NYCDOE: Passport to Social Studies – Grade 12 Economics Unit 3 Guide
This Passport to Social Studies teacher’s guide is the third unit of the Economics course, titled: American Capitalism and the Global Economy. 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 and graphs, illustrations, and maps.
In this three-week unit, students analyze how economists use economic indicators to make claims about the overall health of economies. The unit introduces some of the most cited economic indicators: the gross domestic product (GDP), employment and unemployment, inflation, and interest rates. Throughout the course of the unit, students explore arguments for and against the use of economic indicators and alternative economic indicators that are not as widely used in the United States. During the unit they continue to practice contextualization skills and engage in thinking about and analyzing data to make claims. At the conclusion of the unit, students research indicators to assess the health of the economy as well as one broader category from across the Passport to Social Studies Grade 12 Economics units to produce a series of claims in a communication mode of their choosing.
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.
