Connecting to Economics

Connecting to Economics

In chapter ten of our class textbook, National Social Science Press, I was able to read up on the different ways we can make connections to economics. In the current moment, elementary students don't think that economics can effect them in anyway, but that is far from the truth. Economics effects just about everyone and everything, whether you have money yourself or not. A growing society can certainly effect the economy just as much as it effects class sizes. The bigger the class, the more needs for services such as teachers, janitors, cafeteria workers, etc. On the other hand, the opposite happens when class sizes go down- there is less of a need for these services. With class sizes growing in rural and poverty stricken areas, there are less services being provided to students who need it most. Important one-on-one attention is being overlooked and neglected because there is simply not enough money in the districts to provide students in need. 

Now, this may not be the best way to present to your students how economics directly impacts them, but you can explain how a growing society can effect them in other ways. Such as prices in lunch going up because more mouths need to be fed but not enough workers are available to put together and serve the food. Students may not realize but what happens in their households directly effects  surrounding businesses and the schools. Making this known to your students is important in teaching the topic of economics because it brings students to connections. Making connections is one of the best ways for students to learn because they can relate and when they relate they realize they are learning something that is a real world thing they will deal with. If you are teaching something that students can't relate to, they don't care enough to learn it or will only learn it for that brief moment. But if you make connections to the topic in ways students can understand, then they are more likely to care about and learn what is being taught!