Economics, Agriculture and Maine History

TROY HOWARD MIDDLE SCHOOL
Mr. Tanguay

Philosophy- Economics is taught within the context of a garden, watershed and greenhouse program to provide the students with a more integrated learning experience.  Students are

Economics is the study of how individuals and societies make choices about ways to use scarce resources to fulfill their needs and wants.

What you’ll learn:

I. Introduction to Economics
    A.  What role economics plays in your life
    B.  What role you play in the economic system of the United States.
    C.  The various kinds of economic systems in the world.
    D.  The relationship between ecology and economics.

II.  Practical Economics: Roles Individuals Play in the Economic System
    A.  How basic economic principles can help you in your daily life.
    B.  What pitfalls to avoid when going into debt.
    C.  What you should be aware of before buying the necessities.
    D.  Why saving and investing are sound habits to learn.
    E.  Learn the PACED model: Problem, Alternatives, Criteria, Evaluate, Decision

III.  Microeconomics: Markets, Prices and Business Competition
    A.  How your consumer decisions affect prices.
    B.  What risks and expectations you’ll have when starting a business.
    C.  Why competition among businesses is vital to the price you pay for goods and services.

IV.  Microeconomics: American Business
    A.  How businesses obtain financing and produce goods.
    B.  How those goods are marketed and distributed to you as a consumer.
    C.  Who makes up the American labor force.
    D.  How Maine’s economy has developed.
        a.  Cod fish industry
        b.  Tourism
        c.   Forest products
        d.  Manufacturing
        e.  Ship building
        f.   Mill workers

V.  Macroeconomics:  The Nation’s Economy  
    A.  What statistics measure the economies health.
    B.  How the American banking system works.
    C.  The role of government in the economy.
    D.  The Federal Budget
    E.  The effect of historical events on the economic development of our country.
        
VI.  The International Scene
    A.  How the United States trades with the rest of the world.
    B.  Why many of the world’s nations are moving toward a free enterprise economic system.
    C.  How the world is becoming smaller through the internet.
    D.  The role gold has played in the evolution of the monetary systems and trade of the world.


Required classroom activities:
    
    I.  Developing the garden business
        A.  Be a contributing member in one division of the garden business.
        B.  Complete garden apprenticeship and interview.
        C.  Develop an individual job desciption for garden business.  
        D.  Complete research paper related to economics and agriculture in Maine.
        E.  Present a detailed business plan for a Pizza Company to an Investment Banker (in class).  Your business is based on protoype
                and cost analysis conducted in the garden phase of the Pizza Unit.
    II.  In-depth research into a monetary system and/or economic period in a country's history
        A.  Conduct one class period based on your research.
        B.  Host guest speaker or interview an adult as part of presentation.
        C.  Complete and show a multimedia (2-5 minute) presentation based on individual research projects.
    III.  Complete research report on all of the following: Entrepreneurs, history of Maine agriculture, Olympics in Maine and Famous Mainers
    IV.  Maintain an organized notebook using laptops, binder and index cards.
    V.   Record and manage personal budget using checkbook ledger.
        A.   Manage monthly school expenses
            a.  desk rental
            b. utility costs (laptop charge, heat, lights, bus/ car)
            c.  paycheck and bonuses
            d.  stock, bonds or mutual fund pick (manage on myyahoo.com)
    VI.  Active participation in current events
        A.  Classroom discussions
        B.  Comparing local and world news headlines via the internet.
    VII.  Completion of all tests, quizzes, homework and assignments.
    VIII.  Develop an economic system for your invented country (continuation of sixth grade project).
    IX.   Investigate career paths.
    X.  Successfully manage the technology that you are required to use in your classroom lessons.

Economic History of America

Give each of these topics to the students in random order.  Ask each student to work from the Resource Room on their laptops to build an economic timeline.  Draw timeline on 4” by 11” paper taped, on back, in lengths.

Merchantilism - Colonies excisted for the sole purpose of expanding wealth to the home country. Immigration: Colonial to modern Boston Tea Party- 1773 American Revolution- 1777 Industrial Revolution Ellis Island  and Labor Force-     European Immigrants move to NYC,     Chinese Immigrants move to San Francisco Civil War Child Labor China Trade in Growing America Latin America and the United States Mountain Men and the Fur Trade California Gold Rush- 1849 Labor Movement in America Panama Canal Spanish American Conflict The Great War (World War I) Explosion of the Maine

Transcontinental Railroad Isolationism, Prosperity and Progress in the 1920’s The Great Depression (1930’s) The New Deal/ Social Security Act The Dust Bowl and the “Okies” World War II - On the homefront The Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan The “Military-Industrial Complex” and the nuclear arms race GI Bill of Rights- 1944 The most prosperous nation on earth- 1950’s Interstate Highway Program- 1956 The Space Race Lyndon Johnson and the Great Society Cesar Chavez Organizes Migrant Workers OPEC Oil Embargo: First Major U.S. Energy Crisis- 1973 Personal Computers

Students will choose one of these areas (or any topic covered in class) to lead a class mini-lesson, 30 minutes in length.  Lessons will be graded by rubric format.   Each student is given rubric before preparing lesson.  Guest speaker or recorded interview should be a part of the lesson.