Possible Homework!! Possible Homework!!

Guess what?  There is the possibility that your child will have homework tonight!  We are continuing to work through  the "Introduction to Economics"" booklet.  We will be wrapping up this work soon, because next Monday we will be starting an INDEPENDENT project based on economics and culture.

  However, today the assignment is to do pages 23,24, and 25 in the booklet.  Page 23 requires that the kids identify the three of the  four factors of production: natural resources, labor, and  capital.  Each of these factors needs to be "highlighted" in a different color; we used crayons in class.  Page 24 requires the kids to THINK about how they would make categories of the listed items.  There are not "right or wrong" answers, but they should be able to justify their categories.  On page 25, jobs need to be sorted into Goods-producing or Service jobs.  There was PLENTY of time given in class to work on this set of pages.  These three pages are due on Thursday, January 31, 2013.

Group Project

Greetings,

Today we started a "Group Project" that will be completed tomorrow, Thursday, January 24.  This is primarily a project about opportunity cost and scarcity.  However, there are so many skills involved in working with a group.  This projects requires decision making, compromise, and being able to "justify" decisions.  Although the noise level is way higher than I like it, there is a lot of great work happening in the room.  The project resources (the students) were allocated in a random manner, which can be stressful for some of the students.  This is a very short term project, though, so I turned a deaf ear to the weeping and wailing of those who didn't end in a group with a friend. 

This is also a lesson for me; it's interesting to see leaders emerge, to watch the group "rein in" its own members, and to watch shy kids actually join in and have their voice heard.  It also reinforces my decision to make big, important assignments be individual assignments!!

Thanks,
Cathy

Homework Alert!!

Greetings,

Wow; we are into our second week back from Christmas break.  Time does fly!!

We are up to our eyebrows in all things economic, or at least all things economic for 6th graders.  We spent a couple of days watching "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory", watching especially for factors of production; natural resources, human resources, capital resources, and entrepreneurship.  Did you ever look at "Willy Wonka" as a lesson in economics?  It is the perfect example for 6th graders.  But...... one never watches a movie in my class without some type of follow-up assignment, and that follow-up may be homework for your child.

I am attaching a copy of the assignment, which is due tomorrow.  Your student had about 40 minutes of classtime today to work on this assignment.

                                                             

Making Connections

Choose ONE of the following prompts; write a paragraph to explain your answer.

 A paragraph consists of: a topic sentence, at least two lead off sentences, at least two supporting sentences for each lead off sentence, and a closing sentence. This is a total of EIGHT sentences.

1. Describe the supply of “Golden Tickets” and how this impacted the demand for Willy Wonka chocolate.  What were some people doing to get a golden ticket?  Provide specific examples from the movie.

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of competition between businesses in an economy?  Use examples from “Willy Wonka” to explain your answer.

3. Use examples from the movie, specifically inventions in Willy Wonka’s factory, to explain the importance of   quaternary economic activity.

4. What “factors of production” did Willy Wonka use to produce his candy?  (All four factors of production were shown in the movie.)