Economics and the C3:Can kids do that?Stephen DayDirector, VCU Center for Economic EducationVirginia Commonwealth Universityshday@vcu.edu

What we've seen•C3 history lessons in K-5 classrooms•C3 Economics lessons in grades 6-12 using historical sources•K-5 teachers using the Inquiry Arc to design lessons for a classroom Mini-Economy.•Middle school teachers using the Inquiry Arc to solve economic mysteries.

The Inquiry Arc in a classroom mini-economy Danger! (and opportunity)•Teachers are pulled in many different directions; they have

diverse goals•Teachers seek the best instruction that dovetails with what

they already do•Alignment between C3 goals and classroom/district/state

goals is "lumpy."•Engaging lessons are more important to teachers than the

proper use of sources

Where does that leave us?•The C3, when not perfectly aligned with district/state goals,

will likely produce an "instructional budge" rather than an "instructional shift."•Beware the Watering Down Effect on the C3.•Are these good or bad?

Creating C3 Econ lessons that aren't watered down

Goals:•Further the vision of C3 inquiry learning•Keep lessons short•Keep teacher prep time low•Connect to and adapt existing practices

Dimension 1: Posing questions and planning inquiries•Use "economic mysteries," i.e. compelling questions.•Models of great economic mysteries:• Planet Money (NPR)• The Economic Naturalist by Robert Frank• The Great Economic Mysteries Book by the Council for Economic Education

Dimension 1: Posing questions and planning inquiries• If everyone hates HOAs, why do they exist?•Why don't people who own waterfront property seem to care

about climate change?•Why do we rent tuxedos but buy wedding dresses?•Why are last-minute theater tickets so cheap, but last-minute

airplane tickets so expensive?•Why does a ban on plastic water bottles at a university not lead to

a decrease in the use of plastic bottles?•Why do laws requiring seat belt use lead to more auto accidents?

Dimension 2: Using disciplinary concepts and tools

This is "the easy part." Economics is a conceptual field, so most economics lessons already use disciplinary concepts.*

*An advantage econ has over history! History has greater requirements in reading literacy; But Econ requires you to learn the concepts.

Dimension 3: Using evidence and sources• Key point: The success or failure of C3-based lessons will often

hinge on the sources you are using

Good sources:•Are clearly delineated (short)•Are not reading-heavy•Drive the questioning process, rather than the other way around.

(Question: does this undermine the idea of inquiry?)

My advice: First find good sources, then plan which questions to ask

Dimension 3: Using evidence and sources (continued)

Which of these count as good economics sources?•Graphs• Surveys conducted by students• Fiction•Historical fiction• Simulations and games• Prices in a store• Pictures from the Library of Congress•A speech by a Federal Reserve chairperson• (These have all been used by teachers tasked with making inquiry lessons)

Dimension 4: Communicating conclusions and taking informed action•Problem: it is hard to elicit meaningful social action from a lesson plan, or even a unit.

•Easiest Solution: aim your C3 instruction at an ongoing, authentic project.

Dimension 4: Communicating conclusions and taking informed action

Ideas for authentic projects in econ:• Create a classroom business (perhaps in a mini-economy)• Create and solve economic mysteries• Fix an externality (i.e. a spillover) (e.g. "why is there so much litter

in the lunchroom?)• Improve the process by which a group does something (e.g. a club,

team, prom committee, etc.)• Summer project: Human Capital Improvement Plan

So what should I use?•Lesson plan resources that are almost C3-aligned• The Great Economic Mysteries Book(s), Council for Economic

Education•Understanding Economics in US History, Council for Economic

Education

•Resources for modeling good economic mysteries.• The Economic Naturalist, Robert Frank• The Planet Money Podcast, NPR

Yes, kids can do that!

Stephen Day VCU Center for Economic Education Virginia Commonwealth University shday@vcu.edu 804-828-1628