Student Resources:

• Hoover Institution Videos & Viewing Guides
  • Prosperity
  • Scarcity
  • Choice
• Optional Student Handout
• Glossary
• Background Reading to Countries
• Background to the Jones Act of 1912, the Smoot–Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) of 1990.

Teacher Resources:

• Student Handout Answer Key
• Freedom House rating
• Freedom Index
• Human Freedom Index

Note: The above links can also be used to support students in the analysis questions in the Explore section of this lesson.  Select certain data as necessary to help illustrate the connection between free societies and economic prosperity.

• Prosperity
• Scarcity
• Factors of Production
• Capital
• Choice
• Capitalism
• Socialism
• Natural Rights
• Entrepreneurship

Facilitation Notes

• Depending on the level of scaffolding needed for your students, consider distributing the video viewing guides for added support. 
• When discussing “time” as a scarce resource, note that everyone has the same number of hours in a week (168). The fact that time is limited makes it scarce. Good “time-management” is helpful but cannot increase the number of hours in a week.
• When discussing “jobs” for the “consequences of the scarcity of oil,” ensure students understand the process of “creative destruction.” Economist Joseph Schumpeter argued that a healthy economy actually destroys jobs, by creating new jobs that make less efficient jobs obsolete. When looking at the assignments under “Assess and Reflect,” use your best judgment as to what best suits your students.  You have an option to assign both the “self-reflection” and the “societal reflection,” or just one based on the needs and make-up of your class.

Anticipate

• Scaffolding Note:
  • Prior to engaging with the videos and other aspects of the lesson, have students review and complete the interactive glossary. Alternatively, focus on a term at a time just before it is introduced. Notes of where in the lesson terms are introduced are provided throughout the lesson plan.
  • Glossary term(s): Prosperity
  • Use the viewing guides to create checks for understanding. The questions from these guides could be added to a video editing tool such as Playposit or Edpuzzle.
• Have students watch the Prosperity video either independently or as a whole class. Direct student attention to the focus questions: As you watch, think about what prosperity means or looks like to you and how it might be achieved. Students can record notes in their journal, notebook, online, or on the provided optional handout.
  • Have students turn to a neighbor and share reflections. As a pair, have students decide which focus question and response to share aloud with the class.
  • Allow students to share their reflections with the class. Engage in class discussion as time allows.

Engage

• Scaffolding note:
  • Glossary term(s): Scarcity
• Transition: The first couple of characteristics of prosperity we’ll take a look at are scarcity and choice. Let’s review scarcity first. As you watch this video, think about any products you use in your daily life that would cause difficulty if they became scarce, how you would describe scarcity to a younger student, or how people or countries deal with scarcity. Select one of these and write down your thoughts as you watch.
  • As students watch the video they should record their ideas and reflections about the focus questions. Students can record notes in their journal, notebook, online, or on the provided optional handout.
  • Turn to your neighbor and share your reflections. As a pair, decide which focus question and response you’ll share with the class.
• Allow students to share their reflections with the class. Engage in class discussion as time allows.
• Scaffolding note:
  • Glossary term(s): Factors of production, capital
• Transition: Now that we have a good idea of what scarcity is, let’s think of some ways scarcity impacts our daily lives. Sometimes based on scarcity we have to make choices that will have both positive and negative impacts or consequences. Let’s look at the graphic organizer. The first example of something that might be scarce in our lives is time and motivation. Not having enough time because I also have an after-school job, or lacking motivation because I don’t like the subject might lead me to choose not to do my homework. These choices could then lead to getting a failing grade on a test or class. What other consequences can you think of?
  • With your partner, try and complete as many other examples as you can. If you want to try to come up with your own examples there are blank lines.
  • Scaffolding note: The graphic organizer has partially been completed to serve as a model for students to complete independently. If your students require more support, complete the remaining sections in small groups or as a whole class. Alternatively, remove answers to make the activity more difficult.
• Allow students time to complete the scenarios. Engage in class discussion as time allows.
• Scaffolding note:
  • Glossary term(s): Choice
• Transition: What happens when there’s scarcity in a country? How do countries deal with that? What kind of decisions and choices might they make to solve those issues? Let’s look at our next characteristic of prosperity—Choice. As we watch this video, think about what kinds of economic decisions or choices you make, or what happens when governments make economic choices for you.
  • As students watch the video they should record their ideas and reflections about the focus questions listed above in the transition. Students can record notes in their journal, notebook, online, or on the provided optional handout.
  • Review your reflections with your partner. Decide what to share with the class.
• Allow students to share their reflections with the class. Engage in class discussion as time allows.

Explore

• Distribute the reading to students.
• Scaffolding note:
  • Glossary term(s): Capitalism, Socialism, Natural Rights, Entrepreneurship
• Transition: We talked a little about how governments can interfere with individual economic choices that impact prosperity. The differences in the structure of the government can affect an individual’s economic decision-making. Personal choices and economic involvement can be limited or empowered by the government. Let’s see what that looks like in different countries around the world. With your partner read through each of the country profiles. Look for ways the government is involved in the economy and the impact their involvement has on the economy and on the economic choices of individuals.
  • Allow time for students to read and complete each country profile.
  • Scaffolding note: reading can be completed in a variety of ways: whole class, small groups, jig-saw, or individually. These can also be used in a gallery walk with supplemental materials.
• Transition: What did you notice about government involvement and its impact on the economy or individual economic choices? Before you answer the analysis questions let’s talk about free societies. What are some principles free societies are based on? Why are they important? How do they apply to economic choice?
  • Now with your neighbor (or small group), create a “Free Society Continuum” to show where these countries would fall. Then complete the last analysis questions on your own.
• Optional Activity: Have students select two of the six countries from the reading.
  • For each chosen country, students are to create their own scenario by choosing one of the following scenarios:
    • Buying goods and services in a new culture
    • Having a job and providing for a family
    • Starting your own business
  • Each scenario should clearly demonstrate how the level of government involvement influences individual economic decision-making in that country.
  • Have students share their scenarios with the class.
  • Scaffolding Note: This activity can be included or removed based on the needs of the students and classroom and/or time. This activity can also be used in replacement of some of the analysis questions or the assessment.

Assess & Reflect

Have students complete either or both of the activities.

1. Self-reflection question:
   • Respond to the following questions: What is a goal you have for (this year/semester/after HS)?
   • Answer at least two of the provided questions in your response.
     • What are some choices you make that affect the outcome of this goal?
     • What outside factors will contribute to the achievement of your goal?
     • What outside factors will create barriers to achieving your goal?
     • How will achieving or not achieving your goal impact your prosperity?
   • You can respond by writing, or by recording your answer on Flipgrid or another video tool. Be sure to answer in complete sentences.
2. Societal-reflection question:
   • Select a current event from another country. After reading your current event, apply what you have learned in this lesson by analyzing choices made by individuals and their government, as well as how those choices either have or will affect that country’s prosperity.
   • You can respond by writing, or by recording your answer on Flipgrid or another video tool. Be sure to answer in complete sentences

Extend

• Read the background of the Jones Act of 1912, the Smoot–Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) of 1990.
  • Choose one of the acts listed above and create an infographic that explains the impact of the Act you selected had/has on international trade relationships and prosperity. Be sure your infographic illustrates those who benefit as well as those harmed. Your infographic should clearly demonstrate whether you think the Act led/leads to overall prosperity or the lack of prosperity.