from the Summer 2009 YES! Education Connection Newsletter
Read the newsletter: Help Your Students Make Sense of the Economy
Here are lessons plans and curriculum to help your students better understand the cause and effects of the current housing upheaval, the concepts of work (what kind of work is paid?) and workplace, and definitions of wealth.
:: Teachable Moment
:: Peace Corps World Wise Schools
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| Argentina's workers took over factories, citizens took over the streets—no one seemed to miss having a boss. Read more about their movement. |
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Teachable Moment, a project of the Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility (formerly Teachers for Social Responsibility Metropolitan Area), provides elementary through high school teachers with free, inquiry-oriented classroom lessons on current issues.
Boom, Bust & Bailout Lesson Plans (grades 9-12)
The housing market has dramatically shifted over the past couple of years. We’ve plummeted from a housing heyday to a housing bust. Students will use current news stories, studies, and other documents to understand the housing crisis. Through reading and inquiry, they will gain a more solid understanding of what fueled the downturn, the role of mega banks, and the human effects of foreclosure.
SEE LESSON PLAN: Boom, Bust, and Bailout (grades 9-12)
Work, Workers, & the U.S. Labor Movement Curriculum (grades 5-8)
Middle school students’ concepts of work and workplaces may be developing as they are first entering the job market by mowing lawns or pet sitting. In the 8-lesson plan curriculum, “Work, Workers, and the U.S. Labor Movement,” your students will take an in-depth examination of work and labor struggles, engaging in a range of activities including journaling, conducting interviews, and creating anthologies. Their exploration begins with basic questions, such as “What kind of work do your parents do?” and progresses to interviewing the people who work to make their school run and discussing local and global labor conflicts.
SEE CURRICULUM: Work, Workers, & the U.S. Labor Movement (grades 5-8)
LEARN MORE: For more lesson plans and essay ideas, visit www.TeachableMoment.Org. :: Learn about Morningside Center.
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| The West African country of Mali has a rich cultural history and a powerful impact on the international music scene. Have a listen at Putamayo. |
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Peace Corps Coverdell World Wise Schools
SEE WEBSITE :: Peace Corps World Wise Schools
Do You Know What Wealth Is? (grades 9-12)
Mali is one of the poorest countries in the world with an annual per capita income of $245 (U.s. equivalent). This African nation is twice the size of Texas and has a population of 11 million people. Despite its poverty, the author of this lesson plan, a former Peace Corps volunteer, believes that Malian women hold the secrets to happiness.
Can wealth be the accumulation of something non-material? Is wealth in the United States the same as wealth in another country? What is the important role that music plays in Malian culture? This lesson plan from the Coverdell World Wise Schools Program of the Peace Corps will guide your students to an understanding of the definitions of wealth in Malian and American cultures.
SEE LESSON PLAN: Do You Know What Wealth Is? (grades 9-12)
