NY Social Studies 5.7a
The Standard
Different types of economic systems have developed across time and place within the Western Hemisphere. These economic systems, including traditional, market, and command, address the three economic questions: what will be produced, how it will be produced, and who will get what is produced?
New York State K–12 Social Studies Framework
Key Idea 5.7
ECONOMICS: The peoples of the Western Hemisphere have developed various ways to meet their needs and wants. Many of the countries of the Western Hemisphere trade with each other, as well as with other countries around the world.
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students compare examples from historical Inuit communities, the United States or Canada, and Cuba. They explain who decides what to produce, how to produce it, and who receives it.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students can identify traditional, market, and command systems from short scenarios. They support each choice with evidence about customs, buyers and sellers, or government decisions.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may think every country uses only one pure economic system. They may also think traditional means outdated, market means no government role, or command means people make no personal choices.
How to Assess It
- Give students three short economy scenarios. Ask them to label each system and explain who answers one of the three economic questions.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Give groups scenario cards and three labeled mats, then have them sort each card as traditional, market, or command.
Ask students to write which system should decide how a town distributes a limited food supply, then defend their choice.
Play Economy Detective, where teams identify a system from clues about customs, prices, private businesses, or government plans.
Trace how a cafeteria meal is chosen, produced, priced, and distributed, then identify which decisions reflect market or command features.
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