NYCDOE: Passport to Social Studies – Grade 12 Economics Unit 2 Guide
This Passport to Social Studies teacher’s guide is the second unit of the Economics course, titled: Individuals and Businesses in the Market. This curriculum was developed by a team of NYCDOE staff and teachers, in collaboration with scholars of economics and social studies education. Students immerse themselves in the topic by engaging with case studies, reading and analyzing a rich collection of diverse primary and secondary sources, examining artifacts, and interpreting a variety of visual artifacts, such as charts & graphs, illustrations, and maps.
In this unit, Individuals and Businesses in the Market, students continue to practice putting economics concepts in motion through case studies. Though the scope expands from the personal and individual to meso-and-macro level forces in markets. Students seek to answer the Essential Question: Is the economic system of the United States of America fair and just? By investigating the impact of supply and demand on businesses, the impacts of price control interventions, how businesses are organized and created through business plans, labor relations and organizing for wage workers, and finally globalization and its impacts. At the conclusion of this unit students synthesize the concepts they’ve investigated in an infographic that explains the topic of their choosing.
Throughout the unit, students continue to strengthen social scientific and historical thinking skills from grades prior to cultivate and strengthen their ability to think critically and apply concepts to novel situations, and interpret, select, and cite accurate evidence, and use disciplinary vocabulary to develop their analysis.
This guide includes multiple components:
- Overview
- Day-by-Day Planner
- Model Lesson
- Unit Assessment (and rubric)
- Social Science Thinking Tools and Analysis Strategies
- Key Standards
To evaluate student mastery of content knowledge, cognitive processes, and critical thinking skills, this unit includes opportunities for formative assessments and a performance-based unit assessment. Please note that the NYCDOE 9-12: Passport to Social Studies materials also include a separate student Text Set for each unit.
