After eight modules focused on economic topics or on the Federal Reserve System, the Classroom Economist is switching gears in 2013 and taking a look at personal finance themes using the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's popular Katrina's Classroom series.
Each module, starting with the first quarter and finishing with the fourth quarter, will feature video content from the series, plus the familiar components from previous editions. A voice-over PowerPoint lesson features a narrative over slides. Also available is a SMART Board lesson on the topic. (Even if you don’t have a SMART Board, you can open and use the lessons. See instructions.)
The Test Your Knowledge interactive quiz gauges students’ understanding—and yours—of the lesson. (You must view the quiz in slideshow mode. On the ribbon, select the Slide Show tab, then select From Beginning.) Finally, a resources guide provides links to a number of tools that supplement the other materials.
This inaugural module of the personal finance series using Katrina’s Classroom is based on the first video, “Lesson 1: Katrina Strikes." The module looks at natural disasters, emergency and financial preparedness—including creating plans and setting goals—risk management, wants and needs, decision making, and scarcity and opportunity cost.
SMART Board Lesson (.notebook, 4 MB)
PowerPoint Version of the Lesson (3.5 MB)
Lesson Procedures (253 KB)
Wondering how to explain to your class the mixture of public and private elements that make up the Federal Reserve? This edition of the Classroom Economist offers unique tools to help you teach about the Federal Reserve System, including its evolution, components, responsibilities, and much more.
This quarter's edition departs somewhat from the usual format. Instead of offering videos of an Atlanta Fed senior economist and a master teacher, we present Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke himself, serving as both "classroom economist" and master teacher.
SMART Board Lesson (.notebook, 10 MB)
Lesson procedures (204 KB PDF)
The Fed Explains the Central Bank
This edition of the Classroom Economist explores the early history of central banking in the United States, describing the evolution of banking from the late 1700s through the Great Depression, with a special focus on the Fed's role in the Depression.
SMART Board Lesson (.notebook, 17.8 MB)
Lesson procedures (63 KB PDF)
In this edition, the Classroom Economist discusses gross domestic product (GDP): what it is, how to measure it, and what it means to a country's economy.
Lesson demonstration
Lesson (216 KB PDF) | Presentation (1.71 MB PDF)
SMART Board Lesson on GDP (.notebook, 2.5 MB)
Lesson procedures (63 KB PDF)
The Classroom Economist takes a look at the labor market. It includes a discussion of how the labor market differs from a product market, what the different ways of looking at it are, and how to measure it.
Videos
SMART Board Lesson (.notebook, 2.5 MB)
Instructions (63 KB PDF)
This edition of the Classroom Economist offers a look at the role of the Federal Reserve System in setting monetary policy, and describes the tools of monetary policy and the role that the banking system plays.
Interview with Nobel Laureate Christopher Sims
SMART Board Lesson (.notebook, 2.5 MB)
The Classroom Economist looks into the inner workings of fractional reserve banking and answers these questions: What role does the Federal Reserve play in the U.S. banking system? What is the money creation potential of deposits? What is the money multiplier?
SMART Board Lesson (.notebook, 3.5 MB)
In this edition, the Classroom Economist offers a close look at money—its definition, the problem it solves, what fiat money accomplishes, and how the Yapese used giant wheels of stone for money.
SMART Board Lesson: Early American Money
This inaugural issue of the Classroom Economist explains key concepts regarding inflation, including inflation targeting, the consumer price index, core inflation, and more.
Lesson on Inflation—This lesson reinforces key inflation concepts. Use it to prepare teachers for the classroom or to teach students.
Interactive Whiteboard (.notebook, 8 MB)
