing utensils.

Project Steps: Jodie implements this project during one class period in two stages following a 1-2 hour preparation to gather trade materials. The two stages include: Magic of Trade Exercise, and Discussion.

How You Can Do It

Grade: 6^th-12^th  

Timing: 200+ minutes

Subjects: Economics, free trade, and enterprise

Materials: brown paper bags, an assortment of items, poster board or whiteboard/chalkboard, writing utensils, optional case studies with real-world examples of economic trade.

Project Steps: Rather than purchasing materials from the dollar store, you could encourage students to bring in small items from home to practice the trade exercise. You can also spend more time discussing the trade that takes place in your local economy involving goods such as oil, produce, or lumber.