Jeanette's Ready-To-Teach Lesson Plans


I teach microcomputer applications, business information processing, and business computer programming at San Marcos High School which is the reason why I have a home page. I want to be the best, most exciting teacher I can be for my students. I live to see their eyes light up with excitement when they discover and apply new learning. I hope the things I share with you will excite you too and make your life and work a little easier. The two following lessons are good to teach at the beginning of a new semester when enrollment is not yet stablized. It is appropriate for grades 10 through 12.
Free Enterprise, Lesson 1

FREE ENTERPRISE: A CONTEXT FOR TECHNOLOGY

Objective: Purpose:
Materials: (This works best with a blocked schedule with 90 minutes)
  1. Class notes either on a handout or on a PowerPoint presentation.
  2. Teacher made Free Enterprise Game (attached)
  3. Quiz
Focus:
Teacher Presentation:
Conclusion:

Modeling/Guided Practice:
Independent Practice:
Evaluation:

Teacher Notes


Introduction

Freedom is the principle on which the United States was founded. More than 200 years later, freedom serves as the nation's political foundation. Freedom is also the cornerstone of the American economic system. It is often called the free enterprise system because of the freedoms of the marketplace.

In this system, individuals must make economic choices in an effort to satisfy their needs and wants. Natons, too, must make and set goals. The lesson will present two main points of free enterprise:

  1. Features of Free Enterprise
  2. Goals of Free Enterprise


FEATURES OF FREE ENTERPRISE

  1. Owning private property is one of the most basic freedoms of the free enterprise system.
  2. Individuals and businesses in the United States (US) are free to enter into contraces. Whether written or oral, contrcts are legally binding agreements to buy and sell goods.
  3. Individuals in the US are free to make personal choices and communicate those choices through the price system. As shoppers, consumers cast "dollar votes" which help producers determine what products to buy.
  4. Individuals in the us are free to engage in free enterprise and competition. That is, they are free to choose where they will work, to open their own business, if they so desire, and to choose the type and quantity of goods or services they will produce.
  5. According to famous economist, Adam Smith, self-interest is the force that directs the actions of individuals and businesses. In the US, individuals are free to look after their own self-interest.
  6. The American economic system is relatively free from government interference.
GOALS OF FREE ENTERPRISE

  1. A major goal of the American economic system is to maintain economic freedom.
  2. Another goal of the free enterprise system is efficiency--to make the best use of scarce resources.
  3. A sense of justice for all is part of America's heritage, and in economic terms this goal is known as economic equity. Government tries to ensure that all people share in the benefits of the free enterprise system.
  4. To operate smoothly, the goal of economic stability must be set to maintain employment and stable prices.
  5. Economic security is another goal the government works toward. Individuals can help protect themselves against the unexpected by buying insurance.
  6. The last aim of the free enterprise system is economic growth; that is, to increase the amount of goods and services that each worker in the economy can produce.


FREE ENTERPRISE GAME

Game Materials Needed:

  1. 5 envelopes to hold the game pieces
  2. 1 game board (see below)
  3. 1 copy of game rules (see below)
  4. 16 playing cards (see below for copies to reproduce and cut apart)
  5. Zip lock bag with 5 buttons and 2 dice


Game Rules Two to six players may play the game. Choose a button, and place it at on of the starting points. Roll the dice to see who goes first. All cards will be kept face up on a stack in the center of the table. Te starting player picks the first card on the stack, reads it out lout to the group, then tries to answer it. To check if the correct answer was given, look on the back of the card. When a question is answered correctly, the player may move his/her button forward on the game board by the number of spaces indicated on the card. (Difficulty level determines the point value.) The card should be returned to the BOTTOM of the stack. The first player to get "home" wins or the player who is the closest when time is called wins. On the home stretch, if a player needs only two spaces to get home and the question drawn is worth three, the player may go ahead and move home if the question is answered correctly.

Game Cards (Page 1, question side)


synthesis (3)				        knowledge (1)





Why should technology be 			The freedom to choose where

studied in the context of the			one wants to work and what one

free enterprise system to be			wants to buy is known in the

best understood?				marketplace as ________.









knowledge (1)					evaluation (4)





What is one of the most basic			In your opinion, is is best

freedoms of the free				for consumers to have lots of

enterprise system?				competition in the marketplace

						or does this produce

						extravagance and waste?









knowledge/analysis (3)			            analysis (2)





A written or oral agreement to		            Explain how self-interest

buy and sell goods. (1)     		            could direct a market economy.


Is this a free enterprese

feature or goal? (2)









knowledge (1)					evaluation (4)





Through what economic system		            In your opinion, is the American 

do individuals "vote" for their			economic system relatively free

economic choices?				from government interference?











analysis (2)					analysis (2)





How do "dollar votes" help			Is freedom from government 

producers?					interference a goal or a feature

						of free enterprise?





Game cards (Page 2, question side)





knowledge (1)					application (1)





Making the best use of scarse			How would you explain economic

resources is known as_____?			growth?











application (1)					evaluation (4)





Homelessness in America is an		            Why do you think economic

indication that which one of			growth is important?

of the economic goals has not

been met?







application (1)                                         knowledge (1)





If the unemployment rate is very                    Purchasing insurance is an

low in the American economy,                        attempt to "cushion the fall"

that is often used as an                            if the government should fail

indicator of reaching which goal?                   in its goal of providing?







(page 1, answer side)




                                                      The use of technology helps

                                                      companies to increase profits

Competition                                            by enabling them to produce

                                                       more goods and services

                                                       at less cost.











It should, in theory, produce

more efficiency by producing 

exactly what consumers want to

buy and at the price they are			Owning private property

willing to pay.  Much

cometition is good for consumers

because it forces businesses to 

keep prices down in order to

compete.









Businesses are driven by the			a contract

profit motive to produce the

goods and services dictated by			One point if player answers

consumers wants and needs			"feature" and two points if

expressed in the marketplace.			player answers "both".









This is a hot topic that can

be debated both ways.  In theory, 

the government only regulates

enough to keep the economy			 Through the price system.

stable and consumers safe			 They "vote" not to buy if the

from business abuse.  Business may		 price if higher than the

feel this is "interference while consumers               competition

may argue there needs to

be even more "protection".







One point if player answer                        Dollar votes know producers

"feature" and two points                          know what to produce and how

player answers "both".				  much to produce.







(page 2, answer side)





The aim of economic growth is

to increase the amount of

goods and services that each			   Efficiency

worker in the economy can

produce.









It is important because it

provides more jobs and an

opportunity for more people to			    Economic equity

have a higher standard of living.

 











Economic Stability				    Economic Security.

						    (Other answers may be

						    correct also as long as

						    the player can defend the

						    idea).
FREE ENTERPRISE QUIZ

Name:___________________________________________

Quiz - Free Enterprise: A context for Technology

Directions: Make a list of key phrases to answer questions
one and two. Question three should be answered
in paragraph form using complete sentences.
Each question is worth 33 points.

1. Name six FEATURES of free enterprise.
2. Name six GOALS of free enterprise.
3. Write a paragraph explaining why it is important to
think of free enterprise as a context for technology.

Go on to Freedom Lesson 2.
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jrcb@tenet.edu


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  • CRPCThese pages were developed through GirlTECH '96, a teacher training and student technology council program sponsored by the Center for Research on Parallel Computation (CRPC), a National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center. Thanks! to CRPC and GirlTECH Instructors!