Alabama Social Studies SS24.E.11d

Social Studies12th GradeGlobal Economy

The Standard

SS24.E.11: Explain why individuals, businesses, and nations engage in trading goods and services in the global economy.

Construct and explain examples of specialization and exchange.

2024 Alabama Course of Study: Social Studies

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students create examples of people or countries making different goods or services. They show what each side gives and receives in a trade and explain why both might agree to it.
What Mastery Looks Like: Given two countries' production choices, a student picks what each should make and proposes a trade. They explain what each country gains compared with making both goods alone.
Common Misconceptions: Students may think a country that produces more of both goods has no reason to trade. They may describe specialization without saying what is exchanged. They may assume both sides gain the same amount.
How to Assess It: Exit ticket: Country A makes six shirts or two mugs per hour. Country B makes two shirts or four mugs per hour. Ask students to pick each country's specialty, propose a trade, and explain one gain for each.

Lesson moves

Give two tables paper; one folds six envelopes, the other draws six cards, then they trade three each to make matching sets.
Ask: Why might a wheat farmer buy bread from a baker instead of baking it? What does each trade?
Give pairs country cards: A makes four shirts or two mugs; B makes two shirts or four mugs hourly. Have them negotiate a trade.
Show a map marking Colombian coffee and U.S. wheat; have students sketch a possible exchange and name each region's specialty.

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