Econ through Children's Literature: economics for 2nd through 4th graders

Four themes

Analytical decision making - Every student makes decisions. Those decisions have positive and negative consequences and the student is responsible for those consequences. Good decision-making involves careful consideration of goals, alternatives, advantages and disadvantages of the alternatives, and the cost of the choice.

Students are workers - The job of every student is to develop her or his human capital in order to improve both the quality and the quantity of alternatives available to them when they leave school.

Production - Production involves inputs or resources, a plan, and outputs. Resources include land, human capital, physical capital, and entrepreneurship.

Markets - Since students are and will continue to be involved in product and labor markets, they learn about the interdependence of buyers and sellers in markets.

Program characteristics

• Uses children’s literature in every lesson
• Parent involvement
• Service learning
• Culturally appropriate
• Based on experiential learning
• Meets California History/Social Science and Language Arts Standards

Program Benefits

• Gives children information before they make decision to stay in the system or drop out, not after it is too late
• Reaches teachers and children with most need.
• Prepares students for the workforce
• Empowers children with critical life skills and realistic paths to their futures
• Partnership of business and education
• Efficient, effective method of professional development

Results

Pre- and post-test results from an external examiner demonstrate that 2nd - 4th graders in Crestmore Elementary School in Bloomington, California improved both in terms of knowledge of the economy and attitude towards their potential in that economy. Similar evaluations in Calexico, East Palo Alto, and South Central Los Angeles.